Audrey fights Claudia over Maria
A HAIRDRESSING AWARDS SHOW SEES HER MAKE A MOVE TO WIN BACK MARIA…
Stubborn Audrey finally wises up this week – and makes a public declaration of support to estranged protégée Maria.
The women have been at loggerheads from the moment Audrey dismissed Maria’s idea of buying into the salon, provoking the hurt stylist to quit her job. But neither of them has been happy since they started fighting, and tipsy Audrey finally decides to make amends by publicly praising Maria at a hairdressing awards show – which leaves Maria wondering where her future lies…
“The truth is that Maria has always been like a daughter to Audrey, and they both miss each other terribly,” says our Corrie insider. “Audrey is really struggling at the salon without her top stylist on board, and working with Claudia isn’t exactly a bed of roses for Maria. Both of them said a lot of nasty things, stuff they didn’t really mean, but it’s not too late to forgive and forget.”
Audrey’s misery is further compounded when she has to make an appearance at an awards bash. As the recipient of a lifetime achievement gong, poor Audrey is worried she’s going to feel like a dinosaur, and Claudia is relishing the chance to wind her up. Quite sensibly, Audrey decides that the only way to survive the whole sorry affair is to drink her way through it, so she hits the wine. By the time the judges announce her as the winner, Audrey’s pickled, and all the booze has loosened her tongue!
“The speech is really quite something – especially if your name is Maria Connor,” laughs our spy. “But it’s sweet to hear Audrey talk fondly about Maria – how talented and lovely she is – and to wish her luck with her new venture. That’s the recognition Maria wanted in the first place, so thank goodness Audrey has finally found the right words.”
Of course, Audrey doesn’t realise how miserable Maria
“Audrey is struggling without her top stylist”
is now she’s working with Claudia. She blames her old pal for making their rift worse – but there’s a nasty surprise in store…
Maria pays Audrey a visit, and the pair agree that they want to start working together again, only now on a more equal footing as partners. However, when Maria goes to break the news to Claudia, she’s in for a shock. The cash Rita invested in the franchise won’t be returned, meaning Maria will lose £12,000 if she chooses to go with her new business partner.
Can Maria really afford to leave Claudia for Audrey?