Twice in a Lifetime (Zayn Malik)

Chapter 96. Space.

Songs for Chapter:

Breathe Again - Sara Bareilles

Like a Star - Corinne Bailey Rae

Chapter 96

Mia's POV

It was a little past two before one of the doctors came to inform us of Wali's condition in the rather luxurious waiting room. We were all sitting in couches, Harry on one side next to me and Niall on the other, also known as, the non-family members. Zayn was squeezed in with his family, sitting across from us. As for Perrie, she sat on her own little single chair. When we walked in after our little talk, all eyes darted their attention to us, confusion set only in everyone's gazes, mostly in Zayn's and Harry's.

It was quite an awkward encounter but time eventually passed.

I decided this wasn't the time to tell him about Jack yet. I would. I would tell him before Christmas, but as of this moment, his mind needed to focus on Waliyha and supporting his family.

The surgeon spoke in a composed, professional manner to everyone as we circled around him. He delivered the news and to everyone's relief, Waliyha was going to be okay. It'd take a few days of her to recover but other than that, she'd be alright.

Everyone shared a round of hugs, and I got lost in between them all - Harry, Niall, Zayn's parents, even his sisters. Except when my arms wrapped around a pair of broad shoulders, the unmistakable scent wasn't hard for me to decipher who it was.

"I told you so," I whispered in his ear and he tightened his arms around my waist.

Then and there amidst all the happy celebration of Zayn's family came a sound so quiet, even I barely heard it. The sound of a sniff, coming from right behind one of my ears.

Was Zayn crying?

My hands shifted to his cheeks, and I was caught off guard by the tears that had fallen. The relief in his hazel toned eyes wasn't hard to pick out.

I've only seen Zayn cry once before. And it was, by far, one of the worst feelings to stand and witness this man that I cared for so much break into tears. He was never the type of sensitive man.

Crying, I told myself long ago, was not a sign of weakness. It was strength.

Letting oneself be vulnerable and cry in front of others is probably one of the hardest things to do.

And I was more than glad that Zayn finally let himself cry. The tension between his family, between me, maybe even his career, was building up to this.

My fingers tenderly swiped across his clean, shaven cheeks removing the wetness. A weak smile curved on his lips and I return the gesture. I pulled him back into my arms and let the warmth from his body sink in, unsure of when I would be able to embrace him, support him like this ever again.

***

It was around six at night when Zayn's parents and his sisters left the hospital to stay at Zayn's flat. They would be spending the night there and would be back first thing tomorrow morning. Niall and Harry went to fetch us some dinner while Perrie left on her own after giving her goodbyes to Zayn's family.

I could see she was really close to them. They would have made the perfect couple - Zayn and Perrie. She would have made the perfect daughter in law to Trish and Yaser.

Things would have been so different if Zayn had never kissed me that day. I would have planned the wedding accordingly. Perrie would have returned with a smile on her face. And after their wedding, I would have left quietly, given that I had successfully passed my father's plans.