Our story started one morning in early spring of 2022, at a small bakery in Duxbury; French Memories. Chris spotted Maureen waiting in line for a coffee and had a sudden realization—she was the face from a Zoom call he had noticed weeks earlier and quietly hoped to meet in person. He introduced himself, mentioned that he had just moved here from Maine and also worked at Island Creek Oysters, both in the hatchery and out on the farm. It was a special first impression that left them smiling, telling their friends about it and hoping that they’d bump into each other soon. At the time, Maureen was leading farm tours on weekends while balancing her career in tech sales, so their paths hadn’t quite aligned yet. But as she leaned further into her love for oysters, she began sneaking out between calls, trading desk time for XtraTufs and overalls, and discovering work that felt far more meaningful—sharing a story she loved, engaging a crowd, and, without realizing it at the time, proudly talking about the hard work Chris had been doing all along. Chris, meanwhile, would often stop by on his days off to check on his “babies.” They began running into each other more often—sometimes at ICO pop-up events, while both were unknowingly taking themselves out on solo “me dates.” Friendship turned into easy conversation, subtle flirting, and a growing sense that timing would eventually catch up. Chris, true to his soft spoken nature, needed a small nudge. After a winter caviar tour in January of 2023, Maureen took the initiative, sparking a conversation that naturally led to plans for their first official date. As the months passed, they built a very beautiful and genuine connection, something neither had ever quite experienced before. During a particularly chaotic Pippa & Poe event, it became clear just how well they worked together as a team. And right after the event, over a much-needed cocktail, they laughed about Chris testing the waters earlier that day, by slipping in the word girlfriend—and it no longer felt like a question. Their personalities and passions blended effortlessly: a long list of shared interests; a deep commitment to family and friends; driven with a strong work ethic; and an ability to balance each other’s emotions without judgment. They adored the way each other loved Noël, and it became daily confirmation that they had found the partner they wanted to one day build a family with. December 18, 2025, one week before Christmas, Chris took Maureen and Noël out to Saquish to see the snowy owls. With Noël running alongside on the sand, Chris got down on one knee and asked a familiar question—borrowing the words his grandfather, Scott Scudder, once said to his grandmother: “What are you doing next year—do you want to get married?”