Chapter Sixty Seven – Zayn
Zayn frowns as Liam pulls his phone from his pocket, answering the call and holding up one finger, signalling for Zayn to hold on, a week later as they head into the gymnastics club, for Bella's first day. "Daddy can meet us inside, right Boo?" Zayn asks Bella who nods, curling her fingers more into Zayn's jacket as he continues into the building. Once inside Bella's eyes widen as she looks through the window in the viewing room to see the gym itself. "Bella play here, Baba?" she asks quietly and Zayn laughs lightly, "yeah, this is where you do gymnastics" he answers. Bella grins and squirms to get down, which Zayn complies to, "okay first we need to take off your shoes, socks, and coat" he murmurs, Bella huffs but stands relatively still while Zayn pulls her stuff off. Zayn looks up as Liam comes in, stuffing his phone in his pocket as he does, "sorry, the new American company Niall's been trying to sign are causing issues" Liam mumbles. Zayn just nods, because he gets it he really does, but Liam has spent the majority of the time he has been home this past week on his phone. "You excited Princess?" Liam asks and Bella nods, reaching for Liam, "look Daddy" she giggles gesturing towards the trampoline and Liam smiles, "I see, are you gonna go jump?" he asks, which Bella nods to. Zayn stands up from tucking Bella's socks into her boots and lets Liam lead him over to a couple chairs, where they sit, Bella sitting in Liam's lap, watching the practice that's currently happening finish with wide eyes.
A few minutes later everyone in the gym empties out, a young, petite brunette coming out into the viewing area a few minutes later, she looks around at the few other people that have come in before clapping her hands. "My name's Ella, and if you'll follow me, we can go warm up" she says, cheerily. Bella climbs off of Liam and runs over to the girl, a huge smile on her lips, Zayn watches her carefully, as Ella bends down to greet the kids that have joined her, "and what's your name?" she asks Bella. Bella giggles "Bella" she answers "well, Bella, are you ready to learn gymnastics?" Ella asks, Zayn chuckles as Bella nods with wide eyes and Ella takes her hand, leading her and the rest of the group into the gym. "She looks so small" Zayn murmurs, as he and Liam watch the warm up, Liam chuckles, tangling his fingers with Zayn's "but look how happy she is" he murmurs. And he's right, Bella has the biggest smile on her face as she stretches,and jumps on the springy, cushioned floor. After a few minutes warming up Ella leads the group to a corner of the gym that Liam and Zayn can't quite see from where they're sitting. "Zayn? Can I talk to you for a minute?" Liam mumbles a minute later and Zayn furrows his eyebrows, turning in his chair to look at him, "what is it?" Zayn asks slowly. Liam pulls his hand away and rubs it over the back of his neck, a tell that he's nervous about whatever conversation this is, Zayn just waits, arching an eyebrow at him. "Okay, you know that American company we're trying to merge with?" Liam asks, and Zayn nods, "you mean the one you've been on the phone with all week?" he asks. Liam nods, "yeah that one. They want us to come there and meet with them, and I don't think there's anyway around it Niall and I have tried" he mumbles. "So you're going to America, again? When? And for how long?" Zayn asks, trying to keep the disappointment out of his voice. Liam frowns, "I know Zee and I don't want to. But it's not even for a week this time, and I was really hoping you and Bella would come with me" he says quickly.
Zayn's eyes widen, "what?" he asks, shaking his head, "yeah, we'd leave next weekend, and I want you guys to come. I learned on my last business trip that I don't like leaving you guys, and we'd only been together a short time then. I can't imagine how terrible it would be now" Liam explains. Zayn blinks, looking away from Liam, as he thinks, "but you'll be working the whole time" he mumbles and Liam shakes his head, "only for a little bit of it, please Zayn?" he pleads. Zayn sighs shaking his head, because if he's being honest, he doesn't want Liam leaving them behind, Bella would be a disaster, and he knows it. "Fine, Li. We'll come" Zayn agrees after a moment, and Liam grins widely, pulling Zayn into a hug "thank you" he coos, "I really didn't want to go without you guys" Liam adds. Zayn just chuckles, shaking his head, "and I really didn't want to deal with Bella being mad about you being gone, while you're away" he teases. Liam just grins, shaking his head as Bella comes back into view with Ella and the rest of the group.
Zayn and Liam sit quietly, just watching Bella after the conversation about America. After an hour of Bella running, jumping, swinging, and rolling, she comes back out to where they're sitting a big smile on her face. "Baba, Daddy. Did you see?" she asks, climbing into Liam's lap and pressing her hands to his cheeks. Zayn chuckles as Liam nods, and gently pulls Bella's hands from his face, "we did Boo. Did you have fun?" Zayn asks, Bella just nods, eyes sparkling as she cuddles into Liam's chest. "Good. We'll come back next week okay? How about we go get some lunch and head home" Zayn asks, Bella pouts, shaking her head, "no leave" she mumbles. Liam presses a kiss to her cheeks as Zayn coos "I'm sorry Love, it's all done for today" he murmurs, and Bella pouts but nods her head, cuddling into Liam, as Zayn moves to get her socks, boots and coat. Zayn carefully puts everything back on Bella before he scoops her into his arms, and carries her towards the door, and Liam's car, waiting in the parking lot. Zayn straps Bella into her seat as Liam climbs into the driver's seat, Zayn can't help but peck her nose, making Bella giggle and scrunch it up "I love you Bells" Zayn hums, "Love you too Baba" Bella answers, before Zayn closes the door and climbs into his own seat.
Zayn arches an eyebrow at Liam as he parks the car at a nearby McDonalds, "what?" Liam asks, shutting off the car, Zayn just shakes his head, not saying anything as he climbs from the car and moves to help Arabella out of her seat in the back. "Chicken nuggets?" Bella asks, cocking her head to the side and Zayn laughs lightly, "yeah Babe, you can get chicken nuggets" he chuckles, pulling her into his arms. Bella whines and squirms, "wanna walk" she mumbles and Zayn sighs, setting her on her feet and taking her hand in his own, pouting a little, as he misses his little girl always wanting to be carried. "Stop pouting" Liam murmurs in his ear suddenly, his breath hot against Zayn's skin, making him shiver, and Liam smirk. Zayn glares playfully at the back of Liam's head as he moves in front of them, holding the door open for Zayn and Bella to pass through. Once inside Zayn feels Bella trying to pull her hand away from his and he tightens his grip, "you can't run off, monster" he murmurs, crouching down to be at Bella's level, "but Baba" Bella whines and Zayn shakes his head, "there's lots of people you need to stay with us" he says and Bella huffs, stomping her foot, but doesn't otherwise protest. Zayn understands why Bella wants away from him as soon as he straightens up and is standing again, the McDonald's they've chosen has one of the indoor play places, and she wants to go and play, it doesn't however change the fact that the three year old is too young to be running off places by herself.
Once they have their food, Zayn's carrying the tray as Bella insisted Liam hold her hand, as she's upset with Zayn, as they look for an empty table. Bella climbs up into an empty booth, "Daddy, sit here" she demands patting the bench beside her, sighing Zayn climbs into the booth across from the two. Zayn passes Bella her happy meal box, and chocolate milk, "you eat enough lunch and Daddy and I will take you to play after, okay?" Zayn asks, arching an eyebrow at the toddler. Arabella cocks her head to the side, apparently thinking it over, before she sighs, nodding her head at Zayn, and picking up a chicken nugget and taking a large bite. Liam shakes his head, "slow down, Love" he murmurs, and Bella huffs, but pauses to chew before taking another bite. Zayn shakes his head at his daughter and picks up his own burger, taking a bite, looking around the restaurant as he chews slowly. Liam kicks him gently, under the table, arching an eyebrow when Zayn looks up at him, "you alright?" Liam asks quietly, not that Bella's paying any attention to either of them, "I'm fine, just thinking" Zayn mumbles in response, happy when Liam lets it go after that, because he's not sure he can put into words what's going on in his head.
Before they even make it halfway home Bella has fallen asleep in her seat in the back, Zayn looks back at her from the passenger seat, and can't help snapping a picture on his phone. Zayn looks back towards Liam, where he's focusing on the road as he drives, and takes in his face from the side, Zayn can't get over how lucky he got when he found Liam, not just for him, but for Arabella too. "What are you thinking so hard about?" Liam asks, and Zayn shakes his head to clear it, "you, us" Zayn mumbles and Liam nods, eyes never leaving the road. "Good things?" Liam asks turning to face Zayn, when he stops at a red light, and arching an eyebrow, Zayn laughs lightly, "yes good things" he sighs and Liam grins, "good" he decides turning his attention back to the road, as the light changes to green. "She's worn out" Liam chuckles gesturing behind them, and Zayn laughs, nodding his head, "she had a busy morning" he chuckles, and Liam nods. Zayn pouts, and Liam glances at him arching an eyebrow, "what is it?" he asks, and Zayn sighs, "I don't want to work tonight" he mumbles and Liam laughs, "then don't, I've told you before Zee, you don't have to keep working at the pizza place, not really" he shrugs, pulling into the parking lot at their building. Zayn sighs, rolling his eyes, because he knows Liam's said that before, knows his fiancé makes more than enough to support them all, but Zayn is stubborn, and it was just him and Bella for so long, that he can't help but need to keep his job, make his own money. "I know Li, but I just I like having my own money, as little as it is, and knowing I can at least buy something for Bella if I need to" Zayn murmurs and Liam nods, "I know that babe. I just also know how much you hate missing out on bedtime, and dinner and everything. I'm only trying to help" he murmurs. Zayn nods, reaching across the car to pull Liam into a hug, "and I love you for it. I really do. But I have to do this for me, okay?" he asks, when Liam nods against his shoulder Zayn grins and pulls back to kiss him gently, "good. Now can you carry Bella inside?" he asks. Liam chuckles, nodding his head and getting out of the car, and as Zayn watches him pull Bella gently into his arms, he can't help feeling like he's the luckiest man on the planet.