In a quiet corner of the world, in days not long past, there lived a boy and a girl who first met in their youth, in the humble halls of a homeschool co-op. They were, though they knew it not, small figures in a far greater tale—one already set in motion by the hand of the Author above all authors. Yet the tale did not linger there. For after a short while, the boy departed, and the girl remained, and their paths were sundered for a season. To any watching eye, it might have seemed an ending. But such endings are seldom what they appear to be—for even then, the Lord was weaving threads yet unseen. And so the story waited. In the passing of two years, the girl was drawn into a new calling of music, taking up the flute and joining a band of kindred learners. And there, as though by providence and no mere chance, she beheld once more the boy—now bearing a shiny saxophone. Thus began a fellowship. They spoke often and gladly, sharing laughter and tales, delighting especially in the great stories of The Lord of the Rings, and in many small joys besides. Yet their days were not without mischief and mishap. For the girl, in her lively way, came to be known—much to her own surprise—as The Music Thief, having twice carried off the boy’s sheet music by accident. And in another moment, while escorting the girl on several dates, the boy would become distracted by her sheer beauty, and drive aimlessly because he momentarily forgot his destination. The boy, calm of spirit and thoughtful, and the girl, bright and full of life, seemed at first an unlikely pairing. Yet by a design wiser than their own, their lives grew ever more entwined. So it was that, in quiet and unlooked-for ways, something deeper began to take root. Not in haste, nor in great display, but gently—like the turning of a page. And it may be said that the girl first perceived it most clearly in a simple hour, when the boy spoke with great passion of Legos; for in that small and earnest joy, her heart understood what had long been growing. What had been friendship became something steadfast, shaped with care and purpose. In time, the boy undertook a quest of courage. He sought out the girl’s father, and together they shared in counsel over ice cream for the space of three hours—speaking with sincerity, and seeking blessing for what lay ahead. Meanwhile, the girl waited, entrusting the matter to the Lord who had led them thus far. And in His kindness, the answer was given: yes. Thereafter their story moved forward, not by chance, but by the faithful hand that had guided every step. Until at last, in a fair park beside an old bridge, the boy spoke words of promise and asked for a life together. And though the moment was filled with both romance and a joyful chaos—surrounded as they were by family—it was no less certain for it. Thus it came to pass that the boy and the girl, once children whose paths had crossed and parted, now stood at the threshold of a greater journey still. Together, they set forth— a fellowship of two— led ever onward by the Lord who had written their story from the very beginning.