Pelican » Zarry ✅

🕵 N i n e

"Do you know my family?" Zayn asked.

She shook her head. "Only from the magazines."

"You've read both of them?"

"Only one. The first one. When it was just you and Harry. No kids."

"Oh."

She picked up the cup and stuffed the granola package in it. "But I have heard about your family. How nice you are and how Harry has turned around."

"Yes. He has. Harry is very different from what he used to be."

She twisted her mouth sideways and Zayn furrowed his brow. "You seem like a really good girl, Kelly. Was this even your idea?"

She smiled sadly. "No. It was his idea."

"Then why did you bump into me at the coffee shop?"

It took her a moment to respond. "I was supposed to bump into you and start a conversation. Distract you. But... I messed it up. I left before I could even really start because I was so nervous."

Zayn didn't know why but even though he was the one who had been kidnapped, he felt sorry for her. She clearly had no idea what she was doing. Rod definitely had to be the one to put her up to that coffee shop accident.

"You know you can always do the right thing, don't you? You can let me go right now." He said. And he knew he was pushing it but those were limits he could test when he was dealing with someone who didn't want to hurt him.

"I can't."

"Of course you can. It's never too late to do the right thing. Imagine if you were me. Imagine if you were taken from your family, cuffed to a bed, then given eggs in the morning and rice at night along with two small cups of water to drink in this summer heat with no air. I'm dehydrated right now. And my arm is killing me."

She nodded. "I know."

"So let me go."

"No. I can't. I wasn't even supposed to give you the granola bar and water. I only did that to be nice. But letting you go... That's different and I can't do it. I'm sorry."

She pushed the table away from him, then left the shed. This time, she closed the door and locked it behind her.

Once again, Zayn was all alone in the dim room. He appreciated her kindness in bringing him a granola bar and something cold to drink. But if he had a choice, he would rather be out there starving and dehydrated than in here.

* * *

Amos and Harry walked in the door at exactly five past seven. Marie was gone but Hannah was obviously still there with the children.

"Let me get the kids in bed first. Then I'll be back there." Harry said.

"Sure."

While Amos went off to his bedroom with the yellow pad, Harry went in search of Hannah and the children. He found them in the playroom.

"Pa!" Charlie came running over to him.

"Hi. What are you up to?"

"Read."

"Oh yeah? That's fun." He picked him up and put him on his hip. He couldn't believe he was forcing a smile for his own children but he had to do it if he didn't want them to know how much he was hurting inside.

"They've already been fed." Hannah said as she put the book they were reading away.

"Thank you. I really appreciate it."