"Hello?" Carrie mumbled, picking up her cellphone off the night stand still half asleep.
"Carrie?" She heard Mike's voice, causing her to immediately wake up.
"Oh crap, happy birthday!" She tried to say excitedly, even though she could barely keep her eyes open. "I'm so sorry, I woke up feeling terrible. Ivey took Maddy to school and I got right back in bed and fell asleep, what time is it?"
"Eleven thirty." Mike chuckled. "You had me worried sick, I thought you would call me as soon as you woke up! So you're sick?"
"Yes, I feel absolutely horrible. I'm so sorry, I had such a good night planned for us but I can't even get out of bed, I'm sorry." Carrie tried to sit up in bed but the pounding in her head stopped her quickly.
"It's okay Carrie, don't apologize! How about I bring you some soup and pick up some medicine."
"I can't take anything but Tylenol with the baby." Carrie mumbled, letting out a sigh. "Soup would be good though. But-"
"No buts, I'll be there in a few. Do you need anything else?" Mike interrupted her, knowing she was going to protest.
"No I don't think so." Carrie croaked. "Just use the key in the plant to come in, I don't think I can make it downstairs."
"Will do, see you in thirty." Mike hung up the phone and headed out to Panera to get Carrie's favorite soup. Meanwhile, Carrie fell back asleep almost instantly.
Mike used her hidden key to enter the quiet house. He put her vegetable soup into a bowl along with some saltine crackers on a small plate. He put it all on a tray and quietly walked upstairs.
Carrie was sound asleep, curled up in a ball under the blankets. Mike couldn't help but smile to himself, she looked so peaceful and cute.
Mike sat the tray on the nightstand and sat down on the edge of the bed. Carrie started to flutter her eyes open.
"Hey Care." Mike smiled softly, caressing her forehead. Carrie let out a small smile, her eyes only half open.
"Happy Birthday." She croaked in almost a whisper.
"Thank you." He kissed her forehead gently. "Do you think you can sit up and eat a little soup?"
Carrie squeezed her eyes shut, the pain in her head getting tremendously worse as she tried to sit up.
"I hate being sick." She mumbled, tears in her eyes.
"I know sweetheart, me too." He picked up the bowl of soup and brought a spoon full of soup to her mouth.
"You don't have to feed me, I can feed myself Mike." Carrie laughed.
"I know, but I want to. Just let me take care of you." He gave her another spoonful and smiled.
"Are you nauseous?" Mike asked when Carrie closed her eyes and placed her hand on her stomach.
"No, not really. Everything just really hurts. My body aches and my head is killing me." She muttered, opening her eyes again.
"Once you eat a little more you can take some Tylenol. Maybe that will help." Mike suggested, giving her another bite.
Once Carrie ate about half of her soup, she took some Tylenol and laid back down.
"You don't have to stay Mike. It's your birthday, you should go out and celebrate it. Not spend it with a sick person. I'm probably going to sleep most of the afternoon anyways." She said as Mike pulled the covers up over her.
"Shh, just go back to sleep. Yell for me if you need me. I'll be in the other room." Mike kissed her forehead and left the room quietly.
A couple hours later, Carrie woke up feeling a little better. She carefully stood up out of bed and walked to the bathroom, trying to keep her balance while her head spun. She heard the tv on downstairs so she wrapped herself up in a blanket and made her way downstairs to see if Mike was still there.
"Hey sunshine, are you feeling better?" Mike looked up from his computer and smiled when he saw Carrie at the steps.
"A little." She gave him a smile and walked over to the couch. Mike put his computer down on the coffee table and wrapped his arm around Carrie as she curled up against him.
"You didn't have to stay." Carrie wrapped the blanket tighter around her.
"I know, but I wanted too. I don't want to leave you all alone like this." He ran his hands through her hair as she laid on his chest.
Carrie smiled, looking up at Mike. "I love you."
"I love you too princess." Mike kissed the top of her head. "Do you want to watch a movie?"
"Sure." Carrie smiled. She snuggled up closer to Mike.
The couple spent the rest of the night watching movies and snuggling until Carrie fell back asleep in his lap.
Mike carried her upstairs to bed, covered her up, kissed her forehead, and tip toed out.
"Mike?" He heard Carrie whisper.
Mike turned around and smiled. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."
"It's okay, are you going home?"
"Do you want me too? I can stay the night if you want or I can just come over tomorrow." Mike walked over and sat back down on the edge of the bed.
"Stay." Carrie gripped his hand and smiled.
Mike nodded. "I'll be in the next room."
"No, stay in here with me." Carrie pulled him back and grinned.
"Okay." Mike kissed her forehead again and walked over to the other side. He climbed in beside her and she instantly cuddled up against him again.
"Thank you for taking care of me today, I love you." Carrie snuggled lifted her head to kiss his cheek.
"I love you too, I wouldn't want to have spent my birthday with anyone else." He kissed the top of her head and smiled.
Carrie snuggled close and fell asleep in Mike's arms, just where she wanted to be.
