The conversation went rather well. I shared a little about myself with Nadia’s father, my values and worldview. He shared a little about himself and his daughter. We drank orange juice, shared a couple laughs, and connected very well. Finally, I told him of my intentions and that I was serious about this relationship. He, essentially, did the same; and, then, he gave me the green light.
After this, Nadia and I went back to their house. While she went inside to prepare some food, I stayed outside to swap the tire on my car with the new one. Then we ate, got dressed, and went to Bellingham Bay. On the drive over, I spoke to Nadia of my intentions and asked her to officially be my girlfriend. She agreed. This meant that we were no longer simply ‘dating’ and getting to know each other. We were intentionally moving our relationship forward, preparing for engagement and, eventually, marriage.
As we strode along the water, we spoke more deeply of our lives and past experiences. At this point, I was already fully aware of the fact that I would marry this woman; and, I made a conscious decision to love her. I didn’t tell her, of course. I needed to give myself time to prove it to myself and to be sure of my decision. But I already knew it in my heart and mind.
After our walk, we once again returned to her house. There, Nadia’s sister took the very first few photographs of the two of us together:
After that, we had tea and spent some more time together. Eventually, it was time for me to go home. Nadia came outside to say goodbye. We shared a quick hug, I walked her back to their front door, then ran back to my car and drove back home. And that was that – our third date. I don’t know, perhaps it may seem quite simple to someone else. But to me, this day was extraordinary. I will remember it for the rest of my life…
P.S. I have one snippet to add to this story. I’m afraid I cannot recall exactly when this occurred, but it happened at some point during that day; and, I couldn’t not share it:
“Did you like the juice?” Nadia’s father asked me, as we stood near my car.
“Yeah, it was not bad.” I honestly couldn’t recall the taste. When we spoke at the school, I was too engaged in our conversation to pay attention to how the juice tasted. But, in any case, I do love orange juice. Besides, I’ve tasted this particular brand before.
He had already mentioned earlier that he would give me a can or two to take home with me, so I understood that this was what his inquiry was leading towards. I did not expect, however, that once I accepted he would bring out a whole box full of these cans.
“Pop your trunk open.” He said, holding the box. I did so, expecting him to take a few cans out for me. As soon as I opened the trunk, he placed the entire box inside.
“There you go, enjoy.”
I tried to resist, but he insisted. So, a few hours later, I found myself driving home with a big box of orange juice in my trunk, a new tire on my car, a smile on my face, and a girlfriend in Bellingham.
Vostak - Various Creations 