A new chapter begins

In August of 2021, Lorraine was in her small business jewelry-making era, unemployed and trying to navigate this strange and uncertain time of life. She had left UCSB a quarter early, thinking it would only be for a couple of weeks, when in reality, she never went back. She never got to say goodbye to her friends or the place she called home for almost 2 years. Her study-abroad plans fizzled out, and she was left feeling somewhat adrift and directionless. She found herself yearning for company and connection, so begrudgingly, she turned to dating apps. After months of disappointment, her expectations were low. Right before giving up, she landed on Kyle. He was holding an adorable mastiff puppy and had an even more adorable smile on his face- a very endearing photo indeed. She took a chance and swiped. It was a match. She sent him a message, and before she knew it, they had planned to meet in person for a date just a couple of days later. They ended up spending all afternoon and evening together on their first date. From taking a walk on west cliff, getting pizza, going hot-tubbing, and watching Schitt's Creek, it was an instant connection, and neither of them wanted the day to end. Kyle enjoyed hearing Lorraine play the piano and was excited to learn more about her jewelry business and go to one of her markets (he ended up going to almost every single one!). So, naturally, they met again the next weekend. And then again, and again. It was the first time in a while that Lorraine had felt like someone was making the effort to see her, and Kyle always followed through. Kyle was excited to spend time with her, no matter what they were doing, and felt like they were always on the same wavelength. He also noted that Lorraine didn't run away when she saw all the rocks in the back of his car. From then on, they continued to see each other every weekend.

Three months into seeing each other, Kyle asked if Lorraine wanted to go on a hike in Pogonip, an open nature preserve near UCSC. She eagerly agreed, excited as always to spend time with Kyle again. They reached the Koi Pond and decided to sit down and admire the fish and the trees surrounding them. Note, at this point, neither of them had discussed "where things are going" with their relationship. Suddenly, Kyle turned to her and said, "There's something I've been wanting to ask you." Lorraine, with butterflies in her stomach, said, "Okay...?" and Kyle asked, "I was wondering if you wanted to be my girlfriend?" Lorraine, surprised, nodded and said: "Yes, I would really like that!" And proceeded to become flustered and giggle nervously. Up until that moment, she had no idea whether Kyle even wanted to keep seeing her. She had also, until that moment, never been formally asked to be anyone's girlfriend in such a straightforward manner. It instantly flooded her with relief and excitement, and she couldn't wait to tell everyone. Kyle had been nervous; it took him the whole walk up to the koi pond to find the courage to ask her, but he was so glad that he did.

Four months after their first date, Kyle invited Lorraine to join him and his family to Kauai. She was pleasantly surprised by his asking, and was both nervous and excited to spend more time with his family. Luckily for her, they welcomed her with open arms. In April of 2022, they were on a plane. Everything about their time in Kauai fueled their growing love for one another- the wonderfully warm evenings, getting caught in rainstorms, reading on the lawn underneath the palm trees, even taking a romantic boat ride along the Napali Coast. Their favorite part, though, was being there together, standing on their balcony and watching the sunset. It was there, on the night of Kyle's 28th birthday, that he said the words "I love you" for the first time. Once again, catching Lorraine completely off guard, in the most amazing way. Without thinking, she responded, "You beat me!" and explained that she had been wanting to say those words for a while now, too. Of course, she eagerly said, "I love you too", and it is now one of their most treasured memories.

A couple of years later, and they were closer than ever. Lorraine had moved in, and they began to make their house a home. This involved bringing in the family cat, Nudge, as their own. They celebrated their first Christmas living together, among many other milestones and holidays. They had gone on amazing trips together, including their first international trip in the Spring of 2024. Kyle turned 30 on the Seine River in Paris, and they celebrated by eating delicious food and watching the Eiffel Tower sparkle as they floated along the City of Love. On the third anniversary of their first date, Lorraine sat Kyle down, intent on having a conversation about their future. She was nervous, hoping that Kyle shared the same vision and hopes for their future as she did. Little did she know that he had been making big plans. Lorraine was glad they had the conversation and happy to learn they were on the same page, but was still unsure about their timeline. She knew she wanted to marry him, but had no idea when that might happen. On January 25, 2025, Kyle planned a date night for the two of them. Like any typical date night they plan for each other, the plans for the evening were a surprise for Lorraine. She assumed they might be going for a nice dinner, so they dressed nicely. Kyle encouraged her to wear a new dress she hadn't worn yet, despite her complaining about the cold. They began to drive, and Kyle told her he wanted to show her a spot he found while he was out skipping rocks. She wasn't too thrilled about the idea of being outside, but went along with it. They parked in a neighborhood in La Selva Beach, an area they hadn't explored together yet. Kyle took her on a short walk along the cliffs, overlooking the ocean. Lorraine was shivering, huddled in her puffer jacket. Kyle held her close to keep her warm. Once they had walked a few minutes, they stopped to admire the view. Lorraine was beginning to sense that something was happening as Kyle began to reminisce about their time together. "Remember in Kauai when we said I love you for the first time?" He asked, and Lorraine, curious where this might be going, said, "Yes, I do.." He continued with, "Well, that was exactly one thousand days ago, and I have loved you all one thousand days and will love you for many thousands more." He mentioned how happy she had made him, and to top it all off, threw in a line from a song by One Direction: "You light up my world like nobody else" (major bonus points). Lorraine threw up her hands in shock and amazement at this line, and at what she knew was coming next. He turned, grabbed a box out of his pocket, and got down on one knee. "So, Lorraine, will you marry me?" "Yes, of course!!" She exclaimed in total shock. Kyle stood and they embraced, before remembering that he hadn't even put the ring on her finger. It was a beautiful opal stone, simple, elegant, and exactly what she wanted. Kyle had hired Lorraine's friend to take photos of the proposal (more bonus points), so for the next hour, as the sun set, they soaked in the excitement and love and captured the moment for them to look back on forever. Afterwards, they shared a wonderful meal at Shadowbrook, and Lorraine was giddy as Kyle began to share the months of planning that had led up to this moment. He was so happy and relieved, and Lorraine was so impressed at the thought behind it all. They spent the rest of the weekend sharing the happy news with friends and family and were so excited to begin brainstorming what their wedding day might look like.