Framed Connection

Chapter 16: Let's test the waters

Roxanna waters some plants in her room. She can't help thinking about what Elaine said today. She finds it impossible that she's capable of loving someone in a romantic sense. That's if her past dating history was anything to go by. That is if she could call it that as each of them were quite brief. She'd never even reached the point of deep emotional connection. Always feeling like they were all just fleeting interests. She'd always felt guilty for wasting their time waiting for her when it wasn't possible. Roxanna always felt like she'd hurt quite a number of people due to her own restricted emotions.

This is why she stopped focusing on having any romantic relationships. She finds that it's less stress, emotional and mental fatigue that way. "Do you even know what love is? Or are you not capable of such a simple emotion?" Roxanna is not even sure, feeling like everything is being over complicated. She places the watering can next to the flower pot and goes over to her bed.

Roxanna lays in her bed and ponders if avoidance was really the right call. As she's not one-hundred percent turned off to the idea it's just... she finds it too overcomplicated. "You never even tried for it to be complicated." She decides not to think about it and get some rest. When she opens her eyes, she's greeted by shadow. It casted a blanket overhead, she looked up and saw stingrays. They glide over the water like majestic kites over a crystal blue sky. She marvels in it, along with the aquatic light show surrounding her.

Roxanna holds up her camera, capturing the moment and continues down the tunnel. At the end she finds herself in a larger open area. Above were paper mache puffer fish, narwhals and jellyfish. It somewhat reminds her of the ones in her cousin's room at their grandmother's place. Though here's put these to shame. The floor is patterned with colorful carbs, sharks, whales, lobsters and other marine life.

There was one large tank with an information stand in front of it. There were some smaller wall tanks as well with stands also. If Roxanna were to take a wild guess she's probably in the info tour section of the aquarium. Walking in she sees Marcel sitting on a bench. Seeing him she wonders if she should test what Elaine was talking about earlier. "The kids really do seem to be having a great time aren't they." Roxanna says, walking up to him.

"Yeah, it's good for them to have experiences when they are young you know." Marcel says answers back playing along.

"So which one is yours?" Roxanna asks jokingly.

"I don't know."

" Are you saying you don't know your own kid sir?" Roxanna fake gasps

"Of course I do, they just aren't born yet." Marcel says playfully with a smile.

Roxanna did feel her heart leap a little, but she's not sure from what implication. She places a hand on her chest. "You scared me, I was concerned about where this scenario was going."

Marcel laughs "Look, I love a good dark humor but there are certain lines I'd never cross with it." He says sternly.

Roxanna can't help chuckle in embarrassment. "So, you actually plan on having kids?" Roxanna inquires, feeling curious.

"Yeah, and it doesn't matter how many as long as I have a loving family." Marcel says, smiling softly just thinking about it. 

"A family man, I see. I can imagine your future wife running after little creative tornadoes everywhere." Roxanna chuckles feeling sorry for his future wife already.

"Yeah, well as long as they are freely being themselves. I'll just help her clean up after they're done." Marcel smiles wanting to have a family that will happily express themselves however they like.

"You sound like you already have a plan." So much as Roxanna could say for herself.

"Yeah, I just wonder who will be willing to join me in on it." Marcel looks up at her and smiles softly.