Plenty More Fish in The Sea

Chapter 21

Zainab's POV

The following morning, as I enter the living room, I see that my breakfast is already prepared for me. He's really going all out, I should have told him about the baby sooner.

'Zerkan, you honestly shouldn't bother.' I turn to face him as he enters the room holding some freshly baked croissants.

'Why not?' He places the goods on the table and takes his baking gloves off.

'I mean, it's nice and all but I can manage myself.' Also, I'm not used to you being nice to me and its freaking me out, I add mentally.

'No. I'm going to look after you. Now sit down and eat, I'm bringing coffee.' He says sternly, leaving the room, and clearly not listening to a word I said. I sit down and pick at the croissant. I'm hungry, but I'm really not in the mood for eating. And it makes me feel guilty especially as he's put so much effort in.

Zerkan walks back in room holding two mugs of coffee. My heart melts. This is way too much for me.

'Thank you.' I take a mug from him and grab a cookie.

'The pleasure is all mine.' He smiles and takes a seat opposite from me. I don't know how he's going to keep this up for 8 more months. Is he going to be a 'dad' to my baby? I hadn't even thought about that...

'Is your phone ringing?' Zerkan asks, interrupting my thoughts.

'I'll go check.' I stand up and leave the room, taking to cookie with me. It's nice and all, but I don't feel like eating it right now, so I throw it in the bin. He won't find out.

I grab my phone just in time to receive a call from my mum. My heart leaps. I can never, ever tell her that I am pregnant.

'Hey, ma,' I've been so busy ever since I moved here, that I completely forgot to call my mum. Another thing to feel guilty about today.

'Hello, Zainab. How is New York? I haven't got a call from you ever since. Is everything okay?'

'Yep, just great. Sorry I didn't call you sooner, I was really quite busy.' For all the wrong reasons.

· Going to a strip clubs

· Stripping

· Having a boyfriend, then breaking up with him

· Attacking men

· Kissing men

· Living with a man

· Being pregnant, etc, etc.

'Oh, I see. Well, I was wondering if you could come to London for a while. I haven't seen you for almost 2 months.' I pause.

'Zainab? What do you say?' My mind goes blank. I can't say no.

'Sure thing, I'll get a flight on the weekend.' I sigh inwardly and sit down on the bed.

'Really? Okay, I'll go and tell everyone!'

'Haha, okay mum, bye.'

'See you soon my baby.'

I crash down on the bed and close my eyes. After all the incidents as a teenager, I promised to never again lie to mother, and I intend on keeping that promise.

'Zainab? Are you okay?' Zerkan walks into the room. I don't blame him, I've been here for longer than he would have expected.

'What's wrong?' He comes and sits on the bed and tucks in a strand of hair my hair. A tear escapes my eye and he wipes it away gently, wrapping his body around me. I welcome his heat.

'I can't do this, Zerkan. Why did I come here? How am I supposed to tell my mum I'm pregnant? I can't hide it from her!' I break down and burrow my face into his shoulder. He rubs my back reassuringly.

'Zainab, it's okay. You're gonna get through this.' He pauses and kisses my hair. 'Remember, you're not alone, I'm here for you.' I sob through his comforting words, and even though it should make me feel better, his sympathy makes my cry harder.

For some long moments, we just sit there, enveloped in each other's warmth. After a while, he pulls away and asks, 'Do you need anything?'

'No... but can you stay with me?'

'All day.' He goes to the closet and gets me a blanket, then lies down next to me.

I wasn't planning on it- it was in the heat of the moment. One thing led to another, and soon enough, our clothes are on the floor and we are, quite literally, a hot mess. Small dick aside, it wasn't too bad- good enough to make me in a better mood, and momentarily forget everything.

It was just us, and nothing else in the world seemed to matter anymore.