THE TIES THAT BIND-Book 3 In The Sexy As Series

Chapter 23

Zayn put his hand on Kaia's back and led her towards the SUV's that were lined up along the drive. She wrapped her arms around his waist as they walked. She felt emotionally drained.

"Marian!" She said and turned back to see her best friend still standing next to the small gravesite.

Zayn looked back as well and saw that Harry was still by her side. "It's alright, Harry is with her."

"I know but she needs to come with us," she insisted.

"I think we should give her a little time baby," he said gently. "Harry will get her home." He knew that he was coming even before Kaia had called him. "She'll be okay."

"But Zayn...."

"No buts," he said with a small smile and continued to guide her to the waiting car. "Besides, I'm sure you want to make sure everything is set for the luncheon."

"I really hate it when you're always right," she said with a small smile of her own.

They got into the SUV and the driver drove them home.

Marian let go of Harry's hand and went down to her knees. She let her fingers trail over the cold dirt that now covered her son. "He's really gone isn't he?" She asked out loud.

Harry moved to her side but didn't touch her. "He is love," he said quietly.

She turned to look at him. "Louis is gone too." She said with sadness. "He left me."

This time he reached for and took a hold of her hand. "I know love and I'm so bloody sorry." He was so angry with Louis he couldn't even fathom words of how angry he was. He gently squeezed her hand. "But you aren't alone," he said.

"But I am," she said. "Everything that matters is gone."

He knew it was the grief talking and he knew that she knew that she wasn't alone. She had an entire group of people that loved and cared about her. "Not everything love."

"What am I going to do?" She asked as she trailed her fingers through the dirt.

He looked at her and brushed the hair back behind her ear. "You're not going to give up," he said gently.

"H...Harry, it isn't that easy," she said trying to paste a smile on her face.  "I have cancer."

"So what," he said.  "You're too damn stubborn to let it take over you know that right?"

"Maybe I'm tired of being stubborn. What has it gotten me?" She asked angrily. "Nothing but a dead child, a deadly disease which will require all of my strength to fight. I just don't have any fight left in me. It's too hard!"

He took a hold of her shoulders, forcing her to pull away from the dirt and to look at him. "Not if you have people who love you and care about you. Let us help fight this with you."

"Fight for what?" She asked as she looked him straight in the eyes.  "I have lost everything I ever loved completely and fully. My heart is broken and it will never be whole again!"

He could see the pain in her eyes and in her face. "You haven't lost everyone," he said. "You have m..." he began. "You have your parents, you have Kaia, the twins...."

"Kaia, has her own life.   She's married with a blossoming music career and she got to keep her babies. She doesn't need me!   She finally has a life of her own." She said blinking back her tears.  "Look what I did to you and your life."

"She will always need you," he said. "No matter where her life takes her."  He reached up and gently held her cheek in the palm of his hand.  "And what do you think you did that was so awful?"