Stay the Night

Chapter 74

May 12th, 2005

Mariah was leaving the kitchen on one of her late-night snack runs. She was triumphantly carrying a family-size bag of Ruffles and a roll of Oreos back to the bedroom, humming a melody for a new song she'd thought of. 

"...Bet you think I'm teasing. But I ain't got no reason to deny, the way I feel inside tonight. I just wanna touch you, put my hands on you, and love you. You'll be like--"

Thud!

The hell?

She jumped at the loud sound in the otherwise silent house. Everyone else should have been asleep. She walked towards the sound and she could faintly hear someone moaning in pain. 

"Mike?" She called quietly as she got closer. 

"Mimi?" came the strained reply. "I need some help,"

Mariah dropped her snacks and hurried towards his voice. She got to the bathroom and she found her husband lying on the bathroom floor. She noticed a bit of blood coming from his mouth and she immediately rushed to help him sit up. 

Oh my God...

"What happened?" She grabbed his hand and helped him lean against the wall. There was only so much she could do at six months pregnant. 

"I..." He coughed. "I fell,"

She rubbed his back as he went into another coughing fit, more blood coming from his mouth. Her eyes widened in fear. 

"Mike, you gotta go to the hospital," She whispered, grabbing a piece of tissue to clean his hands and mouth. "This is not good,"

She pressed the back of her hand to his forehead. Hot. Just as she suspected. "Your lupus is flaring up again,"

He took in a deep breath. "Yeah, it is,"

She frowned as she observed him. She could hear his labored breathing, rattling against his frail chest. "I'm going to call Phil so he can get you to the hospital,"

"I can't," He coughed again. "I have court,"

Mariah glared at him. "Michael, you look like you're dying. You're going to the doctor,"

"Mariah--"

"Michael, I'm not asking," She grimaced. "You need to take care of yourself. You have seven kids to think about,"

"Fine," He relented. 

He must be too tired to argue. He never listens to me.

Mariah smiled. "Can you get up?"

He frowned at her and shook his head. "My back,"

"I figured as much," She sighed. "Use the wall and grab my hand. Be careful though, I can't support your whole weight,"

Actually, I probably could with how frail he looks.

Michael did as she asked, grimacing as he brought himself back to his feet. Mariah carefully led him into the living room so he could sit on the couch.  She took a seat next to him, and he rested his head on her shoulder, clearly exhausted from the ordeal.

"Mariah?"

She glanced at him.

"Thank you,"

Mariah nodded. "Of course,"

She picked up her cell phone to dial Phil's number as the lights flipped on. Mariah turned around to see Karrin standing in the foyer. The young woman looked nearly ready to burst, Mariah figured she would probably be due within the next few days.