It was the summer of 2020. Maria was a vivacious socialite who spent her time split between being a loving daughter and sister, dancing the night away (and sometimes days too), teaching fitness classes, and somehow in the midst of all of it, being able to work two jobs. The first one was her main job where she inspired the next generation to learn fitness, healthy habits, and to begin to grow into confident young adults. She also just so happened to be the top server at the coolest new restaurant bar, The Chasseur. It seemed like she knew everyone in town. You could definitely call her one of “Canton’s Finest.” Aaron on the other hand, liked the social scene in Canton, but needed a break from it. Rather than staying up in Maryland as things started to close, he took a long vacation down to Florida instead, to live with his family on the Intercoastal paradise of Indian Rocks Beach. Once there, it was hard to leave. Every morning the sun would be out, there would be dolphins swimming in the inlet behind the house, and everyone seemed completely happy. Work was prosperous but also flexible. Aaron could make his own hours and spend the rest of the day doing things like playing tennis and running, or just going to the beach. Had it not been the strong urging from his close friends, Aaron would have probably stayed in Florida forever, but deep down, he knew, it was time to come back to Maryland. And once back, it wasn’t long, in fact, quite literally THAT Day, that Aaron and Maria’s paths crossed for the first time. From that moment onwards, as fate would have it, their paths would be forever intertwined. After dropping the bags off at Fleet Street, quite possibly the world’s greatest party house, Aaron and his best friend Eric, went to the Chasseur to grab food and of course, a couple of drinks, and bombs to wash it all down. Well actually, the bombs weren’t even ordered. It was Maria, who, through her charm, was able to force-feed him and Eric. Rumor has it that she needed to do this in order to talk about things that 99% of guys truly hate, like Zodiac signs and occupations. What’s funny is that while these are very generic topics that everyone has talked about, Maria was able to engage us and keep it incredibly interesting. With Maria, there is never a dull moment, and you never know what she will say next. She is captivating. To be honest, Aaron wasn’t looking to be captivated that night, but when you fall in love with someone, you never really are. But after dinner, Aaron and Eric did a quick recap on the way home. For some reason, Aaron knew that asking Maria out next time he saw her felt right. A few weeks later, Aaron had a golden opportunity in front of him. While working out heavy legs for the 100th time, he saw a stunning woman doing hip thrusts on the nearby machine. It was Maria. It was time.

So, in order to just be a regular level of creepy, and not EXTREMELY Creepy, he waited until it looked like she was done and walked up to her to say Hello. After an awkward reintroduction, they exchanged numbers, but it felt different than other times this kind of thing happened. What was unique was that after exchanging numbers it was actually hard to stop talking. Perhaps this was a harbinger of what was to come later. In this case later was truly LATE-ER. Aaron and Maria texted for quite a while but the perfect opportunity to get to know each other one-on-one didn’t present itself until October, almost 3 months later. In fact, Aaron felt bad about not asking Maria out sooner. He knew that once they had their first date, it would have to be special. A regular date just would not do. He took her to an Aztec Restaurant, Maximón, in Harbor East. The food was delicious, the views were immaculate, and the Live Music was a vibe. Even though the venue itself was enough to make it a great night, it was actually the amazing conversation between the two that sealed the deal. As an individual with a lot of energy, but not always in a focused way, it wasn’t easy for Aaron to focus. Talking with Maria, however, felt like the easiest thing in the world. It seemed like there wasn’t but a couple of rare moments where they weren’t involved in deep and meaningful conversation. No doubt it was this initial connection and the attribute itself that have proved to be of the strong pillars with which they have built the foundation of their relationship. The story, like all stories, can be told in many many chapters, but we will, in the interest of time, skip to the point of the story. Maria and Aaron have unique and strong soulful bond that connects two uniquely talented but different people. Through their relationship they are able to create a synergy and overcome any obstacle. There is no doubt they will live long and healthy lives together and change the world for the better.