I Now Pronounce Thee…, Part 2

Precious

I'd been home from my mission exactly 9 days and it was Chenese and Nate's big day. Throughout high school, I'd considered Nate my best friend—my biggest competition in every sense of the word, though we never conceived each other as such. We were just friends seeking to make the school a better place. Nate and Chenese met under interesting circumstances and it didn't take long for love to blossom. He was her Model UN mentor and she was the girl everyone adored. Smart, talented, and perfect. For me, they became a sort of inspiration—a model for romance.

Bronson, Nate's fellow mentor, was visibly taken with Chenese from day one. It was that kind of puppy love that caused him to follow her, start up intellectual conversations to the ends of impressing her, and write borderline-creepy poetry about her. Nate understood that she did not find this attention flattering and one day came to her aid. Acting as hostess at a Model UN party, Chenese spent much of that night avoiding Bronson, but he managed to hover about her for a time always returning the conversation to himself as we do when we want to appear intellectual. Identifying the young woman's predicament (and likely seeing an opportunity to make a move himself), Nate came to Chenese's aid with a simple and smooth move.

Entering into the conversation, Nate smoothly distracted Bronson with a simple phrase taking advantage of a major chink in his armor:

"That's so interesting."

Seizing Bronson's attention by presenting him an opportunity to flex his intellectual muscles, Nate provided her a discrete exit, and himself with something much more meaningful. Their romance was sparked by a glance over his shoulder as she walked away and mouthed the words "Thank you" from across the room.

It was this story that solidified my relationship with Chenese and Nate. As the unattached nice guy in their life, I attained the status of designated third wheel in their relationship. They confided in me these romantic stories, their hopes and dreams, and their concerns for others.

I felt like a scientist making some sort of discovery. I was able to (in a very minimal way) see love germinate, sprout and grow over the course of four years. To return and see these two wed for time and all eternity was one of the most fortunate events of my life and has provided me with a vision of what love means. They had good times and bad, challenges and trials, yet nothing has phased the way that they treat each other or those around them. Seeing them look into each others' eyes and kiss over the alter –the way that they would any other day of their life together—took my breath away. Of course, each relationship is different from the next, but I learned from them that subtlety and consistency can be a fairytale romance in its own right.

End, Part 2.