Weekly Expression #12 ~ BK

A continuum of WE #10

She took her first steps off the train and into the walkway, amazement filled her as she took her first breaths of Roman air in over twenty years. How she had missed this wonderful, ancient place! The memories flooded her mind. Some, she had not thought of since she left that day. She picked up her bag and began walking the pathway that lead out of the station. She did not think she would ever walk this way again. And in a way, she probably never would have unless things had not come up. She had only sent him two letters.

Two letters in twenty years.

He would understand. He had to. Her life had just gotten so crazy, she had just simply forgotten about him. And that pained her heart.

She walked through the streets. Nothing had changed. Rome was still the Rome she fell in love with. The old building towered above her. This was where he lived. She climbed the three flights of stairs and made her way to his apartment door. What would he look like now? Would he recognize her? Would he be angry? She knocked on the door and held her breath.

The door opened and disappointment and fear rippled through her.

A woman about her same age opened the door. A child clung to her leg. “Si?” The woman asked, annoyed. As if she had pulled her out of her housework.

“Pardon me, I’m looking for a Gregorio?”

The woman shook her head and shut the door. Apparently the woman’s English was not good, as her Italian was not very good.

She walked back down the stairs and into the waning day. Where could she go now? Her time was limited and there would be many Gregorio’s with the same last name all throughout Rome and Italy. Who knows where he moved to. She hoped he was still in good health. She hated herself for losing touch. This could have easily been prevented if she had maintained contact. Perhaps this was for the best. She wouldn’t blame him for keeping a grudge against her all these years. She must have broken his heart. Maybe that was why he moved?

Quicker than she had originally planned, she was back at the train station, waiting in line at the desk with a heavy sadness. Finally, it was her turn to get a ticket.She was about to speak when she noticed the strange look in the attendants eyes as he studied her.

“I know...eh, you!” He said in a thick italian accent. His broken english was not hidden.

“Excuse me?” She replied.

“Eh, a one moment!” He bent down and she stood on her tip toes to see what he was doing. He was opening and closing drawers. “Ah! A here it is!”

He stood up with a wide grin on his face. He looked at a small piece of paper. From the back it resembled a photograph. An old one. “This, eh,  is you, no?”  He handed her the photograph and she couldn’t hide a gasp.

It was her!

The photograph was old and faded but it was her! And from twenty years ago no less! “Yes!” She exclaimed.

“What a time is it?” He asked frantically.

She looked at her watch. It was thirty past five. She showed him her watch. He jumped back and put his hands on his head. “Mamma mia!” He nearly jumped onto the desk, as he hung out the window. She jumped back and bumped into the person behind her.

“GREGORIO!” He yelled.

“What?” She gasped as she turned her head the way he was looking.

Without another word to her new Italian friend, she took off running down the pathway, dropping her bags. She heard him yell out after her but she didn’t care. Gregorio was here?

The platform was crowded as the train whistled.

She quickly moved over and climbed up onto an empty bench. She used the gentleman’s shoulder to hoist herself up. “Mi scusi.” She said.

She looked frantically over the heads moving about like waves on an ocean.

Would she ever find him?
There! For a second she saw him. She climbed back down and pushed her way through the crowd. She saw him heading for the train. Her heart was beating wildly. She waved her hand up over the heads of the people she pushed passed. “Gregorio!” She yelled out. Please let him hear her!

“Gregorio!” She called out again.

Finally she heard him. “Margaret?” confusion and excitement rippled through his voice.

“Gregorio!” She laughed as she flailed her arms around for him to see. The crowd was too much to get through. Panic hit her then and she made a b-line to the an empty place by the railway. She went over to it and climbed up one bar. She held on with one hand and waved with her other as she repeatedly called out for him. She couldn’t see him, only hear him occasionally over the din of the crowd.

And then, out of no where, he appeared right below her. Both of them smiled uncontrollably.

“It is you.” He said, bewildered. “I thought I was dreaming when I first heard you say my name.”

“Gregorio.” Her emotions welled up inside her, a tear fell from her face. He put his hands on her waist and she put her hands on his shoulders as he helped her down. She had forgotten how much taller he was than her.

Gently, he moved a wisp of her hair out of her face.He leaned his head down. She didn’t waste any time.

They locked lips and  after twenty years, it was as if nothing had changed.