In September of 2020, Molly and Ryan matched on a dating app called Hinge. The two met for their first date at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, where they found out they both had the same favorite bug: preying mantis. They walked and talked around the greens, then went inside the museum to make fun of the art. Then they played Shrek 2 on Molly's Playstation at her apartment. Ryan and Molly texted back and forth and planned a second date at Molly’s apartment, where Ryan cooked a soupy alfredo pasta. Molly pretended it was delicious while they watched Shrek the Musical. Molly’s birthday came a few days after this, and Ryan brought Molly roses and they spent her 26th together. Molly and Ryan soon fell in love. Or maybe accepted that they had fallen in love a while ago. Rascal and Squeaks, Molly’s cats, began tolerating Ryan’s constant presence in their home, and even started sitting next to him on the couch. Molly went to Minnesota for a month, a plan she committed to long before meeting her future husband. She missed Ryan the entire time, so they met for virtual dates on each others’ Animal Crossing islands. Ryan welcomed Molly back to Virginia in January 2021. And everything was perfect. Until Molly accepted a job offer that would take her to Boston, a long way north for a guy who grew up in a town with “Beach” in the name. But they agreed their love was more powerful than Massachusetts’ winters, and they moved to Somerville, MA in early 2022. And they’ve been there ever since. Ryan, Molly, Rascal and Squeaks, a happy family unit sharing a one-bedroom apartment. Most nights, all four of them cuddle on the couch and watch reality TV (Molly’s influence) or some art film (while Molly watches TikToks) and their nights end with the cats screaming at them ‘til they open that glorious can of wet food and fill their bowls. The end <3