Zayn Malik's Long Lost Sister (Unedited)

22. In Case

"Are you gonna be okay?" Edward asked. We have been sitting in his jeep in front of his house for twenty minutes now while I buried my face in my hands to cry as silently as I could.

I felt a warm hand touch my arm and I lifted my face to look at him. How could I have not known him before? Why have we always been strangers at work up until just recently? Edward seems like the only constant in my life right now.

"It'll be alright." He whispered, rubbing his thumb back and forth by my elbow. The touch alone comforted me. "I have a plan."

"And what is it?" I asked, my voice hoarse and nose stuffed. I sniffled.

"We'll video chat. Skype all the time and that way, Donnie will see you. Maybe it could work."

I rubbed at my eyes, then dropped my hands down into my lap. "Okay. We can try that."

"I'll make sure everything will be as okay as it can be." I nodded and he shifted in his seat to slightly face me. "Would you like to go inside?"

"Uh," I looked out the passenger window at Edward's house and I immediately nodded. "Yes. I have to wake up early anyways."

After entering the house, the warm pleasant smell of brownies and cinnamon reached my nose. We padded into the kitchen to see Alyssa and Grace just finish cleaning up while Riley pulled on their golden retrievers tail under the table.

"What's all this?" Edward asked, walking up behind his mom to give her a quick 'hello' kiss on the cheek.

"Well, me and the girls were thinking that Marley would like some dessert since you didn't invite use to the small party earlier." Heather teased.

"All we had were sweets and treats." Edward defended. "And she didn't have any."

"I thought it was a dinner thing." Heather said, looking to Alyssa who only shrugged.

"Even if it was, she didn't have anything to eat." Edward told them.

"Why can't we have dessert for dinner?" Riley asks, standing up next to me as their dog sniffed my hands at my sides.

"Marley?" Heather asked.

"Uh, yeah. It's been a while since I had brownies." I answered.

"They also made cinnamon rolls from scratch." Riley informed. "But Alyssa made the dough, so I'd stay away from it if I were you."

"I will stuff you in the next batter if you don't shut your mouth." Alyssa threatened. We all began to laugh.

* * *

"Holy shi-"

"You better not finish that." Heather scolded Edward while he leaned away, patting his flat stomach.

"Sorry. I'm just stuffed. Good job on the rolls, Alyssa." Edward complimented.

"Thanks." She responded, smiling triumphantly at Riley.

"Just wait for the explosion. I'm sure she put a bomb in one of them." Riley said.

"It might have been one of the ones I ate, then." I smiled.

"Well, that's a shame. I like you." Riley told me, his coffee brown eyes meeting mine.

"Hey, back off." Edward playfully interrupted our conversation.

"I meant that I like her as a person. Enough to shed at least a couple tears when she dies from Alyssa's baking."

"Riley, you stop insulting Alyssa's baking. She did a wonderful job." Heather scolded.