In Coronation Street’s latest heartbreaking scenes, Michelle McDonald considers suicide after the death of her baby son, Ruairi.
Things have been pretty horrendous for Michelle since she miscarried her son at 23 weeks. Although Steve’s been doing his best to support his wife, she’s pushing him away and falling further into despair.
Trying hard to help her, Steve suggests they spend some time together and have lunch at the Bistro.
Michelle can’t believe he’d suggest socialising at a time like this, but after thinking it over realises he was only trying to be nice so she agrees to go.
But with her grief overwhelming, the tearful mum hits the booze big time and ends up shouting loudly, toasting her dead son. A humiliated Steve tries to calm his wife down, but she storms off into the night.
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Worried for her safety in her state of mind, Steve organises a search party of Robert, Tim, Johnny and Kate to find Michelle.
It’s Robert who comes across her, perched perilously close to the edge of a bridge. As he approaches her, he begs her to come away from the ledge, but she’s so overcome with emotion, she doesn’t want to move.
When he eventually persuades her to come to him, things take another turn when vulnerable Michelle leans in to kiss love-struck Robert.
Given how he feels about her, it’s all he can do to resist and gently tell her it’s not the right move for them.
She tearfully tells him she wants to be with her son and he takes her to the chapel of rest to see Ruairi. As she tells him Steve doesn’t understand what she’s going through, it’s not long before she realises she does need her husband by her side.
Gallant Robert calls Steve and when Michelle wakes up from a nap, she’s relieved to see Steve’s there with her.
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We’ll need a box of tissues at the ready as the couple say goodbye to their son in a private funeral conducted by Billy, with just the two of them there.
As they finally unite in their grief, Steve and Michelle decide they need some time away, and head to Ireland for a break. But will they come back stronger?
With Robert harbouring the secret of his kiss with Michelle, and the issue of Leanne’s baby bubbling under the surface threatening to break out, it looks like it’s going to be a long road for these two before they can come back from the brink