We met in sixth grade at St. Thomas More School in Alhambra. I was one of the shortest in class and Tom one of the tallest — I thought he was kinda cute but didn’t think much more of it. One day he got in trouble for talking, so the teacher made him sit in front of me; that’s when we first really talked.

Our school had one class per grade, so families knew each other well. In seventh grade his family invited us to a bowling alley. I’d never been because smoking was allowed and my asthma made it risky, but I begged to go. I loved being there with Tom and his family — until my asthma landed me and my parents at Children’s Hospital shortly after.

In eighth grade my asthma was so severe I spent long stretches in a hospital in another city. Tom would ride his bike to my parents’ house so they could bring him to visit me. We were both too scared to say how we felt. Through high school and after, we tried to date but never got past the first step. I invited him to a Christmas party where I worked, and he later took me on a picnic at Eaton Canyon. I was sure he would finally kiss me — he didn’t. He drove me home, and I was furious. I remember telling my dad, “he brought a six-pack of beer and a Pepsi,” then slamming my door.

Years passed. In 1998 I thought of him and called my aunt, who gave me his mom’s number; she passed my number along, and he visited my workplace, telling me he was getting married the next week. It wasn’t meant to be. In 2004 we reconnected briefly on Facebook while we were each married, then lost touch. In 2019 I was divorced and dating; Tom reached out, and we talked sporadically while he was still married. At the end of 2019 he made it clear his marriage was over, and I knew I had to end my relationship, though I wasn’t sure.

On February 8, 2020 we met at the Mission Inn. When I saw him walk in, I knew it was different. I decided not to wait — I took his hand, and that finally broke the ice. The rest is history, and now we’re here, planning our wedding in Riverside.