Holding You 'Til Our Time Is Done

I groaned in frustration as I leaned on the back of the cold wall. I was the only one left in the studio by now, everyone was going to get home to do other things. I was trying to perfect the song I still hadn't finished. I would leave in a few minutes anyways, it wouldn't kill to hang around a few more. The door opened further, since it was already ajar, and Isabella stepped through.

"You're still here? Don't you think it's a little late?" She asked.

"I was just.. working on this song." I flipped shut my notebook, not wanting her to see my work. It's private.

"Oh.. Well.. Did you drive here?" She questioned.

"Yeah -wait. No. Jack drove Zack and me here this morning. Shit. I'll just catch a taxi." I informed her, closing my notebook and holding it.

"Nonsense. I'll give you a ride. I have to pick Carolina up from Whitney's anyways. Come on." She beckoned me forward with her hand. This was an opportunity I couldn't afford to deny. If I was going to try and win her over, now would be the perfect time.

"Okay, thanks." She led me to her car. It was a black Mercedes, black leather interior on the inside. "Nice ride." I laughed, observing it.

"Gracia." She laughed with a fake Spanish accent. "I was able to get it after a few years of working here, plus Paul's fund." She said the last part lowly. Who the hell was Paul? Was she married?!

"If you don't mind me prying or anything, who's Paul?"

"I'll start from the beginning, it's terribly confusing it you don't know the whole thing. Well, I highly doubt you know, but I was born in Italy. I just don't say any of the words or the accent. I never really picked up on them, a lot of my friend were American. Anyways, my parents had me put into an arranged marriage with a strong, elite military family. My father was extremely fond of the idea, his only daughter marrying the richest family in our Italian town.

"When we married, Paul had a job opportunity here in California on a military base. So, We came here to Los Angeles. After the Twin Towers, I think they were called, were bombed, Paul was sent to Iraq. There, he died while in a bus that exploded. What was left of him was buried in Spain. Whitney came back with me from the funeral, then I found out I was pregnant with Carolina. The inheritance I received was definitely enough to get us by, hell, I still got more. They only reason I started working was to just get out of the house.

"Whitney opened a day care center, where I enrolled Carolina. Now, I work at Hopeless Records, like I have for the past six years."

"Oh.. Wow. I'm sorry, Isabella." I truthfully told her. That would really suck.

"Don't be. It's okay. I wasn't attached to him at all, we weren't in love. We cared about each other in a friendly way is all." She informed me. She turned onto a street, which had houses, apartments, gas stations, and I swear I just saw a fucking hooker.

"I'm going to run in really fast, you coming in? I'll drop you off after I get Carolina." I followed her in, not sure whether or not the person I saw was a gang banger or hooker. Neither made me squeal with joy. We walked to a medium sized house. Isabella didn't bother knocking, she opened the door and motioned for me to follow.

Carolina was sleeping on the couch, a blanket wrapped tightly around her. Whitney was flipping through a People magazine. She smiled once she saw us, and glanced at me suspiciously. Isabella explained she was taking me home, so then Whitney understood. I picked up Carolina, who wrapped her arms around my neck in a death-grip automatically. Isabella said bye to Whitney, who again, eyed me.

"Can you hold her for me as we drive?" Isabella asked as we walked back out to her car. "I don't feel like dealing with her seat belt, and it's almost ten thirty."

"Yeah, no problem." I buckled the seat beat around the two of us, holding onto her tightly as she slept. I gave her the directions to my apartment quietly. She drove silently, not wanting to wake her child. She pulled into the parking lot, and I shifted around to try to not wake Carolina, though I didn't succeed.

"Awex" She mumbled quietly, stirring.

"You're just.. dreaming Carolina, go to sleep sweetheart." She nodded her head against my chest, snuggling in.

"I'm sorry, she gets clingy when she's sleeping. Here - I'll take her." Isabella murmured, gathering her daughter swiftly in her arms.

"It's fine. I'll see you tomorrow." I laughed, "Thanks for the ride."

"No problem. Oh, and thanks for listening earlier. It might not have seemed like much, but it's nice to have someone listening." She smiled gently. I nodded my head, not knowing what to say. I got out of the car, going into the apartment complex.

One point me.