He grew up in California, I moved here from Missouri. I made a friend in school, turned out to be one of his friends. He worked too much, I slept in his bed (he wasn't home, I couldn't drive). One day, we met. We became friends. I asked. He said no. We stayed friends. He left the country. We missed each other. I waited. He came back. He asked. I said yes. We have been together ever since. And I still laugh remembering that he charmed me by saying, "...so you're the reason my bed smells."

Five years later, Ricky planned our anniversary adventure. We had just tested negative after having Covid for 12 days. We went to breakfast, he gave me a baby bottle pop, and I asked if he was pregnant. He took me to the planetarium to see "How the Earth Began." We got tacos, then we went to our old watering hole. Here he convinced me to stay out, despite me being very tired (hungover). Then he took me for a walk on the levee; somewhere that had become our favorite spot over the years. We walked up the hill; him quickly and me very slowly. But once I got to the top, I could hear that our song was playing. Then right there under the big oak tree, next to our swing, Ricky got down on one knee and immediately forgot his entire speech. He says it was supposed to be something about how the Earth began and where it is now, and how we began and where we are now. But it didn't happen. Instead I sobbed uncontrollably and said "so...." And he babbled out, "oh, yeah! will you marry me?" I fell to my knees, put my arms around him, and for the second time, I said Yes. By the way, the baby bottle pop was supposed to be a ring pop. Thanks, Covid (and Kenny).