A Photograph of You & I

"Hi, these two have reservations." Bam told the man at the host's stand. He looked at Bam warily, after he'd burst through the doors but flipped open his book anyway.

"Name?"

"Valo." Ville told the man before Bam could answer.

"Your reservation was for nearly an hour ago." The host said after a few minutes of looking for the name. I sighed and crossed my arms.

"Look, we got in a little accident on the way here. But we're here now so can they have the table?"

I looked over at Bam as he spoke, rather convincingly. I noticed he had taken his wallet out and was willing to resort to paying the guy off.

The man flipped his book open again and scanned over it.

"Right this way, Mr. and Mrs. Valo." The waiter said, noticing that Bam had removed a fifty-dollar bill from his wallet. My eyes widened to the size of dinner plates at the name I'd just been called by.

"Uh, no..." I began to correct the man but Bam's hand covered my mouth before I could utter another word. I glared daggers at him as he pushed me after Ville and the host.

"You sounded offended." Ville leaned over and whispered. I didn't answer him and he straightened up, walking just a little faster than me.

"Here you are." The host set down two menus and a wine booklet on the table and pulled the chair out for me. I took it with a polite smile and pushed myself in, not used to having that kind of thing done for me.

"Your waitress will be right along to take your drink orders. Enjoy." The host walked away stiffly. I watched as he reached the stand and took up the fifty that Bam had left for him.

"He sure knows how to get his way." Ville commented as he picked up the wine list. I nodded slightly and picked up my own menu.

Movement out of the corner of my eye grabbed my attention and I noticed that Bam and Dico were being led to a table in the corner of the room. I rolled my eyes and pretended like I hadn't seen them.

"Hi, I'm Lindsay and I'll be your waitress for the evening. Can I get you something to drink?" The waitress showed up far sooner than I'd anticipated. I scrambled to search the menu for something to drink.

"Hmm, water for me." Ville answered, setting down the wine list. I raised my eyebrow in surprise, figuring he'd want some kind of alcoholic beverage. He returned my expression, concentrating intensely on me.

"And for you, Miss?" The waitress interrupted our stare down after a few awkward seconds passed.

"Uh...water is fine. With lemon please." I replied, not looking at her, but instead attempting to read Ville's thoughts.

"Okay...I'll be right back with that." She responded after no looks were cast her way.

"No alcohol?" I asked Ville after I was sure the waitress had gone. He shook his head slowly.

"I want to remember tonight. After all, the next time I see you in a dress you'll probably be ninety years old and in a casket."

"Absolutely not. I'm getting cremated." I commented.

"Well, then I'll take this as a once in a lifetime sight and choose to remember it in the morning."

"I wish you wouldn't..." I murmured, feeling a blush rising in my cheeks. I hoped the dim lighting and candle on the table would offset the redness.

I hid behind my menu as a precaution and scanned each item, observing every little thing about every dish in order to bide my time.

Moments later, the waitress returned with our drinks and set them in front of us. I looked at her briefly and turned my attention to Ville.

"Are you ready to order?" She looked at me first; Ville was looking mildly hesitant. I quickly looked at the menu and picked out the first thing I saw.

"Uh...the four cheese ravioli?" I told her, unsure of myself. She smiled and wrote it down then looked at Ville.

"I'll have the same." He replied without looking at the waitress again. I handed her my menu with a smile and turned back to Ville as she walked away again.

"I wasn't offended." I told him finally.

"About?" He questioned as if he didn't know. I could tell by the look in his eyes. He knew.

I sighed, conceding to play his little game. "Being called 'Mrs. Valo'. I wasn't offended."

"Then why did you jump at the chance to protest it?" He asked, innocently curious.

"I-" I stopped and looked at Bam and Dico who were blatantly staring at us and causing the couple next to them to look and see what they were fixated on.

"That little snot." I mumbled. Ville turned and looked at Bam and Dico, who quickly turned and acted as if they weren't paying any attention to us at all.

"Oh, he'll get his...don't worry." Ville smirked playfully at me and I couldn't help but smile back.

"So, you were saying?"

I looked down at my water and took it in my hand, squeezing the lemon in it and taking a sip. All the while, I was trying to think of a reason as to why I'd protested other than the obvious.

"I guess it was just a reaction to his misconception."

He shrugged and sipped at his own water.

"Now, my turn to ask a question." I decided, leaning back into the booth's seat.

"I was unaware we were interrogating each other." He said, more to himself than to me.

I ignored his statement. "Before all of this," I gestured to the restaurant. "When we were in the spare room...what had you been about to do?"

He laughed loudly. "I think it was rather obvious."

I smirked in response, saying nothing but waiting for him to say it out loud.

"I was going to kiss you." He told me after he'd realized what I had been waiting for.

"That's what I thought."

"Then why did you ask?"

"To give myself a reason to do this." I said, getting up and sliding next to him. He looked at me with a smile before I leaned in and pecked him lightly on the lips.

"Well, Bam will have to interrupt us more often." Ville replied. His voice was nothing more than a low whisper as he kissed me just behind my ear.

I looked up and turned around, seeing the waitress walking around the corner with our dinner in her hands. I quickly got up from my place next to Ville and went back to my own bench.

He looked at me a little mournfully but when the waitress placed the plate in front of him, understanding crossed his features. He winked at me once and turned to the waitress.

"Thank you, very much." He acknowledged her for the first time all evening and she seemed surprised.

"You're very welcome." She replied, recovering quickly. "Enjoy."

I laughed as I speared a ravioli with my fork. "You're unbelievable."

Twenty minutes later...

I pushed my plate toward the center of the table, unable to eat anymore. My appetite had grown substantially in the past few minutes from what it had been all week. But even with the excess hunger, I was unable to finish what was on my plate.

Ville scooped his last ravioli on his spoon and put it in his mouth, chewing thoughtfully.

"Who eats ravioli with spoons?" I asked, making a face.

"Me." He replied with a grin after he'd swallowed. I smirked and looked over to Bam who was in the process of bringing his phone to his ear. I dismissed the sight and turned back to Ville who was suddenly looking confused.

I raised my eyebrow. "What's wrong?"

He held up a finger and raised his body slightly to gain access to his pocket. He pulled out his own cell phone which could be seen vibrating in his hand. I shot a glare at Bam from across the room.

'Checking in on us.' I thought.

Bam said a few words into his phone and then hung it up, sliding it back into his pocket. Expecting Ville to be done as well, I turned and looked at him. But his eyes had widened and his body had gone rigid.

It was then that I made a realization.

Bam wasn't on the other end of that phone call.

I had been about to ask who it was but Ville inadvertently answered it before I could question him.

"Jonna?"