Love Again (A Zayn Malik Story)

Epilogue

“Zayn… I’m pregnant.”

My heart literally stopped for a few seconds. When I finally caught my breath, my eyes watering, I broke into a wide grin. I gasped out, “How… how long…?”

“I’m five months along,” she said, smiling. Tired creases outlined her eyes and forehead.

I finally started to breath normally, and I gazed down at her stomache. It, in fact, had a noticeable bump. How had I not noticed it before? “Do you know what it’s going to be?”

Her eyes sparkled as she answered, “It’s a girl.” She always wanted a girl.

My protective switch flipped on. “Oh no. I didn’t hurt you when I picked you up earlier, did I?”

She chuckled. “No, you didn’t. Don’t act like you did last time I was pregnant. You wouldn’t even let me walk up a set of stairs alone.”

I pouted and said defensively, “Well, what if you fell? I don’t want you or the baby hurt.”

In a spurt of joy, I kissed her full-on. She smiled against my lips and kissed back.

“And guess what,” she said, breaking away.

“What?”

“My parents said they’re moving out. They’re giving us their house. They said they don’t need all that space anymore. They rarely are home anyway.”

My jaw dropped. “Really?”

“Yes!” she exclaimed happily. “That will give our family all the room it needs.”

I closed my eyes and smiled, wrapping my arms around her. She rested her head in the crook of my neck, and I took in the scent of her hair. “Say that again,” I whispered.

She said quietly next to my ear, “Our family.”

I let out a contented sigh. “Maybe Darcy and Niall could move in here. That way you could still come in to take care of the greenhouse.”

She pulled away and studied my face. “But do you think it’s right for a boyfriend and girlfriend to move in with each other?”

I leaned down next to her ear and whispered. “He’s proposing to her tonight.”

She beamed with delight. “Really?”

I nodded. “But don’t say anything. I wasn’t supposed to tell you.”

She smiled and vigorously nodded. “Of course, of course.”

My mum noisily opened the door. “Paige, I tried to put Trey to bed, but he won’t stop fussing.”

“Just a second,” Paige told my mum with a sigh. She turned to me and asked, “Do you think you could take care of Trey?”

I smiled warmly. She worked too hard and deserved a break. “Of course.”

Her expression looked relieved. “Thank you!” She gave me a peck on the lips and ran inside.

I chuckled to myself at my wife. I love calling her that. I went back inside the house and found Trevor’s room. I slowly pushed the door open, but my efforts to stay quiet were in vain because Trevor was still awake in his toddler’s crib.

“Daddy!” he squealed.

Of the few words he knew, “da-da” was his first. “Hi there, Trey,” I said quietly. “Ready to go to sleep?”

He shook his head. “No.”

I laughed and leaned over the side of the crib. He lay down, and I stroked the side of my precious son’s face. His hair was soft, just like Paige’s.

“Sing,” he said. That was another word he knew well. And whenever I sand, he hummed along. He actually kept in tune pretty well, especially for a two-year-old. Paige said he’s going to grow up and sing like me.

“If I sing, will you go to sleep?” I asked.

He nodded and put his fingers in his mouth, a sign that he was listening.

“Which song?” I asked.

“Lullaby,” he said.

I nodded. “Alright.” I pulled the covers over him up to his chin, knowing he’d be asleep halfway through the song.

“The wheat field follows her dancing feet

The flowers can’t bloom as long as she

The meadows take after her beauty

Her eyes take after the sea”

“No one dares to ever near her

Though many do take a peek

But many do not know that

In loneliness, love she seeks”

“She waited until the days grew long

And heavy a blizzard was there

And, lo, a fellow is stranded

He calls for help if it’s there”

Like I’d predicted, Trevor’s eyes had closed and his breathing steadied as he drifted off to sleep.

“She shows herself for him to see

He calls to her that he’s in need

She’s surprised that he doesn’t show

The fear from others she’s come to know”

“She takes him in and yes,

He’s now safe and warm

But she gave him something else

She gave him so much more”

I leaned down and kissed Trevor’s forehead. I sang the last verse quietly:

“She poured out all her love on him

She gave him all she had

And never could he repay her

For helping him Love Again”