But before they packed up to become homeowners, they planned to take one more trip. The Pacific Northwest was calling.

They flew into Seattle a month later. A cool breeze floated off Puget Sound and across the city. They took in all of the standard Seattle tourist-fare–Pike Place Market, a Mariners game, Gas Works Park, etc. They followed pods of orcas on a boat towards Canada and marveled at the Ballard Locks. Cole thumbed the ring in his pocket everywhere they went. He didn’t have much of a plan, opting to rely on his intuition to find the “perfect” moment to ask the question he knew he was going to ask for months. Jo, on the other hand, was on edge. She confided in friends her suspicions prior to the trip, but admitted that Cole had otherwise shown no indications of an impending proposal. Could this finally be it? Could he be so obvious to propose on vacation? After a couple days, she convinced herself of harboring false hope.

Discovery Park is a 543-acre mass of preserved wilderness situated on the northwest shore of Seattle. It is a nearby respite from the hustle and bustle of the city, offering miles of hiking trails, beaches, and spectacular views of the sound. Cole suggested they hike a popular trail that led through the towering deciduous forest to the lighthouse at the westernmost edge of the park. Always up for a foray into nature, Jo agreed in an instant. The trail turned out to be a bit more strenuous than anticipated though. The couple broke out in a sweat. Dark spots gradually appeared on their t-shirts. Cole’s flat, treadless Converse made him envious of Jo’s pair of cushioned Adidas. For the last several hundred yards, a series of gasps and curses were the only form of communication between the two. Fortunately, they made it to the lighthouse in spite of the unexpected challenge. Morale was battered, but nonetheless intact.

Peering out from the base of the West Point Lighthouse, the tide was low and the beach bare except for a collection of scattered driftwood and seaweed. An immaculate blue sky reflected off the calm Pacific water. Across the way, dense evergreens were dwarfed by the imposing silhouette of the Olympic Mountains. Cole and Jo had since caught their wind and began combing the rocky sand in search of sea glass. An hour of foraging yielded a handful of shimmering sea-smoothed remnants of various vibrant colors. With each bend, Cole patted his pocket like a nervous tic. The raised circle remained there underneath the denim of his jeans. When Jo finally asked if he was ready to go, he put his arm around and asked if she’d had a good day. She replied that she had. Cole reached into his pocket and got down to one knee…

To this day, neither of them recall what was said in the moments that followed. Call it a blackout due to overwhelming happiness. Perhaps the blame lies with some defense mechanism against the sudden inundation of dopamine. However, they are both reasonably positive that Cole asked Jo to marry him and her reply was affirmative. When they came to, they were engaged. Jo donned on her third finger a gold ring accented with diamonds and engraved leaves. The prongs held a glimmering emerald–the fact they were standing on the outskirts of the Emerald City happened to be a pure cosmic coincidence. They were ecstatic, both shaking in their mutual excitement. Their few fellow beachgoers’ reactions varied from congratulatory to indifferent. A Millennial couple shouted their salutations, while a pair of elderly women asked Cole if he could take their picture–neither noticing nor caring about his recent milestone–to which he obliged. As Cole and Jo sauntered back towards the trail, they made a point to sit together on a driftwood log to appreciate the moment. Minutes later, they began calling friends and family to deliver the news.

Wedding Day

Reception