Most loving relationship

Once everything had been said and done, Maria ended her recap of the situation to Steve by saying, "But I managed to cheer her up quite a bit. So, it should be fine. She is on the phone with Noah as we speak to tell him to not worry about her. She wanted to let him know that she has accepted the situation and no longer feels as strongly as she did. In a few hours she'll have forgotten all about it. Maybe a fall-back during dinner but other than that she should be fine."

Steve let out a sigh of relief. He had considered her a friend and regardless of everything, Laila was the wife of his best friend and the best friend of the woman he considered to be his future wife. "I'm glad to hear that she is doing reasonably well, and I am sure that Noah is happy too that she has you by her side. I don't think she would have been able to bounce back so soon without you there." After that Steve turned a bit silent for a minute as he was thinking about a different but related matter.

His sudden silence of course did not go unnoticed and Maria soon asked for the reason. "What's wrong? Why did you suddenly become silent?" Steve eased her worry and said, "Oh, don't worry. It's nothing serious or anything. It's just that I am not sure if I should come and keep you two company at the mansion or if I should leave you two by yourself. I don't know if Laila will feel as comfortable to share her worries, should they return, if I am present. That is why I thought that maybe it would be best if I find myself a different place for dinner and leave you girlfriends to have an evening to yourselves, in order to work your through this mess Noah and I created."

After hearing what was bothering Steve, Maria understood why he had trouble finding the right answer. She wasn't all too sure about what to do either and admitted this to Steve. "I'm not sure what Laila would like right now and certainly not what she would be up for later today. So, how about I ask her and let you know once I have an answer."

Steve agreed that this was the best course of action right now and replied by saying, "That sounds great. I'll be waiting for your call." After that they said their goodbyes and the call was ended. Hearing this last sentence from Steve, before their call had ended, made Maria feel a bit warm on her cheeks and caused a smile to slowly start appearing on her face.

Although Maria had initially planned on messaging Steve whether he could come or not, after getting an answer from Laila, but it seemed like her consideration was unneeded. At first she didn't want to call because she wanted to be more considerate towards the fact that he was at work and might be busy. She had told herself that she was not his girlfriend or wife, which to her meant that the rules that applied for Laila, did not apply for her. Having started dating so recently, with it being so fresh, she was easily afraid of going too far too soon. Worried that her actions might make Steve feel that she was too clingy or crossing some boundaries, as these were things that had happened to her in previous relationships. But her idea of not wanting to bother him even more at work, by calling him for a second time, had been easily dismissed by him telling her to call with Laila's answer himself.

However her entire conversation with Steve had made it clear that he was not that kind of man. The start of their conversation had already made her feel happy that she had at least called him the first time. And now, hearing Steve phrase his words like that, made her even looked forward to do it again. Steve had a skill that no one before him seemed to have. He had reassured her that it was okay for her to call him, without her having to ask. Just like he had done with many things before, in that short time that she knew him. This quality of his, this gift, was one of the little things he did, that made her fall for him head first with no restraints and one of the things she appreciated most about him. She herself couldn't believe how fast things were going. But there was no longer any way to deny it. At least to herself.

In just a few days she went from wanting to run away to seeing herself marrying this guy. Though it would take some time and courage for her to be able to admit that to anyone else. Especially to Steve himself. Despite that, she doubted that it would take very long considering the rapid way that her feelings for Steve were growing. Plus, her being aware, her knowing those feelings she has herself, made it easier for Maria to be more forward with her actions and helped her feel more secure in what was starting to become her healthiest and most loving relationship.