[Mario's Perspective] I first saw Arielle at a donor conference. She was a panelist. I have no idea what she said or why she was there, but I remember that she was there! That was 2019...summer-ish, fall...maybe? A few months later, we're hiring for a heart transplant nurse coordinator at work. We met some really smart people. I mean, it's really predictable that Arielle is one of the really smart people to apply for the position. During her interview she got to show off how dorky and proper she is. She was well liked by all. So of course, they hire her. (A bit about me. During the hiring process I was going through a divorce. it was sad and stressful and probably the roughest time in my life. I didn't feel good about myself. I didn't feel optimistic about anything.) I don't recall how long Arielle had been at the job, but I remember our friend and colleague Sharon re-introducing us. Sharon was very kind to me and was trying to perk me back up. I think she thought maybe meeting a cute co-worker might do the trick. So she introduces me to Arielle. Sharon is all, this dude is great, this dude is nice, we like him a lot. I responded by muttering something about being depressed and then slinking off to my desk. I think the next time I encountered Arielle, was outside the single use restroom in our office hallway. I had just done my dirty sinful business and as I'm opening the door, she's standing, waiting outside. I think I did a pretty good job of hiding my horror as I realized she was about to follow after me into the restroom. We made full eye-contact, she acknowledged my existence. As I walked away, I thought of Sharon who was doing her best to build me up, portray me as a potential suitor. This would definitely put an end to that, I thought. But it didn't end. My desk was next to the back entrance to our office and every time Arielle walked by, she'd smile and say "hi." Occasionally, she'd stop to have a conversation. I did my best to make sure she knew I was still a mental mess. Somehow, that didn't deter her. After months of wearing me down, she mentioned she had a pool on the roof of her apartment building. She invited me and Otis to go swimming with her. For a while, I thought she was just making conversation. Maybe bragging a little that she had easy access to a cool spot to swim in the heat of the summer. But she genuinely meant it. she wanted me to come swim. With her. While she wore a swimsuit and whatnot. So I packed up my kid, his sunscreen and we went swimming. It didn't end there. I must have done something right when we swam because the next weekend, we went on a date. I guess I kept doing things right because here we are. I cannot express how excited I am to marry this amazing woman. [Arielle's Perspective] I have no recollection of the bathroom incident. I do remember trying to make friends with Mario when I was new at the office. I was met with one word answers and zero eye contact at first. He was probably the least friendly person I had met in the office so far. Sharon had her work cut out for her. I tried again several months later and got to know a funny and cute coworker. He was complaining, maybe "hinting" that his apartment's pool was closed. I invited him and Otis swimming. He took way too long to accept the invitation, but finally did! Later that month, I had another excuse to ask him out. It was my birthday and I wanted to go on a hike; so, I convinced him to follow me up a mountain. We would celebrate with some summit beers at the top. Two thousand feet of elevation gain later, I learned that Mario had been chasing me up the mountain with his cooler backpack full of beers on ice. I considered him a fine gentleman and very tolerant of my trail pick. Harper loved him. He continues to chase me up mountains. The rest is history.