My life-coronation street fan fiction

Love Mummy

"Isla, you've got a letter" Michelle shouted to me from the door.
"I'm only in here" I said from the kitchen table as I drank my tea and ate my cereal.
"Sorry" she said as she handed it to me. She sat down opposite me and I put the letter in the pocket of my hoodie.
"Are you not gonna open it?" She said, as she watched me intently. I paused while I chewed my cereal. I didn't really want to open it yet.
"Alright" I said reluctantly as I put down my spoon and pulled the letter back out of my pocket.
I opened it slowly and carefully before pulling the letter out of the envelope.
There was a piece of paper at the front, which read
To Miss Isla Connor,
This letter was left in your mum's file and was supposed to be given to you after her death. She wrote it hours before she passed away. We hope it brings you some comfort in hard times. We hope you are well.
From the nurses at Exeter street hospital
I took this first sheet away to find a handwritten, messy letter written to me. I handed the first piece of paper to Michelle and watched her read it. She finished and looked up before stroking my hand and saying,
"Do you want read it by yourself?"
"I don't know" I said as I stared at the paper.
"How about I stay here and if you want you can read it to me?"
"Yeah" I said as I unfolded the pieces of paper and held them in both hands.

"Dear Isla,
I wish more than anything in the world that I wasn't lying here writing this letter, but I know what is about to happen and I think you need this to make sense of everything. You are currently being checked over, I was just told that nick has died as well as Jessie. Bella is having an operation.

The day that you were born, should have been one of the best days of my life. In terms of you being there at the end it was but the rest was not. I had been in labour for a day already and I was ready to go to sleep. Your dad was getting bored and your grandparents, especially grandma kept coming in to check up on me. Then when the doctor finally told me I could push, your dad had gone to get a coffee, which he said was to calm his nerves. I think it was because he was fed up of my complaining. He made it though, and he was there when you were born. They put you in my arms and I never felt so scared, then they cleaned you up and dressed you and there you were, so perfect and very small.
I had no need to be scared because you were so good, you just slept, like straightaway through the night and we thought we had hit the jackpot.
I remember one night, you were about a week old and we hadn't thought of a name for you yet. Grandma wanted something Irish and a family name. I was feeding you and when you were finished, you smiled and I started to cry and said "hey my little smiler, smiler Isla" and that's how we came up with your name. So I woke your dad up and he was angry cos he was tired and I told him. Then the next day we decided on the Charlotte and Elizabeth, but it still wasn't Irish enough for grandma so she made us put Michelle at the end. That's why you have such a long name.

I'm starting to feel weak, i know I can't fight this like i did with everything else. But I feel that I can go and know that you are safe. You'll love with Michelle and you and maybe Bella, depending on how her operation goes, will be well looked after. I've left it all to you and I want you to have a good life because I didn't. When you're older I want you to run the factory like me and daddy did and like my dad and brother are doing now. I want you to make other people happy and I want to someday be able to watch you marry someone, I won't be there in person but I'll be there in spirit.

I want to say sorry though, I want to say sorry for the fact you have a massive scar on your chest, for the fact you had to speak at a trial against a man who raped me, for making you watch so many bad things and still you are there at the end of my day. I'm sorry I wasn't always there, I'm sorry that I had off days and you were hurt or affected by those.

I want you to remember me, but I don't want you to dwell on the past. I want you to live and to make the most of anything that comes your way. I want you to be happy Isla.

If Harry ever comes home, I want you to tell him about his mummy and his sisters and I want you to protect him, because he is my baby boy and because I'm not there, he needs you. Tell him to never be scared or upset and remember that he is a Connor and he can do whatever he wants. I want you to look after him.

The doctor just told me that you're on your way and Bella is not looking good, I'm not going to get better so before I go, I want to say thank you as well, for helping me with your sisters and brother, for being by my side through everything, for being my little star through all the tough times, for never failing to make me smile. I love you and will never stop loving you, for the rest of your life. So go on baby girl, go and fly high and live well, make me proud my smiler. And always remember be good for Michelle, and help her like you helped me, because she will be hurt too, even if she isn't showing it. I'll say hi to Elsa from you and I will be with them.
You are amazing.
I love you
Love from Mummy"

I put the letter down in front of me and looked across the table at Michelle. Her face was red and she had mascara streaming down her cheeks as her tears fell. We sat in silence for a few moments until the door opened. For a spilt second, it crossed my mind that it was mum. But the thought quickly escaped my mind when I saw Liz standing in a bright red blazer.
"What's up my loves? Has something happened?" She said as she stood still and stared at Michelle and I. We both wiped the tears out of our eyes and looked at each other.
"The hospital sent this, its a letter Carla wrote to Isla before she died, we've just read the letter" Michelle said holding onto my arms, which were know stretched out across the table.
"Oh my darlings" Liz said as she pulled me into hug her, "are you alright my darling?" She continued as she kissed my head. I nodded slowly.
"Yeah" I said before pausing as Liz pulled away, "I don't think I want to be a teacher anymore"
"What? Why?"
"I want to run the factory, like mum and dad did" I said and Michelle giggled. "What?" I said.
"She always knew you would, she knew how much you loved it there"
"Really?"
"Yeah, now go on go and get ready, I want to go baby shopping" Michelle said as she got up and took my plate and mug into the kitchen.
"Ok" I said as I picked up the letter and put it back in the envelope.
"Keep it safe" she said from the door frame to the kitchen, "keep it forever"
"I will" I said, as I took it upstairs and zizzi followed.