That’s what we each thought when we spotted each other across the room.  Trouble.  Way too cute.  Better avoid that one.

But he inched up on me.  We had mutual friends so conversation came easy, and soon it seemed like we had known each other a long time.  One day he caught up with me on the street and asked me to get coffee.  Euphemism for a date.  He told me later he had been trailing me all the way down Main Street, but acted all casual when he sauntered up beside me.  I had on that long dark red coat and black beret that made me look so mysterious.

The funniest thing was when he turned around and looked right at me when someone was talking about how nice it was to have someone to take out the garbage.

I want to take out your garbage, lady, his smile seemed to say.

I did not resist the pull into his orbit.  I held back, cautious, but let myself be propelled forward.  And I didn’t want to resist this open hearted, sexy guy.

I plunged in.

The trouble I anticipated, the same old hurt I feared, never happened.  Other trouble happened, though.  Deep closeness.  Fear of a new and unknown thing.  Letting this unexpected person stay around.  He wanted to stay around.  I wanted him to.  So surprising.

Marriage.  Trouble.  Children.  Trouble.  Finances.  Trouble.  Life.