When Two Rivers Meet

Chapter Six

"Just smile," Carrie thought as she opened the door, leading into Panera Bread, "don't let the tears fall..." She flashed a smile towards Mike, who was standing in line, and instantly felt her heart drop.

"How are you?" Mike asked as he wrapped her in a hug.

"Good," Carrie lied. "How have you been?"

"Great!" He exclaimed. "I have some exciting news."
She flashed a weak smile. He had good news and she had bad news.
"I went to court the other day and I get to see and have Isaiah whenever I want," Mike smiled widely, "they didn't give me a specific time that I'll have him because of my hockey schedule."

"That's amazing!" Carrie said with a smile. "I'm so happy for you." She gave him another hug before regaining her composure.

After ordering their food, they took a seat at a table and began to eat when their meals arrived shortly after they sat down.

"Care," Mike said after taking a bite of his mac & cheese.

"Yes," Carrie said gloomily as she slurped her vegetarian tomato soup. She was thinking of when to tell Mike about the possibility of her being pregnant.

He picked up his napkin and wiped the extra mac & cheese off of the corner of his lips. "We've been 'talking' for about a week or two now..." He paused, his eyes meeting hers, "And I was wondering if you'd like to do more than talk... Dating wise."

He didn't ask in a romantic way, but Carrie didn't mind.

"Yeah," she answered shortly before turning her attention back to her soup.

Mike had a confused look on his face. "Great... Are you okay?" He asked, noticing something was off.

Carrie stopped eating and placed her spoon down. "Speaking of dating," she nervously chuckled. "I have something to tell you."

"Alright," Mike stared at her confusingly.

"Last night, I woke up around twelve AM and was feeling ill," she slowly said, "I ended up emptying what was in my stomach into the toilet. I instantly thought of the night you and I met, so I called Ivey up to bring me a few pregnancy tests. I took three and only one was negative." As she talked her voice was getting lower and lower. The blonde refused to make eye contact with Mike. Before she continued, she glanced up at him to see his mouth agape.
"I might be pregnant," she said, running her words together.

Mike blinked his eyes many times before sitting back in his chair. "Wow," he whispered, more shocked than Carrie.

"I went to the doctors this morning," she added, "they told me they'd call and tell me if I'm pregnant or not."

Mike still had his mouth wide open. "Geez," he said, "Well, if you are then I'll be more than happy. I know we just met but a child is one of the most amazing things you can ever have!" His mood was lightening up a bit as he talked about how wonderful children are, thinking of his son. "I promise I'll be by your side through everything." He smiled.

"Thanks, Mike," Carrie let out a breath of relief. "I thought you were going to freak out."

"I'd only freak out of it was with someone I didn't truly like or care for," he smiled.
Carrie's flushed cheeks grew redder from shyness.

They continued to eat their meals without thinking about how Carrie may be pregnant. Carrie had just shoved her spoon into her mouth when he phone began to ring.

"Hello," she said, her mouth half full with tomato soup. "... This is her."
She got up from the table and walked outside. She paced the sidewalk as she listened the person on the other side of the phone intently, nodding her head and soon tears brimming her eyes.
"Thank you," she said with a crack in her voice. She ended the call and stepped inside the building, drying her small tears.

Mike had finished his food and looked up, meeting Carrie's glassy eyes. He had already known that she was on the phone with the doctor. "Are you..." He began to ask but was cut off by an emotionally unstable Carrie.

"No," she replied shortly, losing her appetite. "I better get going," she stated, picking up her purse, "thank you for everything."

She hurried out of the door and ignored Mike calling her name. Mike tried to stop her but it was too late, his new girlfriend had already driven off.

Mike hit his head in frustration. He didn't understand how he could let her run off like that. Quickly, he hopped into his car and followed her to her house. He wondered why she was so sad, they weren't ready for a child. They had just met and a child wouldn't be the best thing right now.

"Carrie," Mike said as he approached her car. She had not gotten out when she pulled into the driveway of her house. She knew Mike was following her.
He knocked on her window and stared at her, waiting for her to pick her head off of the steering wheel.
The blonde finally lifted her head and started the car again so she could roll down the window.

"Please leave," Carrie said as the window rolled down halfway. Mike noticed her red, puffy eyes and the tears that still fell from her eyes.

"No," Mike said sternly. "What's wrong?"

Carrie ripped the keys out of the ignition and slammed her car door closed, not bothering to roll the window back up.
"I just want to be alone, Mike," Carrie said, pushing past him.

Mike grabbed her wrist and turned her around.
"Do you think I'm just going to let you walk into the house without doing anything?" He questioned, staring into her eyes. "Carrie, I promised I'd be here for you through every single thing. Did you think I just said that because you might have been pregnant? I meant it! I want to be here with you forever. I want to help you through your problems. I want to hold you at night. I want to dry the tears that have fallen from your eyes." He pulled her body closer to him and placed his hands on the sides of her face, wiping away her fresh tears with his thumbs. "You mean everything to me, Care." Mike pressed his lips against Carrie's without hesitation. It was the first time that they had kissed since 'that night'. Both of them felt like the world had stopped. Nothing else mattered. It was just them two.

They both pulled away slowly while breathing through their mouths, inhaling the air that they lacked. Mike placed his forehead against Carrie's and caressed her cheeks with his thumbs.

"I'm sorry," Carrie apologized. "I thought that I didn't want a baby. But the more you talked about how remarkable and life changing a kid was, I began to think 'maybe a baby isn't so bad'... But once the doctor called and told me that I wasn't pregnant, I felt like I was crushed. I was looking forward to hearing that I was. I know it sounds crazy, but - "

Mike cut off her rambling with another sweet kiss on the lips. "I was a little disappointed too," he admitted. "Everything will get better."

"I know it will with you by my side," Carrie smiled, looking into Mike's crystal blue eyes.

A/N - Comment & vote please!!!
Xoxo