JAAN :: ZAYN

the hot sauce

•zayn•

"Five weeks, huh?" Dr. Stork muttered as she wrote everything on the clipboard, "it's early for any normal pregnancy, but late for a high risk one like this."

Zayn drew in his bottom lip, watching the doctor assess Chi's vitals. It had been a few hours and Chi was only seven centimeters dilated. She was swollen again and very tired, but the doctors wouldn't permit her to falling asleep because they feared the worst.

And to top it all off, Chiara had severe pain in her stomach and her blood pressure was off the charts.

Her breathing was shallow as she lied upright in the hospital bed, an almost permanent frown etched on her face. She hated feeling this way and Zayn hated seeing it.

"So what do we do?" Zayn was sitting right beside his girlfriend, he was sure he couldn't feel his hand due to her squeezing so hard. "Like, are they okay?"

"So far, the only thing that's messing this whole process up is the preeclampsia," Francine sat in a chair and attempted to cross her legs but failing. She was very pregnant. "And my colleague from the office is coming. He specializes in preeclampsia so he may know things I don't."

"Okay," Chi sat up in her spot and reached for the small plate of chicken, "where's the hot sauce?"

"Here," Zayn got the bottle from her purse and handed it to her.

"Thank you," Chi basically drowned her chicken in hot sauce and used the fork to tear pieces open, "I don't think this spicy food thing is working, Francine."

"All pregnant ladies are different," she shrugged.

"My question is," she muttered while wiping her mouth, "how the hell are you gonna deliver my baby with that stomach of yours in the way?"

"Darling, I'm highly dedicated to my profession and this stool goes all the way down," Francine chuckled, "I'll be fine. Plus, you guys are my faves."

They heard screaming in the hallway and literally seconds later Harry came in with Mecca, who was the cause of all the ruckus.

"See, Mecca? Zayn's right there," Harry said softly, looking to Zayn for some help.

"What happened?" Zayn frowned and walked over to them both, "Mecca."

At the sound of his voice, Mecca almost broke her neck trying to look at Zayn. Her cheeks were stained with dry tears and her nose and eyes were red. Her hair was in two messy French braids and her cute bangs stuck to her face.

"Daddy!" she cried out, reaching her arms towards him as she kept sobbing. He held her in his arms  and kissed her heel but his brain was going crazy. That was the first time she called him Daddy and Zayn was seriously so happy despite her blubbering.

"Is she alright?" he heard Chiara ask but he knew she was smiling, catching on to what she had said.

"Dunno. I'll be back," Zayn thanked Harry as he carried Mecca away. He decided to go down to the cafeteria and talk to her there. She was still crying softly into his shoulder, even when he was on the elevator and people were staring at her in pity, probably wondering why she was upset.

Zayn sat in a small booth, cradling the little girl in his arms as she quieted.

"Where were you guys?" she sniffled, sitting in his lap and playing with the buttons of his open plaid shirt.

"We were in the room, babe," Zayn whispered, looking at her in confusion, "what's wrong?"

"I..." she hiccuped and no, it wasn't the time to think about how cute it was, "I thought you left me. And...and I don't like that."

He pouted, trying to push her bangs away but they just bounced back, making her smile. "We'd never leave you, Mecca. Chi and I just wanted to make sure everything was okay before you got there. We still don't know, okay?"

"It's taking too long," she muttered sadly and looked down at his shirt, "I wanna be with you guys."

"Is Harry not good enough?" he joked.

She shook her head and Zayn laughed, hugging her closer and wishing she could stay this cute forever. "Not at all. He tells the worst jokes, man."

"What jokes? Lay some on me," and he was happy he had her smiling again, knowing Mecca didn't dwell too long on some things because after all, she was only four.

"Why did the bicycle fall over?"

He tried not to roll his eyes. "Why?"

"Because it was two tired."

"Cheesy," he grinned down at her, "you can do better than that."

"Harry can't," she giggled hysterically, causing Zayn's smile to widen, "what do you call bees that make milk?"

"What's that?"

"Boobies!" she giggled again and Zayn seriously wished she never hung out with Harry.

"That's nasty," he grimaced playfully and she was in stitches, snorting and whatnot from laughing so hard. Mecca's face was red as she laughed and she shook her head vigorously.

"Stop, stop! I can't take no more, bro."

"What? You're telling the jokes!"

"Your face!" she pinched his cheeks and heckled harder when he poked his tongue out. Zayn hummed, laughing at her face and kissing her nose.

"You're good now?"

"Yes," she leaned on his shoulder and sighed, "don't leave me like that again."

"I'm sorry babe," and it was gonna be tough because it was obvious Mecca had separation issues now. Two sets of parents left her with no warning or without her say so and Zayn was determined to not let that happen again. This was still a little girl, one who was easily influenced by others and loved heavily.

So Zayn just had to be more careful.

"Are you ready to go?"

"Yes," Zayn got up and let her walk around him as they left to food court, a smile on his face while she skipped ahead of him. She turned around and looked at him. "Is mommy better?"

"Yeah," God, he suddenly just felt like an actual parent. His name was no longer Zayn to her and it melted his big heart.

"Is RyDae here yet?"

"Not yet," he got into an elevator and pressed the fourth floor button, "but when he comes, you can't be there. I promise it'll only take a little while longer and I promise to call you from Harry's cell."

"Gimme your pinky!" she held her hand up and Zayn rolled his eyes, locking pinkies with her and kissing their fingers. "Promise?"

"Cross my heart, honeybee."

Mecca smiled at that, holding Zayn's hand again as they walked to Chi's room. A new doctor and a few nurses were there, along with Francine, Harry, and Chiara. Zayn assumed it was the specialist and he also assumed it was about time for the baby to come.

He was going to throw up.

•zayn•

hey honeybees THE BABY IS ALMOST HERE OFMDJS

also, my new chance book is out so go check that, bro. I love you whorses 😁❤️