Twice in a Lifetime (Zayn Malik)

Chapter 52. Jack.

Chapter 52

Mia's POV

"What is it that you needed to tell me?" I asked as we both sat down on the couch.

She reached for the remote on the coffee table and turned on the TV, ignoring my question. Immediately I knew something was off. Winnie was never the kind of person to tune out other's questions.

"Winnie, what's wrong?"

She shook her head and looked at me, her eyes now filled with moisture.

"Why are you crying?"

"I'm sorry, Mia. I don't know why I'm crying," she sobbed as she wiped her eyes with the back of her hands and I searched for a box of tissues. Luckily there was one by the desk in the room. When I handed it to her, she grabbed one and thanked me. "It's just that with everything going on, mum's gone, dad has a huge burden to take care of the company, and ..." She stopped herself by covering her mouth with her hand.

"And what?"

"Nothing."

Did she really expect me to think of her sudden halt as nothing? She was obviously hiding some predicament from me.

"What's going on?" I asked sternly, confused as to why she was acting so strange.

"It's nothing that concerns much importance," she spoke through the tissue as she wiped her nose.

"Oh really? Then why can't you tell me."

She hesitated almost as if she was at war with confliction. My sister rose from the couch abruptly and began pacing back and forth in front of the fireplace. She was murmuring something to herself and I couldn't pick out her mumbles.

"Winnie. Something is clearly bothering you and I won't let you leave this room until you tell me, please," I begged. It worried me to see her like this.

Her face was much more red as she faced me - in anger or embarrassment or stress - I couldn't read her expression.

"It's Elliot's father," she said in a quiet tone.

"What about him?" My eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"He .. I actually .. want a divorce."

"Divorce?! What?! Why?!" I asked, my voice rising with each question.

"I know. It's mental but let me explain. You must think I'm completely mad."

"Yes, I think you're mad!" I shouted, throwing my arms in the air. "He paid for mum's funeral! He-he's a great father to Elliot despite all the time he's busy with work," I ran out of reasons why my brother in law seemed like such a good person. "I thought you two were stable and in a good place. Is he cheating on you?" I assumed. There was no other logical explanation for her behavior.

"No, he's not. It's just - the last time we were together together," she wriggled her eyebrows and I looked away in embarrassment. She spilled too much information already. "Sorry."

"No, it's okay. I mean, how else did you have Elliot, right?" I brought up not sure if it was to comfort her or me.

"Well, I don't know. This insecurity is eating me inside. What if he doesn't want me anymore and he's moved on with his secretary?"

I guess over-thinking runs in the family.

"That's absurd. He would never do that to you."

"You can never be to careful, Mia."

"I think you've been watching too many TV dramas," I tried to joke but she sent an unamused glare at me. "The only way you'll ever know is if you talk to him about this. Did you mention any of this to him?" She shook her head and shot me a concerned look. "He doesn't know of your concerns if you never tell him," I added.