Chapter 10

Previously

"Don't, I'm sure you can get your fiancé to get his lawyer to look at it for you," Michelle smirked.

"You've gotta be kidding me? Wait, hang on. My what?" Carla asked, looking at frank.

"You cow." Frank glared at her.

"Chelle, why would you do that?" Steve asked, asked in shock.

"You were planning on asking me to marry you? Carla asked in disbelief.

"Fish and chips, red reck," Frank replied.

Carla stood there for a minute, weighing her options.

"You can have your precious pub and as for me and you. We're done." Carla told her, scribbling her signature on the city contract and walking out of the pub.

Present time

Carla Connor stormed down Coronation Street like a woman who was on a mission, anger and disgust seeping from every pour.

The audacity of her! To behaviour and treat someone like that all because of jealousy.

Carla threw the door to Underworld open with that much force, it flew back and hit the wall. The loud bang caused the workforce to gain to a sudden and abrupt halt.

"What?" Carla snapped, knowing not one of them would answer her back before making her way into the office.

"Everything ok?' Maria asked from her desk.

"How dare she! Who exactly does she think she is?! After everything?" Carla rambled.

"I take it things didn't go well?" Maria asked.

"Does it look like it?" Carla snapped at her.

"Carla, Maria come on I'll make you a brew." Frank offered from his spot in the doorway.

"Sorry about that. She doesn't mean it." Frank told Maria as he handed her a brew.

"No, don't worry about it. Our Liam has tried but Michelle isn't budging. Thanks." Maria replied.

"I thought they might patch things up like they always do, but I don't think so this time. It's gone too far." Frank told her.

"I have a feeling your right. I heard about the engagement. Congratulations." Maria smiled.

"Not quite, she knows but I haven't actually asked her, Michelle saw to that," Frank replied.

"She didn't?" Maria asked, shocked.

"She did, just now," Frank replied.

"I can't believe that, why would you do something like that?" Maria asked in disbelief.

"Jealousy? Spite? I don't know. But I know one thing for sure, she isn't going to ruin the rest." Frank told her.

"How do you mean?" Maria asked, curiosity.

"I need your help and can you keep a secret?" Frank asked.

"Of course, what do you need?" Maria smiled.

And together they put the plan into action.

"And again thanks for helping with this." Frank again thanked her.

"Help you with what?" Carla's startled them.

"Uh-huh, Maria has agreed to work on Friday so we can go to mum and dads for dinner." Frank covered.

"Oh alright. Listen, Maria, I shouldn't have spoken to you like that. I was angry and upset with Michelle and I took it out on you and I shouldn't have. So I'm sorry." Carla smiled at her.

"Oh listen don't worry about it. We all have our off days." Maria replied, smiling back in return.

Carla gives her sister in law a hug.

"So, I've contacted my lawyer and he wants to meet with me in the next hour so I've got to dash. Are you ok here till I get back?" Carla asked.

"Yeah, we can hold the forte. Everything ok?" Frank asked.

"Yeah, it's a few legal whatnots and that. Nothing to worry about." Carla smiled.

An hour later.

"And that's everything set in stone, there are no legal holes," Carla asked her lawyer.

"It's watertight. Don't worry." He reassured her.

"Thank you, James, for everything." Carla thanked him and left.

A few days later.

Carla and Frank were getting ready for the dinner party at his parent's house.

"Are you sure I look alright?" Carla asked for the fifth time.

"You look stunning, now come on. We are going to be late." Frank told her.

"Ok, ok alright alright I'm coming." Carla sighed, not completely happy with how she looked.

"Carla! Frank! It's lovely to see both of you!" Ann exclaimed as she opened her door to the couple.

"Hiya love, Frankie love shut the door. You're letting the heat out." Carla replied.

"Since when did you start doing what you were told? Hello son. Carla, I say this all the time but if I were 30 years younger." Sam smiled giving her a hug.

"Oh you, give over. What's he like?" Carla replied, giving Ann a hug after giving Sam a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"Samual, don't embarrass the girl! Ignore him, sweetheart. " Ann smiled.

"Hello, I am here," Frank told them in mock offence.

"As much as I love you, son, I have another daughter to spoil now, so move over." Ann joked to her son, affectionately.

"Feeling the love here. How was France?" Frank asked.

"You can't take it with you." San laughed.

Half an hour later.

The four had sat down and enjoyed their starters and mains.

"So have you heard from Kate lately?" Frank asked, confronting the elephant in the room.

"Oh, the same as we last saw her," Anna replied, hiding the hint of sadness that settled on her features well.

"Don't upset yourself, darling. Kate made her choice." San told her.

"She's still our daughter, Sam." Ann snapped.

Carla didn't dare interrupt and drank in the scene that was playing out before her.

"Ann, please don't make a scene. We're here to enjoy dinner with our son and his partner." San pleaded.

"Well, stop acting like she doesn't exist. Its like shes dead." Ann exclaimed.

"She might as well be!" Sam finally snapped, letting all the anger and hurt go.

"What did you just say?" Ann demanded.

"Nothing, forget it. I'm going into the garden." Sam told her, getting up and leaving the table.

Ann burst into tears.

"I'll take care of mum and go to your dad," Carla whispered to Frank.

"I'm sorry, I'm sure this isn't the type of night you had in mind." Ann sniffed. Wiping her eyes.

"You have nothing to apologize for, so don't. Ok?" Carla soothed her, giving her a hug.

Carla had settled Ann into bed and could hear sn argument going on downstairs. Thank god Ann was passed out having taken a sleeping table.

Carla got to the bottom of the stairs as Frank whizzed past her.

"Come on, darling. We're going." He told her.

Carla gave Sam a sympathy smile before following her partner out.

It had been two weeks since the revealing dinner party and things had been strained to say the least.

Carla wanted to comfort and be there for her partner, but she couldn't seem to do anything right.

"I said I'd do it!" Frank snapped at Carla for the millionth time that day.

"I'm sorry I was only trying to help," Carla explained.

"No, I'm sorry. It's my problem and I'm taking it out on you and I shouldn't be." Frank apologized to his girlfriend.

"I know it's something to do with the dinner party last week," Carla replied, rubbing his shoulders.

"Not here, we'll go to the rovers for lunch," Frank told her.

A few hours later.

Rovers pub - 12 noon

A pint, a white wine and two hot pots later and Carla and Frank had gotten themselves a table.

"This is all such a mess." Frank sighed as he took a sip of his pint.

"You and your dad will sort it out and makeup. You always do. " Carla smiled encouragingly at him.

"No Car, not this time," Frank replied.

"What's going on love?" Carla asked.

Carla nodded her head.

"Do you remember the ex-business partner i told you about?" Crank asked rhythmically.

Carla nodded her head.

"Well, actually it turns out that he and my sister were having an affair and she helped him and dad knew, covered up her involvement and didn't tell anyone until last week. " Frank explained to her.

"So I take it your mum doesn't know, then? " Carla asked.

"No, I couldn't do that to her. Kate leaving nearly killed her." Frank replies, sorrowfully.

"God, I can imagine," Carla told him.

"No explanation, nothing. Just upped and went and now I

know why." Frank told her.

"You're not to blame for Kate's actions," Carla told him.

"I know that I do. If my mum were to ever find out." Frank sighed.

"I'm not going anywhere," Carla promised.

"Anyway, I've arranged a spa day for you and Maria will go with you," Frank told him.

"You what? You didn't need to do that." Carla smiled at him.

"I wanted too and mum is meeting you there as well," Frank replied.

"Ah say no more. Don't worry I'll look after her." Carla told him. Thanks, love," he replied, kissing her cheek.

Carla smiled back at him in return.

The following day

Ann Foster had just made herself a cup of coffee when a knock at her door interrupted her.

"9 AM? Who could that be at this time of the morning?" She thought to herself as she wasn't expecting anyone.

"Carla, darling. What are you doing here?" She asked, throwing the door open and giving her a hug.

"I thought I'd take you to breakfast before the spa. " Curls told him.

"Oh, how lovely! I'll just get my coat." Ann replied.

As Carla made her way to the living room to wait for an. She noticed the array of family photos that adorned the wall of the hallway.

"Ready?" Ann asked from behind her, pulling Carla out of her trial of thought.

"Born ready." Carla smiled back.

After a lovely breakfast and spa day, the three ladies turned onto Coronation Street.

"This baby is going to be the death of me. I'm starving. " Maria complained, looking discreetly at Ann.

"Yes, let's get something to eat. A nice end to a lovely day. " Ann replied.

"Oh, I don't know. I've been gone all day and Frank has been holding the fort single-handed." Carla told them.

"Car, I'd take it while the going is good," Maria replied.

"Oh ok, you've twisted my arm." Carla laughed.

The three of them entered the Bistro and to their surprise, Frank and Sam were already sat at a table.

"It's for mum," Frank whispered in Carla's ear.

Carla nodded her head in understanding.

"Oh my boys have made up," Ann exclaimed as she clapped her hands together in glee.

"Anything for you," Frank told his mum.

Frank, Carla, his parents and Maria sat down to a delicious 3-course meal.

But before they could even order, Carla spotted Kate, her sister out of the corner of her eye.

"Hiya." Kate smiled at the group.

"Hey," Carla exclaimed, getting up and giving her sister a hug.

"Frank called and invited us, I hope you don't mind?" Kate told her.

"Of course I don't mind. Who's us?" Carla asked, knitting her eyebrows together.

"Dad," Kate replied, anxiously. Worried about her sister's reaction.

Carla closed her eyes in dread.

"But don't worry, he's had a stern talking to and has promised to be on his best behaviour. " Kate reassured her.

"Ok, but I mean it one underhand comment and he's out," Carla warned.

Soon enough Carla, Frank, his parents, Maria, Kate, Aiden, Johnny and Liz were enjoying their meal.

Towards the end of the meal. Frank cleared his throat and a hush silence fell over the table.

"I wasn't going to do this here. But now seems an as good time as any. He told the group.

Getting down on one knee.

"Carla, will you marry me?" He asked her softly.

A/N I hope you enjoyed reading this. Please review!

Shoutout

Carla Connor Lover

Ahh okay, right I get it now thanks for all clearing that up! I'm pleased that Carla is managing to cope with all that has happened to her in the recent months and is now slowly but surely coming out the other side of the tunnel xxx

Not a problem. There will be more on Carla's recovery later on in the story. It might be a road she'll never come off. Thanks for reviewing! Xxx

Amymikk

Loved this chapter and why is Michelle been so bitchy all of a sudden Carla has done nothing wrong. Bless frank to wanting to marry Carla. I hope she says yes. X

I hope this chapter answers some of your questions! I hope you like this. Thank you for reviewing! Xx