A few weeks later, it was the day of Rob's sentencing. Everyone's nerves were shot and emotions were high. They all knew what to expect but it didn't make it any easier; Tracy was still raging and Carla was in the firing line of it all.
As they sat in the waiting room, a tense and awkward atmosphere overpowered the group, leaving complete silence in the four walls.
Ken was the first to speak, "Would anyone like a drink?"
"Erm, no thanks." Michelle said, politely before looking over at Carla in concern.
Carla leant forwards, arms crossed around her as if it would protect her from all the pain she was about to endure. Her shoulders were hunched over and her eye bags were very evident from the lack of sleep.
Tracy on the other hand was sat opposite Carla and glared at her with so much distaste. Her eyes soared into the older woman's, she almost looked feral.
"Carla? Tracy?" Ken looked over at the two woman.
"No, ta." Carla croaked.
"As if a drink of dishwater tea will make me feel any better." Tracy scoffed, sarcastically.
Rolling his eyes, Ken sat back and crossed his arms.
"Shouldn't be long now." Michelle smiled, weakly.
"Hopefully not." Ken replied, as the awkwardness grew once more.
"Hey," Michelle moved over to Carla and held her hand. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," Carla weakly smiled. "It's just all official after this, isn't it? I feel sick."
"You'll feel better once you know rather than this dreaded wait." She reassured her, quietly.
"I won't though. Because my brother is still going to rot in prison for the rest of his life." She sniffed back tears.
"I sentence you with life imprisonment. A minimum of twenty five years." The judge announced.
Choruses of gasps gathered around the room, but all Carla could do is stare. The inner turmoil starting to eat her alive, as she felt bile rise up and paled considerably. Her heart felt as if it physically crushed.
She basically raised Rob, he was her companion. It was her duty to look after him when Sharon and George were busy off their face. When he got into fights, or got too close to the edge on the quarry, or cried because he was so starving - it was always Carla taking care of him.
And when he came back to the street, he helped her get through so much. He may have betrayed her multiple times but when she needed him, he was there. She wouldn't of survived the break up with Peter if it hadn't been for her little brother.
She couldn't help but believe that he killed Tina for her. And that was the sickening reality of it all. Their bond had grown so strong, he was so determined to protect Carla that he killed the mistress.
Michele grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly whilst Ken consoled a devastated Tracy.
Carla looked into her little brothers eyes once last time and it was just cold. Cold and evil, no remorse or love. And then, they were all guided out...
"How did it go?" Liz asked as Carla, Michelle and Ken entered the Rovers.
The look on their faces gave it all away but no one knew how to react. Joy? Sadness? He deserved to be punished but it was a big blow to the people who loved him.
"Twenty five years." Michelle sighed, watching Liz wince.
"I'm so sorry, Carla." She smiled, sympathetically at the quiet woman.
Carla weakly nodded before looking up, "Can I have the biggest glass of wine you offer."
"Are you sure drinking is the best thing to do right now?" Michelle frowned.
"Emotions are quite high tonight, Carla. Don't you think it's best to stay sober?" Ken suggested.
"I'd prefer not to be patronised if it's all the same with you," Carla snapped. "My little brother has just been sent down for life, excuse me if I want to get bladdered."
An awkward silence overcame them all as they debated what the right thing to say was. Although they were soon interrupted when Steph and David walked to the bar, speaking loudly.
"Steph told me about Rob." David deadpanned, looking over at Carla.
"None of us want to talk about it, David." Michelle glared.
"I hope you're not defending him." He narrowed his eyes.
"Of course we're not!" Michelle said.
"Good," He said. "I hope they throw away the key after what he did."
"I've had enough of this." Carla exhaled, grabbing her bag and swiftly leaving the pub.
"Great," Michelle scoffed at David. "Thanks a lot."
"Should one of us go after her?" Ken asked.
"I think it's best to leave her to cool off for now."
The shivers and goosebumps that appeared on her skin suggested that she should go back indoors and escape the chill in the air but instead, she leant against the side of the Rover's building as tears filled her eyes.
She bit her lip to contain a sob that threatened to come out and swallowed.
She was so done living in this street, constant glares and judgment wherever she went. Everywhere was full of bad memories and people she didn't want to talk to. So why was she there? The thought of running was too appealing right now.
"Hey," A voice of concern drew her out of her thoughts. "Are you okay? Have you been crying?"
"I'm fine." She croaked, emitting a pained sigh.
"Talk to me." Peter smiled, throwing his cigarette onto the floor and then placing a strand of hair behind her ear as she suddenly broke down into tears.
"I feel like the worst person ever." She cried.
"I can't switch my feelings off. I love him so much and I feel so guilty, Peter." She added.
"No one expects you to," He reassured her, titling her head up to look at him. "He's your brother, those feelings will never go."
"Even after he killed a young woman." Carla shook her head, looking to the ground to avoid his intimate eye contact.
"You have nothing to be guilty about. You did what was right and handed him into the police."
"Right for who? Because in his eyes, I did the worst thing possible and betrayed him."
"He did the worst thing possible, not you. You couldn't let a murderer go free and live his life, no matter whether he is blood related or not."
"Everyone says that but it doesn't change the fact," She sighed. "Did I hand him in because it was the right thing to do or did I hand him in because I wanted you out."
"You showed that no matter what someone's done to you, your morals come first and you couldn't let an innocent man stay in prison for the rest of his life, even if it is me. Stop feeling guilty, Car."
"I'm just done with this street, with everyone." She sobbed.
"It'll get easier. It's bound to be hard today after his sentencing."
"I want to get away. I'm leaving." She swallowed.
"Leaving? Where?" His eyes widened.
"I don't know. Anywhere but here," She mused. "Probably LA with Susie."
"On holiday or what?"
"One way."
"No," Peter shook his head. "Don't make hasty decisions when you're upset."
"I've been thinking about this for ages now. This place is cursed, Peter. I can't stay here anymore."
"This isn't because of me?"
"I need to get away from everything and focus on myself and my future because I can't live like this." She said, avoiding his question because she didn't want to admit that part the reason she had to leave was so she didn't give in with Peter.
"I'll miss you." He whispered.
"It's not your place to miss me anymore. That ship has sailed." She mumbled, starting to walk away.
"Where are you going?" He shouted.
"To the factory."
"It's late."
"And? I need a distraction." She shrugged, leaving Peter to digest her awful news.
Upon arriving at the factory, she noticed the door was unlocked which instantly unnerved her. She pulled it open ajar and looked around to try and seek out any potential intruders but it was too dark to see.
She slowly walked inside and switched the lights on, gasping when she saw the windows to her office smashed and the place was a mess.
"Who's here? I'll call the police." Carla shouted.
Then, she saw a female silhouette in the kitchen area that was getting nearer and nearer.
"Tracy!" She yelled. "What the hell have you done?!"
"What does it look like." She snapped, rushing to the door to lock her in.
"Why have you done this?" Her eyes widened as she looked at the factory, her precious factory.
"You know why!" Tracy screamed. "You know what you did to me!"
"I did what I had to do and it killed me-..."
"You didn't have to do anything! We could've got married and lived a happy life and no one would've had an incline it was Rob. But you had to ruin it, didn't you? You've always had it in for me!"
"This wasn't about you, Tracy! It was the right thing to do. I couldn't keep quiet."
"Yes you could!"
"So, what's this? Because I'm feeling a sense of deja vu here." Carla smirked. "Are you planning on killing me off? Seriously, Tracy?"
"I'm ruining the only thing you care about. I've lost everything and now you will too. Because let's be real, this is the only place you've ever cared about."
"If it makes you feel better then go ahead! But I'm calling the police." Carla shook her head, turning around to get her phone out.
"No!" She yelled, pushing Carla's back so she fell to the floor. "You're not calling anyone!"
Face down on the floor, Carla took a few deep breaths before turning over and sitting up.
"Assault too? You're stacking them up." She muttered.
"Oh shut up!" She rolled her eyes whilst Carla stood up and dusted herself down.
"You are acting like a child. Imagine if Rob could see you now?" Carla laughed.
"You're talking as if he's dead! Doesn't surprise me really, you're that desperate to get him out of your life-..." Tracy's words came to a halt as she suddenly felt a sharp stinging sensation on her right cheek.
Her head whipped to the side and she cradled her cheek in her palm before looking at Carla with a warning expression.
"How dare you hit me after everything already?"
"You need to realise that the world doesn't revolve around you," Carla said, angrily. "Handing Rob in was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. He's my brother and I love him. I was put in an impossible situation but unlike you, I'm not selfish and I had to consider Ken and Simon in all of this. You know, your father and nephew?"
"Don't pretend like you did it for them. You did it because you wanted Peter back in your bed." She scowled.
"Whatever, Tracy." Carla shook her head. "How did you even get in?"
"Rob's keys."
"The alarm?"
"Well you know when Rob had to sort this place out single-handedly, I locked up with him sometimes and saw the code. Not that I needed it because it wasn't even set."
"After everything he did for you-..." She added.
"Everything he did for me? Tracy, he didn't donate a kidney! Are you forgetting how you two screwed me over and lied to my face."
"Oh, here we go. This is why you did it, right? To punish us."
"Back to this again, are we? No!" Carla rolled her eyes.
"I loved him so much, Carla. You couldn't let us have one day, could you? Do you know how rare it is for me to actually be in a relationship where we're both completely devoted by each other. And not only that, he saw Amy as his own and he loved her so much. We were perfect. He understood me and never judged me."
"I get that, I do. And I'm so sorry but you can't take this all out on me. I've got to deal with this to and let me tell you, I'm finding it very difficult. Do you know how it feels to wake up in the morning and feel instant hatred for yourself?"
"Of course I do. But not only from myself, but from every person around here. Everyone except Rob," She cried. "People like you. You've got it all, Carla. Everything that I could've dreamt of-..."
"So this is out of jealousy?" She raised her eyebrows.
"No. But you're popular, you have money, you've got a good business. You just strut around and get what you want. And what do I have?"
"You have Amy." Carla's voice wavered.
"Yeah and I'm doing a good job with her, am I?" She scoffed.
"You need to appreciate what you have. Because I may look like I have it all but I don't. Do you know how much it hurts me seeing all these women with their daughters and I don't have mine? Why is that fair, tell me."
"Amy will turn out just like I have. You had a lucky escape not having one of your own."
"Wow..." Carla murmured, tears springing to her eyes. "Wow."
"I just mean-..."
"I know what you meant," Carla silenced her. "I feel lonely all the time, Tracy. A few months ago I had a husband, I was pregnant and we were looking for a new house. And look at me now. No husband and no baby. And I would do anything to be able to get her back, to have someone that'll always be there and have my back. So when you see me strutting along the cobbles, as you like to say, just know that it's all a facade. Money isn't everything."
Tracy stated into Carla's eyes, not knowing how to reply. She was left speechless.
A tear slid down Carla's contoured cheekbones; she tried to wipe it away discreetly but the other woman saw it.
"I'm sorry." Tracy whispered.
"You're upset, I get it." Carla shook her head.
"And so are you."
Carla nodded; more tears erupted so she covered her face with her hand and turned around.
"I just needed someone to take it out on and you were in the firing line. I'm sorry for what I said about your baby. My niece."
"It's alright, I understand." Carla sniffed and turned around again, offering her a weak smile.
Continues next chapter...
I hope you've had the best Christmas! I've been trying to publish this chapter for a while but I've had issues on the website, has anyone else? Hope this was okay! :)