Vulnerable (Zayn Malik AU)

Chapter 49

"Can you believe that?!" I squeeled as we pulled out of the parking lot. "Not pregnant! I don't mean to be so excited over this, as if it would be so bad having a baby, but I just feel just a weight off of my shoulders, you know?"

"You're not the least bit worried about what the doctor said?"

"Zayn, do not bring me down right now." I moved to turn up the stereo, wanting to shout any awful Christmas song the radio had to offer.

"Babe, I'm not trying to, I just think-"

"IT'S THE BEST TIME OF THE YEAR! I DON'T KNOW, IF THERE'LL BE SNOW-"

"Daisy, please." He reached for the stereo, and I slapped his hand away.

"OH, HO THE MISTLETOE, IS HUNG WHERE YOU CAN SEE."

"You're so annoying!" He shouted over the song, but I could see him smiliing from the corner of my eye.

"AND IN CASE YOU DIDN'T HEAR," I pointed to him, poking his shoulder and causing him to join in on the last line: "OH BY GOLLY, HAVE A HOLLY JOLLY CHRISTMAS, THIS YEAR!"

"Hey! He knows some jingles!" I laughed, but quickly stopped when he turned off the radio. "Pardon me, I was jamming."

"Can we just talk about this for a moment?"

"What do you want to talk about that's more important than Bublé singing Christmas music?"

"I can name a thousand things."

"Oh, well I highly doubt that." I looked out the window as we made our way back through town to the hair salon.

"Anyways, do you think it's a big deal?"

I decided to throw him a bone, "I don't have a clue, but I really don't think we should stress. We've stressed enough the last...what? Month? I think you and I could use some chill time. I mean, it's the holidays for goodness sake."

"I suppose you're right." He scratched his chin, as if that awful beard he had grown was still there. "We're going to have a good Christmas, babe. I promise."

"I'm sure." And I was. As far as I was concerned, in order to enjoy the holidays, all you needed was to be around the people you loved, and the people that loved you. I was certain that was what was in store for me. We had a beautiful tree sitting in the corner of the living room that the three of us spent hours decorating before having cookies and watching cheesy Christmas movies for the rest of the night. The holidays were already better than the ones I'd had in recent years.

"Hello, did you make an appointment?" The woman behind the counter greeted us as we entered the hair salon.

"Under Daisy Toomey." I nodded.

"We've got you right here, Ms. Toomey. Go ahead and take a seat, Paula should be right with you." And she was. Zayn and I didn't even have the chance to get comfortable when an older woman with silver hair came around the corner. 

"Follow me, Darlin'." She lead me around the corner, seating me in the back of the salon. My heart was pounding faster than it probably should for a hair cut, but it had taken years to get my hair as long as it was. "What are we going for today?"

"Just chop it off." I looked at the womans reflection in the mirror.

"What?! No. She doesn't mean all of it." Zayn practically dove into view as if Paula already had the scissors to my hair. "Just do like, shoulder length."

"Is that alright with you?" She looked at me in the mirror, and I looked at Zayn. I could practically see the sweat roll down his forehead.

"Shoulder length is fine." I nodded and looked back at Zayn, "go sit down."