Coronation Street’s Mary Taylor’s heartbreaking secret revealed as florist breaks down and admits she has a secret son after being raped as a teenager
Florist's assistant broke down as she shared her secret with friend Norris Cole
MARY Taylor has revealed her heartbreaking secret in Coronation Street.
The florist assistant - who is played by actress Patti Clare - has been troubled for some time over a mysterious secret she's been keeping but it all became too much on Wednesday night's episode when she broke down to Norris Cole and told him about how she was raped as a teenager and forced to abandon her baby son.
With Mary's attempts to cover up the letters she had been reading with a white lie about her mother, Norris realised something else was going on and encouraged her to open up, but even he wasn't prepared for what Mary would reveal.
"I was 14, I used to babysit his children," she said as the realisation dawned on Norris.
"He was a family friend, our minister, pillar of the community. I'll spare you the sordid details but it happened one night when he was driving me home. His wife was back home with the children. He stopped the car," she added as she spoke of the rape.
"I remembered he smiled before it. You know afterwards, when I looked back, maybe that was some kind of apology or maybe..." she said as Norris tried to comfort her.
Mary went on to reveal that her mother hadn't been a comfort and hadn't even believed Mary when she told her what had happened.
"Not at first anyway, then I started getting bigger, you know she never asked me if I was OK, mother, not once. She just sat and cried. And then I cried for causing her so much pain. For disappointing her.
"You know she never actually said but I don't think she believed me, that it wasn't my fault, I mean. Or maybe it was just easier for her.
"You know she told people I'd gone to stay with my aunt, it was a secret you see, our secret. I gave birth at home but I did see him, just for a moment," she added.
And then Mary revealed that she had kept track of her son after the birth, just to make sure he was OK.
"A nurse called Maureen Nuttall found him on the steps at St Jude's in Newton Le Willows. And I read in a newspaper that she was the one who named him. Jude. Such a lovely name. That's all I know."
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But as Norris tried to convince her to find her son, Mary revealed why it had all come to light - Ken Barlow's recent family reunion.
"Ken. I saw how his family came together after his stroke. They came from all over. When I thought I was dying I suppose I had nothing left to lose, I suppose I wanted my family.
"Ever since the day he was born, I've harboured this fantasy that one day I'd find him, tell him who I was and then he'd hug me and we'd cry together and we'd laugh together but what if it isn't like that?
"What if he doesn't want anything to do with me? What if he hates me for what I've done?
"My mother didn't love me, if she did she would have protected me and I'm afraid he'll think the same thing too, I should have kept him, taken care of him no matter what and maybe I should. Best to keep hold of the fantasy, it's less painful, you see. I should lock up."
And with that a tearful Mary pulled herself together and left Norris even more worried about her.
- Coronation Street airs Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays on ITV
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