Somehow staring at the four walls which were quickly becoming her normality was seemingly much more pleasant than dealing with the feelings in her head but for Carla is was scary enough to admit her past and how weak she felt over the entire thing. All she could think of herself was her being weak and the more she thought about her past weakness the tears sprung to her sore eyes and if she was honest she felt so alone more so than she had done in the past. Carla closed her eyes and let out some sobs until she was interrupted by a confused Peter as to why she was so sad but the more she realised it he was disguising his drunkenness.
"D-Drunk" she states holding her hand to his chest to stop him from kissing her because she didn't want to smell the alcohol on him "Y-You a-are drun...k"
"I'm sorry" he sobs as more tears spring to her eyes, she closes them and wishes her life would just be easier for her because she couldn't cope any more or maybe she was just unsure about how she would cope
"Emp-emp-ty p-promi...s...se" she states with a sad expression "W-Why?"
"You're in here, I feel lost, I can't help you"
"Y-You b-being i-in here i-is help-ping me" she states with a sigh "Y-You be-be-ing d-drunk i-in here is-isn't"
"Sorry" he cries, she sighs taking his hand, she gestures for him to pass her the jug of water which he does, she pours a glass out and passes it to him
"D-Dri...nk" she states, he nods drinking the entire glass "An-ano...ther one"
"Sorry," he says pouring another glass and she watches him tilt it to his lips and finish all the contents
"G-Go h-home Pet...er" she says looking at him in the eyes seeing the tears there but right now she doesn't trust herself to spill her dark secret
"I can't," he says "I can't leave you, please"
"P-Please" she begs raising her voice slightly making sure it didnt crack "G-Go"
"Why are you pushing me away?"
"I-It's too m-much" she says quietly glancing down to her hands where one of her hands was fiddling with the engagement ring, she slides it off "K-Keep d-drink...ing th-then th-this isn't h-happen-ening"
"W-What?" Peter questions completely confused at her all of a sudden, he really thought she would stick with him through this, Carla reaches for her phone
"I have to put the baby first, Peter"
"I thought you wanted this though?"
"I do"
"Then why are you pushing me away?"
"I don't know"
She cries wiping her eyes, Peter picks her hand up and kisses it knowing that something was definitely bothering her all of a sudden
"I just want to focus on the baby"
"Ok, we can do that" he confirms "And then you'll focus on us after?"
"I'll think about it"
"Ok" he breathes out "What's with the change of mind?"
"Things have changed"
"Right" he nods not really seeing it "Changed how?"
"You're drinking, I'm in here having to prepare for the birth of my child almost four months early and I need time to comprehend that"
"Sorry"
"No, it's me, sorry"
"Love all of this isn't your fault, it was that idiot who was driving the car" he whispers squeezing her hand "But there's something else which is bothering you, I just know it. I know you"
"I just want to rest Peter and get better"
She says picking up the remote to administer more pain killers from her drip
"I'm tired so if you're staying either shut up or leave as I want to sleep"
"I'll just stay" he whispers, she nods slowly adjusting the bed so she was lying down, he sighs looking at her as she curls up under the covers and turns her head away from him, he bites his lip knowing something was definitely up with her…
"Breakfast is served"
"Brunch, you mean" she corrects him before letting out a yawn, he reaches to take her hand "I was thinking why don't we speak to a solicitor today about getting Sammy back?"
"Are you sure you want this?" he questions wanting her to be sure, Michelle sighs quietly and closes her eyes "I just want you to be sure, I don't want to ruin your relationship with Carla. There are other things to consider as well, for instance, you would have to be in this for the long haul Michelle, we'd have to prove that we're solid"
"We are solid" she assures him "Unless you don't feel the same?"
"No I do, I just don't want you to feel trapped like Carla did"
"How do you mean? You didn't say she felt trapped?"
"She felt trapped in her pregnancy, she felt trapped because she was in this fantasy world that she was going to get better by thinking she was going to get better and that would muster up a new lease of life for her but then when Sammy was born she got scared and felt trapped because she was convinced she was going to die"
"Have you spoken to Carla about…"
"I confronted her at the hospital, not my finest move but I was annoyed and upset with the situation and seeing her again after she gave him up it gave me uncomfortable feelings and my emotions just got the worse of me, I'm sorry"
"No it's ok, she's pulled the wool over everyone's eyes" Michelle sighs closing her eyes, Lucas just sighs eating his breakfast "Shouldn't you have gone into work by now?"
"I called Sarah, I'm pulling a sickie" he shrugs "I just couldn't face it"
"You know hiding away isn't going to make it better" she whispers, Lucas just shrugs "This is really eating your up isn't it?"
"I'm sorry I'm being a right miserable…"
"Enough of that" she whispers walking around to him and linking her arms around his neck, she pecks him on the cheek "I'm here, just tell me what you need from me ok?"
"Right now I just need you" he whispers with a small smile, he pecks her on the lips "It'll be ok, we'll figure it out. I just want to give you time to be sure ok?"
"Yeah I understand" she nods with a grin "It'll be ok, I promise"
"I hope so"
Simon was scuffing his shoes on the floor as he sits on the bench outside of the chippy. He glances at another one of the drug runners before sighing knowing that there was no way out of this now that he was implicated. He was worried about the future, his future to be precise and he was kicking himself that he had been so stupid that in a moment of haste he didnt use his brain and decided to get money in a way of criminality instead of being honest with the people around him. Everywhere he went he just seemed to be causing people problems and he hated that. This was too much for him and he felt ever so scared and trapped within this horrible life. His dad was obsessed with Carla and drinking himself to death at any given opportunity when the going got tough and that left Simon to not tell him about what was going on because he was so scared that he would be the cause of his father's death. Then there was his mum, she was grieving for the loss of his brother and then again he knew that would send her over the edge and caused more stress, well it had done with the extent that she knew about his problems. Sometimes he wished life was different.
"You seem in a world of your own. Are you ok?"
"Do one Kelly" Simon snaps, she laughs slightly before rolling her eyes
"Is this about that Jacob kid? Another one like you eh?"
"Leave it out, I said I don't want you involved for your own safety. I care too much about you-"
"Sweet" she comments before smirking and raising some pills up from her pocket, he snatches them off her
"How did you get those?"
"Jacob" she smirks, Simon glares
"Have you taken any?"
"I was thinking if things are really that bad in your head then maybe we could take some, put the world to rights-"
"I don't so drugs"
"Yet you're dealing them?"
"This is none of your business Kelly" Simon comments before letting out an exhausted sigh and chucking the bag of pills onto the floor "Don't take them"
"Why?"
"I'm just warning you, don't take them," he says before swinging his bag onto his back, he storms off and Kelly sighs picking up the bag of pills and biting her lip before shoving them into her pocket, one wouldnt hurt surely?
"Carla?"
"Hm?" she questions with a small smile
"You have a visitor, someone who hasn't been here before. Are you ok with that?"
"F-Fine," she says as the nurse nods leaving and returning with Carla's unsuspected guest "Oh"
"Sorry I can go, this was a mistake-"
"N-No," Carla says gesturing to the seat beside her "K-Kelly is-isn't it?"
"Yeah" Kelly nods biting her lip, "Simon told me about the bank card"
Carla picks up her phone and narrows her eyes
"Why are you here? Has something happened to Si?"
"Well not exactly. I just dont think he's coping if I'm being honest"
"Coping how?"
"Well he just seems distant, he's snappy and defensive. I don't know how to get through to him. I've tried being understanding, being lighthearted but nothing. He won't tell his dad or mum what's going on so I was wondering if you'd have a word because I'm worried about him"
"Leave it with me and try not to worry"
"Are you sure?"
"Sure"
"Thank you" Kelly smiles picking up her bag before leaving the room, Carla sighs rubbing her forehead and picking up her phone to send off a demanding text to Simon
Michelle was in the flat looking around the place, she sighed slightly and hummed gently in response as she looked around the place. With Peter out, she was able to do this with ease roping Lucas in to help. She was rummaging through Carla's personal files to see if she could find anything but there was nothing and Michelle wasn't surprised to assume Carla had prepared herself for this occasion before she even came back to the street all those years ago. She sighed and joined Lucas in the living room making him a coffee as they lounge out on the sofa just enjoying their company.
"There has to be something here" Lucas whispers, massaging Michelle's scalp, she sighs slightly "Has she stayed anywhere else?"
"There's the pub but I would imagine that Jenny would have given all of Carla's stuff back" Michelle shrugs "There's Roy's I guess"
"Roy's?"
"Yeah Carla's good friends with the man who runs the cafe" Michelle informs him briefly "He was the first one out of her family who knew about her kidney disease, he looked after her"
"Surely that's got to be a start?"
"Yeah maybe. Actually, go back to the flat and I'll make some excuse to search the flat" Michelle says, Lucas nods "I think you might have a point there babe"
"Or we could get some lunch then look after?" he suggests, she smirks at him and climbs onto his lap and leans in to kiss him "Or by the looks of things you can have me instead of your sandwich"
"Oh Lucas, you read my mind" she smirks cupping his cheek "We'll figure it all out, you know that right?"
"I know" he whispers "And that's why I love you"
"I love you too" she smirks, taking his hand and leading him into her bedroom…
"Hey Roy" Michelle greets him, Roy nods "I don't suppose I could have a word could I?"
"Of course" Roy nods gesturing for her to take a seat
"I'm looking for some of Carla's medical files from her kidney, the hospital doesn't seem to have them so I was wondering if you know if any of them are still here from when she was staying here?"
"There is a folder containing the remains of Carla's medical documents. She wanted to keep them here knowing they would be safe. Would you like me to show them to you?"
"If you wouldn't mind. There was an error in the system when she transferred her care from the hospital in Devon to Weatherfield General" Michelle flashes him a smile
"Nina will you be ok on your own?" Roy questions Nina nods,
"Of course, it's important," she says somewhat sarcastically; Michelle and Roy head upstairs
"Here are all the folders I have of everything still to do with Carla" Roy informs Michelle placing them on the table "Please take what you need"
"Thank you" Michelle nods as Roy smiles and leaves, she takes the folders into her arms and leaves the flat as well to go back to Lucas' flat…
"Ugh there's nothing!" he exclaims rubbing his forehead in annoyance, Michelle sighs sympathetically
"We must have missed something" Michelle groans in annoyance before biting her lip "Let's look twice"
"Fine! I just don't see how any of this is going to help" he mutters, Michelle sighs gently pulling out another folder and looking through it
"Oh…" she trails off with a small smile and passing Lucas one of the plastic wallets "Looks like little Miss Carla hasn't been so secretive after all"
"Wow" he breathes out "Long term fostering arrangement...she knew about this, or she's been orchestrating it?"
"Oh, I don't know Lucas. I'm not a solicitor or a social worker" she sighs rubbing her forehead "But essentially we could swoop in and take Sammy if we can provide him with a stable home environment"
"What if she wants him back though? Is it fair to take him back if she wants him?"
"Well I guess we just have to see"
"I don't know. I think we should discuss it with her to create as little animosity as possible for Sammy"
"Yeah maybe" Michelle whispers closing her eyes "I don't know what to do"
"We'll figure it out, as long as you're in for the long run?"
"Yeah" she nods with a sincere smile "I'm in"
