Carrie hadn't left the house since the news broke a week ago. She'd gone to one appointment with Doctor Jones two days ago, but that was it. Other than that she was too afraid to face the people.
Today was Carrie's 29th birthday and she'd told Mike she didn't want to do anything but of course, Mike wasn't going to have that happen. He knew she didn't want to go out anywhere in public, so he'd invited Mark and Ivey over for a cookout and her mom was flying in to surprise her, her dad was too busy with work to come in the middle of the week.
She hadn't seen her mom since the incident so he knew it would be good for the both of them.
He finished fixing her favorite breakfast and placed it on the tray and headed upstairs.
Carrie was still sound asleep. She looked so peaceful when she slept, he could just watch her all day long. Still, she hadn't slept all the way through the night without waking up, but it was only once or twice and not near as horrible as it had been.
Carrie fluttered her eyes open, yawning as she rubbed her sleepy eyes. Mike couldn't help but stare at how beautiful she looked when she woke up.
"Good morning." She mumbled with a smile, her eyes half shut.
"Happy birthday." Mike cooed, sitting down on the edge of the bed.
Carrie blushed. She was so lucky to have such a wonderful man in her life.
"Thank you." Carrie couldn't keep the smile off her face.
"Birthday breakfast for the queen." Mike grabbed the tray from the nightstand and placed it in front of Carrie as she sat up.
"I don't know what I ever did to deserve you."
"I'm the one that doesn't deserve you." Mike replied, kissing her softly.
"So I know you don't want to do anything today, and we're not really, Mark and Ivey are just coming over later for a cookout."
Carrie narrowed her eyes at her husband.
"Don't make that face at me."
"I can do what I want, I'm the queen today." Carrie giggled, taking a bite of her breakfast.
The two continued to laugh over breakfast and enjoyed most of the day in bed cuddling and watching movies.
Ivey and Mark got there about four and they were all standing around laughing while Mike grilled burgers.
"I think I just heard the doorbell ring, babe will you get it?" Mike asked as he turned the grill on.
"I thought you said no one else was coming." Carrie gave him a death stare to which he shrugged his shoulders in reply.
Confused, Carrie walked back into the house and to the door. Opening it, she gasped in shock when she saw her mom standing in the doorway.
"Mom! Oh my gosh!" Carrie screamed, practically jumping into her mothers arms.
The two embraced each other tighter than they ever had before.
"God I'm so glad to see you, I'm so glad you're okay." Carole cried, tears filling her eyes as well as Carrie's.
Being in her moms arms was just what Carrie needed and it was enough to make all the tears flow. No matter how old you get, sometimes a girl still needs her mama.
"I love you so much." She mumbled into Carole's neck, never wanting to let her go.
The sight brought tears to Mike and Ivey's eyes. Carrie and Carole hugged for five minutes, neither of them speaking or moving. Silent tears streamed down Carrie's face.
"Let's give them some time." Mike whispered, motioning towards the door.
Looking up, Carrie noticed they were alone. "Gosh, I needed that hug so much."
"Awe baby, I didn't mean to make you cry on your birthday!" Carole wiped the tears off Carrie's face and smiled sympathetically.
"It's okay, I cry at everything" Carrie laughed. The two made their way to the couch and sat down.
There was silence for a few moments, neither of them knowing what to say.
"How are you doing?"
"I'm good." Carrie swallowed.
"Carrie." Her mother said. "It's me. Tell me the truth."
"It's so hard mom." Carrie's voice cracked as she busted into tears. "I can't do it any longer."
"Baby don't say that." Carole put her hand on top of Carrie's.
"I just want it to stop. It swarms my brain 24/7 and I don't know how to make it stop." Carrie sobbed.
"I wish you lived here, I wish you could have been here sooner. I wanted you there. I wanted you to hug me and tell me it was gonna be okay, I wanted you to make it all go away like you always have." Carrie sobbed, Carole now hugging her tightly.
"I'm so sorry Care." Carole held her daughter closer, tears filling her eyes again. "Why didn't you tell me? I could have flown up here when it happened. Mike told me you said it was okay. We decided I should give you space, I would have come if I knew you wanted me." She threaded her fingers through Carrie's hair, something Carrie had always loved since she was little.
"I don't know, I didn't want to bother you, I didn't want you to see me like that." Carrie pulled away, looking her mom in the eyes then looking down at the floor.
"Honey I'm your mother, I've seen you at your worst many times. It's okay." Carole said soothingly, wiping a tear off her daughter's face.
"I wanted you to come save me from him." Carrie whispered, her voice barely audible through the tears.
"Awe honey" Carole pulled her daughter back into her arms and held her tight. "I wish I could have."
"You know," Carole said after the two sat in silence for a while. "It's your birthday, you shouldn't be in here crying. We can talk some more later, You've got some very special people out there in the backyard to celebrate with you. We should go join them."
Letting out a laugh, Carrie sat up and nodded. "Good idea."
"Oh gosh I look horrible ." Carrie laughed as she stood in front of a mirror wiping her face off.
"Don't worry about that Care, none of us care what you look like. Even though I think you look beautiful as always." Carole smiled, standing behind her.
"Thank you mama." Carrie smiled, hugging her once more before the two made their way back outside to the party.
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Piece By Piece
Fanfiction"You're okay. I've got you you're safe. It's going to be okay."
