Destiny (Zayn Malik FanFic)

Chapter 61

chapter 61

“Men are weak,” My grandma began. I looked up at her from my sink where I stood washing the dishes. I smiled as she sipped her cup of tea, sitting comfortably at my dining table.

“What do you mean?” I asked, when she didn’t explain. “Pretty sure granddad could lift you on the tips of his fingers,” I added, laughing slightly, though knowing very well that she wasn’t talking about physical strength.

A few months had passed since that night at The Long Stone. Many things had changed. For one – the days to Lisa’s wedding were creeping by. She was beyond elated but she was also extremely busy. The funny thing was that after hearing me playing the piano I had bought for Zayn, she begged and begged me to play at her wedding. I had refused, simply saying that I would make a fool of myself as well as her and that she should think of hiring a professional musician.

Ella, on the other hand, had surprised all of us when she said she was starting university earlier last month. She was going to study political science, in hopes of becoming Britain’s greatest crown prosecutor.

And Jose – He was by far, the happiest I’d ever seen him. Adrianna was growing bigger and bigger every day, her stomach swelling to a beautiful size.

And here I was, washing dishes in my kitchen on a Friday night.

“There are different kinds of strength, my dear,” My grandma continued, looking deep in thought. “But most men I’ve met are captives of their own pride. Weak, enslaved, and possessed by their desire to govern the whims of their hearts–”

I grinned. “Gran, the heart is a red and blue muscle that pumps blood. It does not, in any way or form,feel. All feelings are linked with our thoughts. It’s just a stupid thing society has created, this entire idea of a heart that feels, and like fools on a puppet string, we’ve adopted it.”

My grandma laughed, shaking her head. “You’ve returned to your old self. But you get my point, don’t you? I noticed it with your granddad. Benjamin always had this pride inside of himself that had nothing to do with him being successful… Rather, I associated it with him being a successful man.”

Placing the last dish into the washer, I carefully closed it and began the rinse cycle. I joined my grandma at the table.

“They think they know everything, that they can handle everything on their own. They put too much trust in their physical strength and come to rely on the brawniness of their brain and forget that as much as women need them, they also need women.”

I laughed, “Behind every successful man, is a woman rolling her eyes.”

◊

I was parking in the lot of my local grocer, when my phone rang, frightening me. I shifted the gear into “park” and scrambled to get my phone, answering it a second before it would’ve been dropped.

“Hi,” I answered.

“Eliza!” Screeched Lisa, the panic in her voice scaring me.

“Is everything alright?”

“No! No, nothing is alright. I am getting married! In a month, I am getting married! I will be a wife!”

“You’re realizing this now?” I asked, amused.

“Oh, don’t! I need your help and I need it now!”

“Now?” I asked. “Okay, let me pick up some cheese from the grocer. I’ll be at your house in fifteen minutes or so, okay?”

“Please hurry, I’m in desperate need of your help!”

“I got you girl, don’t worry,” I said, before hanging up. Smiling at her silliness, I walked into the grocery and grabbed a basket. I headed straight to the dairy section of the grocery store, my eyes scanning the shelves for that fabulous cheese I loved when I walked straight into someone.

“Shit,” I wailed, immediately bending down to pick up her stuff that I had dropped. “I’m so sorry,” I began, lifting my head to see whose morning I had ruined. I froze when I recognized the smiling face. “Eleanor?” 

“Eliza? I can’t believe it! I thought I would never see you again!” Next thing I knew, I was being pulled into the tightest hug. It was amazing how much strength she had, seeing the size of her waist wasn’t far from the length of my finger.

“How are you?” I asked when she finally pulled away.

“I’m great. Actually, I’m better than great.” She stuck up her left hand and wiggled her fingers until the ring caught my eye.

Great. Everyone was getting married.

“Congratulations!” I squealed, trying to be as peppy and animated as I could possibly manage. “Louis is a lucky guy.”

“The wedding is not going to be for a while because Lou has to focus on his career and the dicks at the theatre are making a fuss. I’m sure Zayn told you–” She stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes widening. “Oh, I’m so sorry, Eliza. I completely forgot. It’s just, with the excitement of everything–”

“Don’t worry. It’s fine; I won’t melt and die at the mention of his name.”

She looked at me surprised, as though she had been expecting another response. “Oh… Well, yeah, I guess. It really sucks. I was so heartbroken when I found out. The worst things happen to the best people. What are the doctors saying?”

“The doctors?” I was confused for a while, but then realized she was asking me about my residency, “Well, my residency isn’t over. In fact, not for a long time, but you know, they’re saying that I’m doing well, learning fast, all that good stuff.”

“Oh… Yeah, that’s fantastic. I’m glad to hear it,” She added, almost uncertainly.

“Er, yeah.” I couldn’t help but feel like she pitied me way too much so I felt like I should spice up my life. “You know, the break up hasn’t been that bad, to be completely honest. It’s been nearly half a year now. I’m doing fine–”

Eleanor looked at me, confused. “What are you talking about?” She asked.

I stared at her, wondering what had just happened. “Well, I–”

“El! There you are–”

My head swung around and I saw Louis standing a few feet behind me, his arms draped lazily over the trolley he was pushing. When he saw me, his eyes widened and then narrowed almost immediately, before he glanced at Eleanor in a rushed panic.

“Eliza. Nice seeing you here,” He said, in a tone that suggested the exact opposite.

“Yeah, long time–” I began, only to be cut off by Louis.

“Well, we’ve got to go, in a bit of a rush.” He waved his hand for Eleanor to follow, who stood gazing at him, her jaw on the floor.

“Lou–”

“Come along, El.” He insisted. She gazed at Louis, anger now flashing dangerously across her face.

“Louis–”

“Eleanor. Come on.”

She gave me a sorrowful smile before angrily glaring at her fiancé. Walking past me, she followed Louis out of the aisle, leaving me beyond confused and particularly abashed.