Fall of the House of Baldwin (all 17 parts up)

[Lane Kent]

Part 16

Mike groaned after several minutes and she rushed to his side.

RITA: Mike?

MIKE: (groaning and rubbing his head) What hit me?

RITA: (looking guilty) Me and the side of the boat.

MIKE: Well I daresay I deserved it. From you at least. Not sure what I did to annoy the boat.

She laughed heartily for the first time since Mike 'died'.

MIKE: It's good to see that smile again. I'm sorry I did all that, sweetheart. I didn't want to lie to you. It was the only way it would all be convincing. I wanted to tell you but Linda thought it wasn't a good idea in case you gave something away.

RITA: I see

She was not laughing now.

RITA: So you don't trust me after all these years but you trust that trollop. Nice to know where I stand.

She got up and went below deck, into the cabin, locked the door and bawled her eyes out. He winced as he got to his feet, his head throbbing, and followed her

MIKE: Sweetheart, it's not like that. I HAD to rely on Linda.

RITA: I wouldn't have said anything to give you away.

She wailed behind the door which broke his heart

MIKE: You might not have deliberately, darlin but you might have given something away with a look or remark. Reet, I've loved you ever since I first laid eyes on you in London 45 years ago. I've always been honest with you up until now. We never had any secrets from each other.

There was silence for several minutes then he heard the sound of the key in the lock. He turned the handle and found the door opened.

MIKE: Reet?

She wiped her eyes.

RITA: That's not strictly true about always being honest with each other, Mike.

MIKE: What are you talking about? I've never kept anything hidden from you since we were reunited 30 years ago.

RITA: You SAY you haven't. But never mind that for now. It's me I'm talking about. I'm the one keeping the secret.

MIKE: You're beginning to worry me now.

She went over to the window and stared out of it.

RITA: It's about our baby. Though to be honest I'm really surprised you told Linda of all people about it. I had to put up with her blackmailing for months to keep a roof over her head. MY roof over her head. Who else did you tell?

MIKE: No one. I swear. It just slipped out one day.

RITA: (sarcastic) Oh like one of those remarks you thought I'd make about you planning to fake your own death?

MIKE: I'm sorry, sweetheart.

RITA: And why didn't you tell me you and Linda never divorced?

MIKE: I dunno. It just didn't come up.

RITA: How do you think I felt hearing from her SHE was your widow? Even she said I had more right to be than her.

MIKE: I can imagine. Initially Linda was so desperate for a divorce that I wanted to make her sweat a bit after all she put me through by going missing. Then with everything happening it just slipped my mind. I'd forgotten myself until years later when I saw her again. Anyway forget about Linda and just tell me why you are bringing the baby up now all these years after you lost it.

RITA: (sighs) That's just it. I didn't. He's 44, married with 3 kids of his own.

Mike was knocked for six.

MIKE: But you told me-

RITA: I know what I told you. I lied. Just like I did all those years later saying I didn't know why I couldn't have kids. That it just never happened. I knew all right. It was a very difficult birth which resulted in a collapsed uterus meaning I had to have a hysterectomy. Every time I went away it was never to visit Mavis or go on a cruise. It was to vist my son and his family. OUR son.

MIKE: (shaking his head) I can't get my head round this. You said you had a miscarriage. Why?

RITA: You know what it was like back then. We had a wonderful few months in London but then I found out I was expecting but had to come home. You wouldn't marry me, Mike. You didn't want any sort of commitment. Didn't even want to come with me.

MIKE: I begged you to stay with me.

RITA: To do what? Because it certainly wasn't to settle down and be a family.

MIKE: I was 20! I was just a kid!

RITA: And I was 30! Didn't stop me loving you any less because of the age gap. But obviously it did you. Now you know why I lied. After I got home you wrote the occasional letter but never once came to see me. I knew in my heart it was over. All those things you'd said to me meant nothing. It was just yarns. It crossed my mind to have an abortion I was that cut up about the way you treated me. But I wanted this baby. At least I would still have some part of the man I loved even if that man didn't really love me.

MIKE: I never stopped loving you, Reet. Not once in all those years. Not once in all THESE years.

He went to her and took her in his arms

MIKE: My old man told me to forget about you. Said you were too old for me and only using me as a bit of fun. He was very convincing. Told me to forget about you and play the field with girls my own age. I tried. Oh how I tried to forget you but I couldn't. The day I saw you in Weatherfield made me realise all those wasted years we had. My feelings were stronger than ever. Why do you think I chose that place to open the northern branch of my factory?

RITA: Cheaper than London?

MIKE: Because I had to find you. Took me long enough to be able to get the money to expand the business. I hoped you were still there. It was a longshot but I had to try.

RITA: Very expensive one if I hadn't been.

MIKE: (laughs) True.

RITA: What would you have done if I wasn't there?

MIKE: I hadn't thought of that. It did cross my mind you'd be married with kids. You have no idea how glad I was when I found you and you weren't.

RITA: All I ever wanted was to be Mrs Baldwin.

MIKE: Yeah you wanted it so much 6 months later you became Mrs Fairclough instead.

She looked at him, let him go and sat back on the bed.

RITA: And you wasted no time taking up with Bet.

MIKE: Because you rejected me. I was trying to make you jealous.

RITA: And it worked.

MIKE: Didn't make you come banging on my door though.

RITA: No. Oh I thought about it. In the end I thought to hell with you so took up with Len again. You wouldn't be able to hurt me again if I wasn't with you. But Len was a mistake I'll admit that. I only married him to get back at you. When you appeared out of nowhere it brought back all the hurt you'd caused me. You told me in Weatherfield you loved me. I wanted you to hurt you so much.

MIKE: And you did with knobs on.

RITA: What better way than becoming unattainable by marrying someone else?

MIKE: Didn't stop us still seeing each other behind his back though.

RITA: No. Couldn't stay away and get on with our own lives if we tried. I wanted to tell you so often about Michael.

MIKE: Michael? Is that what you called him?

Rita nodded and delved into her bag.

RITA: Our son Michael Vernon Littlewood and his family.

Mike took the photo, tears welling in his eyes

MIKE: Looks like you.

RITA: I hope not!

MIKE: He does. Even got your flaming red hair.

RITA: As the years passed it got harder to find the right moment, the right words to explain. I thought you'd hate me for keeping him from you for so long.

MIKE: I could never hate you, darlin.

RITA: I was scared of losing you for good.

MIKE: You've told me now and am I going anywhere?

RITA: Not many places to go in the middle of the ocean.

MIKE: You know what I mean.

RITA: I do. But I was dreading it. When you said about no secrets.... I had to tell you.

He sat beside her and put his arms around her

MIKE: It's okay, sweetheart.

RITA: I've been another of your long line of women that kept your child away from you and I'm so very, very sorry.

MIKE: It's okay. I understand, darlin. I treated you so badly when you found out you were pregnant. I don't blame you. But I know now and we're still together. We have the rest of our lives together now, Reet. I'll finally put that ring on your finger if you want to be Senora Bonaparte.

RITA: Couldn't you have picked a better name than that?

MIKE: I tried for the Spanish equivalent of Baldwin but Miguel Calvovictoria sounded so stupid. Besides, I've always sort of admired Boney's empire building so decided to name myself after him.

RITA: (sighs) Okay. I'll accept Bonaparte. Just as long as you don't expect me to change my name to Josephine, never say "not tonight" to me and don't try and invade Russia.

MIKE: (grins) Done.

They kissed passionately.

RITA: But what about you faking your death? You still haven't explained that to me.

MIKE: It'll keep till the morning. You have no idea how much I've missed you all these months.

He kissed her again as he reached over and switched off the light.

TO BE CONTINUED!

[Lane Kent]

Part 17

The next morning Mike was up bright and early worrying how to explain things to his wife-to-be. Yesterday had truly been a day of shocks for both of them but he was really pleased she'd loved him enough all those years ago to give him a true son and heir. He loved all his sons but the only woman he had ever truly loved was Rita and was overjoyed they had a child together. He stared into the distance, all sorts going round in his head which is how Rita found him a couple of hours later.

RITA: Mike?

MIKE: (kisses her) Oh morning sweetheart. Sleep well?

RITA: Eventually.

MIKE: We had a lot of time to make up last night.

RITA: (smiles) We certainly did. Though I'm surprised we didn't give each other heart attacks with our revelations.

MIKE: (laughs) Me too. One thing that's been puzzling me about our son. Where was he all those years?

RITA: A friend looked after him for me when I was working. I lived at her house. But when I took up with Harry Bates and then Len I had to leave him there. It wasn't easy. Broke my heart leaving my baby behind. But he was quite happy. She had kids of her own and they're still best friends today.

MIKE: What did you tell him about me?

RITA: As much as I could when he was younger. But it got difficult when he discovered you were in Weatherfield. He wanted to meet you. I had to explain you didn't know about him and I'd have to find the right time to tell you. As the years went by he understood how hard it was for me.

MIKE: You know you're quite wrong about me not caring, sweetheart. When you wrote and told me about the miscarriage I felt like something died inside me. I locked myself in my room for days. The letter was so cold. It was like we'd never been more to each other than a casual fling. Then my old man got hold of it after I came out and twisted everything. I can see now he was trying to make me hate you. I even remember him saying "Miscarriage my foot. She's got rid of it. That's how much you mean to her son. That's how much she loves you. She killed your kid. Had her fun with you and don't want the consequences. That's older women for you son. Can't trust any of them. You'd be better off with young girls" and I was so distraught I believed anything. Those words are burned into my memory for life.

RITA: Nice to know you've still got a memory.

MIKE: You're telling me. I did have fun pretending though hated not having to recognise you when I wanted to take you in my arms and tell you I love you. That's one reason I spent most of the time at the flat. I didn't want to run into you and see your face when I had to deceive you.

RITA: So where does Linda come into all this?

MIKE: Ah. Linda came to see me about a divorce. She tracked me down in Spain a while ago and even tried threats. She wanted to marry her next mug. To cut a long story short, I started to suspect Penny was up to something when I started to forget things within days of her moving in. It just got worse. Then I overheard Danny and Penny one day plotting to poison me. She wanted me all to herself while he just wanted to get what was mine by making me go gaga. What I'd spent all my life building up. I'm getting to old to fight them on my own Reet so I went to Linda, telling her she can marry her Duke with no objections in the divorce if she helped me. I knew I could trust her on this as she is as cunning as them and likes trouble. That's when she came up with the plan I was losing my marbles like they wanted. I just didn't eat or drink what they gave me. After all, I'm as sharp as a razor. Who wouldn't be surprised when the razor suddenly went blunt and so fast?

RITA: You were very convincing. TOO convincing at times. But you died right there on the steps of Underworld. I saw Danny cradling you in his arms. Well clearly you didn't. But how did you manage it?

MIKE: Piece of genius on Linda's part. She knows people so got me a drug I had to take which slowed my heart rate right down so it gave the impression it had stopped. The paramedics weren't from Weatherfield but friends of hers who whisked me away to the Duke's
mansion.

RITA: He was in on it too?

MIKE: (nods) Good chap that Bertie. He wants to marry Linda desperately for some reason so was only too willing to help.

RITA: But it said you were in a crash and burnt beyond all recognition. I don't understand.

MIKE: The ambulance conveniently exploded. I was well out of the way by then but they got a body and put it there before they sent it hurtling over a cliff. It was all a set up you see. Nice little collision with a stolen car sending both down there. One stolen themselves naturally. They had to have a body to get the death certificate. I don't know where they got it from. Didn't ask. But it had to be barbecued to prevent any sort of testing. Would have blown everything if they'd got a DNA test done and discovered it weren't me.

He paused, looking adoringly at her, touching her face gently.

MIKE: I saw you at the funeral. Broke my heart seeing you so upset.

RITA: You were there?

MIKE: I went with Linda. She told me to clear off so she could make her move. I hated to leave you but she assured me it wouldn't be long before we were together again with a new life. How was I to know it would take nearly a year?

RITA: It was so hard not being able to show my true feelings in public all this time, keeping it all bottled up inside when I just wanted to scream.

MIKE: I know sweetheart and I'm sorry for putting you through all that.

RITA: At least I had Linda to talk to which helped once we ended hostilities. I could cry and talk about you as much as I liked because she understood. She's not a bad girl when you crack that hard front she puts up.

MIKE: No. She can be nice when she wants to be.

RITA: Pity it's not more often. Where were you all this time? The Duke's?

MIKE: Safest place.

RITA: Does he know Linda was sleeping around while she stayed with me?

MIKE: Doubt it. Probably wouldn't believe it if you told him. So, once it was all over and she won, she rang Bertie and told him to get me ready. Bit of fake tan, false beard and here I was anxiously waiting for you.

RITA: But your accent? You certainly had me fooled.

MIKE: Bertie's a big fan of Fawlty Towers so I mimicked Manuel. I saw you at the cemetary too on my birthday.

RITA: I never saw you.

MIKE: Yes you did. I was the old man sat on the bench reading the paper. Only I wasn't reading. I was watching you.

RITA: Not the one I slapped?

MIKE: The very same.

RITA: Oh Mike. I'm so sorry.

MIKE: No need to be. You didn't know.

RITA: How did you know I was there?

MIKE: Linda called me to say she was taking you there. It was agony Reet seeing you in such a state and knowing I'd caused it especially when you started talking about ending it all. I came so close to telling you it was me. I'm so glad you didn't top yourself. I meant what I said about it being on my conscience knowing I could have stopped you.

RITA: Oh Mike.

They hugged each other tightly then she pulled away.

RITA: What new life? And seeing as you're alive, how can Linda marry her Duke?

MIKE: The second one I can answer easily. As I'm legally dead, I'm not standing in her way. Our new life? The yacht is ours sweetheart to go wherever in the world we want.

RITA: But my shop. Not to mention the fact I just inherited most of the factory. How can I run them from the middle of nowhere?

MIKE: Norris can manage with the shop and as for the factory, sell it. In fact, sell both. We're finally together after all these years, Reet. No one else in our lives. No more secrets. We can do anything and go anywhere. What do you say?

RITA: (smiles) I say yes. Just as long as now I have your factory it's not my money you're after.

Mike put his arms around her

MIKE: Sweetheart we never have to worry about money ever again in our life. I siphoned off a lot of mine into offshore accounts while I was going 'senile' and Bertie has given me a very handsome settlement
for Linda. The world's our oyster, darlin.

RITA: We can't stay on this boat forever.

MIKE: Then we'll find somewhere and buy a place. Hey, we can even have our son and grandkids out to visit. I can't wait to meet them. Is he a chip off the old block eh?

RITA: You could be twins.

MIKE: I hope we can arrange for him to come out soon. Be a proper family at last.

RITA: Better late than never.

MIKE: He can come to our wedding. So, about going anywhere in the world? Well? Fancy it and spending the rest of your life with me?

RITA: Sounds good to me. Let's go. There's a whole world out there to explore.

Mike grinned like the cat who got the cream, pulled up the anchor and they sailed off to parts unknown.

The End

[Lane Kent]

Or is it the end? When that was written, it was. But well my mind is working
overtime now. I hate such happy endings don't you all? Something
has to go wrong and I'm sure there is more to explore with Linda and
Bertie and Rita and Mike can't have it all their way. Linda's behaved too admirably supporting Rita in her hour of need. Doesn't sound like Linda at all does it - she surely is going
to want some payback along the road? I'd also like to explore
Tracy's Thai jail hell. What happens to Adam how will Ken and Deirdre
of coped with all the traumas they had been through in recent
months?

Watch this space as maybe one day we will revisit them. Patsy's come up with some great ideas so far.

[pearly queen]

Excellent stuff - how nice for them to sail off into the sunset!!

Good to see that Reet's trademark violent streak is alive and well in this story.

Michael Vernon Littlewood should make an appearance if there is a sequel - what sort of hard-faced, hard-drinking peasant-whipping (yet sexy) despot would come from such a gene pool?

[RitaLittlewood]

LOL! Well Lane doesn't think so. In fact, she said to me once we'd finally got that finished I could do the sequel. I said, no. Her idea. We've both come up with some good ideas, including how Linda discovered Michael Vernon Littlewood was actually alive and not miscarried like Reet had Mike believe all those years. Though we are disagreeing on some aspects of his character. But your description of hard-faced, hard-drinking, peasant-whipping (yet sexy) despot sounds good to me! ;D I have to say though it had always been Lane's idea for Mike to fake his own death and Reet find out on the yacht. That's in case anyone thought it was mine! LOL! Michael Vernon Littlewood was my idea. I thought the secret affair wasn't enough to be sordid. Had to be something big. Well they always change history after all so why not? LOL! At least I gave her a more plausible reason for her saying she couldn't have kids unlike that Street Talk audio crap.

Patsy

[Lane Kent]

When he originally faked his death in my original notes back in January I was counting on getting it finished before Corrie so I could create a massive explosion with a car falling off a cliff so there was no body. It was vital there had to be no body to confirm Alzheimer's or confirm 100% Mike was dead.

Well I wasn't best pleased when the spoiler was leaked weeks in advance about Mike's so public death in the Street in front of Ken. Didn't know what to do if to carry on with my idea and deviate off the original totally or what? However I think Patsy got round it very well and sorted it well.

Good thinking on Patsy's part regarding Michael Littlewood. Any sequel willl feature him heavily and I love your description of him Pearly that would also fit in with one little idea I had for him and would explain more easily Patsy's scenario of tying in with it. We shall have to see if we revisit this alternate Weatherfield.

[RitaLittlewood]

Ah but do we make him a beanpole or short like his parents? Yes the description does. I'd still like him a nice family man with maybe the traits he inherited from his parents when he's away from them. A right two-faced bastard.

Patsy