English Channel

Onze

[NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM]

Waiting a the top of the underground station, Lou was looking at all the people walking up the stairs, desperately trying to spot the face of the person she was meeting. Checking her phone for the hundredth time - she was anxious he would call out at the last minute - she heard a breathless voice.

"I'm so sorry I'm late," Arthur said as he caught his breath before quickly hugging her, trying his best not to be awkward.

"You're actually right on time, it's just my crippling anxiety that forces me to always be there in advance" The French woman smiled at him, her anxiety calming down as he was now with her. 

The Natural History Museum had always been one of Arthur's favourite places in London. Between the dinosaurs, the animals, the birds, the fossils and the minerals, the British man could spend the entire day there just walking around and looking at everything.

Lou had always loved museums, but she liked the art ones better if she was completely honest. Yet, listening to her date telling her little fun facts about almost everything they saw was one of the most enjoyable things.

Standing in front of the T-rex, Lou grabbed her phone in her bag to take a picture.

"I need to send that to my mom so she can show my little brother," she told him as he looked at her with a confused look on his face. 

"You have siblings ?" wondered Arthur.

"I'm the oldest of 7" she smiled.

"Well I'm the oldest of 9 so I think I win" he smiled back.

"How many sisters ?" Lou asked. 

"6" he smiled at the thought of his younger sisters. "How many brothers ?"

"5. One of them is my twin though, but I'm the firstborn" The British man could sense how proud she was of being the firstborn just by that sentence.

"Let me guess, you had called him 'little brother' since you could talk" he laughed. 

She just laughed and nodded. "Guilty" Lou admitted with a playful grin. "I've been bossing him around since day one."

Arthur chuckled. "I can relate to that. I've had my fair share of bossing around my younger siblings. But hey, it's all part of the oldest sibling's duties, right?" she nodded as an answer. 

They continued strolling through the museum, moving from one exhibit to another. As they walked, Lou and Arthur found themselves sharing stories about their childhoods, their families, and their favourite memories. It was as if the museum provided a backdrop that encouraged them to open up to each other. 

They found themselves in the current exhibition section of the museum, surrounded by displays of dazzling gemstones and intricate minerals. Lou's eyes lit up as she gazed at the vibrant colours and unique formations.

"Wow, these are stunning," Lou exclaimed, her fascination evident in her voice.

Arthur grinned, pleased to see her so captivated. "Yes, they really are. Did you know that the colours in some minerals come from the presence of certain elements? It's amazing how nature creates such beauty. It just takes something like a 0.1% difference and the colour is not the same at all"

Lou nodded, absorbing his words. "I love how you always have these little tidbits of information ready. It's like having a personal tour guide."

He couldn't help but blush a little. "Well, I've always been a bit of a natural history guy. These things just stick with me."