Chapter Twenty One – Zayn
"Arabella Trisha Malik, where are you?" Zayn calls, as he looks around the apartment, he and Bella have been playing hide and seek all morning, but now they need to get going and Bella is apparently winning this round as she is nowhere to be found. Zayn knows she's still in the apartment, that she has to be here somewhere, he just can't quite figure out where, and it wouldn't normally be an issue, except they're supposed to meet Liam and his mum for lunch in twenty five minutes. "Bella, please. Baba gives up, you win" Zayn tries, he hears giggling, and spins as he tries to find the direction it's coming from. Harry and Louis both snicker at him from the couch, "do you two know where she is?" he asks, arching an eyebrow at his best friends, Louis nods while Harry grins,"and where is she?" Zayn asks, when neither offers any information. Harry just chuckles again while Louis shakes his head,"now that wouldn't be in the spirit of the game, Zayn" he teases. Zayn rolls his eyes, "I hate you" he mutters as he checks behind the couch, and inside the entertainment centre one more time. She's not there, and Zayn knows she isn't there because he's checked, twice already, but he's running out of ideas, there's a knock at the door and Zayn changes course to answer it. When he opens the door Liam is stood there, grinning at him, looking amazing in a pair of jeans and a tight fitting t-shirt, "hey" Liam greets, stepping inside and kissing Zayn lightly, "you ready?" he asks. Zayn bites his lip,"about that, Bella and I were playing hide and seek. And she's better at it than me today, and I can't find her" he mumbles.
Liam laughs, loudly at this information, "you lost your own daughter, in your own apartment?"he asks, Zayn pouts, but nods his head, he's completely aware of how ridiculous this whole thing sounds. "Do Louis and Harry know where she is?" Liam asks, and Zayn groans, glaring at his friends, "yes, but they won't tell me" he mumbles. Liam chuckles and pulls Zayn closer to his side as they head more into the living room, Liam scans the room quickly, before frowning, "Bella?" he calls. Zayn bites his lip as he waits, then he hears it, a crashing sound followed by running footsteps as Bella comes charging into the room from the kitchen, and crashes into Liam's legs. "Daddy!" she cheers as she makes contact and Zayn watches Liam laugh and reach down to scoop her up. "Where were you?" Zayn asks, confused, looking around the apartment, Bella shakes her head at Zayn, "can't tell, Uncle Louis helped hide. I good hider" she giggles. Zayn rolls his eyes, looking to his best friend where he's snuggling Harry on the couch,"where did you put her?" he asks, but Louis shakes his head, "if I tell you, she can't hide there next time. I promise it was perfectly safe" he explains. Zayn shakes his head, "whatever" he mutters, he's fully aware he's pouting and throwing a mini fit, but he honestly doesn't care.
Liam wrapping his arm around Zayn's waist and Bella climbing onto his back, snaps Zayn out of his thoughts, "Baba, we go now?" Bella asks sweetly. Zayn sighs and nods his head, "yeah I guess we better" he murmurs, leaning instinctively into Liam, who presses a kiss to his jaw. "Have fun, you guys" Louis calls as Zayn reaches back to support Bella and make his way towards the door, "Thanks Lou. Try not to destroy the whole apartment" Zayn replies and Louis rolls his eyes. "Bye Uncle Louis, Uncle Harry" Bella cheers, waving at them as Zayn walks away. Zayn doesn't hear their response because they're already out in the hall by the time it comes. Zayn glances to Liam to see him adjusting his hold on Bella's backpack, and Zayn's not entirely sure when he picked it up."What?" Liam asks suddenly and Zayn shakes his head, as Bella pats at his shoulders, "nothing" Zayn murmurs, carefully swinging Bella down until her feet touch the floor. "I can take that" Zayn says reaching for the red backpack, but Liam shakes his head, pulling it away from his reach, "I got this Zayn" he murmurs, leading them into the elevator.
Zayn frowns when they pull up to an expensive looking restaurant twenty minutes later, turning to look at Liam with his eyebrows furrowed, "I thought we were just meeting your mum for a simple lunch?" he asks. Liam chuckles, "we are, it's not so bad at lunch time, and it's Mum's favourite restaurant" he explains. Zayn isn't entirely convinced by his story but decides it doesn't matter as he climbs out of the car to unbuckle a very bouncy Bella from her seat. Zayn pulls his daughter into his arms, feeling a lot more secure once he has her, but she shakes her head,"no Baba, down" she whines, squirming in his arms until he sets her feet on the pavement. Zayn pouts when she dashes towards Liam as soon as he steps around the car, reaching up towards him, so the older man will pick her up. Liam reaches down to do so, before stepping closer to Zayn, he must notice Zayn's pout because he frowns, "what's wrong?" Liam asks concerned. Zayn shrugs, because it's silly and he knows it's silly. "Don't worry about it, let's not keep your mum waiting" Zayn mumbles, before walking away from his boyfriend. He hears Liam following him, and Bella chattering happily in his ear.
Zayn looks around the restaurant once they're inside, until he spots Karen sitting by herself at a table not far from where he's entered. So he makes his way towards her quickly, smiling when she spots him and jumps to her feet. "Zayn"she exclaims, wrapping him in a hug, the kind of hug only mother's can truly give. She hugs Liam and Bella when they reach them before they all sit down, Bella resisting the idea of sitting in the highchair that's been positioned between Zayn and Liam's chairs. "No, I big girl, no high chair" Bella mutters, and Zayn rubs at his temples "Bella, sweetie I know you're a big girl, but you need to sit in a high chair while we're here, Love" he attempts. Bella glares at him, crossing her arms in a pout "no Baba, no" she whines, kicking out at Zayn from the confines of the high chair, before she turns to Liam, her hazel eyes wide. "Daddy, tell Baba, I big girl no high chair" she insists. Zayn knows Liam can't stand up to the puppy dog eyes, it takes a lot of resistance for him to not give in himself, but the reality of this whole high chair situation is that Bella needs one, still, as much as she doesn't think she does. Liam shakes his head and looks pleadingly from Zayn to Karen, who Zayn notes is doing her best to not interfere in the situation at all, and he's grateful for it really. Liam sighs "Bella, your Baba's right, you need to sit in your chair for lunch, sometimes even big girls need help to reach the table" he explains. And it's a good argument, really it is, but apparently not good enough for his two year old because she shakes her head and starts to cry, loudly.
Liam's eyes widen and Zayn understands the look, he knows Liam thinks he made her cry, when in reality Bella's tired, and cranky and really just upset that she isn't getting her way. Zayn reaches out pulling Bella out of the chair and into his arms, all while standing up. He excuses them quietly and makes his way towards the bathrooms to attempt to calm the sobbing toddler down. He knows this is ridiculous, that she's this upset over a chair, but he also knows how emotional his daughter can be at times, so he ignores the looks he gets as he crosses the restaurant, until they are safely locked away in the bathroom. Bella is gripping at his shirt, and crying pitifully, by the time Zayn pulls her away and sets her on the counter keeping one hand on her waist so she doesn't fall. "Hey, Arabella, look at me" he murmurs, and she lifts her head to meet his gaze, "I b-big girl Ba-ba" she hiccups and Zayn sighs, grabbing a tissue to wipe at her face. "Oh, Love. Shh of course you are, who ever said you weren't a big girl?" he coos, pressing a kiss to her forehead. Bella sniffles, "Auntie Safaa, said I baby, I not baby" she pouts, and Zayn frowns, because of course this stems back to his sister. He loves all his sisters but sometimes, Safaa especially, forgets how sensitive Bella can be, and she says things that upset his daughter, without really meaning to."Arabella, you are not a baby and I'm sure Auntie Safaa didn't mean to say you were. After lunch with Karen, we can call her and see, okay?" he asks. Bella pouts but nods slowly, "no high chair"she whimpers, and Zayn wants to give in at the broken look on her face but he shakes his head. "I'm sorry Bella-Bug, you need to sit in the high chair for lunch, okay? But it doesn't make you any less of a big girl I promise" Zayn explains.
Zayn spends a few more minutes locked in the bathroom with Bella, until she's no longer crying and she seems to be settling down, he then scoops her back into his arms and makes his way back towards the table. When he arrives he notices Liam must have ordered him a Coke and chocolate milk for Bella, he smiles gratefully at his boyfriend as he settles into his own chair, Bella clinging to his shirt and snuggling in his lap. "Everything okay?" Liam leans over to ask quietly, and Zayn nods his head, "I'll explain after lunch, but we should be okay for now" he murmurs. Liam nods and plants a sweet kiss on Zayn's cheek, before pressing one to Bella's head as well, and pulling away. Karen looks conflicted and Zayn can understand why, this whole thing must be strange for her, because she is a grandmother, and Zayn knows if it was his own mother sitting with them, Bella would be cuddling with her and not him. Bella pokes his cheek and Zayn looks down at her, "Baba I sit Karen?" she asks quietly, and he nods, chuckling, "if you want, but once lunch is here, you need to sit in your chair, deal?" he asks. Bella bites her lip and nods before reaching beside Zayn towards Karen, who smiles and pulls the toddler into her lap, cooing things into her ear that makes Bella giggle, while she smooths back her hair. Zayn watches them for a minute, before he jumps when a hand lands on his thigh, "hey" Liam mumbles and Zayn grins, "hey, yourself. Sorry about all that" he answers but Liam waves him away,"it's fine, really" he answers, eyes drifting across the table to where Bella is now laughing happily.
The rest of lunch passes uneventfully, with Karen insisting on paying for everyone to celebrate Zayn's graduation. Liam stops Zayn's protests with a slight head shake,"thanks Mum. This was really good" he says, pulling her into a hug. Karen just waves him away, "you know I love to see my baby" she teases, while Liam rolls his eyes. Bella gasps, shaking her head, "Daddy not baby" she insists, Liam chuckles scooping her into his arms as they all make their way outside, "no I'm not, but I'm her baby, just like you'll always be Baba's baby" he explains. Zayn holds back a laugh as Bella shakes her head at Liam in confusion,before looking towards Zayn for help, her facial expression conveying just how confused she is.
Karen giggles as they step outside and Zayn lets out the laugh he's been fighting "you know how grandma calls me her baby sometimes, because she's my mum?" Zayn asks. Bella bites her lip, before nodding, snuggling tiredly into Liam's chest, Zayn nods, "while Karen is Li- Daddy's mum, so he's her baby" he explains, correcting himself before Bella can. Zayn watches as the toddler narrows her eyes looking at all the adults suspiciously, before nodding, "like Grandma?" she asks pointing at Karen, who starts to shake her head, but Zayn nods, slowly, "yes, like Grandma" he answers. It's all so strange and though he's not sure how his mum will feel, he knows this is a natural progression, especially if Bella is going to call Liam, daddy. Zayn glances at Karen to see her watching them with wide eyes, and Liam chuckles "don't cry Mum" he teases, but she shakes her head at him, as Bella grins, "okay, grandma" she says slowly, pointing at Karen,"see soon?" she asks cocking her head to the side slightly. Zayn notices a few tears slipping down Karen's cheeks at the name, "yeah, Love. I'll see you soon" she coos kissing Bella's forehead. Karen then pulls away and hugs Zayn again, "you have a beautiful little girl, make sure my son treats you two right. I'll see you soon" she murmurs, as they pull away. Zayn grins, "he treats us great, you raised a great man" he answers and Karen blushes turning to Liam. "I expect to see you all next Sunday for a barbecue at ours" she insists and Liam sighs nodding, "of course Mum" he murmurs, hugging her quickly, before they all head back to the cars.