Just one month later... and fate would have missed its mark.

 

In July of 2024, John was on the verge of moving to Virginia. Feeling like there was nothing keeping him here in Maine, he had decided it was time for that chapter to come to a close. Angela, who went through dating apps like it was a chore and with half-hearted hope—had decided it was time for a much needed break from the meaningless conversations and to finish out the last few dates on her calendar.

 

However, there was one connection, one potential date that stuck out amongst the rest. One that came with long, thoughtful, regular messages. One that immediately felt... safe. On August 2nd, exactly 2 weeks after swiping right and exchanging that first message, they decided to go on their first date. By the second date, Angela knew she had found something special. SomeONE special. By the end of that first week, they had gone on four dates, with a fifth one already in the works. So, it seemed only fitting that one month later, on September 2nd, they chose each other officially. Boyfriend and girlfriend—simple words for something that already felt far bigger.

​

Every new adventure they took, whether that was all the way down to the Florida panhandle or up to the woods of northern Michigan, it only grew and nurtured their admiration for one another. Zoey and Winnie wasted no time in claiming John as their own and Angela's affections only continued to grow as she watched John treat the girls as if they were his own. Everything fit. And by the time they moved in together in February of 2025, they had already learned to navigate their once separate lives, together.

 

From that moment on, every moment, every milestone, was taken in lock-step. Their similarities echoed in perfect harmony. Their dreams, naturally aligned. Their desires—easier, softer, somehow more possible—when pursued side by side. Finally, on January 25th, 2026, John asked Angela to marry him. And the rest is history.

 

It was meant to be from the start... only forever to go.