Billy and I met in September 2021 at a therapy group, where he immediately caught my eye. When he introduced himself, I turned red and broke out in hives, with my infatuation being rather obvious. On the group's last night, I prayed he'd ask me out. After it ended, I stayed behind, embarrassedly lingering, hoping he would get the hint. Well, he did, and he asked, "Would you like to go out sometime?' So, I awkwardly handed him a piece of paper to write his number down (this was a mistake). Due to his subpar handwriting, it took me several attempts to text the right number. After a lot of anxiety and frustration, I finally got a text back!

We went on our first date downtown, which started out rough. The restaurant was way too loud. I ordered a nasty jalapeño margarita, and Billy decided it would be fun to split the bill (red flag?) which left me rather annoyed. The date did end on a positive note with a nightly stroll through the Battery, followed by an awkward handshake.

As October turned to November, we spent more and more time together. We each went home for Thanksgiving, and I grew irritated, wanting the girlfriend title. On November 24, 2021, during a phone call, I casually asked, “So Billy, are we like officially dating or what?” He replied, “Do you want to be?” I answered, “Yes.” “Okay, will you be my girlfriend?” “Sure.” Yep, the good old traditional teenage way of asking a girl out.

Fast forward to exactly two years of dating and making many beautiful memories, I was ready to be engaged, as I kept reminding him that my biological clock was ticking. But Billy is a slower and more methodical planner than I am, so I had to be somehow patient and trust him that it would happen “soon.”

Well, six long months later, he finally decided the time was right after I asked, “So, can we get engaged this week?” He said, “Sure, how about Friday?” I said, “Okay, does that mean we are getting engaged?” He said, “Yes.”

When Friday night came, I was extremely nervous and ran around frantically getting dressed, making us late for our dinner reservations. When we finally arrived at Poogan’s Porch, we got stuck in a rainstorm and were drenched.

After dinner, we walked to the Battery, where he took my hand and sweetly asked on May 10th, 2024, at 11:30 pm, “Maddie, will you marry me?” And well, I just started sobbing and kept asking if this was a joke. He told me to stop asking stupid questions, so I finally said, “Okay,” and he put the ring on my finger.

Billy is a loving, patient, and intelligent man. I knew from the moment I met him that he was the one. He has been my biggest supporter through my impulsive decisions, from going back to school for my PhD to adopting various pets. When I brought home a stray parakeet, he rescued me when I was too scared to grab it. He even accepted the hamster I bought for a friend’s birthday, knowing I’d end up keeping it. When he helped me raise a baby goat for three months, I knew he would make a great father. Despite scolding me for impulsively buying baby chicks, he eventually agreed to let me have more apartment livestock.

He has been by my side, holding me every time I thought Steve was dying. When my Gammy died, he left his family to support me. Though I’m still not over my cat loving Billy more than me, I find myself loving him more each day. He allows me to be independent but always rescues me when I get in over my head. Billy is the kindest soul and has challenged me to be a better person. He has helped me through my insecurities and anxiety, showing me what true love looks and feels like. This is just the beginning of our story, and I can’t wait to see where life takes us as we start our journey of marriage together.

"We met on Craigslist."