Dreaming. *Zayn Malik.*

Chapter Sixteen.

                LOTS AND LOTS of good news in this chapter, so beware of happiness overload. This is actually kind of a filler chapter, but one that had a lot of significance to the book so it’s weird. But let me know.

“Do you want anything while I’m out?” Zayn was hiked up on pain meds but I was still kind enough to ask him if I could get him anything while I was out at the store. His eyes hardly opened and he mumbled an almost word that I caught to be some type of a ‘no’ so I kissed his forehead and watched him role back over and fall asleep.

                I had been feeling very well since my last chemo treatment which was a surprise because the doctors said that it was nearly impossible to be back to myself for a long time, but I hadn’t felt more alive in years. I thought of everything going on in my life and I figured that the twins being born, Molly and Tristin’s wedding, and the birth of their unborn child coming up I was doing well with the excitement. And not to mention that I was getting ready to kill my ex-fiancé

                Driving through town I crossed the giant brick wall that I had painted. I had always loved art, and I thought that I had a good talent on my hands but I never did anything about it until that moment. But I was starting to think that maybe I should get more into painting and drawing, since when I was in high school it was more cool to be a cheerleader than to do what made you really happy.

                Don’t get me wrong, I had loved cheer and I was planning on doing it during U.N.I but I never really got around to auditioning plus, I quite cheer my senior year because I was what they call depressed for reason’s only teenage girls become depressed about. That would have been Zayn leaving me, my best friend committing suicide, and my best friend telling me she was pregnant. Maybe the depression was reasonable and the medications they put me on were very helpful, but I didn’t want to be the person that was dependent on a pill every day. The irony that now all these years later I’m back on the medication.

                My brick wall panting had become much noticed. I would log onto tumblr- yes I still use my tumblr at 27 years old don’t judge me- and there would be pictures of the painting wondering who the artist was. Then somewhere along the way my name was thrown in there, and it was everywhere. So I guess I had something to be proud of, but I was too focused on Zayn getting better and helping him escape Paul and Louis to worry about my life.

                “Is that all miss?” I hadn’t realized I was already at the market with the things I needed for dinner and tomorrow’s meals at the counter until the young women spoke to me. Unable to really hold a conversation in my state I nodded my head to which she smiled brightly at me.

                Without another word from either of us I grabbed my bag and was on my way. The ride home had been silent, I didn’t play the radio and I didn’t talk to myself. I don’t normally talk to myself out loud unless it’s a really shitty day and I need to vent, and normally I would vent to Zayn which means I only talk to myself when I had a bad day and Zayn isn’t around.

                When I got home it was silent in the house. The quietness was starting to feel wary to me, silent store run, silent ride home, and a silent home coming. I was starting to get comfortable in the silence. I didn’t check on Zayn because I figured he was asleep in the bedroom, and I put the groceries away in their places. While I put the dishes in the washer I hit play on our home phone voicemails. We had three unheard messages.

                “First unheard message from mom- Darling Erin, how are you? It’s been months since you have checked in, and I’m starting to worry that you want nothing to do with your father and me. But anyway sweetie I heard about Zayn, I hope the both of you are okay. I love you and I will talk soon.” I hit the delete button before the machine had the chance to ask me. I hadn’t been in the mood lately to talk to my mother, I was a grown women with a husband and her own life, and I don’t need to call my mommy all the time. But I would try to make it a point to call her after dinner tonight, she’s getting older, she needs me.

                “Unheard message from Dr. Payne-Erin Malik? It’s Dr. Payne’s assistant here. It seems your test results came back early, and Dr. Payne told me to just let you know the results, there’s no need for you to come back here, you’re completely cancer free Erin. Congratulations.”

                My mouth dropped wide open and I dropped the plate I was holding. It shattered all over the floor but that didn’t dent my happiness and shock. I looked up just a bit and saw Zayn standing against the counter watching the phone. I think we were both waiting for her to tell me she was kidding. I needed to come in and sign up another round of Chemo. But the only thing that happened was the annoying machine asking about the message.

                “I’m free!” I screamed and ran at Zayn. I launched myself into his arms, and he quickly embraced me. He ignored the pain in his side, I could tell because he flinched with pain. But I don’t think either of us cared because there was no more cancer, I was free-I had never been so happy in my entire life.

                “Last unheard message from 564-237-8954- Hello? Erin Malik? I am Niall Horan with Horan Art Studios, I would like for you to call me back, I am having a gallery opening and I was very impressed with your art work in town, I would like to feature you in the future, give me a call back at this number.”

                The whole room went silent now. I had not only been cancer free, but I was being offered a spot by one of the most famous artists of our time. I thought back to this afternoon admiring my painting, the picture couldn’t possibly be the best I could do. Zayn and I would have to talk about this, but I think that I may have just landed a job doing something I love. Something that wasn’t Zayn.

                “Oh and to add to the excitement, this stuff came in the mail for you today.” Zayn handed me a pink and yellow box with a white bow wrapped around it. The box was square and probably about the size of a novel. The other thing was a black magnet with Tristin and Molly on it. It was there save the date for the wedding. July 15th was the day they planned on. It was currently April, and there son was due in November. This was perfect.

                “Open the box, it’s from Molly.” I had a feeling Zayn was already in on whatever was in the box, but I played along anyway. When I opened the box there was a lot of details like butterflies and a poem, a wedding scene. The box was inviting/asking me to be her maid of honor. I felt my eyes tear up. Now not only was I her son or daughters godmother but I was her maid of honor. This was officially the best day since our wedding.