her, and she possessed the rare ability to make a crowded room feel less intimidating.
We started talking.
Then we kept talking.
By the end of the evening, I had forgotten why I had come to the party.
Our relationship wasn’t perfect, but it was steady. We learned how to disagree without trying to hurt each other. We supported one another through career changes, family illnesses, and the ordinary disappointments that rarely make good stories but often determine whether two people can build a life together.
When I proposed, Claire
