Frank and Pardes first started dating in the summer of 2017 soon after Frank moved to Delaware. He impressed her with fine dining, and she impressed him with her high level Pokemon Go account. They soon realized many of their interests aligned.

In the beginning of any relationship, there are definitive mile stones. Being exclusive… Becoming “official”… and finally saying “I love you.” But to be the FIRST one to say it, to make your feelings known, to be vulnerable without knowing their reply… takes a lot courage. And Frank? He didn’t want to say it without Pardes stating her feelings at the same time despite him feeling it first. It was pretty early on. Like after a month of dating. Luckily, Pardes’s birthday was sooner than later and Frank knew what he had to do to squeeze those words out of her.

For her birthday, he, of course, took her out to dinner at one of Wilmington’s finest, Domaine Hudson: an elegant 3-course meal with paired wine. It was the first (of now many) fancy dinners Frank would treat Pardes to. She’s used to these kinds of dinners by now and almost comes to expect them after a while. (She also realizes how lucky she is to enjoy these meals each time). BUT Domaine Hudson was the first time and holds a special memory.

Pardes thought the nice dinner would be her main present that night but Frank had a surprise back at his apartment. He handed her a paper titled “PDS VHD” and took out his guitar. He wrote her a song and played right there. She tried to follow along with the lyrics on paper, but she was so moved. The tears in her eyes and obscured her vision, and so she relinquished herself to being in the moment. The song was beautiful, coy, and personal. Pardes nodded her head to answer Frank’s unsaid feelings. He asked, “what are you trying to say?” To which she answered all teary-eyed, “Yeah… I love you.”

Over the years, Frank and Pardes have celebrated the union of many friends and family members. Come August 2022, it will be their long awaited turn.