Lucid Dreaming (Zayn Malik BOOK 2)

Chapter 49: Getting Older

Zayn's POV

I place the stack of pancakes drizzled in golden syrup and decorated with slices of strawberries in front of Luna on the wooden kitchen table, and subsequently, a smaller version of the same meal in front of Cyra sat next to her.

I stand behind my wife, legs pressing to the back of her chair, hands on her shoulders as I lean over to kiss her cheek.

"Happy birthday, Luna."

Cyra reaches for her lap, beaming ear to ear and drumming against her thighs.

"Feliz cumpleanos madre!"

"Baby, why don't you give your mum her card?" I prompt her, pulling the card from underneath my shirt and putting it in Cyra's small palms.

She feverishly shoves it into her mother's hands, her messy handwriting spelling 'Madre' in a pink glitter pen across the front of the card, along with a drawing she claims is the three of us on a beach, but could honestly be interpreted to be three potatoes in a bowl.

"This is beautiful, Cyra!" Luna gasps, opening the card to read more of her daughter's words.

"Eat up." Scarlett folds her arms "I spent ages making that breakfast."

"You mean you spent ages directing me while I made the breakfast." Zoey chortles.

"Same thing."

"Everyone tuck in, no need to wait for me." Luna waves her hands in dismissal, gesturing to the breakfast bar Zoey and Scarlett set up.

"Don't mind if I do." Loki grins, walking around the kitchen island and grabbing one of the white porcelain plates "We going for a one of everything, darling?"

"Please." Evelyn nods, sighing as she sits opposite from Luna, and I take a seat next to her "I feel like I'm eating for four. How're your cravings, Luna?"

"They're worse this time, but I think that's just because I'm acknowledging them. I didn't know I was pregnant this early on last time."

"I ate like a horse in the second trimester." Evelyn snorts "But I've been pregnant for thirteen years, I can't wait to give birth."

Luna gives a forced smile. The two of them have a weird tenseness around one another, or more Luna has a weird tenseness that Evelyn does her best to ignore. I know why she's nervous around her, not just because of her loyalties to her best friend, but because of the warning I gave her, and I wish I could take it back, but I think it would be unwise to do so. Evelyn and I have resumed being friends quite naturally, but I still don't know what feelings she harbours toward my wife.

Loki places a plate of food in front of Evelyn, carrying his own as well, while taking a seat next to her.

"It's about fucking time if you ask me." He scoffs "We'll be heading back to the mermaid realm for the birth."

"Stop swearing in front of Cyra." I scold.

"Bad word!" Cyra interjects with a laugh, holding her hand up for a high-five from me that I happily grant her.

Zoey stays at the breakfast bar, picking at her plate with her fork with a pained look on her face, corners of her mouth curved downward to a frown.

"Zo, you've got her until six, I've got the evening." I nod toward her, honouring our faint friendship, not wanting her to feel out of place "What's the plan?"

"I've got a spa day booked for the ladies, the fairy-run salon in the house district." She looks up at me, half-smiling "Nails, hair, facials, the whole works, even Scarlett accepted joining."