Our Story
Here's the story of how we got from living on the opposite ends of the city to where we are today, from Heather's perspective.
The Beginning
While I can’t remember the first time I heard about Pat, I do know roughly how everything came about. When I was 15, my best friend at the time, Brytani, had introduced me to a friend of her brother’s, Melissa. Melissa and I had a lot in common, and would eventually become very close. Over the following months, Melissa told me about her best friend, Patrick. Me, being quite young, and living on the other side of the planet in Orleans (to their Nepean, which is about 40km away) decided the best way to introduce myself to this best friend of a friend would be a note or two. So, I wrote to Patrick a few times, knowing very little about him.
Eventually, another close friend of Melissa’s was having a birthday party in the far away land of Nepean. I was invited, and there, I finally met the mysterious Pat face to face. In fact, I do believe he drove Melissa and I back to her place in his very own car, which was very impressive to me at the time.
Months and months later, Melissa moved away. I stayed in contact with her friends, and kept hanging out with them. Pat and I became close. I developed a HUGE crush on him, and was very dramatically crushed when I learned that he was quite happy in a relationship. We both dated other people over the next few months, and when those relationships fell apart, we comforted each other. On March 18th, 2001, Pat drove all the way out to my house (again, impressive!) and asked me to be his girlfriend. I accepted.
Highschool Sweethearts
What Pat didn't realize at the time was that I was 17. He figured that I was friends with his friends, and so I had to be about the same age. He was more than a little surprised when he attended my 18th birthday party a few months later.
So, entirely contrary to his plan of leaving highschool behind, he was invited (dragged) to relive all of the traditional senior year events, including two more proms, two formal dances and two semi-formal dances. That's a lot for a college guy who thought he was past those things. I am proud to say he stuck it out.
Growing Up
The next few years shaped both of our lives, and while they weren't always perfect, we both walked in to adulthood together. He completed College, I completed University. He supported me in my many moves around the city (three apartments and various moves back to my parents house).
Later in our relationship, due to the strain of sick parents and changing lives, Pat and I went our separate ways. While we were apart, we remained very close friends, and continued to keep in touch, despite other relationships and other life changes.
It was during this time that I realized how much I loved him, and how I couldn't bare the thought of having a life without him. It wasn't immediate, but I fought hard, and a few months later, I had won him back.
