Tightrope

37🥀

Quickly changing into other clothes, both of them rushed out, seeing all the family members except the grandparents sitting in the middle of the room.

"Maa?" Zayn walked towards them.

"So um..sit down." Trisha said, looking at him who was waiting for her to say something.

The only place left to sit was the bean bag Ave bought a couple of days ago because she couldn't watch the movies comfortably, taking a seat on the bean bag, Zayn pulled Liam in his lap.

"What are you doing?" Liam hissed, trying to get off.

Stella who was making space between her and Ave quickly went back to sitting comfortably like before.

"A lot happened in the past week." Yaser started, clearing his throat.

"Liam." He said, making everyone's focus shift to the couple on the beanbag.

Louis who was the keenest observer bit back a smile seeing both of their wet hair. Ave although didn't hold back, a wide smirk was plastered on her face.

"We want to apologise to you first, for letting all that happen when we could've stopped it. You didn't deserve any of that, Aisha was.."

"It's okay, it wasn't your fault...you don't have to-"

"Yes it was, we knew what was happening but we decided to ignore it, we're sorry." He looked down.

"Come to the point, where is she now?" Zayn asked.

"She left." Mark answered, sitting straight, "We have filed a restraining order against her." He told them.

"Wh-what?" Stella stuttered, suddenly attentive.

"It was her choice. She admitted to the things she did..the things Zayn said, it was either lockup or a restraining order, she chose the latter." He said.

"She admitted herself?" Zayn asked with
raised brows.

"Your dad didn't leave her a choice." Mark replied.

Although Zayn felt his father's eyes on him, he kept looking at Mark, afraid he would tear up if he looked at him.

"And Ada?" He asked.

"She's... with Aisha" Jay replied.

"What happens when she comes back, apologising like every other time? What happens when she says she's ready to rectify her mistakes?" He asked.

"She's out of our lives. For good" Mark
answered in the end-of-discussion tone he mostly uses in Boardroom meetings.

Trisha, who stood up from her place walked towards Zayn, opening her arms, "Sorry?"

Getting up, he wrapped both his mother and his husband in his arms.

"I am sorry, I'm sorry for the way I talked to you." He replied.

"Let's go back home now, it doesn't feel like home without you kids" Jay said.

"Nahi yahan acha lag raha hai mujhe." Ave said.

(No I feel good here)

"Tu yahin reh jaa." She gave her the side eye.

(Then stay here!)

"None of you love me. Give all the love to Zayn bhai, Liam Jij, Louis bhai, Harry and Stella. Mera kya hai mujhe toh kachre k dabbe se uthaya tha na" She murmured sadly and got up from where she was sitting and went to her temporary room.