Minefield of Mirrors

-24-

After aligning some last stuff with the financial team, Iris put her laptop in her bag and called it a day. She would run over some last numbers in her hotel room tonight. She knew it was time to give her mom a call to make her a bit less worried. During the day she received multiple texts from her, just to ask how she was doing and what she was thinking of her tasks so far. After living a couple of years abroad, Iris knew that when her mom would send texts like this, she had to give her a call. Otherwise, she would try calling every two hours until she finally picked up.

'Well, I have to call the home front tonight, so I'll already take off towards the hotel. Have a good evening everyone.' Iris said as she put her bag around her shoulder.

Every member of her team wished her a good night as well and she walked through the hallways of the upper floor of the motor home. Just when she wanted to walk down the stairs, she noticed that the door of Max's driver's room was just slightly open. Iris stood still and saw how Max was walking back and forth in the room with some papers in his hands. He turned them around and around after a quick scan until he threw them on top of his desk and stood still while squeezing his nose bridge.

Oh, this P2 was bothering him. It was way too obvious. Not even one single inch in Iris was protesting as she moved her way up to his driver's room and she knocked with the knuckle of her index finger against the wooden door. He quickly looked up and locked eyes with Iris, even though there was only a small strip visible.

Iris pushed against the door and leaned against the framework of the door while crossing her arms. 'Do you have a quick moment?'

'Oh, please, get over with it. I've still got a shitload of work tonight.'

His voice sounded tired. Nothing at all what Iris had expected after how confident he had been all day long. She could tell something was bothering him. It wasn't just the P2. There was something more going on.

'Are you okay?' She asked.

He turned towards his desk and searched through another pile of paperwork on his desk. 'Cut the bullshit. What do you want?'

The fact that he didn't even look at her, bothered Iris. 'Something is off, isn't there?'

It remained silent as his fingers went through different pieces of paper, probably searching for a specific one. Iris wondered what could possibly be on all those papers. Why would he still have it all printed out by the way? It would be way more sustainable if he just got it all on a tablet or laptop.

Her eyes went back to his body and she could see how every muscle in his back was all tensed up. She silently cursed the thin white t-shirt he was wearing. Why was everything so well see-through? Some certain muscles in his shoulders kept on tensing and relaxing within split seconds as he flipped another paper around on his desk. His movements only got quicker as he couldn't find the right data he was looking for. His breathing got heavier and Iris knew that if she wouldn't stop him, he would throw everything through his driver's room.

'Whoah!' She moved quickly through the room and put her hands on top of the pile to stop his movements. 'Stay calm. The papers will tear apart if you keep wildly turning them around like this.'

The driver shifted his head a bit sideways towards Iris. It was only then that she realised what kind of position she had worked herself into. Their arms were practically woven into each other. If only one of them would try to move, they would surely touch each other. Well, if she had to be honest, their sides were already almost touching.

'Just take a deep breath in and a deep breath out.' Iris immediately set an example by doing what she just said.

Although Max's eyes were dark and almost shooting fire, he did what she told him.