Piece By Piece

Chapter 8

"I don't wanna go out" Carrie mumbled, her arms crossed tightly against her chest.

"Come on Care, you and I both need this. And-"

"I don't want to Mike! Do you see this scar on my face? I'm not going out in public for everyone to see this and ask what happened and get a bunch of rumors started. I still look beaten up, I can't cover all these bruises and cuts with makeup! God forgive me for not wanting to go out and public like this!" Carrie screamed, storming out of the bedroom and down the stairs.

Mike stood dumbfounded in the bedroom, unsure of what to do next. All he wanted was to take Carrie out for a date night. He hadn't even thought about the cut on her face or the slowly healing bruises. He'd become so used to them in the past three weeks that he didn't think about them. He just wanted to take her out for a nice night. She'd finally started sleeping better with the help of Doctor Jones tips and medicine. She only woke up once or twice instead of six or seven now and life was slowly started to get a little bit more normal each day.

Mike was brought out of his thoughts when he heard the front door slam shut and he ran downstairs to see where she went.

Opening the door, he saw Carrie sitting under her favorite tree in the backyard.

He slowly approached her. She wasn't crying, she was just staring straight ahead at the land before them.

"Can I join?" Mike asked when he reached her. Her arms were propped up on her knees and she sat completely still staring ahead. She didn't answer, so Mike decided to sit down anyways.

He groaned as he plopped down on the ground beside her, mimicking her position.

"It's mighty pretty out here isn't it?"

"Mhmm." Carrie mumbled, still not breaking her stare.

Mike wished he could read her mind, know what she was thinking at the moment.

"I'm sor-"

"Please, just be quiet." Carrie said with a sigh.

Mike glanced over at his wife. She was completely focused ahead on whatever she was thinking about.

The young couple set in silence for a long time. Mike wanted to speak, but he knew it was best not too. Carrie would say something when she was ready.

"Am I ever going to be normal again?"

"What?" Mike had gotten completely lost in thought and didn't think he'd heard her right.

"Am I ever going to be normal again?" She turned to face her husband who noticed the tears in her eyes.

"Carrie," Mike sighed. He turned to face her but had absolutely no idea what to say next.

"I don't know." He said honestly. His voice was quiet and gentle and his heart broke as he looked at her.

He pushed a piece of hair that had fallen over her face behind her ear and faintly smiled. "I hope so."

"It's only been three weeks, it's going to take time. It'll get easier with every day."

Carrie hadn't been out of the house except for her appointments. She hadn't been at home alone yet and she hadn't hardly talked to anyone but Ivey and her mom.

"I think about it ALL the time Mike, I can't get it out of my head. Everything I see reminds me of something, every time I look at you I think about it. I feel like you look at me differently, that you're annoyed and tired of taking care of me and my mood swings and meltdowns. I feel like I cheated on you, I let you down. My body let him win, I tried so hard but I couldn't help it and I feel like I cheated on you for it. I feel guilty every single day." Carrie sobbed. Tears were running down her cheeks and her eyes were full of brokenness and sorrow.

"Honey no no no, don't say that. Don't even think that for a minute. You didn't do anything wrong, and I could never be upset with you for that. And I don't get annoyed with you, I still love you just as much as I loved you before. Through good times and bad, right?" Mike faintly smiled at his wife as he reached up and wiped away the tears with his thumb. 

Blushing ever so slightly, Carrie looked to the ground and nodded.

"I love you." She whispered, looking into his sparking blue eyes. The words rolled off her tongue for the first time since the incident. She leaned in and kissed her husband. She'd missed the way his lips felt on hers.

"I love you too." Mike smiled as he pulled away. He'd craved hearing those words and feeling her soft lips on his again.

He pulled her onto his lap and leaned against the tree. Looping her arms around his neck, she rested her head against his and smiled.

"It's all gonna be okay." He kissed her forehead, rubbing circles around her back. "I promise."