Elissa was on her second stint at E*TRADE having previously been executive assistant to the CEO in the Chicago office, which made her both impressive and intimidating. I had just graduated college and worked in client services, which made me… available. We technically met through the company beach volleyball league, where Elissa claimed she had been a Division 1 volleyball player. I accepted this information without question. We didn’t immediately become close, which was probably for the best. That changed at a coworkers’ Christmas party, where I showed up with my roommates and best friends, Dan Rios and Austin. We were the only people dressed up and I brought my famous fruit pizza, Elissa was there with her roomates Tara and Diane, and after the party, all of us went to Kirkwood’s. At Kirkwood’s, we talked, laughed, and accidentally formed a group that began meeting weekly for trivia. This seemed harmless at the time. At work, Elissa eventually became my “mentor,” which conveniently justified frequent Starbucks runs and extended conversations that were not about work. No one questioned this arrangement. Things escalated on Valentine’s Day at Route 66 in Wrigleyville. What was meant to be a normal night turned into hours of talking and bar hopping. During this process, Elissa managed to leave her phone and purse at multiple bars. I helped retrieve them. At this point, I understood my role. It was permanent. Next came Elissa’s 30th birthday party at Lagunitas Brewing. To outside observers, nothing appeared to be happening. This was intentional. Shortly after, all six of us "coincidentally" ended up in St. Petersburg, Florida at the same time. This coincidence raised questions. By the end of the trip, the answers were clear. We officially hard-launched — minted, stamped, and no longer deniable. Since then, life has settled into something surprisingly easy. We’ve learned that we work well as a team, that trivia nights are optional, and that keeping track of personal belongings is not one of our shared strengths. We’ve built a life that feels steady, fun, and occasionally chaotic in the best way. What started as a workplace coincidence turned into a partnership we trust completely — one built on humor, patience, and a mutual willingness to show up. We’re excited for what comes next, confident in what we’ve built so far, and fully prepared to keep doing life together. Against standard workplace guidance, it still works. P.S. Props to Dan and a little help from Chat GPT. Elissa approves this story.