Ever since NY (Zarry AU)

XXX.

By mid-summer, everything was set up for Harry and Zayn to move into their new house. They renovated it a little, did some painting and furniture the place.

"So, you have everything, dear?" Cecile said as Zayn was getting his last belongings into a suitcase.

"Yes, this is everything," he said looking around that room and remembering the first time he got there last year.

"So, come on, dear. Harry is waiting for you," Cecile said and Zayn hugged her tight and left the room.

"I'm ready," Zayn said.

"Good, let's go. I see you downstairs," Harry said grabbing his suitcase.

"Cecile, I-I wanted to give you this," Zayn said.

"Your painting, dear?" Cecile asked.

"Yes, they sent it back," Zayn said.

"Oh alright, I've never seen it," Cecile said.

"Here, open it," Zayn said and Cecile ripped the brown paper.

"Oh!... dear! It's... beautiful," she said.

"It depicts when I got here... and you came to the store and we went to the mall, remember?" Zayn asked.

The painting had the scene when they were at the old store with Mr. Jenkins behind the counter with a smile and Cecile talking with him while Zayn was watching them. He was wearing his old tattered sweatshirt and his jean jacket.

"I called it, "Family," Zayn said and she hugged her.

"Oh... my John looks... so happy in here. It's like a photograph. No wonder why you won. It's beautifully painted," Cecile said in awe. "Alright, I'm going to hang it over there, thanks Zaynie. You were our family too," she hugged him back. "Come on, don't make Harry wait. Call me when you're settled and I'll come to visit soon, dear," Cecile said.

"Okay, I'll call you, promise," Zayn said and kissed her on the cheek. Left the apartment and met Harry downstairs to go to their new house.

Harry had a car that was given by Anne and Rob, as a kind of housewarming gift, when they learned that he was moving to Brooklyn.

They parked in front of the brownstone house and they get off the car.

"Come on, babe, let's go!" Zayn said excitedly.

When Zayn was about to open the door, a woman called him from across the street.

"Zayn?" She said.

"Ye-yes," Zayn answered.

"Oh my God, you're so grown up," She said.

"Karen? Oh... hi," Zayn said. "She's Karen Payne, Liam's mom," he said to Harry and he nodded.

"How are you doing? I see you're... moving back?... Erm... Li-Liam told me that you were planning to go to college?" She said smiling.

"Yes, I am, on the fall. And are you... Erm, moving out?" Zayn asked.

"Yes... Geoff's family business needs him in Montana, so... " she explained.
"Zayn, I'm so sorry for what Liam did to you. I've... never imagined he was..." she continued.

"It's alright. That's in the past," Zayn said.

"I see... I'm happy for you, Zayn. I'm so glad you're back in your old house. Erm... Can you wait here for a minute? I have something for you," She said.

"Su-sure," Zayn said and waited outside the house.

She came back a few minutes later with a red kennel in one hand and a bag in the other one.