Nina and I both started at Washington Mutual Bank on January 7, 2007. Different departments. Same building. It’s very possible we passed each other in the hallway or even shared an elevator. If we did, I probably said nothing.
The funny thing is she was originally going to move to Austin. A week before the move, she switched to San Antonio because it was cheaper. That one decision basically changed my entire life.
By August 2007, she ended up in my department. And where did they sit her? Right behind me. When I first noticed her, my thoughts were not romantic at all. She is tall. Why is she wearing sunglasses inside? What is up with the scarf? She is weird.
We started talking through instant messaging, which was the only way two people chained to phones could communicate in a call center. She needed help with work and I was happy to help. What I did not know at the time was that she immediately liked the way I smelled. Secret revealed, it was just Softsoap. I had no idea the woman sitting behind me would eventually become my wife and the mother of my child.
At some point during our IM conversations, I mentioned my side gig as a high school football statistician. Probably not a panty dropper. I also told her about getting pulled over near Smithson Valley after making a wrong U turn. She lived near there and offered to guide me to safety no matter how late it was. Then she gave me her number.
I did not call. I managed to escape Smithson Valley on my own.
Later, when she mentioned she was apartment hunting, I offered to help and gave her my number. The first time she called, I was too nervous to answer. That ignore only happened once. After that, we started hanging out and spending more time together. Eventually, she moved into a place directly across the street from me.
Fast forward to December 9, 2009. I had the ring, a bouquet of flowers, and a stomach that could only handle a banana all day. I planned to propose on a cruise we had coming up, but I could not wait. I drove to her place exhausted. She was already ready for bed. None of that mattered. I asked the most important question of my life and she said yes.
We got married on October 10, 2010. In May 2016, Nina gave birth to Niko.
Best wife. Best mom. Ever.