Randy and Jenny – 5 years

Spring 2006

As eloquent and poetic as it is to start a story with a rainy day, a snowstorm, sunshine or some other mood-setting meteorological circumstances, the truth is, in this particular story, it's a terribly average spring day on which a rental car like any other pulls into a driveway like any other in Southern France. From her bedroom window, she watches as four people step out: A family from Québec. Her dad says they're on vacation and will be staying at their house for a few days. One by one, they walk into the house; One by one, she assesses them:

The Dad: Huge smile, really friendly and outgoing.

The Mom: Pretty and tall; gives off an aura of profound kindness.

Son #2: Shy, like the mom. Friendly. Not sure what to make of him just yet.

Son #1: Meh, I wouldn't marry him.

Days go by. The family leaves.

January 7, 2012

Finally. After dreaming of this day for years, after knowing deep inside all this time that this was the one guy, the moment where two words –three letters– would place the terms 'boyfriend' and 'girlfriend' permanently in the past for those two. Best friends forever. Husband and wife. Forever.

Summer 2006

Summer vacation. They're in Québec to visit the family that was at their house a few months before. They'll be spending the next two weeks there in fact.

The two weeks go by in a flash. They love it here, and the two families get along swimmingly. It's the kind of family friendship that everyone hopes will last (Spoiler: it does). When it comes time to leave, both families shed tears as they hug one another goodbye.

On the way home, dad pops the question: "Kids, what would you think about moving to Québec?"

January 2017

The cat looks disapprovingly at me as I sit down at the table in the lakeside apartment. The sun shines through the windows to my right, casting my shadow into the kitchen where a steaming kettle signals that its contents are ready for beverage-making.

"So tell me about how you guys met." Me.

"First…", Randy pulls out some fresh croissants from a brown paper bag and places them on the table. "We just got these from the bakery down the street."

"Did you want some tea with your croissant?" asks Jenny with her ever-so-slight french accent.

I like this couple.

2007

Getting settled in Quebec has been easier than she expected. The whole family loves it. She finds it especially cool that they get to hang out so often with the friends who first visited them in France last year. More and more though, she finds that her and Son #1 (Randy, I guess it's ok to call him by his name now) have a lot of interests in common. Star Wars. Music. Concerts. Together, they're always laughing; being with him is just... easy.

2008

"This is the worst. I'm a mess. I can't not think of him. It's just a teen crush. No it's love. Either way, I'm losing my mind. I have to tell him how I feel. It could wreck us. I have to tell him. I'm a wreck. I'm going insane. I have to tell him. We're too young. I don't care. I have to tell him..."

"...I told him. He said he had been waiting for the right time to make a move. I was sick of waiting. Definitely love."