Kissing Is the Easy Part

Chapter 41 The Greenland huskies

Flora

I couldn't contain my excitement! I was officially back to being in a relationship and I wanted to climb to the top of the Science Museum and tell the world. Or maybe I should just tell Facebook.

I couldn't wipe the boy-crazy look from my face. Correction: Sean-crazy. It just felt so amazing to act without pretending, analyzing and plotting every single minute. When he held my hand I felt like I was struck by a lightning bolt and the earth shattered (although to be fair, that was what we were looking at when it happened, the lightning and earthquake simulation). I squeezed his hand just to make sure it was real. Bliss drizzled down on me like rainfall.

We sat down at one of those small booths for two which allowed you to see a short documentary in private. Sean pressed the screen and some fuzzy Greenland huskies came on. He fumbled at the control button but no sound came out.

"I think the speaker broke down," he said.

Who cares? I pulled his face towards me and kissed him savagely.

He let me roam around his mouth for about five seconds before he broke away in embarrassment. "Flora, I want to kiss you too, but this make-out corner you found really isn't as private as you think."

I traced his face with my knuckles. "I can't help it. You're so incredibly cute."

"I don't think it's healthy to expose these small children to so much tongue," he whispered as he glanced around. "I'll look for the next dark corner to do it."

He put one arm around me and I leaned back on his chest as we watched the huskies run around the ice field. Their white fur quivered in the arctic wind, in silence. Happiness washed over me quietly, soothingly, like waves against the sand.

This is one of the most compelling moments of my life, I decided. Just being with him, feeling him breathe and listening to his heartbeats, while we watched animals together, not talking but totally connecting. Sean drew circles on my shoulder absently and I rested comfortably in my designated snuggle spot. I had worked so hard to get this position back.

I sighed dreamily when the short film had ended. "This is the most romantic date I have ever been on."

"The science museum? You're a dork, Flora. I can't let people see me with you," he joked.

"It's not because of the location. It's because I never thought I could have you back again."

He turned to face me and I knew he felt the same. He said it anyway.

***

I suggested we went to the gift shop and picked out a small souvenir for each other, but the museum wasn't Saks Fifth Avenue and there really wasn't much to pick from. I settled on buying a postcard with a gigantic blue brain printed on top with the caption big brain and hoped he would not laugh at me. On the back I wrote him a short letter.

"Dear boyfriend,

I'm having so much fun and this is only the first stop! You are awesome and I like you so much, even though you only have three pairs of shoes and I'm tired of all of them. You are the only person that can make the Science Museum fun.

My heart rushes towards you the way electrons are attracted to the nucleus of an atom. I'm sorry I have more mood swings than an octopus stimulated by a high definition TV screen. It's just that I'm a bit nuts around you.

No matter what happens in the future, I hope you'll remember this day with a smile and know that once upon a time you made a girl ridiculously happy."