Maybe, Almost, Always

Maybe - 6

Basti was putting the final coloring touches to the photos that had to be sent out for print tomorrow. When he finally looked away from his laptop screen, the hotel room was lit from the lamps around the room. He looked around, wondering how long it's been dark outside.

Iris was staring at her notebook and laptop screen, adjusting the seating charts to the specifics of who the groom's mother wanted near her during the reception. With the wedding next week, Iris was starting to think there was no such thing as "bridezilla," but "Madre-zilla."

Mr. Kalakos' mother looked like a sweet woman, but Iris was immediately put off by that woman's ability to hate everyone. After Basti encountered her at the wedding photoshoot, he understood why Iris was so pissed off every night. She wanted to sit as far away from her ex-husband, but the son wanted him close. She didn't want her sisters at a table close to the center, but not too far back. And she wanted her friends at the table with her, disregarding that the bride had arranged to seat her with the parents of the bride.

"Iris..." Basti said in a tone wary of her mood.

She nodded at him, acknowledging that she heard him.

"I'm gonna get us food, okay?"

Iris looked up at him with wide eyes, questioning if he was going to get her what she was craving.

He chuckled at the look of innocence on her face. "Don't worry. I'll bring you back your coffee."

She tilted her head and flashed a big smile at Basti. "Thank you, Pangit!"

Basti left the room and headed for the cafe downstairs. Ever since their cliff jumping escapade, Iris had really opened up to him and Basti was falling even more in love with her. He couldn't help but smile at the memory of her face when he brought her to his old house that he stayed at with his mom. She looked like she wanted to comfort him as he reminisced the bittersweet memories. Just when he thought she wasn't going to do anything, she wraps her arms around him and taps his back in a soothing motion.

Back in the room, Iris took a break to lessen the strain in her eyes. She looked at Basti's camera and turned it on to see the camera roll from yesterday's shoot. As she clicked through, a picture of her and Basti popped up and she laughed. The more they went through the day, the professional landscape shots quickly turned into selfies of them on the coast or at the restaurant. Iris thought back on the local that came up to them during dinner to tell Basti that his wife was very pretty. Neither dismissed the guy's statement, but it was definitely something that allowed for an awkward moment to enter.

She clicked through and giggled at their silly faces or their candid pictures and came across another picture. It was just of Basti looking at her while she laughed. The local told them to take a picture with the background because it was such a perfect moment to capture. Iris was laughing at the awkwardness of going along with the "married" act, but she thought Basti was laughing too -- apparently not.

Iris hadn't heard Basti come back into the room and he was looking over her shoulder at the pictures with her. When she stopped at that picture that showed them how much he was falling for her, he decided to clear his throat.

Holding the coffee in front of her, but still positioned behind her, "One medium cappuccino with a shot of hazelnut for Sungit."

She turned around and looked up into Basti's eyes. He smiled at her in a way that made her questioning brain turn to mush. She almost didn't need to ask him because it was like his eyes were answering her silent questions for him.

Looking down at the cup in front of her, she took a hold of it. "Thank you, Basti."

Iris cleared her throat and moved back to her side of the room where all her things were set up. Basti glanced over at her, but stayed put at his workstation to let her have her space.