More Than A Woman » Zarry ✔

eleven

"You're dating my sister?" Safaa asked with a big grin on her face.

"Uh, yeah. I am."

She smiled brightly and nudged shoulders with Waliyha. "He's dating our sister."

"I... I know." She said, her mouth still hanging open from surprise.

"That's so wonderful." Patricia beamed. "You two seem like you are perfect together. But I hope you know we wouldn't have minded if you told us. We prefer for you to tell us something like that when it involves our daughter anyway."

"Thanks." Harry answered and he sighed. "And we know you wouldn't have minded. That's why Veronica and I were actually excited to tell all of you. In fact, that was the whole point of this dinner in the first place, but..."

"I ruined it." Doniya finished. "I started talking about Veronica and I ruined it. I'm sorry. I didn't... I didn't know."

"No. It's alright. I mean..." He shrugged his shoulders, then reached over and rubbed her leg again. This time, everyone could see. "Yeah, it's okay. I just hope that everyone seated at the table is okay with it. Not just a few." He looked at Yaser, who was just staring blankly at them. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to be reading in his facial expressions.

"Here you are sir. Here's the check." a voice said, and he saw Sam there. He reached back and took a black checkbook from her.

"Thank you very much."

"You're welcome. Can I get you anything else?"

"A couple of To Go plates for Veronica and myself, please. Does anyone else need one?"

"Yes, five more." Patricia spoke up. "All of us will need one."

"Sure, I'll send Marie back with them."

Sam disappeared and Harry opened the checkbook to see what the cost would be. Tonight's dinners all combined to total $202.07. Harry had been expecting it to be expensive, because he knew seafood wasn't cheap. But he was hoping to use that to impress. Maybe it worked, despite the night being cut short. Maybe her family was won over.

It wasn't long before Marie came with the carryout plates and everyone was transferring their food. Zayn had quietly put all her food into a tray, then into one of the bags Marie had also brought back. Harry noticed she was sitting with her hands in her lap and not looking at anyone. So he grasped her chair by the bottom of her seat and pulled her close to him.

"Are you better?"

"Not really."

"Hey, it's just family." He tried to reason. "Doniya apologized. I don't think she meant to hurt you."

Zayn looked at him but her eyes still showed a lot of sadness. So he put an arm around her shoulders, then leaned in to speak into her ear. "I'll tell you what. If you manage to give me a smile before it's time to go bed tonight, we'll cuddle to help you feel better for the morning. You want that?"

She only stared at him with eyebrows raised.

"Yes or no? Cause I still didn't get my cuddle last night anyway."

She tried not to, but she couldn't help but unfold her arms and lean down, laughing into her hands. "I hope you know the whole family can hear you. You're not exactly whispering."

"Really?" He looked at everyone at the table and her sisters were smiling at him and nodding. He turned red and his cheeks felt hot. "Oh, sorry. I didn't... sorry."

"No, it's okay." Safaa commented. "Maybe one day I'll have a boyfriend like you. When I'm older, of course, since daddy won't let me date until I turn eighteen next year. It's so not fair." She folded her arms and huffed.