We MaDe It

22.

"At last, Zayn, why aren't you answering your phone? I've been calling and calling."

"And now I called you back, Mary, after I saw you've been blowing up my phone which was in the car by the way that's why I haven't answered the calls. You know where I am, what can be important than that?"

Zayn was in hospital. Harry was being operated on to remove a mass in his stomach where cancer spread.

"The school have been trying to reach you and Harry, since you're not answering they called me. Without giving much away, I told them you're in hospital for an appointment. Story short, you need to pick up the boys, Elijah and Mason. I'd do it, but the school said it has to be either you or Harry. They need to talk to you about what happened."

"I do not need drama today, Mary. What happened? Did they tell you?"

"The boys were in a fight_"

"Mason in a fight? That's a reach." Zayn scoffed. "He's like Harry, treating people with kindness in bundles. Wait, were they in a fight with each other? But why?"

"Why don't you go ask the school, Zayn, I don't know. They only said the boys were in a fight and didn't go further than that I'm not their parent."

"Can you be their parent for a day? Like today."

Mary chuckled. "There must be a reason for the fight. Mason is a gentle soul, and Elijah though he can be erratic sometimes, he will never fight his brother or do something to make you disappointed in him."

"He may have decided today is the day to do just that." Zayn sighed. "Oh well, let's not waste time trying to figure out what happened. Harry went into surgery. Two hours it will take, an hour in recovery leaving me with three hours to kill time and the boys, hey? Speak to you later." He dropped his phone on the console and banged his head on the steering wheel.

——-

Mason and Elijah were sitting outside headmaster's office when Zayn arrived. The anger that was slowly building inside him as he drove to the school melted when Mason, who had a bruised lip, ran to into his arms, bursting into tears.

Zayn hugged him, kissing the top of Mason's head, tenderly. "I'm here, bub, it's okay. I'm here." He glanced at Elijah sitting with hands in his pocket, head bowed down looking at his lap. "Elijah, look at me. You hurt?"

Elijah lifted his head up, looking at his father. There were no bruises on him unlike his brother, he didn't look like he was in a fight. "Baba."

"What happened to your brother?"

"Some bully laid their hands on Mason. I laid my fists on them." Elijah said with a shrug, Mason hid his face on Zayn's neck.

Zayn groaned. "Elijah, your daddy warned you about fighting back physically to bullies. You end up being the bad guy. I know you were protecting your brother but you just made it worse. For yourself. You will be suspended, you know that?"

"No regrets." Elijah said looking at Mason.

"I told him not to do it, Baba." Mason said.

Zayn sighed. "I know you did, Mase. Let me see your lip. Is it painful?" Mason nodded wincing in pain as Zayn put pressure on the swollen lip. "Aren't there nurses in this school to give you fucking ice_I know what I just said and don't you dare repeat it or forget McDonald's on the way home."