Love Affair

Thirty*

The drive to Niall's office has always been my favourite journey, the part of my day I look forward to most when we're apart. I dropped Poppy off at school this morning, an activity extremely bittersweet for me considering she still goes to my old classroom yet I'm no longer her teacher.

Her new teacher is a lovely woman but she gets a little teary that I'm no longer around in the class but I give kisses and promise to be back so soon to get her even though today is going to be our last day together for the time being. She doesn't know that yet, it's too much for her little mind to understand.

I picked some food up on the way, going to our favourite smoothie shop and getting my favourite boys healthy drinks along with some sandwiches from the place next door. It's an early morning walk to the office building, the sun's only just fully risen and there's still the early morning chill breezing around my body.

Approaching Derek and Dave, they smile like usual, breaking their normal stoic expressions for their boss's wife. "Morning boys!" I grin, handing them coffees I bought for them knowing they don't often leave their positions by the entrance.

"Thank you, Mrs Horan."

I twinkle my fingers as Dave holds the door open and my heels click against the marbled floor, people busy at work around me. It'll forever be surreal that this many people want to work for my husband, that he's so powerful in the industry and knowing so many people look up to him. He's always just been my cute little Niall.

The receptionists grin, I offer them drinks I also bought, ensuring they've eaten this morning which they claim to have. I like to treat them with breakfast pastries sometimes because I appreciate their kindness and determination to work, they're all such lovely people.

People greet me left right and centre, bidding me a good morning or asking how my day has been, smiling in such a bright atmosphere as I approach the elevators. My needy boys await at the top of the elevator ride, shooting up the floors and watching the number rise higher and higher has always made me slightly nervous.

With smoothies and an early lunch in my brown paper bag and a bright smile painted on my face to cover my sadness, the doors slid open, revealing just Harry huddled around his desk and a brown box perched on the top.

"Mrs Horan's here!" Harry cheers, doing a good job at hiding the upset in his voice with the happiness in his expression.

He's in the middle of putting a clock into the box, packing his entire desk into it. I head over the short distance, we never really hang out in this part because Niall's office is the private area but it's only ever these two up here unless someone else is authorised.

His arm goes around my waist to pull me in, pressing a chaste kiss on my temple while I drop the bag onto his desk that's beginning to look too bare for my liking. "Do you remember the first time we met here?"