Time was a funny thing. It chronicles the best and worst times of your life, even the things you'd much rather forget. Then there are the things you tell yourself you want to forget, but your heart nudges you to remember. It wasn't that Iris wanted to forget Barry Allen per-se, she just wanted to forget the way she once felt about him. She was a strong 80% sure she was over him. Right? She was just a little discombobulated. It was the longest time ago, and things like this are bound to happen when things are left unresolved. Said unresolved things pop back into your life, and they discombobulate you.
Here she was, in the middle of her engagement dinner in a beautiful venue surrounded by family making her rounds with her perfect fiancé, his perfect family, and his perfect friends who weren't perfect at all, but at first glance anyone would think so. If you looked any closer you'd see Mrs. Thawne working on her 10th glass of champagne watching bitterly as Mr. Thawne gave slight, but telling touches to her sister, Veronica. Eddie's best friend, Ben, returning from the restroom with traces of white residue on the sleeve of his suit jacket she knew wasn't there before. Iris was sure the Thawnes had so many skeletons in the closet she could write a tell-all after a family reunion or two. To the untrained eye, they were people to be fawned over and admired. Luckily, it was Iris's job to see through bullshit, but they were the textbook definition of picture perfect. Dripping wealth, well-dressed, and donning the most beautifully expensive accessories.
Picture perfect indeed.' Iris thought rolling her eyes.
He'd slid into the venue so quietly Iris didn't notice, not until she heard the cheerful exclaims from her family and friends which caused her to look their way. And there he was, still lean and tall, dressed in a well-tailored charcoal grey suit and silk purple tie hugging her father tightly. She was impressed his choice in attire had improved after 7 years. It was when he pivoted, his eyes finding hers, flashing a soft, hesitant smile that Iris realized just how unprepared she was to see him.
Anxiety twisted in her stomach. Yes, she'd invited him, but since he didn't bother to RSVP she figured he wouldn't come. She had known it would be a longshot. She begrudgingly sent an invitation through Wally basically saying 'Hey, I know we haven't talked much in the 7 years after we broke up, but here's an invitation to my engagement dinner!' Had she known he would show, she would've taken time to coach herself not to react to him in ways she shouldn't be after all this time. Something tells her the coaching wouldn't have done any good anyway. Know thyself, and all that.
Mere eye contact with him made memories slam into her at hyper-speed, dominating her senses so much that she'd forgotten her wits making her stand frozen and doe-eyed as he approached her. She allowed herself to look him over, her eyes admiring just how well his suit fit his lean frame. He walked with his back straight, shoulders set rather than slumped. Time had granted him confidence. His hair was styled neatly, a little shorter than she remembered. Still, it looked good on him.
Linda elbowed her slightly giving her a look. "Get your shit together." She whispered from the corner of her mouth.
Iris snapped out of it and gathered her composure enough to glare at her and thanked god Eddie had left her side, and was distracted with talking company shares with his Uncle William in the back corner to see her gaping. It wasn't long before Barry stood towering over her small frame, his long fingers finding her shoulders.
"Iris," Barry smiled holding her at arm's length as if to get a good look and shook his head with wide eyes. "Wow…You look beautiful!"
"Barry!" She threw her arms around his neck, squeezing him tight. "Thank you! You look so handsome all dressed up!" She teased.
His brilliant smile grew hesitant, a hint of that confidence wavering. "I hope you don't mind that I came without calling you to RSVP? Things just got so busy the last couple of weeks at the hospital and settling back in, and it sort of slipped my mind. I told Wally to tell you, but he's just as bad as me and I…"
"Barry!" Iris interrupted. "It's okay. I'm glad you came." She said softly. "It's so good to see you."
"It's good to see you too, Iris. Really."
A slow smile spread across his face and she felt a stirring in her abdomen. It really was good to see him like this. It was familiar and warmed her insides giving her a feeling she hadn't felt in so long. A fullness she was missing even when the best people she knew surrounded her. She missed him so much. This had been her best friend. She thought back to the last real conversation between them which was more of yelling at each other at the top of their lungs. She remembered so many tears, leaving him unsettled and empty. Call Iris sentimental, but there wasn't a day that she didn't think about the way things ended up. She couldn't help but feel as if she had a lot to apologize for. Iris felt the overwhelming urge to pull him aside to talk, but knew it was neither the time nor place. She was a grown woman who was fully capable of controlling her emotions for one night. Still, she felt a creeping uncertainty of what was to come.
It wasn't often Iris felt as if her life had the potential to be flipped upside down. She guessed this was what happened when she let Barry Allen creep back into her life.