28th November, 2008 - Part Two

Steve chases Becky out of the diner and down the street. She tells him he doesn't have to tell her he loves her just because of what happened between them on the night of her court case. He's telling her he loves her... because he loves her. She tells him she doesn't expect anything from him. They can just be mates and he and Michelle can carry on like before. He says that's not going to happen. Not now. He notices she doesn't seem very pleased about it. Fellas usually only tell her they love her when they're drunk. He asks if she wants him to walk in a straight line. She contemplates things for a second, and then asks what he's going to tell Michelle. He's not sure. He's as shell-shocked about what's happened as she is. The only thing he's sure about is how he feels about Becky. She reckons that's what he'll have to tell Michelle then. He agrees, and Becky slowly kisses him. As a matter of fact, he says, he's going to do it today. She flings her arms around him and they go at it hard.

Dierdre is home from Lourdes! She gets out of the cab, and Simon runs across the street to show his granny a picture of Spider-Man he's drawn. He's followed closely by his dad, Peter. Peter asks her how Lourdes was, and she says she was stuck in a coach full of old ladies, half of them needing to go to the bathroom all the time, and all of them talking. But the city was beautiful. He asks if she's heard about the spat he had with his dad, but speak of the devil, Ken opens the door. Peter picks up his son and walks away as fast as he can. Dierdre looks confused and asks Ken what that was all about. He smiles. “How long have you got?”

Michelle walks her parents and Maria to their cab. They're going for her scan today. Maria's not sure she can go through with it, but Michelle assures her it'll be fine.

Steve watches them from across the street, and when the cab drives off, he psychs himself up to talk go talk to Michelle. He tells her there's something he's got to say, but she sniffles. He asks what's wrong. She's just hoping everything goes alright with Maria's scan. Her parents have just lost another son. She couldn't bear it if anything else happened to them.

Joe argues with some creditors on the phone in the Platts' kitchen when everyone else comes home. He hangs up and lies about who he was talking to. Graeme comes downstairs with his things and bids them all “Adios.” Gail follows him outside, and Tina gives her dad a worried look.

At the hospital, the nurse comes for Maria, and Helen helps her up, telling her every thing's going to be fine.

In the Rovers, Carla tells Leann she gets the impression that Kevin doesn't want her seeing Rosie. Leann wonders why she'd want to see Rosie anyway. Carla tells her that Rosie saw she and Liam together. Michelle brings over a bottle of champagne and three glasses and asks what the special occasion is. Carla tells them she and Tony are getting married next week. Michelle congratulates her, but Leann asks her if she's sure it's not a bit too sudden. She tells them she's a very impulsive woman. They make a toast to the “love of her life.” Michelle tells Steve to come and join them. Carla says it'll be the two of them next, and the girls giggle.

Becky anxiously checks her phone. No messages from Steve. Hayley's gotten a call from the youth center. They turned her down. Becky tells her she's sorry. Everyone HERE knows how special she is. Roy agrees. Hayley skulks upstairs.

Maria's nurse puts some goo on her stomach and prepares to do her scan. Maria tries to get up, telling them she can't do this. The nurse promises her it won't hurt her or her baby. Helen explains to the nurse that when Maria had this done before, she found out that her baby was dead. The nurse tells her she's sorry, but Maria's come all this way, and wouldn't it be better to know once and for all that this baby is healthy and well? Maria nods. They all turn to look at the screen. They see the baby. It kicks. Maria's SO happy. She gives Helen a hug, and Barry whispers a thank you to the nurse.

Tina asks her dad how things are shaping up. He says things are great since he woke up and realized he had a hell of a lot to be grateful for. Like his daughter for example. He smiles and kisses her forehead. She still doesn't seem happy.

Becky wanders warily into the Rovers and hears the three girls laughing up a storm. Michelle tells her the good news, Carla and Tony's wedding is back on. She invites Becky to join them, but Becky turns her down. She tells her there's plenty more champagne. Steve's just gone down to the cellar to get some more. Isn't he sweet?

Becky runs out the back to get away from all the noise, and finds Lloyd sitting outside in the smoking shelter. He tells her he heard Steve really came through for her on her big day in court. She smiles. He says it's nice to know it's finally over. She sits down next to him, and tells him since he IS Steve's mate, he's probably going to find out soon enough. She steals his fag and takes a long drag. Steve loves her, and she loves him, and he's going to leave Michelle for her... today. She hands his cigarette back and runs back inside. Lloyd can't believe it. “Lord, give me strength.”

In the Streetcars offices, Lloyd wonders if his mate needs professional help. Steve tells him this decision hasn't been made lightly. Lloyd wants to get this straight: he's slept with Becky again, and now they're in love. How long til he sleeps with Michelle and he's back in love with HER? Lloyd watches how Steve is pacing back and forth nervously. Maybe it IS love. Yeah yeah, says Steve, I think it is. Lloyd tells him “love” is a word men are forced to use when they're trying to sleep with women. Every time Steve isn't with Becky, he can't stop thinking about her. Every time he IS with her, he's not thinking about anything else. He can't sleep. He's all wobbly when he's near her. He gets weaker every day, and he can't eat. So either it IS love or he's got a terminal illness.

Lloyd asks him when he plans on telling Michelle. He PLANNED on telling her six hours ago. Lloyd tells him Becky expects him to do the deed TODAY. Steve's waiting for the “Zen Moment.” The best time when he can achieve the best possible results while causing the least possible pain. SO, Lloyd figures out that Steve's plan is to finish with Michelle in such a nice way that they remain friends and she gives her blessing to him and Becky. He tells Steve that the wording of the farewell speech is important. One wrong word and he'll be in deep shit. “Before you dump a bird, make sure you know your lines.”

Carla stops by the Websters', and Rosie answers the door. She asks if she's got a second to talk, but Rosie tells her it's not exactly the best time. Carla lets herself in anyway. She asks where her parents are. They're out shopping. She checks to see how Rosie is, and says she looks very well considering what happened to her. She starts to tell her there are some very twisted people out there, but all of a sudden TONY comes out of the dark kitchen with a cup of tea. Carla JUMPS. He really startled her. She goes over to give him a kiss and nervously asks what he's doing there. He says he's just checking up on “their girl.” He had a visit the other day from some sleezoid journalist, and wanted to make sure she wasn't bugging Rosie. Carla, still nervous, says Rosie's obviously a young lady who inspires loyalty. Full of sarcasm, Rosie tells her it makes her feel REALLY special.

In the diner, Graeme is treating David and Tina to a meal. It's not every day someone offers him a job. They congratulate him on that. He has a very important question for them, and he wants them to be honest... “Do I look daft?” ...That's his question. They burst out laughing. You see, he was taking a bath last night, and he caught himself in the mirror, and he realized he looks daft from every conceivable angle... especially upside-down. He reckons that's why Gail kicked him out, because of the general foolishness of his appearance. Tina and David can't stop laughing, and from behind the counter, Roy tells Hayley he seems a rather odd boy. Hayley giggles.

Rosie sees Carla and Tony to the door. Carla says it's a shame they didn't really get to catch up, but maybe they can do it when she's back at work. Actually there WAS something Rosie wanted to talk to her about. She was wondering if maybe she'd give her a raise. She smiles at them. Carla looks at Tony and reluctantly agrees. She must dash though. She's got a wedding to plan. Rosie giggles. “Oh, is it still on?” “Oh of course,” says Carla. “You don't think I'd let a man like this get away.” She kisses him, and leaves.

Tony tells Rosie he was planning on taking Carla on a fabulous honeymoon, but Rosie doesn't seem to care. The reason he's telling her this is because he'd like her to run the factory while they're gone. She's THRILLED with the idea, He asks her not to say anything to Carla. This is their secret.

Dierdre is over at Peter and Simon's flat. Peter asks if his dad has sent her over to apologize for him. She laughs and says she doesn't think that Ken believes he has anything to apologize for. Peter tells her his dad nearly wrote him off as a father and as a business man before he'd even opened this place. When he was growing up, he doesn't remember one time when Ken told him he'd done a good job at anything. (FYI, Dierdre isn't Peter's mother. His mother died when he was young.) She tells him that Ken still loves him. Peter says he never told him THAT either.

Steve's walking the street, rehearsing what he's going to say to Michelle, when he sees Graeme walking by. He stops him and asks if he fancies making a few more quid. Graeme sets down his backpack and punches Steve RIGHT in the nose! Steve doubles over in pain and starts yelling at him. He didn't want him to hit him again! Graeme apologizes and starts to leave. Steve calls him back and tells him what he needs help with. He needs to finish with someone, but he doesn't know how to do it. Graeme asks who it is, and Steve says he wouldn't know her. “Michelle from the pub?” he asks.

Steve tells him he's at his wit's end. Graeme thinks he wants him to go in and tell her. Steve tells him he knows HE'S got to do it, he just doesn't know how. Graeme can only tell him what he'd say. He puts his hand on Steve's shoulder and looks him in the eye. “Michelle, you know how in life nothing is simple? How sometimes, you can really love a person and want the best for them in every way, but you just feel you're in the wrong place?” Steve's in awe. He tells him that was brilliant, and Graeme holds out his hand. Steve pays him, and Graeme tells him it was a pleasure doing business with him. Steve starts to walk toward the Rovers, and tries to remember what it is Graeme just said.

He finds Michelle behind the bar. He asks if her parents are back yet, and she says it should be any minute. He asks if he can have a quiet word in private.

Steve starts out. “Michelle... you know how in life... nothing is simple. And how... you can love a person... and want to get the better of them in every way.” She stares at him, bewildered.. He corrects himself, “I mean, want the best for them in every way, but still find that you're in the wrong place.” She nods her head and tells him she certainly does. “Do you?” he asks, confused. He tells her then she'll also know that if you've got doubts, it's better to admit them. She asks him if this is what he's been worried about. She knew there was something bugging him. He's been acting weird all day. He says then she'll also know what it is he's about to say.

She tells him yeah, she does... “You're scared... that I might not feel how I used to feel, that I'm just going through the motions for the sake of the kids.” He's very confused, but she continues. “For a while, maybe I was. I mean, you did really hurt me, Steve. But lately, I couldn't be more certain that I'm in exactly the right place... with exactly the right person.” Barry calls for Michelle from out it in the pub, and she tells him she's coming. She smiles and kisses Steve three times. “So don't *kiss* you *kiss* worry *kiss*.”

Maria smiles at Michelle, and asks if she wants to see the baby. Michelle is so happy to be looking at her new niece/nephew. She calls Steve over, and he says it looks more like a king prawn than a baby. Becky comes into the pub, and sees the five of them standing there all happy as a family. Steve looks over at her apologetically. Maria tells Michelle there's still a little part of Liam in the world, and they hug. Helen tells her Liam would be so proud, and Barry agrees.

At her house, Rosie looks at her mobile. She's watching the video of Liam and Carla, with a devious smirk.

Steve goes out the back of the pub, and tells Becky he wondered where she'd got to. She looks at him, and turns to walk away, but he follows her. He apologizes. She says it's alright. It's like she told him before, she doesn't expect anything from him. He tells her again that he loves her. She tells him it's alright, and he asks what she's stood out here alone in the dark for then. She turns to him and tells him the story of the first lad who ever asked her out. She was fifteen, and he didn't show up for their date. She somehow obtained some beer and got totally wasted. She kept thinking she'd see him coming in the distance, but it would always turn out to be some old lady. And hour later, her date turns up. He takes one look at her with her hair all droopy, her makeup all runny, and he runs. She kicked off her high heels and ran after him, right up until the moment he got on the bus and rode off, laughing at her out the window.

Steve asks her what she's trying to say. She says that at fifteen years of age, the entire pattern of her love life was set out. Fellas fancy her, and then they run. She runs after them, but she can never catch them. Steve tells her it's complicated for him. He's got Amy and Ryan to consider. If only he'd fallen in love with her when Michelle hated him, then all this would be much... He pauses. That's it! All he's got to do is get Michelle to hate him again. She starts to tell him it's not worth it, but he tells her that he and Michelle have come to the end of the road. All he's got to do is get Michelle to admit that... and the future is theirs.