Chapter Twenty Seven – Zayn
Zayn wakes up the next morning curled up on Liam's chest, to the sound of his phone ringing, he knows it's early and is trying to register the annoying sound that's waking him up. Just as he sits up his phone quits ringing, just for Liam's to start, Liam groans as he shoots up and reaches blindly towards his nightstand to find his phone. Zayn chews his lip as Liam sleepily answers "...hello?" Liam yawns, before his eyes widen and he appears to be completely awake, "give me thirty minutes we're on our way" he murmurs into the phone before hanging up. Zayn eyes him curiously as Liam climbs out of the bed and pulls on a shirt, before throwing one to Zayn as well, "that was Ruth" he says slowly, and Zayn can feel his heart rate pick up, as he pulls the t-shirt on. "Apparently there's an issue with Bella, she woke up completely inconsolable, and nothing Ruth does is helping" Liam explains further, Zayn nods slowly as he climbs out of bed, the peace of the morning shattered by fear of what is wrong with his baby girl. Liam is suddenly in front of him "hey, I'm sure she's fine, we'll be there soon, yeah?" he murmurs, Zayn nods because he wants to believe Liam, he really does, and follows him from the bedroom, and out of the apartment.
Liam's barely stopped the car at Ruth's thirty minutes later, when Zayn opens the door and jumps out, he runs up onto the porch and is knocking on the door, before Liam catches up. He feels Liam wrap his arms around Zayn's waist from behind, and Zayn leans into him as he waits. The door opens a minute later, and Ethan grins tiredly at them, Zayn can hear Bella crying from upstairs, "Good morning" Ethan yawns and Liam chuckles as Zayn nods, "Mum's up in Kenzi's room with Bella, go ahead" the nine year old adds, and Zayn rockets past him, following the familiar cry to find the right room. Zayn stops in front of the open door and his heart breaks a little, Bella is curled into herself crying loudly, as she pushes Ruth's hands away whenever she tries to get close, and alternating between crying Zayn's name and Liam's. Zayn feels when Liam joins him a moment later, hears the sound he makes at seeing the toddler like this, Ruth turns to look at them then, a relieved look lighting up her face. She leaves Bella on the bed, and walks towards them, "she woke up like this and nothing is helping, I'm sorry guys I didn't know what else to do" Ruth explains. Zayn shakes his head "don't apologize, it's not your fault, how long's she been like this?" he asks. Ruth chews her lip as she thinks before sighing, "been about an hour, I would say" she answers. Zayn nods and moves past Ruth so he's standing beside the bed his daughter is sitting on, she pauses to look up at him and reaches out "Baba" she whines. Zayn doesn't hesitate to drop to his knees and pull her into his arms, rocking her back and forth gently.
Zayn hears murmuring by the door and looks up to see Ruth walking away and Liam coming to join them on the floor, his arms wrapping around the pair as they sit. Arabella buries her face into Zayn's shirt, as her sobs turn to whimpers, Zayn smooths down her hair, "now, what happened, lovely" he asks quietly. Bella sniffles and shakes her head, "no mummy. Why no mummy. I bad?" she asks quietly and Zayn growls lightly in his throat, as Liam makes a soothing noise and rubs at both Bella's back and Zayn's arm. Zayn knows there's no getting out of this conversation, but he was hoping it could wait until Bella was older, he also knows he's going to have to tell Liam what exactly happened between himself and Bella's mum. Zayn frowns, "Bella can you look at me?" he murmurs quietly and Bella lifts her tear streaked face out of Zayn's shirt to lock her eyes on his, "there's my girl" he murmurs. "Who made you think this, love?" he asks curiously, and Bella pouts "Mason, being mean to Bella, ask why no mummy. Bella don't know why" she whimpers. Zayn frowns and hears Liam sigh behind him, "alright, baby girl you're not bad. No you don't have a mummy, but it was nothing you did that made her not be here. She was a spoiled, selfish, girl, who couldn't see how wonderful you are. But you know what?" Zayn asks. Bella shakes her head in response and Zayn smiles lightly, "you don't need a mummy, because you've got me" he explains, "and me" Liam chimes in, and Zayn is grateful for him, and feels a warmth spreading across his chest, he nods, "and Daddy" he adds. Bella still looks unconvinced, so Zayn takes a deep breath, "and you have Grandma and all your aunties, and Uncle Louis and Uncle Harry" he lists off.
The room is quiet as Bella looks between Zayn and Liam carefully, before shaking her head, "you forgot Grandma Karen, and Auntie Ruth" she scolds and Zayn laughs, "yes you have them too" he chuckles. Bella bites her bottom lip and nods "mummy not want Bella?" she asks and Zayn sighs, shaking his head, "no, she didn't" he says carefully deciding the truth is his best course of action, "but that's okay, because Baba, does want you, and so does Daddy, so that's even better than having her" he explains, his voice turning icy towards the end. Zayn's never resented someone more than he does Bella's mum right now, she's unknowingly hurting his little girl and Zayn can't stand for that. Bella pouts, and hugs Zayn tightly, "love Baba" she sighs, before wriggling away from Zayn and into Liam's lap, Liam smiles and wraps his arms around her, "you alright, love?" he asks. Bella nods and snuggles into him "love Daddy too" she says. Zayn grins and watches as Liam wraps his arms a little tighter and drops a kiss to her hair, "love you" he murmurs, and Zayn thinks maybe his dreams of having a complete family are finally coming true.
A gentle knock on the door makes Zayn and Liam both look towards it to see Ruth standing there with Ethan, "everything okay?" she asks quietly. Zayn nods, "yeah, I think we've got it sorted out" he explains, Ruth nods, but Liam shakes his head, "It was Mason" he says. Zayn's jaw drops as Liam tattles on his nephew, and Ruth's eyes widen, "what did he do?" she asks carefully. Bella whimpers and snuggles further into Liam, who Zayn notices is trying to stay calm, "he was teasing her about not having a mum" he explains quietly, Zayn grins when he sees Liam put his hands over Bella's ears as he does, to not upset her again. Ruth groans and Ethan's eyes widen as he comes into the room to sit beside his uncle and Bella. Zayn watches as the nine year old reaches out to card his fingers through Bella's hair, leaning down to mumble something Zayn doesn't hear, but he's grateful for whatever it is because it makes her giggle. "I'm so sorry Zayn, I'll have a talk with Mason, I don't know what's gotten into him" Ruth sighs. Zayn shrugs, "it's alright, I mean it's not okay, that she's upset but I understand he's just a kid. And maybe he was just curious about where her mum is, not trying to be mean?" Zayn asks slowly. Ruth nods slowly, "I don't know, but I'll find out" she answers and Zayn nods, because he's upset that Bella's upset but he also knows Mason is only four and may not have meant to hurt her.
"Are you staying for breakfast Uncle Zayn, Mum's making her famous pancakes" Ethan asks suddenly and Zayn's head whips around to face him, a little shocked at what he's just called him. Zayn looks at Liam who looks just as surprised, but there's a happy grin on his lips, as Bella bounces in his lap, and pulls on Ethan's arm. "I, um yeah I mean I guess we could stay, what do you think Li?" he stumbles. Liam grins and reaches around Bella to ruffle Ethan's hair much to the nine year old's protest, "yeah, I wouldn't miss out on your mum's pancakes" he teases. Ethan nods and lets Bella climb into his lap, "is that okay?" he asks slowly, and Zayn frowns, before he nods his head, "of course it is, I was just surprised, is all" he explains. Ethan nods slowly and Zayn smiles at the boy, "I mean you make Uncle Liam so happy, and I know that you two are kind of like Mum and Dad. And with this one calling Mum, Auntie, I just kind of thought..." Ethan trails off, bouncing Bella lightly in his lap. Zayn watches him for a moment, he really is mature for a nine year old, "that's completely fine bud" he says and Ethan grins, as Bella tugs on his shirt, "Ethan?" she asks and he looks down at her "we play?" she asks shyly, and he grins nodding, "sure thing, what do you want to play?" he asks as Bella climbs out of his lap and he stands up as well. Zayn watches as his daughter follows Ethan out of the room and grins, just as Liam wraps his arms around him from behind "you okay?" he asks. Zayn sighs and nods, "yeah. But I think it's time I tell you the whole story about Bella's mum" he mumbles. Liam laughs, pressing a kiss to Zayn's neck, "only if you want to love" he murmurs, and Zayn sighs because he doesn't want to, never wants to think about it again, but he knows he has to, that he should. Because Liam deserves to know, and there may come a day where Liam's around and Zayn's unavailable and he needs to answer Bella's questions.
It's a few hours later when they get back to Zayn and Louis' apartment, that Zayn finally gets to talk to Liam alone, Bella fell asleep in the car on the way home, which Zayn has never been more grateful for in his whole life. Liam's putting Bella to bed in her room, and Zayn is waiting for him nervously in the living room, Liam comes in, dropping onto the couch beside Zayn, grabbing his hand in his own, "you alright? You've been distant since this morning at Ruth's" Liam asks gently and Zayn sighs,nodding his head. "I'm fine, just trying to figure out how to explain all this to you" Zayn mumbles, Liam frowns and leans into him, pressing a kiss to his forehead, "you don't have to tell me anything, babe" he murmurs. Zayn sighs because he knows it, but he wants to tell Liam, he feels he needs to tell him so he can understand him a little better. "I know that, but I want to tell you, just promise you'll let me tell you it all, without interrupting, alright" Zayn asks. Liam looks hesitant but nods his head, slowly, "yeah, alright" he mumbles "good" Zayn sighs before he lets himself go back to the night that changed his life forever.
Flashback
The air was humid and the walls practically vibrating from the bass in the songs that were turned up way too loud. The smell of beer strong in the air as Zayn let Louis lead him around a few puddles on the floor towards the kitchen, and hopefully a drink. Parties are not Zayn's thing, never have been, but Louis had insisted and Zayn has a problem saying no to his best friend, so that's how he ended up here. "Don't be such a downer mate" Louis chirps as he pushes a beer into Zayn's hands, "you never know, you might get lucky tonight" he winks. Zayn groans, rolling his eyes as he takes a sip of the almost too warm beer in the flimsy red plastic cup, "doubtful Lou" he mutters, making his best friend throw his head back as he laughs, "Zayn! Louis! You made it" Harry cheers as he stumbles into the room, Zayn shakes his head, "how many have you had to drink mate?" Zayn asks and Harry shrugs, "enough" he giggles. Zayn shakes his head and turns his attention back to his own drink as Harry focuses more on Louis.
Two hours and way more drinks than Zayn knows he should have consumed, finds him alone on the couch, before a girl with long blonde hair, pulled into a ponytail, and too much makeup on, along with a skirt, that Zayn finds too short, stumbles up to him. "Hi" she giggles Zayn waves slightly, wondering when the room started to spin, "hey" he mumbles, "you're Zayn, right?" she asks carefully, blue eyes darting around the room randomly. Zayn nods slowly, "yeah, and you are?" he asks slowly and she giggles again, "Sadie" she answers, "nice to meet you, Sadie" Zayn murmurs. Sadie giggles and flicks her ponytail before climbing into Zayn's lap, Zayn knows he should protest, tell her he prefers boys, but he can't bring himself to. Maybe it's all the alcohol coursing through his veins but Zayn wants to see where this leads, so he carefully wraps his arms around Sadie's waist. And when she leans down to kiss him, as much as Zayn knows he shouldn't he kisses back, and before to long she's leaning down close to his ear, "let's go upstairs" she mumbles and Zayn's standing up with her in his arms making his way to the stairs.
When Zayn wakes up the next morning his head is pounding and there's a weight on his chest, looking down he sees the blonde from last night and curses lightly under his breath. Sadie stirs, waking up, "thanks for last night" she murmurs before getting up to get dressed, Zayn watches her for a minute, "did we..." he trails off and she smirks, "yup. I'll see you around" she answers before sauntering out of the room. Zayn watches her go before finding his own clothes and leaving the room passing all the party debris scattered all over the poor kid who'd thrown the party's living room. Once outside Zayn's head feels a little clearer as he makes his way back to his apartment, hoping Louis is still asleep, not really interested in answering a million questions about the night before, because Zayn doesn't really know what he was thinking.
Zayn doesn't see or hear from Sadie again for two months, and then he gets a text from an unknown number; "hey it's Sadie, from the party...we need to talk" is all the message says, Zayn sighs before messaging her back to meet him at Starbucks at one. Sadie's on time and Zayn smiles lightly before gesturing for her to sit across from him at the table, "so what is this about?" Zayn asks, and Sadie fiddles with a napkin, never meeting Zayn's gaze. "I'm sorry about that night by the way. I don't know what I was thinking I'm actually gay" Zayn says, Sadie smiles at him "I know, and I knew that night too. I'm sorry it was a bet with my girlfriends, you're just so gorgeous, we needed to see which one of us could get you to sleep with them" she shrugs. Zayn feels used, and a little dirty if he's honest, he was a bet, a joke."That's not why we need to talk though" Sadie interrupts his thoughts, "then what is?" Zayn asks his voice cold and hard. Sadie sighs flipping her hair, "well you know how we, you know. Well it turns out I'm pregnant, and it's yours" she says slowly. Zayn feels the world stop, with that one sentence, he got a girl pregnant, his mum is going to kill him. "Okay, what are we going to do?" Zayn asks more calmly than he feels, Sadie shakes her head, "I don't know, but I know I don't want to kill it" she says. Zayn sighs in relief because he doesn't want that either "me either" he tells her and she nods, "we can do this, I think" she mumbles. Zayn nods slowly, even though he feels like he doesn't want to be around Sadie after finding out the truth of that night.
Flash forward seven more months and Sadie is in a hospital bed cursing Zayn for all she's worth, "I fucking hate you and I never want to see you or your spawn again after this" she spits during a particularly rough contraction. Zayn rolls his eyes and winces as her grip on his hand tightens, but doesn't say anything, "I mean it Zayn, you're a joke and if you want this baby then fine but I don't. I'm too young I need to be able to party not be tied down, by a thing" Sadie snaps. Zayn narrows his eyes, noticing the nurses and the doctor all trying to act like they aren't hearing this, "it's a baby not a thing and you should have thought of that nine months ago with your dumb bet" he snarls. Sadie shrugs "worth it, I got three hundred bucks for it" she laughs before screaming out in pain again. "Alright Sadie one more big push" the doctor urges and she goes quiet as she focuses on giving birth. There's nothing, then a shrill cry fills the room, and Zayn can feel his eyes watering "it's a girl" the doctor exclaims and Zayn feels his heart expand, he has a little girl. The nurses take her away to get her cleaned up, and when they bring her back a few minutes later she's wrapped in a soft white blanket, the nurse goes to place her on Sadie's chest but she snarls shaking her head, "give it to him, I never want to see it again" she snaps. The nurse looks taken aback but carefully passes the bundle into Zayn's arms, "she's beautiful" he murmurs taking in her dark skin, eyelashes and hair. The nurse nods, "looks just like you" she says and Zayn smiles because it's true, there's hardly any Sadie in her at all.
Zayn's snapped back to the reality when Sadie laughs darkly, and turns to the other nurse in the room, "isn't there some form I can sign so I can give him all rights to that thing?" she asks gesturing to Zayn and the squirming bundle in his arms. The nurse looks shocked but nods and leaves the room, coming back a moment later with some papers, "Sadie, seriously. Think about this" Zayn urges. She laughs darkly "I have for nine months, I want nothing to do with either of you" Sadie spits quickly filling out the forms and signing her name, passing them to the nurse. "Get out of my room" Sadie snaps and Zayn sighs before walking out of the room, the tiny baby in his arms still. "Does she have a name, love?" the nurse asks and Zayn nods, "yeah, Arabella Trisha Malik" he murmurs running a finger down her soft cheek. "That's beautiful" the nurse says before guiding Zayn into a different empty room, "you and Arabella can stay in here, I'm sorry about what happened dear" she murmurs. Zayn nods "thank you, can you um, help me feed her?" he asks. The nurse laughs, nodding her head, and sets about explaining to Zayn just how to hold her and the bottle so she doesn't get too many air bubbles.
The next morning Zayn and Arabella are free to leave and as Louis drives them away from the hospital the reality of the situation sinks in for Zayn, he's officially a single father.
End of Flashback