Dried and Dying Roses (BWWM)

Thirty Three: Itis

"Adrian, if you take me here, let me see what you've built, you can't close me out later on. Don't let me inside that building if you're going to do that."

"I'm not," Adrian Lew insisted for the third time. Isa could tell it was taking everything in him to keep his voice low and calm, "I chose to take you here, I'm not going to pussy out or shut down on you, I swear."

Unbelieving, Isaline couldn't help the dry scoff that left her lips. He didn't believe a word that fell from his lips-of course she didn't. Every time he opened up to her in the slightest, every time he nudged that door to his life open a little more for her to see, he shoved her right back out as if she were the intruder, and not a woman he had changed, his woman. It was only right for her not to tryst that promise.

The rest of the ride was filled with silence.

Isa could tell that Hadrian was holding something back, but couldn't seem to find the energy that would be required to attempt to decipher what was going on in that man's head, so, without a word, she waited out the ride, waited for his attitude to do the complete one-eighty that she knew it would.

The name of his daycare was Annaleigh's Love. It was a large, brick building with a grey awning over the entrance to shield the parents and children from the weather.

Hand in hand, the couple entered the building quickly to escape the torrential rain. There was a large, orange welcome mat just inside the entrance that they wiped their feet on.

Taken by the beautiful colors, Isa looked around the large reception area. Brown and yellow with hints of grey was the color scheme. The lobby was large and spacious with minimal furniture, save for a bench in the right corner and a small table to the left of the entrance that seemed to have a monthly newsletter on it, along with crisp, white envelopes with last names on them in the neat cursive that she recognized as Adrian's handwriting. There was a front desk that an older, heavyset chocolate skinned woman was working behind, grinning at the two, "Mr. Lew, is this her?"

Frowning, Isa looked up at Adrian who smiled back at the woman, "Yes, this is her. Isa, this is Ms. Nancy. Nancy, this is my girlfriend, Isa."

Isa smiled at the pretty woman with the shining brown eyes, "It's a pleasure, Ms. Nancy."

"The pleasure is all mine, pretty girl, "The woman cooed as if Isa were a baby, "You treat Mr. Lew right, okay? He's a sweet, sweet man that one. A blessing to so many lives."

Isa couldn't help the incredulous laugh that fell from her lips as she looked skeptical up at Adrian, "Don't worry, I won't," She murmured, waving at the woman as Adrian tugged her past the lobby to the beginning of a doorway where a large hallway split into two young ones.

"This is my office," He murmured, pulling out a key and nudging the door open after it was locked.

The office was beyond spotless, which didn't surprise Isa, It was dark, cream walls with a large mahogany desk stationed strategically between the two large windows that took up the back half of the room.

There was a few photo frames on his desk, facing were he would be sitting, along with two chairs placed in front of his desk for the parents to sit in when they came into Adrian's office.

"This is really, really nice, babe." Isa murmured, walking the perimeter of the room, taking in the cleanliness.

On the cream colored walls, there were framed photos of each of the classes in Annaleigh's Love. The children were all so cute, Isa couldn't wait to meet some of them. By the time Isa made it to Adrian's desk, instead of the two pictures she had seen originally, there was now only one, making her frown in confusion before shaking her head, and picking up the single picture on the desk.