Evanescent

46 | F A I R

Noah looked up when the door swung opened and Rosa came jogging in all flustered and pretty. Her soft brown waves were braided in two and tied off with soft velvet ribbons that her mother Daisy had worn as a young girl.

"Good morning," she said softly to both him and the woman sitting there.

Rosa moved up behind his desk and whispered a soft "hi daddy" in his ear before kissing his cheek and placing a folder and some envelopes down on the desk.

He smiled and gave her hand a grateful squeeze. "Have you decided what you'd like to do tonight?"

"I have, yes. I'd like to go to the fair, if that's okay. It's tonight. And there will be plenty of food and different things to play. I've never been and everyone talks so highly of it."

Noah was a bit hesitant to say yes to Rosa knowing that it would be a very crowded event full of noise and people he most likely wouldn't be comfortable around. But he was intent on giving her the childhood she had been missing out on. And besides, there had been more than a few times where Rosa had gone out if her comfort zone just for him.

"Alright, darling. Go make yourself busy until this afternoon. I'll call you.." he said softly and she nodded before running back towards the door. She stopped just before exiting and spun around abruptly on her heels. "Have a good morning," she said and then shut the door behind her.

"She's quite rude now, isn't she?" The woman spoke and Noah shook his head.

"Not everyone was brought up in the same way as you, Miss May. I'm sorry if that dissapoints you.." he said as he leaned back a little in his seat and he ruffled through the envelopes. "She's wonderful, actually. And she deserves more than constant critism from those that misunderstand her."

"Is that so?" Miss May asked with a raised brow as she sat a bit closer to the table and she began leafing through a few of the pages in front of her. Red markings filled up the majority of the space, pointing out every little mistake and flaw she had seen personally.

"Yes.. it is."

"I have not misunderstood her. I've simply observed that a young girl has just burst into your office without knocking, cut in between conversation of a possible client and she's totally unproffessional. I am sorry if you're so blinded to only see perfection from that young and shiny girl. But when she is no longer new to you, her actions will no longer be cute. Only abrupt, disrespectful and distracting."

Noah was surprised to find that her comment sent a wave of anger through him, like oxygen flared up hot embers and built a fire. Usually, he was able to keep a patient attitude with difficult clients, he prided himself in that area.

But the fact that Rosa had hardly been given a proper chance in life left a bitter taste on his tongue. She'd made her own way through the world, of course she did and he was extremely proud of her for every moment that she fought to support herself and her family. But she just couldn't catch a break.