Should I Stay Or Should I Go...

He wanted her to stay. And, truth be told, she wanted to stay more than anything. But she couldn't give it away, so she left. Ran right out his door and down the steps to the street below, stopping at the bottom to catch her breath and wonder what the hell she was doing.

She had to go back upstairs. No. She had to leave. Stay. Run. Say yes. Say nothing.

The front door of the building buzzed open just then, and a woman of a certain age walked slowly inside, carrying a bag full of groceries. She smiled when she caught a glimpse of wine and several good cheeses. Grandma has good taste, she smiled to herself.

She heard a door open a few flights up, and a man's voice yelling down, "I'll be right there, cara mia! Don't move!"

He made his way slowly down the stairs, and the woman waited. So did she. In fact, she couldn't pull herself away from this story for some reason. There was a tiny gasp as he came into view on the landing; he stopped and smiled and said again, "Cara mia..." My beloved...

He took her groceries and took a kiss. They look so young, the girl thought. And so in love.

Before the two headed upstairs, she blurted out, "You're very lucky."

They looked at her and smiled, seemingly knowing her story before she even told it. "We are." they answered together.

"The trick," the older man continued, with a twinkle in his eyes, "Is making sure I'm here when she comes home. But the bigger trick...is making sure she wants to come home."

In the end, the girl went home. But that ending changed about a month later after he made sure she understood that he wasn't going anywhere without her. And that he wished she'd feel the same in return. And what do you know? She did.

And whenever she brought home wine or cheese or even a gallon of milk, he met her at the bottom of the stairs and they walked up together. Someday, they'd carry their babies to bed the very same way.