It had been a few months since living in the UK and Carrie had still not been able to wrestle due to work permits. She had been having a hard time just traveling and watching Marty wrestle but at the same time she was enjoying the home life.
They were back in the USA for a couple of shows and Carrie had been anxious to get back into the ring and defend her title. She was also happy to see her friends again, it had been many years since she had gone months without seeing Matt and Nick and she missed having them around.
The backstage atmosphere was like no time had passed; they were all joking and talking. Carrie had just finished her match and she felt more winded than normal, it had been a few months since she had been in the ring so she didn't think too much of it. She sat down on a chair and looked around the room trying to catch her breath.
All of a sudden Carrie felt as if she was going to be sick. She leaned back breathing through her mouth trying to feel better.
"You alright?" Matt looked at Carrie "you look pale" he said sitting down next to her
Carrie looked at him and nodded "shut up. It's been a while since I was in the ring is all. I'm fine" she said putting her hair up in a messy bun on top of her head. The movement alone was enough to cause another wave of nausea. She sat back again taking a deep breath.
Matt gave her a questioning look "are you sure it's just that?" he said "you look sick"
"I'm fine. It was probably the long flight too" Carrie said forcing a smile "I feel better now" she took a sip of her water and looked around.
Matt didn't believe her; he had known her long enough to know when she was saying something just to get him to stop talking. "Didn't you feel sick earlier too when we were eating?"
"the food was too greasy" She said quickly "I felt better after" she looked at him
"my wife has felt like that too, twice in her life now – we the reasons are 5 and 2 now" he said giving her a cheeky smile, he stood up and began walking away.
Carrie laughed "stop it." Carrie said and watched as Matt walked away. She replayed what he said back in her head. She thought back at the past couple of days realizing how she had been feeling off for a few days even before the flight. She took out her phone and opened up herself calendar app trying to calculate her cycle. Her heart was racing.
Brandi looked over at Carrie and she walked over sitting next to her. She had overheard Matt's joke, she also had a similar suspicion after seeing Carrie feeling tired and now ill throughout the day.
Carrie looked at Brandi and put her phone away. She could tell by the look on Brandi's face that she had something to say.
"Want to go for a walk?" Brandi asked realizing there were far too many people in the room to bring up the sensitive subject.
Carrie looked around the room and stopped to watch Marty who was laughing away with Zack. For the first time she allowed herself to wonder if a pregnancy was a possibility. She bit her lip trying to remain calm. "Yeah, sure" she stood up from her chair and walked towards the door. She felt numb as if she were just gliding over the floor.
Brandi followed "we'll be back" she told Cody as they walked out the door.
They walked down the hall neither woman saying anything. Brandi knew Carrie was still trying to process everything.
"It's not for sure." Carrie said breaking the silence. She wasn't sure if she said that towards Brandi or more trying to make herself feel better.
"Well you need to find out. You can't keep wrestling. You did some crazy stuff out there tonight" Brandi said looking over at her
Carrie brought her hands over her face "my career would be over." She said quietly as they walked. She tried to imagine what her life would be like with a kid.
The both of them walked past the metal doors to the arena parking lot. It was quiet except for the sound of cars on the nearby road.
Brandi walked over to a half wall where they both sat. She looked around the quiet parking lot. "Well I don't know what to tell you about your career. How do you feel about a baby though?" She had never heard Carrie mention kids even after being with Seth for a lifetime.
The word baby sent a small panic wave down Carrie's body. A baby was certainly nowhere in her short term plans, even long term babies had always been a huge question mark in her life. She bit her lip trying to imagine having a child. "I don't know. I never wanted to get married so I guess a baby just kind of fell into that category."
Brandi looked at her a little shocked "Never? No marriage? No kids? Is it because of Seth? Marty would never do that to you" Brandi said looking at Carrie. She had known Marty for a long time and she knew that Marty had loved Carrie for a long time and wouldn't do anything to lose her after having to wait so long for his shot.
Carrie shrugged "no, I just never wanted kids, and I don't really believe in marriage I guess. My parents were married, then my dad just decided it wasn't for him one day" she said "ever since I was a kid I thought marriage had little value" Although Carrie was carrying a conversation it was almost as though she wasn't in her body. She stared straight ahead.
"Well, I speak from my own experience and to me marriage is amazing. You're telling the world this is my person, forever. I'm sure Marty would be an amazing husband and father if that's the case. Any kid would be lucky to have to two as parents." she said wrapping her arm around Carrie's shoulder. "And not to be a pain in the ass but if you don't find out before tomorrow's show you have to fake an injury. I'm not letting you go out there"
Carrie had always been extremely careful to not have an accident when it came to pregnancy. She didn't even know how Marty would react; they had never even spoken of children before. She wasn't sure how to process it all.
The silence of the parking lot was broken by the sound of the metal door opening up again "What are you ladies up to?" Cody said walking up to them. "It's so hot in there I came out here to cool down" he said pulling down on his tie to loosen it.
"You just came to gossip" Brandi said laughing knowing her husband well.
Cody laughed "well that too. I've learned in life usually when people huddle there's some good gossip" he winked at them.
Carrie laughed as much as she could with her internal freak out going on in her head.
"We're just having girl talk" Brandi said hoping off the wall and walking over to him, she snuggled against his side.
Cody wrapped his arms around Brandi and kissed her forehead with a smile "alright I get it. I won't even ask"
Carrie looked around not able to think about much else but the potential pregnancy.
The door opened again and Marty walked towards them "what's going on?" He asked walking over and sitting next to Carrie on the wall
"Girl talk, don't even bother, I already asked" Cody said giving Marty a look
Marty looked over at Carrie and smiled at her. "You alright, love?" He said. He could tell from her face that there was something bothering her.
Carrie nodded "yeah I'm fine." She forced a smile, she looked at him trying to think if she should tell him her suspicion or keep it to herself. She was afraid of how he would react. They were both at a high point in their career.
Marty smiled back but he knew she wasn't being honest. He wasn't going to push the issue in front of Brandi and Cody.
Brandi gave Carrie a look she wasn't sure what Carrie's plan was but she knew that whatever it was it had to happen quick, she wasn't going to let her wrestle without knowing for sure. "I am going to go grab some food" Brandi said grabbing Codi's hand and pulling him behind her walking towards the arena. She purposely left them alone to give Carrie a chance to talk to Marty.
Marty looked over at Carrie "So are you going to tell me what's wrong?" he asked
Carrie laughed a little at the fact that he knew her that well. She looked over at him and smiled "Nothing is wrong. I just needed some air; I was a bit winded from my match. Told you we have been eating too much junk food" she laughed a little
"Yeah, Matt was telling me you didn't feel well." He said wrapping his arm around her
"What else did he say?" Carrie looked at him wondering if Matt had also told him his suspicions.
Marty shrugged "Just that you looked sick after your match" Marty learned down, kissing the top of her head. "You were great out there by the way"
Carrie smiled as she slid closer snuggling up close to him. She decided not to worry him just yet, she would figure things out herself first. Although she was still scared about the potential life changing news, being in his arms made thing seem a little less scary.