Barb and I are having probably the most important conversation in our relationship. We are at a crossroads right now, and the next five minutes will determine the rest of our entire future together.

"Bryn Mawr and Broadway," I say to the cabdriver, and then to Barb, "Come home with me."

Barb sighs. "I can't, Carl. I can't. I can't do this anymore."

"That's right," I say. "Things have to change. I want you to break up with Aaron."

"What?"

"I want you to break up with Aaron. I want you to go home with me tonight and I want us to become public."

"God, Carl..."

"No, no," I say, shaking her arm in the backseat. "No 'God Carl' tonight. You got it? I am sick of this and you are miserable with him and he's fucking miserable with you. Don't you get it? Didn't all that fucking drama at the club teach you fucking anything? God!" She tries to lean against me but I push her away and look out the window.

Barb sits for a long time saying nothing, then I hear her quietly utter, "Okay."

"Okay?"

"Okay." Another pause. "I'll do it."

Now I pause. "You mean it?"

"Yeah." She lays a heavy head on my shoulder. "Now can we go home?"

I put my arm around her shoulder and lean her body in close to me. "Yeah. Yeah, we can go home."