For their first date, Natalie and Varqa went on a long walk. In the middle of their stroll, Varqa asked to pause. He had a gift for her. It was a purple quartz he had found on a geology field trip and added to his rock collection. "Some people bring flowers on first dates, but I thought you would like this." Natalie was smitten. The quartz stayed on Natalie's bedside table until it moved to North Carolina with her and Varqa, and then later got packed back into the car along with all their plants to return to Seattle. Then one day, the rock went to a jewelry shop downtown where pieces of it were added to rings for the couple. Now they wear it as a symbol of commitment and a reminder of that sweet afternoon when their story began.