"I've always wanted to go to a small art gallery like this, Henrik. I mean, sure, we have them like this in England, but there's something so romantic about being in New York City, in an old mansion, surrounded by art." He smiled down at Roxanna as he nodded. "And it's so close to the Met, too, so if we have extra time, we can go there and explore a little, too."
"There is that. I just wish that we had time to see a show on Broadway."
"This just gives us a reason to come back someday. Maybe around Christmas, since I would imagine it's quite beautiful here around that time." He nodded as they reached the front of the line and he paid for them both before guiding her into the gallery itself. Roxanna didn't seem too keen on looking at the water features, instead pulling him in the direction of the Fragonard paintings. "I have loved these paintings ever since I took an art history course in my undergrad work. There's just something so frothy and light about them."
He nodded a little as he wrapped his arm around Roxanna's waist, holding her close as she studied the painting. There was something lovely about it, and he sighed a little before turning his head and nuzzling his nose into her hair. "Can you imagine wearing all those clothes, though? Or that hat?"
"Honestly? Yes. I would love to wear something outrageously extravagant as that hat. And the neckline of that dress would give you easy access to the one part of my body that you can never seem to take your hands and mouth off of." She gently dug her elbow into his side before giggling sweetly. "That's it, if we ever get invited to a costume party of any sort, we're dressing up in this style. And you are going to find me a swing so that we can take a picture like this. I don't care how impractical it is."
He let out a little giggle of his own as he shook his head. "There is no way we're ever getting invited to a costume party, so of course I will agree to that, Roxy."
"I'm going to hold you to that, and even if it takes thirty years, it's going to happen." Roxanna turned her head and kissed his cheek softly. "Do you mind if we just stand in front of these paintings for a little while longer? I don't want to be boring, but I've dreamt of seeing these in real life for so long that I just want to drink in every detail of them. You don't have to stay with me, though. Go, enjoy the collection, and come get me when you're ready to leave."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. We're going to have the rest of our lives together, so I need to get used to the times when we're not going to be stuck together at the hip." She kissed his cheek once more before shooing him off. He let go of her waist and went back to the start of the collection, carefully perusing each piece, spending a little more time at the ones that caught his eye before moving on. There were a number of other people in the gallery, and he maneuvered his way around them as he looked at the paintings.
Finally, though, he had had his fill of art, and he went to find Roxanna once more. She had moved on to another of the Fragonard paintings, and the open look of admiration and awe on her face took his breath away, and he wished that he could take a photograph of that moment, to keep it with him forever. But he didn't know the etiquette behind taking pictures in the gallery, and he didn't want to do something that might get them in trouble. Instead, he gazed at Roxanna for a few moments longer, committing this image of her to his mind before coming up to her side and wrapping his arm around her waist. "Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?" he murmured in her ear as she cuddled closer to him.
"That's kind of you to say, but we both know that I'm nothing much to look at. I mean, look at her. Whoever was Fragonard's model, she was beautiful."
"I honestly don't see any difference between the two of you. Because on top of your physical beauty, there is this light inside your heart that shines through on your face that makes you ethereally gorgeous." He turned his head and pressed his lips against the temple of Roxanna's head. "You're my sunshine when the days get a little too dark."
Roxanna sighed as she looked up into his face, a tender smile on her lips. "All right, I'll be your beautiful girl, Henrik. As long as you will be my handsome boy." He gave her a small smile before nodding a little. "Perfect. Now, I don't think we'll have time to properly tour the Met, but perhaps we could disappear into Central Park and walk around before we head back to the Belvedere?"
"You just want to go to the zoo," he teased as they started to make their way out of the gallery. The warm air caressed their skin as they stepped outside, and Roxanna stepped away from him a little to take hold of his hand, rather than copiously perspire.
"It might be nice to check out some places that we could bring Fredrik and our own children on holiday. I'm not one to want to go to Disney, that's too cutesy for me. And I can't see you riding any rides, my love."
"You're right there," he replied as they followed the pavement into the park. There were quite a few people walking around, and he smiled at a young mother playing with her baby on a blanket beneath a tree. "One day, that's going to be you," he said as he gestured towards them with his head.
"I certainly hope so! I just, I want it all, Henrik, and I don't know how I'll juggle learning my specialty whilst trying to become a mother. I don't want to be an older mother?" He nodded as he squeezed her hand three times. "Oh, look, ice cream!"
He chuckled a little at the sudden change in her mood, and allowed Roxanna to drag him over to the small cart, paying the exorbitant price for two small ice cream bars. The pleasure on Roxanna's face made the price seem all the better, and they made their way over to a bench and took a seat as they ate and watched the people passing by. "Well, I think that we should maybe think about getting a cat first, just to see if we can handle keeping it alive, before we add a baby to the mix. I mean, just like a baby, the cat would be totally dependent upon us for life."
A tight look passed over her face before she nodded and gave him a small smile. "That's probably a good idea, Henrik," she murmured before turning her attention back to her ice cream and those around them. A part of him wanted to press her for more answers, since he felt that she was holding something back from him, but he didn't want to upset her further, so he just let his arm come to rest around her shoulders as she laid her head on his chest and let out a deep sigh. He just hoped she would tell him what was on his mind before too long.