She lived in D.C. He lived in Athens. Zack and Kate have been an in-flight movie apart since they started dating. But they clearly didn’t care that the universe wanted to keep a few hundred miles between them. He’d take one flight up, then two weeks later she’d take another flight down. They’d keep that routine up for years. And whenever they could steal a week away from their jobs or school, they’d jet set to Colombia, Spain, Malawi, or wherever, since at this point jumping on an airplane at the end of the week was second nature. But finally, enough was enough. Zack popped the question at the start of quarantine. And the universe stuck them in a house together for the next year.

She wanted a party. She got a pandemic. By the time Zack sat down with Kate’s father-Glenn-in a coffee shop off interstate 75, Zack and Kate’s impending engagement was already in motion. After finishing law school, Zack had moved up to Washington D.C to be with her after several years of dating long distance. Kate had subtly been dropping hints about the types of rings she’d want for months. And that she’d like to have her friends and family in town when it finally happened. But there was a problem. Zack wasn’t going to be in town. He’d just accepted a clerkship in Macon that would last until the fall. Too long to hold off the nuptials. So outside a coffee house in January, Zack shared his intentions with Glenn. Then Cindi. Then Kate’s brothers. And her friends. And his friends. Suddenly a big engagement was underway for the end of March. Her friends and family (and Zack) had all booked plane tickets. A venue had been reserved. Then news alerts, travel warnings, and the lockdown. Abruptly no one was traveling, and the big show was called off. But there was no stopping the engagement. So alone in park (with a couple friends hiding in a tree recording) Zack got down on one knee and offered Kate his grandmother’s ring. She couldn’t have been happier.