Alright, settle in—imagine we’re in a cozy Scottish pub nestled between rolling hills and crumbling castles. There's a fire crackling, mugs of something warm in our hands, and maybe a bard in the corner telling stories that are only half true. This is ours. And it starts like every good quest: with an app and some very questionable profile pictures.

In May of 2021, Rozlyn was this close to deleting Hinge and embracing her destiny as a semi-feral dog witch. One more awkward date and she was out. Meanwhile, Michael had only just stepped into the arena, shiny and optimistic, with all his hit points intact.

Michael saw Rozlyn’s profile and was instantly hooked—cute, into animals, and into Formula One? Perfect. Rozlyn, on the other hand, saw a man pretending to be a beach mermaid in one of his photos and thought, "Sure. Why not?" When they finally met up at Cidercade, an arcade-meets-cider-bar wonderland, she was pleasantly surprised: he was cute, kind, and shockingly normal. He, meanwhile, was just happy she wasn’t catfishing him. Bonus: she had razor-sharp wit and zero social filter. She opened with tales of horrible dates and demanded a full rundown of his. Bold move? Absolutely. But classic Rozlyn.

Somewhere between tacos and Galaga, Michael put his arm around her during a co-op game, and she leaned in. Cue internal fireworks. Achievement unlocked: Early Relationship Butterflies.

The early days were a dreamy, low-stakes side quest. COVID meant lots of time on each other’s couches, bingeing shows, playing cozy games, and learning the intricacies of who takes over the kitchen (Michael) and who disappears mysteriously during dish duty (also Michael). Rozlyn didn’t mind—she preferred a good cleanup montage over wielding a spatula anyway.

A standout moment? A legendary game night with their friends Kaleigh and Cabot. Laughter, wine, board games that got way too competitive—it was the kind of night that ended around 4 a.m., with secrets shared and bonds forged. From then on, game night became a cornerstone of their shared universe.

Just four months into their journey, they decided to level up with an international quest: Mexico. No “I love yous” had been exchanged, no parents had been met, and honestly? No detailed plans were made. They just went for it. And it was amazing—even when Michael got hit with the vacation plague, they still made memories that stuck. Picture it: sunset over the water, Rozlyn with her frozen strawberry daiquiri, Michael sipping a piña colada, both quietly thinking, yep—this could be it.

Since that first whirlwind adventure, life has settled into its own kind of lovely chaos. There’s been lots of time with family—holidays, birthdays, impromptu game nights, and more than a few food comas. Somewhere along the way, they attempted the ultimate co-op challenge: moving in together and figuring out how two fully grown humans with entirely too much stuff can share one space without summoning a storage wizard.

The days now are full of little things—inside jokes that no one else would understand, spontaneous dance recitals (starring Emma, choreographed by Michael), adventures at the park, and more quality time at home.

When it came time to propose, he didn’t need a grand new storyline. He picked something already dear: Zoo Lights. They’d gone almost every year, wrapped in coats, wandering under glittering arches, laughing at inflatable snowmen. Rozlyn, ever the planner, demanded a heads-up. Surprises = emotional chaos.

Michael honored that… and then stretched the moment for all it was worth. Tripod setup #1. Nothing. Tripod setup #2. Still nothing. Rozlyn, spiraling in secondhand embarrassment, begged him to hand the phone to a stranger. And then—finally—he knelt. There was clapping. There was blacking out. There was love.

They went through the lights a second time, this time just soaking in the magic with no nerves or suspense.

Now? It’s Rozlyn and Michael. Emma the dog, Gizmo the very judgmental cat, and a home full of warmth, nerf darts, and board game rulebooks. The pets tolerate each other (barely), but hey they are making progress.

Next quest: eloping in Scotland. There will be mist. There will be sheep. There may or may not be kilts. But mostly, there will be two best friends choosing each other again and again, every day, in every timeline.

And honestly? That’s the best kind of story.

R&M

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