Unexpected Love ✔️

T W E N T Y

Chapter Twenty

A R I A N N A

THE NEXT FEW DAYS GO BY IN A BLUR. Between spending time at the hospital with my mom, trying to brighten up her hospital room, keeping the house clean, and looking after Amelia and the kids so Zach can catch a break, it's been nice to be back home surrounded by everyone you once knew. And before I know it, I'm making the two-hour drive back to London for the university's talent show, solo, wishing that things were different.

I pull up outside my apartment complex in the middle of London and kill the engine. I suck in a deep breath, grabbing my bag and parka coat from the passenger seat and stepping out. I duck my head down from the paparazzi waiting outside my building, most likely waiting for my brother to make an appearance sooner or later since the news broke out of my mother's hospitalization.

I make a beeline for the doors, wanting to go by undetected and slip in as quickly as possible. "Miss Arianna, I wasn't expecting to see you here," Patrick, the doorman greets rushing over as I stride across the lobby. 

"Hmm," I hum absentmindedly stopping in front of the elevator and punching the button to call it down, "I've got the universities talent show this evening. I'll be heading back to Bradford tomorrow morning," I inform, my voice a soft murmur with a soft smile because dad and Zayn both agreed that it was best not to drive there and back on the same day, given the that the talent show ends in the early hours of the morning and it's a three-hour drive back, and driving late at night freaks me out when I'm on my own. 

"Alright. And if you don't mind me asking, how's your mum doing?" Patrick asks softly as the elevator arrives in the lobby; I step forward holding a hand between the doors as I step on to stop the doors from closing.

"Mum is... she's stable I mean that's the best we're going to get right now," I offer with a sheepish smile and a shrug of my shoulder, aiming for nonchalance as I blow out a heavy breath. "I guess that's the best you can ask for right now, for us to get a couple of months with her," 

"I'm sorry," 

I blink back the tears that pool in the corners of my eyes, I shrug a shoulder not knowing the right words to say, because I've come to the realization that as much as I don't want her to go, her time with us on earth is over.  And I don't want to taint the memory of her final months with sorrow. I want to remember her as the remarkable woman that raised me to be who I am because who I am right now is enough. I am enough for the right guy exactly as I am.

I send him a smile, before dropping my hand from in between the doors and taking a step back as the doors close. I inhale a deep breath before releasing it, my chest feeling a little heavy and tight as I throw my head back on a sharp exhale, screwing my eyes closed. 

The elevator arrives on my floor, the doors parting with a loud ding, and I stalk out, rummaging through my bag over my shoulder for the key to the apartment as I stroll over to the door. Finally finding my key, I insert it into the lock before typing in the six-digit code, my parent's wedding anniversary, in the keypad and pressing my thumb against the scanner before pushing the door open.

I stroll into the apartment, heading towards my bedroom to get ready for the talent show, passing the open door to the lounge on the way when there's a knock on the door. I release a groan with my head thrown back before spinning around on my heel and opening the door.

Surprised to find Adrian at the door, looking effortlessly sexy in the pristine white polo shirt tucked into a pair of black jeans white Air Forces, a black leather jacket covering his tattooed arms, and a hat swung on backwards, shielding his eyes from the November sun, knuckles raised to knock again against the wooden door, my lip's part at the sight of him, drinking him in.