On October 9, 2019, Michelle and Yasmeen agreed to meet for the first time at a quaint little coffee shop in Nashua. En route to Jajabelles, Yasmeen noticed a woman, whose back was turned to her, dressed nicely in a plaid shirt and vest jacket. She walked with a sense of purpose down the main road. The woman must be on a date, Yasmeen concluded, then realized the woman was probably her date! Sure enough, as Yasmeen slid her car into a parking space next to the coffee shop, the same woman appeared. The second the introductions were made, Yasmeen felt struck by some inexplicable, visceral sensation....and could no longer operate the parking meter. Michelle casually intervened, paying for the meter (feeling quite heroic) and Yasmeen quickly regained her composure. Being Michelle’s first ever “coffee date”, she ordered coffee. This seemed like an obvious choice even though she rarely drank coffee after noon. However, she was nervous and wanted to play it cool. Michelle paid for their drinks, thinking that this was the cheapest date ever. Yasmeen, on the other hand, deliberately arranged a coffee shop date for a quick getaway in case the date was a bust. As Yasmeen listened to Michelle, the world around her faded and she lost all sense of time. After emptying their cups, they opted to continue the date and took a stroll down Main Street. The conversation was intimate and effortless. Another date was scheduled followed by another. Before long, they were walking Michelle's dog with Yasmeen's kids. As time passed, bunk beds for her children magically appeared in Michelle's condo and the four of them began to share meals together. The pandemic offered a unique opportunity for Michelle and Yasmeen to grow closer. Quarantine and school-from-home arrangements made it easier to spend time together. They quickly realized that their values aligned and that their personalities, although quite different, complemented each other. Michelle prefers casual wear and has a passion for sports (Sundays are her football days). Yasmeen dons floral-printed shirts and loves the French Impressionists at the MFA. Michelle is generous, funny, practical and a doer. Yasmeen is patient, serious, full of ideas and a dreamer. Together, they are a strong team, balancing each other out, supporting one another, working towards shared goals, as each other's best friend. With a strong foundation, they started to imagine a life together. They attended Open Houses together with the intention of one day moving in together. They found a house they both liked and Michelle bought a home in Groton. A proposal was made shortly thereafter, and Yasmeen and the children moved in with Michelle and her dog Skittles. Two and a half years after their first date, Yasmeen now lives in Groton with Michelle, their children Amira and Jonah, and their dogs Skittles and Trudy. An engagement ring, a house and two children have made Michelle realize that Yasmeen was not a cheap date after all...and Yasmeen, who loves nursing a cup of coffee at home, is no longer looking for a quick getaway.