The taxi door slammed as Carla stamped her heel out onto the cobbles and began walking into the Rovers.
"Is Chelle in?" Carla asked walking up to the bar.
"Yeah she's in the back, go through darling," Liz smiled as Carla returned the smile and headed through.
"Hey," Michelle started, taking her phone away from her ear and hanging it up, "I was just phoning you, what happened?"
"I've been at the station all day," Carla explained.
"Yeah I know that, me and Rob went looking for you at the factory, Fiz said you told them not to bother telling us," Michelle answered.
"Yeah cause I didn't think it would be a big deal," Carla sighed.
"Think?" Michelle questioned.
"Oh I'll tell you later," Carla sighed, "Do know what's happened with Lia, she's not answering her phone and I had missed calls from the school. I tried ringing them back but they're closed now so it just said to leave a message."
"Yeah, they rang Peter but Rob answered, she'd left school again about 1ish," Michelle explained.
"Oh great," Carla huffed, "Let me guess a midweek shopping spree with Maisie?"
"She went out and got drunk with a group of 'friends'," Michelle revealed as Carla raised her eyebrows.
"You're joking," Carla muttered rubbing her forehead.
"We couldn't find her so we came back here and the police brought her back not long after," Michelle continued.
"Oh this just gets better," Carla scoffed slightly.
"She's upstairs, she was sleeping it off but she woke up not long ago and Steve took her some toast up," Michelle continued.
Carla took a long breath before shaking her head slightly, "I mean I can hardly kill her over it can I with everything going on and the kids at school."
"Yeah what's going on with that Rob explained a bit but had to get back to the shop," Michelle asked.
"Just girls talking about the affair and winding her up about it," Carla summarised.
"She asked me not to tell you," Michelle explained, "She said you'll only blame yourself and it's not your fault."
"Oh Chelle this is such a disaster," Carla sighed.
"I know darling," Michelle sympathised.
"Does she know I've been at the station?" Carla asked.
"We said you were at the factory," Michelle answered.
"Right," Carla nodded, "I'm gonna go talk to her, will you come with I need some moral support."
"Course," Michelle agreed smiling slightly as they made their way up the stairs.
"Hey babe," Carla introduced as she walked into the spare bedroom.
"Hiya mum, you've been at work forever," Lia smiled weakly biting into her toast.
"Yeah well I recon we both got a secret we should tell each other, yeah?" Carla asked perching on one side of her daughter and Michelle on the other.
"Have you told her?" Lia asked turning to Michelle.
"Told me what?" Carla teased slightly.
Lia sighed and stayed silent for a minute before speaking, "I left school early and went a got drunk in the Red Rec."
"Babe, I get that school isn't great right now but why didn't you just go home or even town would be better," Carla replied.
"Well I was gonna but I'd went for a walk round the red rec first to delay coming home and there was this group of lads with a few girls and they were having some drinks so they invited me over," Lia explained.
"Did you even know them?" Carla asked as Lia sheepishly shook her head.
"Lia I know things are hard and I'm not gonna have a go at you... to an extent," Carla started, "But come on did you not engage your brain, I mean there could of been anything in that drink."
"No I know it was stupid, I won't do it again," Lia assured.
"Right well as long as you mean that," Carla nodded, "Now time for my secret, I wasn't at work, I've been at the station all afternoon."
"Why what happened," Lia fretted.
"Nothing I promise, they just wanted to ask a few more questions but I'm trying to be open with you, okay. Cause baby this is hard enough I don't want any secrets between us, yeah, all I want is for us to be together and be safe," Carla explained.
"I know, I'm sorry," Lia apologised.
"Me too sweetie," Carla sighed hugging her daughter tightly.
"Not too tight mum, my head's banging," Lia commented making Michelle and Carla laugh.
"Ah the blessing of natural consequences," Michelle grinned.
"Not funny, I feel rubbish," Lia sulked.
"Well at least you know what a hangover feels like, it might stop you next time," Carla grinned slightly.
"It never did you," Michelle scoffed.
"Oh shut up, you," Carla grinned as her daughter and friend laughed.
"Right, why don't we head home, you can go and have a sleep and me and Chelle can have a girly night," Carla said hinting to Michelle, "If that's good with you."
"Course it is," Michelle smiled slightly as Lia began to get out of bed.
"Oh you're up," Liz grinned at Lia as the three walked down the stairs.
"Yeah, we're gonna go back home so I can sleep," Lia informed her.
"Nothing better than a sleep after a night out," Liz dreamed, "Not that you'll be experiencing that for another couple of years."
"Of course," Lia nodded smiling.
"I'm going over with them Liz but if it gets busy just give me a call and I'll pop back over," Michelle explained grabbing her coat.
"No problem love, see you ladies later," Liz smiled as they waved walking out of the pub.
About an hour or so later Lia had went to her room to watch some TV and hopefully sleep while Michelle and Carla stayed in the living room.
"Drink babe?" Carla offered holding a wine glass up as Michelle raised her eyebrows, "Just cause I can't drink doesn't mean you can't, anyway you can have the last bottle, get rid of temptation."
"Oh go on then, if its for the greater good," Michelle grinned as Carla scoffed and poured the wine into the glass, "So then, come on what happened today?"
"They just went over the same things at first and then they started asking whether I'd went out onto the balcony," Carla explained coming over and handing Michelle her drink, "So obviously I said no, and they just kept pushing asking if I was definitely sure I never went out there. Not for some air cause arguments can get intense and all that."
"Why they asking that?" Michelle asked.
Carla sighed before answering, "They found a piece of my hair on the balcony."
"How do they know its yours?" Michelle asked.
"They said they've had it tested and compared to the results of when I first got questioned," Carla answered, "And cause I fought with her in the bedroom before hand it just gives them even more rope to play with."
"Yeah but its all circumstantial evidence," Michelle protested.
"No I know that and so do you, but come on Chelle people have been sent down for less," Carla continued.
"You think your going down for it don't you," Michelle asked.
"I don't know Chelle, this evidence that've found whether it be coincidental or not it doesn't make it any better. And how can I even prove that it coincidental, they took my fingerprints for testing as well," Carla explained.
"We just need to hope they either move on to whoever actually did this or Tina wakes up soon," Michelle said as Carla nodded.
"Darling, I need you to do me a favour," Carla started.
"Anything," Michelle answered.
"If I get sent down for this, promise me that you'll look after Lia," Carla asked.
"You don't even need to ask, you know that," Michelle smiled sympathetically putting her hand on her friends.
"Thank you," Carla whispered her voice breaking.
"Carla," Michelle started putting her drink down and bringing her friend into a hug.
"I'm so scared, I don't know how to fix this," Carla whimpered.
"It's gonna be okay, I promise," Michelle whispered, kissing the top of her head as her Carla began to cry, "We're all here for you."