out.”
I was choosing ignorance.
It was supposed to be bliss.
~ ~ ~
The smell of garlic tickled my nose as Clint held my hand, leading me down to what I believed to be a hallway and to a room. It’s funny when you lose one of your senses, that all the rest become heightened. I guess that’s why I noticed the smell of garlic first as well as the smell of freshly cut flowers, which I think were roses. Such an odd combination of scents surrounding me. I couldn’t see the source of the aromas because Clint had blindfolded me, insisting that I needed it for the surprise he had in store. I was secretly praying the surprise wasn’t of the small box variety and that Clint knew that we weren’t in ‘that’ place in our relationship right now.
“Not too much further,” Clint said, sounding happy and excited as we walked hand in hand, his body guiding mine. I had been blindfolded since we left the apartment that evening. I was wearing a deep-plum colored cocktail dress by Gucci and Clint wore a stylish pinstripe navy blue Tom Ford suit. I assumed we were heading out to dinner, but apparently Clint had different plans.
“I meant to tell you about this earlier in the week. I’m actually kind of happy you didn’t pick up the paper on Sunday, because you would have seen...”
We stopped walking. Clint’s body was up behind my back. His chest pressed onto my shoulders. He slid his hands up my arms to my shoulders, and then to my hair where he gently untied my blindfold.
“This.”
He dropped the blindfold so I could take in the sight. Of course I instantly recognized what I was looking at and where I was. We were at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and we were staring at one of the most beautiful pieces of artwork on the planet, The Kiss by Gustav Klimt.
I sucked in a short breath, and smiled. Clint’s hands gripped my shoulders as his mouth moved to be close to my ear. “It’s on tour from Vienna. You mentioned to me once how much you loved Klimt. When I saw it would be in the city, and you hadn’t mentioned coming to see it, I knew that you didn’t know it was here on display.”
This. Was. Absolutely. Amazing. “Clint, this is...I have no words.” I turned up to his face and kissed him, long and hard and without the thought of anyone and anything in the back of my head. This moment, my kiss in front of Klimt’s kiss, was just for Clint, full of love and appreciation for such a heartfelt gesture.
“How did you get access to this place at night?” I asked, but I then I internally cringed. I should have known better than to ask such a dumb question.
“There are some perks being in the Lappell, Norah,” Clint stated. It was great we finally could make use of at least one.
I thought about how much power and sway the Lappell had, and how many doors it could easily open. “Yes, it’s a world where no boundaries exist, isn’t it.”
Clint laughed at my comment, but it felt absolutely true. Their reach felt endless.
We both turned to stare at Klimt’s Kiss once more. I had stared at it many times before online and on post cards, and in magazines and books, but like all artwork, when you see the real thing, it has a magical impact that just takes your breath away. The detail, the color, and the effect it has on you when you are actually in its presence. It will move you like you’ve just seen it for the very first time.
“What do you think Clint? I know you see the beauty in art the way I do.” I wanted to hear his thoughts and interpretations.
Clint stared the way one does when they are truly captivated and moved. It was one of my favorite things about Clint and one of the reasons we fell in love. He loved art, and wasn’t afraid to see the romantic optimism of pieces, and what’s more, wasn’t afraid to express it. When we first met, we both had the same appreciation of Chagall’s Three Candles. It’s extraordinary how much you can tell about a person from their interpretations. It can show you how they see the world, and how they might see you.
Clint put his arm around my shoulders as he began to give me his thoughts. “I think the man is