"At first she was going to fight Liam on it. But they had a talk and she decided that she'd let him buy the dress and pay for the entire wedding like he wants to. Her mother is going to help get things for her reception so she'll still be able to use her money to help Mindy on her big day."

"Very nice."

"Compromise is a beautiful thing."

"And the dress?"

"Also beautiful. It was really cool getting to feel it. It's got lots of beads and diamonds on it. Lucky her that she gets to marry a man with a lot of money and who's willing to pay for such an expensive dress."

"Yes. True. Can't wait to see it when she walks down the aisle."

"And Liam too."

"Oh yeah, I'm sure."

He giggled into the receiver. "Zayn."

"Hm?"

"You said earlier when I first called that you wanted to tell your parents about us."

"Yeah."

"And I'm okay with that. That's why I agreed and moved on with the conversation. I want them to know about you and what's going on in your life. But at the same time what will you do if they're not okay with it?"

"What do you mean? I don't think they'd be against it."

"But what if they were. Would you still like me and want to date me?"

He smiled. "Yes. I would. At the end of the day, I am an adult. I can make my own decisions."

"But you work for your dad. He's your means of living."

"I know that. It still wouldn't matter. But as I said, I doubt it's an issue. Remember they met you and they liked you."

"Yeah. As your friend. Not as your boyfriend. They might not like me as that for you."

Zayn exhaled quietly. "What would help you to see that everything is alright?"

"Nothing. If you come back and you act funny around me, I'll know. But if things are the same, I'll know that too."

Zayn chuckled. "And don't be surprised when it's the latter."

"Okay."

He looked toward the house. "I'm going to have to hang up the phone. I'm outside my parents' house. Tell Mindy I said hello before she leaves."

"I will. And you tell your family I said hello too."

"I will."

"Thinking of you."

"And you, always."

"Bye."

Zayn hung up the phone, then looked toward his parents' house. He hadn't been sure of exactly why he was invited to come over for dinner tonight, but he did decide on the way over that it was an appropriate time to tell his family about his relationship with Harry. They'd become official and his friends now knew. So there was no reason for him to hide from his family how much he did care for Harry and really liked him. And he truly believed that they would find nothing wrong with him doing so either.

He got out of the car and made his way up to the house, thinking he would have time to think about what he wanted to say. But the door opened up to him before he could ring the doorbell. Safaa was there.

"Hey, Zayn!"

"Hey. Were you watching me?"

"Yep. I heard you pull up in the driveway. I thought you were coming up earlier."

"Oh."

She reached forward and then hugged him tightly. "I missed you."

"I missed you too."

But she backed away and looked at him with a slight frown. "Wait..."

"What?"

"You don't smell like smoke."

"Yeah."

"I thought you were sitting outside because you were smoking."

He smiled, then closed and locked the front door for her. "No. I was talking to Harry on the phone. I wanted to finish the conversation before I came in. By the way, he said hello."

"Oh. Well, cool."

"So, I heard you finished your Finals and went to your last class this week."

She was beaming with excitement. "Yep. Sure did. I am officially a senior. Gosh, I don't know what I'm going to do or what kind of job I'm going to apply for when I graduate. So nervous I won't be hired in the field I'm studying for."

He smiled at her, then softly pinched her chin between his thumb and index finger. "You still have a whole other year left. Don't worry. When that time comes around, I don't know any company hiring in your field who won't be breaking down the front door to hire you."

She returned that smile. "Thanks, Zayn."

"Zayn? I didn't hear you ring or knock. When did you get here?"

Zayn walked over to his mother, who had just come around the corner, and hugged her. "Just a few seconds ago. Safaa was watching me from the window and let me in."

"Oh."

"Something smells delicious. What is it?"

"Something you have never had before."

"What?"

"Osso Buco."

"What?"

"Same thing I said." Safaa laughed out.

"I had it once when a coworker invited me over for dinner some years back when you were still in single digits. It was so delicious that I asked her for the recipe. Then yesterday when I was out shopping, I happened to see veal shanks in the meat section, so I bought it and decided to try her recipe out."

"Hmm."

"Don't worry, love. You'll love it. Go on in and get comfortable. Your father is in the backyard, if you wish to see him now."

"Uh... not yet."

"Okay."

She smiled and went off to the kitchen again.

"So, Zayn. What have you been doing lately?" Safaa asked as they walked to the living room together.

"Nothing much. But my friend group has gotten larger."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I know a girl name Maitea Juarez and she says she knows you. Do you know her?"

Safaa seemed surprised. "Yes. I know her. I met her in passing on the campus. But I don't know her that well. How do you know her?"

"I met her at a bar on her birthday and we went for ice cream together."

"Oh, isn't that nice?"

"But not like that." He told her. "Only as friends. And then I met her friends and suddenly my friend group is expanding pretty quickly."

"And Louis?"

He scoffed. "Still weird. You know he went and got himself a hamster, right?"

"No, I didn't. But that's cute."

"Yeah. He named him Peanut. Sometimes I wonder about him though. I think he goes between periods of loneliness and only wanting to be alone. The other day I realized I need to set aside time to hang out with him and really get to know him deeper. We've started since I came back but we missed a few years so it's going to take more than a few times. Things have changed and we don't enjoy the same activities anymore. So I have to find a common ground all over again."

"Talking is a common ground." She shrugged. "Everybody loves to talk and sometimes sitting and talking is all you need in order to really get a good friendship going again."

He thought for a moment. "Yeah. I guess that's true. And I do want to have another chat. But if I don't want to get bored, I'll need something else to do while we talk, you know."

"You and whom? Me, I hope."

Zayn faced the entrance of the living room where his father was standing. He came over to him. "Actually, no. I was talking about Louis."

"Oh. Your friend. How is he, by the way?"

"He's good."

"And you?"

Zayn reached out and hugged him. "I'm doing well."

His father pat his back. "Good, good. Well, dinner is ready. We can all make our way to the dinner table."

Yaser turned to lead the way but something about the way he was looking at Zayn made him uncomfortable. It was obvious that he was reading him and he hated it. He would prefer it more if Yaser didn't read him in a way that made it so obvious that was what he was doing.

But it didn't matter because not to his surprise, it was much the same way over dinner. Especially when everyone was almost finished eating.

"So Zayn. I noticed you have been quiet through dinner. Is something on your mind?"

He cleared his throat. "Um... well. I may have spoken the least but I don't really think I've been quiet."

"But you hardly touched your Osso Buco."

Zayn wouldn't refer to a half eaten full plate as "hardly touched" but leave it to his father to find something wrong with being too full to finish.

"I'm just trying not to overeat. That's all. I'm full."

"Well, that's okay. I'll put the rest in tupperware for you to take home, then." Patricia said.

"Thank you."

Yaser slowly wiped his mouth. Zayn could see the imaginary gears churning in his brain as he got ready to probe him with questions.

"You know, we were all happy when you moved back home with us." He said. "And we were sad to see you go out on your own again too. Moving out on your own. Trying your best to be responsible. That's a big step you took. Right, honey?"

His wife nodded but she was dreading where he was going with this.

"But as adults ourselves, we understand and we've been there. We know that even just waking up alone can really take a toll. But to add that house and the car you have to maintain as well... So much pressure on your young mind."

"It's actually no pressure at all, dad."

"It's so easy to get distracted and forget that... you have people around you who have been through it, whatever it may be. Even if I didn't name it just then."

Zayn sat back in his chair. "I promise you nothing is wrong. You've got it all backwards. Things haven't been good for me in the past. True. But in a turn of events, life has been very good to me. Especially as of late."

His father frowned. "You haven't found another job and are quitting the family business already, are you?"

Truthfully, that thought had crossed his mind many times, but not yet. "No. It has nothing to do with you three or the shop. It's mostly just me."

"You?"

He nodded, then clasped his hands together and took a deep breath. "When you invited me over, I knew you were gonna do this. But I came anyway because I love you all and there's something I wanted to tell you."

"Does it have something to do with your strange behavior at work lately?"

"Yes. It does." He looked around the table at all of their faces and he could tell they were scared. "But it isn't bad. It's the exact opposite of that."

"Okay. What is it?" Safaa asked with impatience evident in her voice.

"It's two things. I don't know if you guys have noticed but I did not go out for a smoke while I was here and I didn't smoke before I came in earlier either."

They looked around the table at each other. Safaa had noticed he didn't smoke before he came in but they'd been at the table for an hour now and he hadn't excused himself once. That wasn't normal.

"We've noticed."

"Well, there's good reason for that. I finally quit. I've only been cigarette free for like a month now. So I still have a little longer to go in the process. But I'm getting there. And I almost never crave a cigarette anymore."

Patricia put a hand over her heart then quickly got up from the seat so she could come over and hug Zayn and kiss him on the cheek. "That's amazing. I am so proud of you, sweetie. I knew you could do it."

Safaa rubbed his arm. "Me too, Zayn. You not having to go outside means more time to spend with me now."

He smiled and looked toward his father but as expected, he didn't speak directly of it. "Must be very difficult for you lately, then."

"But it's nothing I can't handle. I know I've seemed a little disengaged lately but that's only due to the withdrawal symptoms. I had no idea that I was so addicted. At first, I thought I was smoking cigarettes because I chose to but I soon realized I was smoking them because my brain needed them to function. But I don't like that feeling. Being enslaved to nicotine. The reality of it is awful."

"It is." His mother added.

"So that's only one of two things, son. You said you had two things to tell us. Is it also good news?"

He was slow about getting the thought out. "It is for me. But I don't know how you'll take it."

His mother waved her hand. "Darling you've told us so many things over the past few years, I hardly think you can surprise us any more."

"Are you sure about that?"

"If you're worried, just tell us and we'll be the judge of that. But we'll never know if you keep sitting there guessing what our reactions will be."

He nodded. "Alright. I'll just say it then. I'm seeing someone now."

Safaa gasped. "I knew it! You are dating Maitea!"

"Who?"

"No. Calm down Safaa, I'm not dating her. I told you we're just friends."

"Who's Maitea?"

"Just a friend. Honest."

"Well then if she's not it, who's this mystery person you're dating? Give us a name."

He came right out and said it this time. "Harry."

"Harry?" Patricia had to step back and get a good look at him to make sure he wasn't joking. "You mean as in the blind boy who lives next door to you? The one we met?"

"Yes."

"Oh dear. And when you say you're seeing him. You mean... sexually. Right?"

Could any question make him any more uncomfortable at the moment? No but he answered it anyway. "Yes. That's exactly what I mean."

Almost as soon as the last word left his mouth. His father got up and he left the table without a word."

"Yaser, now don't you walk away like that." Patricia said and she was going to go after him until Zayn stopped her.

"No. I've got it. I think this is something we both need to talk about."

He walked through the house until he came to the open back door. He went out of it without closing it behind him. "Dad, you didn't have to walk away like that. If you want to say you don't like it, then just say it in front of them. It won't matter anyway."

Zayn was preparing himself to be yelled at but what came next was the most shocking event of the night.

"Son." His voice was trembling.

"Sir?"

"I'm sorry."

An apology? That was the last thing he expected to come from his father. "Why are you sorry?"

"Because this is all my fault. I've pushed you too hard."

"What? I don't understand."

A tear fell from his eye. It was the first time Zayn saw him cry in years. "I don't know what it is but I love my children to a fault sometimes. I won't ever say I love you too much but I know that it affects the way I treat you. I know I'm hard on you. But I'm only like this because I want to see you do good and not get hurt. But for those three years you were away, I let you down."

"No you didn't."

"But I did. I couldn't prevent the heartbreak and disappointment you went through. And so ever since you returned home, I've been trying to make up for it. But I've been too harsh. And I know that's the reason you've gotten involved with your next door neighbor now."

"What? No. That's not true."

"Yes it is."

"What makes it true?"

"Your own words. Don't you remember?"

Zayn was scared now. Was he missing something? Why didn't he remember that? "No. I don't. What are you talking about?"

"It was when we were working in the mechanic shop one day. We were talking about girlfriends and wives and... you told me that if you were into your own sex, then you knew I wouldn't ever talk to you about permanency again. But I don't want you to go and change who you are or what you like because of me. It's not fair."

Zayn was able to relax now. It turned out that he did remember that conversation. And now it made sense as to why Yaser had stopped and looked at him like that that day. He feared he'd make that choice just to get him off his back.

"Actually..." He said with a slight smile. "The only reason that even came out of my mouth is because I was already finding myself attracted to Harry. I just hadn't come to terms with it enough to admit it."

"Is that the truth?"

"Of course it's the truth."

"Then why is it so hard for you to talk to me? I want you to come to me as a son who cherishes advice from his father but I often feel like that's something you're not comfortable with doing anymore."

"Because I'm not." He responded honestly.

"Why? Because I get onto you sometimes?"

"No. It's not that at all."

"Then what is it?"

He sighed. "I know that you love me. You say it and you show it by always wanting to be there for me so I don't make a mistake. But you're supposed to do that because you're my father. But just because you love me, it doesn't mean that you have to be proud of me too. And you never tell me that you're proud of me, so I don't ever know if you are and I just assume that it means you're not."

His father sniffled. "Of course I am. I'm very proud of you, Zayn."

"But how? You always tell me and Safaa how important it is to finish things. But I haven't finished a single thing in my life. I've always quit."

"Except it's not just about that. Yes. I know I've always said that. But I only say that as motivation. I never meant to hinder you or make you feel that I can't be proud of you if you don't finish something." He reached out and put a hand on Zayn's shoulder. "Sometimes it's impossible to finish certain things because it just isn't meant to be. Sometimes finishing it hurts you more than it helps you. I may be a preacher of finishing things but I am also an advocate for doing what's best for yourself. And if you find that you don't like where something is taking you in life, then it's just as good to start all over again and rewrite your own future so that you can be happy. Just like you started to do when you got your own place. And that's good enough for me."

Zayn tucked his hands in his pockets "So... you are proud of me, then?"

"I'm very proud of you. And I always have been."

"And Harry?"

"What about him?"

"How do you feel about our relationship?"

He scoffed but not in annoyance. "I feel no particular way. As long as you're going about it for the right reasons, I have no quarrel about it. And who am I kidding? I know he's the reason you even decided to quit smoking for good anyway."

Zayn gasped. "What? How do you know that?"

"Well for one, he's the only new thing that's entered your life. And secondly. I am your father. It's my job to discern these things whenever you open up to me."

A slow smile crept on Zayn's face and he looked back to see Safaa and his mother standing in the door and listening in. He didn't mind that they heard their conversation. He was glad they finally knew how he'd been feeling. Because truthfully this was something he had been wanting to share with them for a very long time now.

* * *

"Um, yes?"

"It's me, Ace."

"Zayn? It's late."

"I know. I brought something. Open up."

Harry unlocked and opened the door and Zayn stopped in his tracks. He saw that Harry was in his underwear. "You were getting ready for bed, weren't you?"

"Yep. Just blew out the candle I was burning earlier."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

Harry could hear a plastic bag rattling. "What's that you've got?"

"Dessert."

"Oh really? Well, come in then."

He laughed quietly and then carried the bag to the kitchen. When Harry locked the door, he came in and stood next to him.

"What kind of dessert?"

Zayn took out a tupperware container. "Two slices of cherry pie. My mother has been wanting to give you cherry pie ever since I told her about you. She made one for dessert and asked me to take a slice to you tonight. I was going to stay and eat my slice with them but I decided I wanted to eat with you instead."

"Ooh. How romantic."