SINGLE life begins again for Carla Connor as she waved goodbye to her beloved husband on Boxing Day.
But with drama continuously unfolding in Coronation Street, the businesswoman could get up to all kinds of things after his exit.
After battling with his demons over his part in Stephen Reid's death, Peter Barlow was given the opportunity to leave the cobbles to start afresh by Carla Connor (Alison King).
The pair agreed to separate, ending their long and toxic relationship, and Peter took the first tram he could catch up with in order to join his friend Mickey on his yacht.
Breakups are hard to handle under any circumstances but with Peter's departure finally over and done with, we're sure Carla will soon find other things worth focusing on.
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With plenty of time and space to finally put herself first, here's what we expect Carla to do next.
1. Focus on her business
Carla is nothing if not a thorough businesswoman at the helm of the Underworld factory.
In recent months, the Weatherfield stalwart was unable to give her business all the attention it deserved as she'd been drugged with LSD.
Firmly convinced that she was suffering from a relapse into her psychosis, Carla was sent to a mental health facility, where Peter continued to support her.
As mentioned above, Carla found herself having to return the favour to Peter as she tried to take care of him during his crisis of conscience.
Without her other half (and Stephen Reid, who was responsible for Carla's drug-induced state), Carla will be able to focus on the future of the Underworld factory, finally free of overbearing obstacles.
The Underworld business was deeply impacted by Stephen's dastardly deeds and it may take Carla a while before things get back to normal.
While Peter does what makes him happy, there is no doubt that Carla will be doing the same by taking care of her factory and gaining her employees' trust back.
And with Fiz Stape leading things in Norwich, Carla could even team up with the fan favourite character to finally get things back on track.
2. Reconnect with loved ones
After focusing on her career, Carla could develop a similar drive for finally connecting with her long-lost family.
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Many members of the Connor clan have come and gone from Weatherfield, the latest being Ryan Connor who left the cobbles and Carla for a fresh start in Glasgow.
With Peter finally out of the way, Carla could be striving for emotional connection by paying a visit to her incarcerated brother, Rob Donovan, or to her long-term pal Michelle Connor.
She could even make new friends throughout the cobbles in an attempt to forget Peter's departure or spend more time with her closest ally in Weatherfield, Roy Cropper (David Neilson).
A fierce career-driven woman, Carla could try to befriend other strong personalities in the likes of Daisy Midgeley and Dee-Dee Bailey.
But what if she was to fall back into the arms of a former flame, Nick Tilsley (Ben Price) while she recovers from the shock of Peter's exit - and he tries to avoid Harvey Gaskell's wrath in the new year?
Whatever the case may be, Carla is due for a surprise in upcoming scenes of the long-running program as her nephew Bobby (Jack Carroll) will be rocking up the cobbles and causing some trouble.
3. Move on
Speaking of new connections, Peter's exit leads us to wonder whether Carla will finally meet a man (or woman?) on her level in Coronation Street.
Love has come into Carla's life quickly, leaving her devastated and heartbroken just as fast once it was all over.
Many regular Corrie viewers will remember Peter's infidelity with Tina McIntyre and his alcohol addiction issues that left Carla with an overwhelming amount of stress.
Let's also not forget Frank Foster, who viciously raped Carla, or Tony Gordon who set the Underworld factory ablaze.
Overall, Carla has never been really lucky in matters of the heart - but could Peter leaving her life finally lead her to find her true perfect match?
4. Go to therapy
As briefly hinted at above, Carla has experienced an incredible amount of trauma, on and away from the cobbles.
Diehard fans of the long-running show will know that Carla was raised by an alcoholic mother and an abusive stepfather, which would psychologically damage even the strongest among us, and her time in Weatherfield hasn't made things any easier for her.
Aside from her explosive love drama, intense business battles and her own alcohol addiction worries, Carla has also suffered from severe mental health issues, pushing her to get help.
One big change Carla could implement into her life, as she no longer has to take care of anybody but herself, could be regular trips to a therapist's office to, finally, become the best version of herself.
This way, Carla could finally completely heal from the horrible things done to or around her once and for all.
5. Spiral out of control
While many of us are rooting for Carla Connor, one of the strongest female characters in soap land, some viewers secretly hope to see her tough shell crack to reveal a whirlwind of emotions.
Carla's psychosis storyline in 2019 was one for the ages, finally shedding a light on the reality of mental breakdowns and how horrific they can be for the person affected - could she be involved in another hard-hitting mental health storyline?
In 2014, Carla's outburst after finding out about Peter's affair with Tina McIntyre left viewers to discover a new, jealous and unhinged side of her personality and it all led to more captivating drama on our screens.
Soap watchers may remember Carla being blinded by rage and leaving many wondering what she would be capable of doing next.
Could a downward spiral push Carla on to a dark path, kickstarting a huge villain arc for her?
6. Seek closure over Stephen Reid
Speaking of acting like a villain - what if Carla got her revenge on Stephen Reid for drugging her?
The murderer was given a discreet funeral as his mother Audrey Roberts fought hard to keep his memory intact, despite his many misdeeds.
But with his shocking death, Carla never got the chance to bring Stephen to justice for spiking her with LSD.
With Peter out of the picture, and particularly as Stephen's demise was partially responsible for his exit, Carla could be tempted to find the serial killer's last resting place... to finally let him know everything she thinks of him.
While vandalism shouldn't be encouraged, we wouldn't blame Carla for wanting to leave Stephen a special message after the torment he has put her through.
7. Get a pet
Evelyn Plummer (Maureen Lipman) was devastated when she found out about the existence of a nearby puppy farm and she has been on the market for another dog following the death of her four-legged companion Cerberus.
Could a new pup be the perfect remedy for Carla?
Studies have shown that having a pet to take care of and love, particularly after a breakup, can significantly improve one's mental health.
With her nephew Bobby set to wreak havoc, much like his father before him, Carla may want to have a new best friend she can find comfort in while staying home alone.
Is Carla more of a dog or a cat person?
8. Have a makeover
Carla's love of neutral colours such as black and grey has become her official trademark as the fan favourite is rarely seen in brightly-coloured clothing.
With Peter's departure still fresh in her mind, Carla could be tempted to give her wardrobe and herself a makeover, finally cutting ties with the past.
This could even start with a fresh hair colour, which Carla has already tried in the past as she traded her raven black locks, iconic in the noughties, for a warm chestnut brown.
But will it be enough for Carla?
Coronation Street airs every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8pm on ITV.
