Can't Live If Living Is Without You

I woke up the next morning to Zack’s snoring right next to my ear. I had a feeling that he had developed a cold over night and I knew that he was going to be pissed about it. I gently removed his arm from around my protruding stomach and quietly got out of bed, so I wouldn’t wake him. I grabbed some clothes from my suitcase and walked into the large spacey bathroom so I could get ready for the day.

I stepped out of the shower and wrapped the over sized peach towel around myself. I dried myself off and started pulling on my clothes. I pulled my white sweater over my head and stopped halfway when I heard shuffling from the bedroom. I finished pulling the shirt over my head and walked out into the bedroom.

Zack shifted onto his stomach and let out a loud snore. He continued to breathe through his mouth, no doubt having a stuffy nose. I let out a sigh of relief and nearly had a heart attack when my phone started to ring from the side table. I hastily made my way over but stubbed my toe on the foot stool by the end of the bed.

“Hello?” I asked with a strained voice while rubbing my sore toe.

“Yuck, are you guys having sex?” Dylan asked.

“No dummy, I just hit my foot on a stool,” I explained and curled my legs underneath me on the bed.

“No need for name calling,” she huffed and I could just picture her pouting and crossing her arms like a 5 year old child.

“Yeah, yeah whatever. Why’d you call?”

“Oh yeah! All of us wanted to say happy birthday to Zack,”

“He’s sleeping right now,” I told her.

“Sleeping? On his own birthday? What kind of present did you give him last night?” Dylan asked with the sound of a smirk in there.

“I didn’t give him anything. He was waiting outside in the cold last night and he most likely has a cold,” I said and looked at Zack whose nose was running.

“Aw, sorry to hear that. So whenever he wakes up tell me we called,”

“Alright I will. Talk with you later,”

“Bye,” she said and hung up.

I closed back my phone and put it on the side table. I ran my hand through Zack’s greasy limp hair and gave him a gentle kiss on his warm forehead. I got up and went to the vanity table to comb my hair. I ran a brush through the soft waves and pinned half of my hair up and left the rest down and left my bangs down so they slightly hung over my eyes. I put on some clear lip gloss and sprayed some coconut scented perfume.

I got up from the vanity table and walked out of the bedroom. I went into the kitchen and started taking out the necessary stuff to make breakfast for Zack. I rolled my sleeves up and started mixing stuff together for the pancake batter. When I was finished mixing the batter I grabbed the frying pan from underneath and put it on the stove where the burner was starting to get hot. I poured some batter into the pan and waited for it to finish cooking.

While I was waiting I grabbed another frying pan and started opening the pack of bacon. I threw some in the pan and went back to flipping the pancake. I was so concentrated on making breakfast that I didn’t hear Zack start to stir from the bedroom.

I was almost done with Zack’s breakfast when I heard him calling for me.

“Babe?” Zack called and started coughing.

“Coming,” I said and shut off the stove under the two frying pans. I placed all the food on the plates and put the plates onto a tray. I grabbed the tray and carefully walked into the bedroom where Zack was sitting up in bed.

“Happy birthday,” I grinned at him.

“Is all that for me?” he asked.

“If you can finish all of it than yes,” I said and placed the tray on his lap.

He was going to say something but he started having a coughing fit. When he was finished coughing I gave him a sympathetic look and pecked his pale cheek.

“Why can’t I get a proper kiss?” he pouted when I pulled away.

“Because you’re sick,” I explained.

“But it’s my birthday,” he whined, crossing his arms and pouting.

I rolled my eyes at his immaturity and grabbed his face. I pushed my lips onto his and he immediately responded. I bit down gently on his bottom lip and he groaned into the kiss. I pulled away and he gave me a big grin.

“Thanks baby,”

“Yeah, whatever. If I get sick because of you junior and I are going to be very pissed,” I said and climbed off the bed.

“Where you going” Zack asked and stuffed some pancake into his mouth.

“In the living room to make some calls,” I shrugged and grabbed my phone.

“I’ll meet you out there in a second,” he said and went back to eating.

I nodded and walked into the living room and sat on the couch that was facing the big open window. I dialed the number for room service and waited for someone to pick up.

“Hello, Waldorf Hotel room service how can I, help you?” a man answered.

“Hi, this is Mrs. Baker and I’d like to order a cake for later on tonight,” I said in a low voice so Zack couldn’t hear me.

“Okay, is there anything you’d like on it ma’am?”

“I want everything to be vanilla and the words ‘Happy Birthday Zack’ to be written in blue frosting,” I explained and stood by the window, watching the snow outside drift downward onto the many cars and people walking down the sidewalk.

“Okay, will that be all?”

“Yes, just make sure it’s here by eight tonight,”

“No problem, have a good day,”

I hung up the phone and wrapped my arms around myself trying to give myself some warmth. I felt Zack wrap his arms around my waist and plant kisses on the back of my neck. I grinned to myself and leaned back into his warm body. I gazed up at him and kissed his jaw line since that was where I could reach.

“Who were you talking to?” he asked.

“No one,”

“Were you ordering me something?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Of course not,” I said and pulled his arms off me. I turned around so I was facing him and linked my arms around his neck.

“Let’s go out,” I suggested and bit my lip.

“Go out? But its freezing and I have a cold,” he whined.

“Oh come on, don’t tell me that you’re starting to become one of those old farts who hate going out,” I said.

“Of course not. I just don’t want to go out in the cold weather,” he explained and stared out the window.

“I’ll keep you warm,” I said and bit my lip.

He smirked and squeezed me, making me giggle.

“Promise?”

“I promise,”

“Fine, let me go get ready,” he said and limped back towards the bedroom.

“Zack, come on,” I laughed while watching Zack struggle to stay on his feet.

“No, leave me alone,” Zack pouted from the floor.

I started laughing again and placed my mitten covered hands on my knees to keep myself up. I thought it would be a fun idea to take Zack ice skating, so far he thought it was the worst idea I’ve ever had. I thought it was hilarious how Zack’s face would light up like a 5 year olds when he actually glided a few feet across the ice, but then in a split second it changed to an angry face when he lost his balance. What made him even angrier, is when he was pouting on the floor, little kids with their parents would zoom right past him.

I skated over to him with a smile on my face and watched him on the floor. He looked up at me and when he saw my facial expression he looked back down. I laughed quietly so he wouldn’t hear me and I reached my arm out so he could take it. He grumbled to himself but nonetheless still took my hand. He pulled himself up and I brushed him off.

“You okay?” I asked and wrapped my arms around his neck.

“No,” he pouted and wrapped his arms around my waist.

“I’m sorry babe, I thought you’d like the idea of ice skating,” I sincerely said.

“Its fine, I had fun even if I spent more than half the time on the floor,” he chuckled.

I laughed and planted my lips onto his.

“Excuse me miss?” an elderly man interrupted us.

“Yes?” I politely asked him.

“My wife and I are the owners of this skating rink and we couldn’t help but notice how wonderful you two look,” he said and the older woman who I assumed was his wife that stood behind him nodded her head.

“Oh well thank you,” I smiled.

“Would you two like to get your pictures taken?” the woman offered.

“Sure,” Zack agreed.

“Great! I knew you’d say yes so I already grabbed my camera,” she excitedly said and flashed her camera towards us.

Zack and I shared a laugh and faced towards the camera in the same position we were in now. We each gave a genuine smile and the flash of the camera went off. We got ready to thank them but she ordered for us to have one more picture taken with us kissing. We both shrugged and our lips met each other halfway. I heard the camera go off and we split.

“If you two come with us we can develop your pictures for you,” the woman said.

“Alright,”

Zack and I followed behind the couple and carefully walked into their office with our skates on. We took a seat on an old plush couch and were each handed a mug of hot chocolate. We thanked them and waited patiently for our pictures.

About five minutes later the woman handed us our pictures.

“Thanks so much,” I said and hugged her.

“No problem dear, you two are adorable,” she complimented.

“Now you two get and take care of that baby,” she said ushering us out the door. I looked back at her and she just gave me a wink.

Zack and I waved at the elderly couple and made our way out of the building after changing back into our shoes. We laced our hands together and flagged down a taxi. We got in the cab and we took off towards the hotel. I stared at the pictures we just received and a small grin broke out on my face. I felt Zack squeeze my hand and I broke my gaze away from the picture to face him. He smiled at me through the dark and the cab came to a stop. I paid the driver and we got out the car. We hastily ran up the stairs into the hotel where the heat greeted us. The big clock on the wall read 7:55 and I rushed Zack into the elevator. I didn’t want Zack to see his cake before he was allowed to.

The elevator doors opened and we stepped out onto my floor. I unlocked the door and switched on all the lights.

“Go take a shower and I’ll make us some thing to eat,” I told Zack, making up any excuse for him to be out of the room when his cake gets here.

“Okay,” he agreed and pecked me on the lips.

I watched him limp away into the bedroom and a minute later I heard the bathroom door shut and the shower start up. Right when the shower started a knock came at the door. I rushed towards the door and opened it to see a waiter holding a cart with Zack’s cake on it. I allowed him to come in and he placed the cart in the family room. I tipped the waiter and I locked the door behind him as he left.

I walked back over to the cake and saw that they made it just like I asked. I placed the ‘2’ and ‘7’ candles on his cake and lit it up with Zack’s lighter that was on the counter. I heard the bathroom door open and I walked into the bedroom.

“Hey babe, I have a surprise for you,” I said and walked over to my suitcase.

“Is it my present?” he asked.

“Yup,” I said and grabbed the small wrapped box from the bottom of my suitcase.

I walked back over to Zack and handed it to him. I bit my lip and watched as he ripped the paper off. When he opened the box his mouth fell open.

“Holy shit,” he said and took the baseball out of the box.

A few days before his birthday I drove all the way out to Anaheim and bought an exclusive baseball signed by the whole Anaheim Angels baseball team.

“I love it babe,” he said and gave me a tight hug. He planted kisses all over my face and continued to look at his present.

“Come on,” I said and grabbed his hand. I led him out into the family room where his cake stood proudly with the candles burning bright.

“I love you so much Natalia,” he whispered to me.

“I love you too Zack,” I said and gently pressed my lips to his.