Dried and Dying Roses (BWWM)

Twenty Six: The Unraveling

He was sitting in the director's office-well, his office- with a pen dangling from his lips, listening to the near silent whir of the heating system kicking in as the empty daycare started to drop in temperature that night. Adrian sat for a few minutes, momentarily neglecting the newest children's information he was scanning into his computer to stare at the framed picture his beloved had taken of the two of them some months ago. Next to it was a picture of him with his baby girl Ren, his sweet, sweet Ren.

Her name was Adrianna Katherine Lew, known to be called Ren by only her Daddy.

His baby girl Ren was his life. Her green eyes, she would look up at him, shining emerald eyes full of love, and her curly chestnut hair wild as she pulled him in to whisper into his ear that he was the best Daddy ever, and how she loved him more than anyone else. Hearing her say that made Adrian know that he actually had a reason for living, he wasn't just some immortal mass, walking around with no purpose.

His purpose was to be a father, and he truly believed that with every fibre of his being, he knew it the first time he held his beautiful, sweet baby girl

Ren had the face of an angel, she was a cherub in the flesh, pale skin, corpulent face and all with that perfect smile, and he knew from the moment that she was born that that little girl was going to grow up and be something more than amazing.

He had been the best father he could have ever been until he lost her.

Dragging his hand down his face, Adrian Lew let out a large sigh, a sigh filled with stress, and pain, and confusion, and just plain lethargy, but not from work, he could work there all day and never become tired of his job. It was Isa making him tired; he could tell that she was starting to see through his act, she knew there was still something he was hiding from her, no matter how hard he tried to keep what had happened hidden, distract her, she always saw through it, and though she no longer spoke of it, Adrian could tell when those inquisitive hazel eyes stared at him that she knew he was still hiding things.

And he was hiding a lot.

With a rough shake of his head, Adrian pulled the papers from DHS that he was going to give a struggling mother to help pay for her seven week old daughter's tuition so she could continue going to Annaleigh's Love, Adrian's daycare- his pride and joy. Throwing the forms out, Adrian made a note to head to the bank, pull out some money to pay the child's tuition for the rest of her stay, which would hopefully be all the way up to his preschool class.

His parents-his daycare parents-were loyal, and they loved his facility, they loved him, though at first, when their children were enrolled, Adrian could tell how shocked they were that such a serious man was the owner and director of a daycare of all things, but then they saw how he was with the children. They saw how devoted he was.

Uncle Adrian, his babies called him, and they would look up at him with that same love and wonder his baby girl would look up at him with, and tell him he was their best friend. His heart would soar any time on of his daycare babies told him how much they loved him, even if they told more people than just him, that childlike love did something to him, kept him going. Much like his love for the sweet Isaline did now, too.

Emmanuel, a bright little boy of the age of four had asked him one day if he had a girlfriend, sable eyes waiting expectantly for an answer, but at the same time, silently telling him he already knew the answer.

Shocked by the arbitrary inquisition made by the curious child, Adrian told him no.

Manny's chocolate eyes were unbelieving as he just knew his Uncle Adrian was lying, "Liar. I saw her on your desk when I had time out in your big room," Manny told him, leaning in conspicuously, "She's pretty," He whispered, his warm breath tickling Adrian's ear and bringing a smile to the large man's face, "But don't let her kiss you in the mouth, you'll get cooties, and die."