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It had been a few weeks since Lisa had been arrested for Becky’s wrong doings. Betsy wasn’t copying well and that was extremely understandable, she had both her mums back and Carla, and then she lost Carla over Christmas, then She’d got Carla back and then lost Becky, then went on to lose her mum, Lisa.
She had been lashing out while under Carla’s care, she’d been bought back multiple times by Lauren, drunk and in tears. She has admitted while drunk she wanted Becky dead, all she wanted was her mama back, Carla had held her in her arms, rocking her slowly while kissing her head, as she sobbed.
Carla vowed to Lisa, even if they wasn’t on the best of terms she’d look after little Betsy, if she wasn’t around, or arrested so that’s what she was doing.
Every Morning, Carla would get up at around half 7, make Betsy’s some
Scrambled eggs and the go wake her up, in the way her mum would wake her up. She’d sit on the end of Betsy’s bed, running her hand over her arm gently, before running her thumb over her cheek, “Betsy Darlin’ it’s time to get up.” Today was no different, they took it slow they always did, pacing Betsy, making sure she felt okay, or as most okay as she could.
Carla’s alarm blared through out the bedroom she had once shared with Lisa, her pillow still smelling like the blonde’s hair products. She let the alarm ring while she rubbed sleep out of her eyes, before grabbing her phone and pressing ‘stop alarm’. The brunette yawned, the days had been hard with Lisa not around, but they were managing and that’s the best the two girls could do.
She hopped out of bed and went to the bathroom, to do her business, wash her face, teeth and to practice plastering on an ‘I’m okay’ face too look brave in-front of her teenage girl.
Carla was quickly back into her bedroom, checking the date just to see if she actually had to show up to underworld today, she didn’t, but today was the day Lisa could call Betsy, every Thursday, for the past two weeks Lisa had called at exactly 11am, just to check in, just to say hopefully she’d get a court case soon. But it was all worth it as Betsy truly smiled as she heard her voice.
The underworld boss threw on some clothes, as a personal reminder that she was free, that everything was kind of okay, that she had the right to stay and do. Her outfit consisted of tights (Lisa’s favourites) a black skirt, around thigh length and a lovely black knitted jumper, that covered the still healing bruising around her wrists perfectly.
She made the effort of slipping out of her bedroom and gently knocking on the teens door before going in, something she had learnt, “privacy before peeking Carla!” Was something Betsy had said the second she moved into her flat in 2024, just before new years. She’ll always remember it.
“Bets, you awake chicken?” The lack of reply gave her the answer she needed to know, she slowly slipped into the teenagers bedroom. She looked so peaceful when she slept, no anger, no pain, no hurt, just peaceful. Carla would let her sleep all day, but she knew deep down Lisa wouldn’t want that.
She sat at the end of Betsy’s bed, grabbing the little pink jelly cat bunny, that had went rogue some point during the night, putting it back underneath the teens arm. Carla warmed her hands by rubbing them against her lap before running her hand over Betsy’s arm, “bets darling, time to get up” she whispered, her voice so soft that the street would have questioned what had happened to the feisty Carla Connor they all knew.
Her thumb was now tracing Betsy’s face as the teen began to stir out of her slumber, “Carla?” She mumbled, voice hoarse with sleep. “It’s me sweetheart.” She confirmed.
“Mmm- Mornin’” The curly blonde, stretched, her pretty brown eyes peeking at the grey ones in front of her, “do I get to call mum today?” She said hopefully,
Carla nodded, “course ya do lovey” she smiled, moving some of the loose curls out of the younger girls face. “Right! I’ll let you get up and ready yeah, scrambled eggs?”
“With cheese?” Betsy added, pushing herself to sit up, and grab her phone off her nightstand. “Always with cheese” Carla winked at her as she walked over to the blinds, twisting them open and then leaving the curly blonde to get ready.
Downstairs, in the kitchen, Carla had set a pan on the stove, but right now she was cracking a few eggs and whisking them up with some milk, in a jug as she waited for the pan to heat up over the stove. She then carried on, tipping the eggs into the pan, letting them sizzle, then grating some cheese over the top before folding them up into they became scrambled.
By the time Betsy’s breakfast was done she was already sat and ready to eat, TikTok’s blaring through out her phone speaker. “Any plans after your call with Lise chicken?” Carla asked, as she put the plate down in front of the teenager.
“Erm.. I might just hang with you if that alright?” She asked shyly as she forked some of the egg into her mouth. Carla smiled into the fridge, the fridge where she was getting Betsy’s smoothie from. “Yeah that’s fine, bets. I do got to pop to underworld for a bit later on though if that’s cool with you?” Carla hummed, and Betsy nodded with a smile of approval.
By the time 11am arrived, Betsy was sat on the sofa the three of them once shared, in her bow pjs, and her fluffy dressing gown Lisa had gotten her for Christmas. Carla was sat at their once ‘engagement counter’ making sure she gave the teen enough space to have a discussion with her mum, it usually ended up teary, so she just wanted Betsy to know she was there for her, always.
Bzz.. Bzz.. Bzz
That was the routine, let the ring buzz three times before Betsy took a deep breath, and picked up.
“Hi.. mum” the smile on Betsy’s face was bright, it made Carla smile, again said with each call Betsy was somewhat hopeful her mum would get out sooner.
The prison phone was crackly but manageable, “Hi darling!” The relief was almost certainly hearable through the phone, and probably the whole prison. Carla pretended not to listen to the pair’s conversation, by scrolling through her emails.
Betsy rambled on, going on about how her and Lauren have gotten really close, and baby Frankie can kind of say her name, how it made her feel special. Lisa would tell Betsy how the food is gross.. but probably not worse than Carla’s in a joking manner, which of course made her giggle.
It was nice, really nice to hear her girls laugh together, if she could even call Lisa her girl anymore.
Carla hummed and slowly approached Betsy as the phone call ended and Betsy dropped the phone onto her lap, “you alright doll?” She whispered slightly, sitting next to her on the sofa.
The curly blonde just nodded, “just miss her.” She mumbled and leaned into Carla, her warmth providing the Swain some comfort.
The underworld boss nodded, wrapping her arms around her, “I know darling I miss her too.” She kissed Betsy’s head, smelling the warm scent of coconut. “She misses you too.”
The day flew by smoothly, Betsy and Carla just spent the day watching Married At First Sight, much to the older woman’s disgust, but anything for her little blonde. They pigged out on Carla’s ‘secret’ stash of mini eggs, and other desirable chocolates and snacks.
Carla had to ditch off underworld for the day, but she’d ditch anything for her Swains, even if they weren’t on the best of terms.