Chapter Thirty Six – Liam
Liam groans as he answers the text from his mum about where to meet himself, Zayn, Bella, and Trisha at the mall, somehow, after hearing about their plans to go shopping, and Bella's request to see Karen, both Mum's had invited themselves along on the trip. Liam glares across the room at Zayn when he hears him laugh, "what are you laughing at, your mum's coming too" he huffs. Zayn chuckles again, before getting up and moving closer to Liam, "yes, but you seem far more flustered about the whole idea of both our mums coming than I do. What's going on?" he asks. Liam shrugs and falls against Zayn a little, "I don't know, just, what if our mums don't get along?" he asks and Zayn frowns, wrapping his arms around him tightly, "then it will make all holidays and birthdays awkward from here on out" he teases. Liam groans, "Zayn I'm serious" he pouts and Zayn sighs, "I know, and I don't think it will be a problem, both our mums seem to get along with people pretty easily. It'll all be fine, you'll see" he reassures him. Liam wants to protest but he knows Zayn's right and he doesn't get the chance because Bella comes bounding into the room "we go now?" she asks, crossing her tiny arms, and jutting out one hip. Liam chuckles as Zayn shakes his head, "no, we'll go soon though Boo" he assures. Bella pouts, but nods her head, turning to Liam, "and Grandma Karen coming?" she asks, Liam nods "yes, she'll be there" he answers. Bella nods and turns to Zayn, climbing onto his leg,sitting on his foot, "anndd Grandma?" she asks, giggling when Zayn lifts his foot and pretends to try and shake her off. Zayn nods, "yes, and Grandma, you'll get to see them both" he answers, Bella grins and cheers, jumping off Zayn's foot to run out of the room calling for Louis as she does.
It's about an hour later that Liam pulls into a parking space at the mall and shuts his car off, turning to look at Zayn as he does, "and we're sure this is a good idea?" he asks. Zayn chuckles, shaking his head at Liam and climbing out of the car without an actual answer. Liam pouts and follows suit, going around to pull out the stroller as Zayn gets Bella, and her stuffed penguin out of her seat. "Daddy, push" Bella instructs as soon as Zayn has set her into the stroller, Liam grins he loves to push the stroller, he knows Zayn doesn't mind either way, Zayn nods, "fine,Boo. Daddy can push" he murmurs as he does up the seat belt. They make their way inside after that, stopping first at the Starbucks, to not only get something to drink but to meet both his own and Zayn's mum. Liam spots Trisha first, the woman coming across the crowded space quickly to wrap first Zayn, then Liam, and finally a bouncing Bella into a hug, "how are we all today?" she asks, her eyes sparkling. Zayn grins, "we're fine Mum" he answers as Liam nods his response and Bella makes a happy sound from the stroller. It's only a moment more before Karen is pulling Liam into a hug, "hey Mum" he mumbles and she grins pulling away to hug Zayn and Bella as well.
"Mum, this is Trisha Malik, Zayn's mum" Liam carefully introduces, gesturing between his mother and Zayn's. Karen's eyes light up as she smiles widely and pulls Trisha into a hug "it's so lovely to meet you. Your son and granddaughter are two beautiful people" she exclaims, stepping back. Liam bites his lip, he knew his mum was going to hug her, it was inevitable, but what he doesn't know is how Zayn's mum is going to react. "It's great to meet you as well, you have a wonderful son" Trisha replies, before the pair huddle a little closer and begin to whisper conspiratorially out of earshot of both their sons. Liam breathes out a sigh of relief, before Zayn nudges him gently, "see, nothing to worry about" he murmurs, Liam chuckles nodding, before gesturing to where their mums are laughing together, "you sure about that?" he asks, Zayn just rolls his eyes, and turns his attention to Bella when she pats at his leg. "Yes, we're going to go shopping now, Boo" Zayn mumbles to the toddler and Liam shakes the stroller gently, as he does. Trisha and Karen both turn to them, "alright, so where to first?" Karen asks, clapping her hands together, Liam just shrugs,because he's never had a plan for the day, beyond his mum and Zayn's mum meeting, and now that that's out of the way, he doesn't really think anything else matters.
Liam was wrong, so very wrong, when he thought that their mums meeting for the first time would be the most stressful part of their shopping trip. Having never really gone shopping with a toddler before, he didn't realize just how wrong he could be. But now standing in the middle of a toy store, with Bella is a little overwhelming, considering the toddler is trying her hardest to break free from the stroller, because she needs everything she sees. Zayn's doing his best not to laugh at the expression on Liam's face, he knows this, but he also knows his boyfriend is enjoying this a little too much. "Daddy, need it" Bella demands pointing across the aisle to a giant display of toy trucks, Liam exchanges a look with Zayn, who just shrugs, "you don't need it,Princess. You want it" Liam corrects, looking around him to see both their mums still chatting quietly together. Bella huffs and crosses her arms, eyeing Liam "please?" she asks batting her eyelashes, and Liam caves, of course he caves, because this whole trip is to buy some toys to keep at his apartment for the girl. Liam moves to grab the truck and tosses it into the buggy that Zayn grabbed when they entered the store a few minutes earlier, Zayn catches his wrist before he can fully return to Bella's stroller, "just remember, she doesn't need everything she tells you she wants. Bella has a lot of toys at ours, this is just to give her some at your place too, right?" he asks. Liam smiles, understanding his boyfriend's worries, and nods his head, "I know, don't worry,okay?" he reassures him. Zayn grins and turns his attention elsewhere as Liam returns to the stroller and Bella.
"Hungry" Bella whines again, from the high chair beside Liam, who chuckles, "I know you are, and Baba is over there getting you lunch" he explains. Bella huffs, before her eyes light up at something behind Liam, "Grandma Karen, tell Daddy, hungry" she insists, making grabby hands at the woman as she walks up with her own tray. Karen chuckles and sits down across from Liam, and beside Bella, "you can't be hungry, can you?" she teases and Bella pouts, nodding slowly. Karen grins and breaks off a piece of her own sandwich handing it to the toddler who takes it happily, "your Baba is getting you your lunch, but maybe this will help you wait" Karen ensures her. Bella grins as she stuffs the bite into her mouth, happily chewing before directing her attention back to the stuffed penguin she brought with her. "Thanks, mum" Liam murmurs, and Karen waves him away, "no worries. Now remind me again why are we shopping for toys for this little munchkin?" she asks. Liam sighs, shaking his head, "she spent the night with me a few days ago, and was upset because I have no toys. Zayn suggested she bring some of hers over to stay at mine, but I kind of suggested this instead" he explains shrugging. Karen nods, and reaches across the table in the food court to pat Liam's hand, "so this is really serious then?" she asks. Liam watches as Zayn waits for his mum to finish getting her own food, the pair falling into step across the crowded space, before he answers, "yeah, Mum. It is" he answers,and Karen nods as Bella starts reaching out towards where Zayn and Trisha have arrived slipping into the two remaining seats.
Zayn passes Bella her kids meal, before handing Liam his own burger and fries, "careful, it's still hot" he cautions, and though Liam knows he's talking to Bella he can't help himself, "thanks for the tip" he teases, and Zayn rolls his eyes. Arabella ignores the chicken nuggets in favour of the Barbie doll that's also in the box, "look, pretty, Daddy" she says holding the toy still in it's package up for him to inspect, "open" she adds. Liam arches an eyebrow at her "she's very pretty, but I think you need to eat first" he explains, plucking the toy from her fingers and setting it down on his other side. "My toy" Bella huffs, tiny arms crossing over her chest, Zayn looks across Liam at her, "yes, it's yours Boo. But you need to eat your lunch first" he explains, Liam watches Bella pout before she picks up a chicken nugget and takes a tiny bite out of it. Giggling across the table makes both Liam and Zayn look up at their mothers, "I'm sorry" Trisha laughs "it's just you used to be the same way Zayn, always wanted the prize first" she explains, while Karen nods, gesturing to Liam, "Liam too" she adds. Both men roll their eyes and share a look with each other, Bella has started laughing as well, but Liam's pretty sure she doesn't really know why, just that her grandmas both are.
After lunch, while Bella is happily talking to the Barbie from her lunch in the stroller, Zayn crowds into Liam's space, "what else do you think you need?" he asks, chin resting on Liam's shoulder. Liam shrugs and gestures to a children's clothing store, "I was thinking I should get some extra clothes, you know just in case?" he asks. "You don't have to you know" Zayn answers, glancing to where Liam's looking, Liam shrugs, "I know, but I want to" he answers. Zayn doesn't say anything else then, and Liam's pretty sure he wants to, but he's not going to push him, not in the mall, he knows his boyfriend will open up at home a little more. Instead Liam watches as Zayn moves to talk to both their mums an arm wrapping around Trisha's waist as he laughs lightly at something they said. "Baba sad?" Bella asks, pointing across to Zayn, but Liam shakes his head "no, Princess, Baba's okay" he answers, but he's not entirely sure he believes himself.
It's after they've said goodbye to their mums, both promising to come for a visit soon, and they're driving back towards Liam's apartment, Bella asleep, almost instantly, in the back seat, that Liam finally has a chance to talk to Zayn. "Hey, everything alright with you?" Liam asks gently, eyes flicking across the car to watch Zayn, before returning to the road, Zayn lifts one shoulder in a half shrug, before gazing out the window again. Liam knows something is bothering the younger man, but he also knows he can't and won't force him to talk, Zayn will explain it all to him on his own. "It's just, I'm supposed to be the one buying her things, and doing all this stuff for her" Zayn says suddenly. Liam's eyebrows furrow, before realization that Zayn's upset about the shopping trip hits him, and he pulls into the nearest parking lot so he can focus his attention on Zayn. "Zayn" Liam sighs once he's put the car into park, "I know, Li. You wanted to, but her whole life, Louis' always helped me with things, because as hard as I work I never seem to have enough, and now it's you. I just I feel like a shit parent sometimes. You know?" Zayn asks quietly. Liam doesn't know what to say, because he understands what Zayn's saying, but he doesn't think Zayn realizes just how good of a father he actually is, that it doesn't matter about the material things.
"Zayn, look at me" Liam murmurs, smiling when Zayn twists to look at him, "you are not a shit father, and none of this stuff matters" Liam says, reaching out to grab Zayn's hand in his own. Zayn's lips part, before he closes them again, shaking his head and not speaking. "What matters is that little girl, and she is happy, and healthy and that's all because of you. One day you're going to be the world's greatest teacher and you'll be able to physically give her the world. But until then it's okay, because you give her everything all the time, just by being you" Liam explains fiercely. Zayn looks up at him and Liam can see a few tears glistening in his eyes, "thanks Liam" he mumbles squeezing his hand where they're still connected. Liam can see a small smile playing on Zayn's lips now and knows at least some of his words have sunk in. Carefully pulling back out onto the road Liam pulls Zayn's hand up to his lips to kiss the back of it, "anytime Zee" he murmurs, before they slip into silence as they drive back to his apartment.
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A/N: Here you go...Thank you all so much for your kind words about my daughter being sick it was all really sweet, and you're all amazing! So I wrote you another update.
Zayn's being insecure, and Liam's being the best really. :)
Let me know what you think of these I love reading all your comments and I do try to respond to them if I can/Wattpad let's me know they exist.
Until Next Time
xoxo