Mike viewed the flat with his then-girlfriend Deirdre Langton in March 1981 and bought it shortly afterwards. After moving in, he threw a flatwarming at which he dumped Deirdre for Sonia Price, causing Deirdre to go off with Ken Barlow. Two women shared Mike's bedroom during this period: Maggie Dunlop, who lived with Mike in 1982 until she fell pregnant and left Mike, deciding he would not be a good father to her baby, and Susan Barlow, Ken's daughter who dated and later married Mike in 1986. The marriage broke down when Susan aborted Mike's baby, and Mike threw her out.