Ch. 1: Honors
Alex and Elisa are in the same English class junior year of High School.
Alex keeps to himself but notices the fiery young lady seated across the room from him.
Elisa is smart and opinionated. She does not notice the young man seated across the room from her.
Near the end of the year, they read Arthur Miller's The Crucible in class. Alex reads the part of John Proctor.
Elisa takes notice.
Ch. 2: Scenery
Alex plays the lead in the school play and spends Saturday mornings helping to build the set.
Elisa is the Art Club President and volunteers to help paint scenery. Alex takes notice.
Ch. 3: Without Accompaniment
Alex and Elisa are in the Acapella choir. (Alex: Tenor, Elisa: Alto)
Elisa takes her time leaving every day so she can walk by the tenor section.
Alex hangs around after class everyday so he can say hello to the dark haired beauty who must walk past the tenor section on her way out the door.
Ch. 4: Intervention
Alex receives phone call from impish friend Tiffany O. who makes what is already quite obvious painfully clear.
Alex soon receives mix CD from Elisa, her musical taste is impeccable.
Elisa receives mix CD in return--and though Alex painstakingly selected those tunes he thought most appropriate, utterly fails to impress her.
Ch. 5: Party of Two
Elisa throws a Christmas Party.
Alex is invited. He confuses the time and shows up one hour early.
(Note: This is the last time Alex will ever be early in his life)
Alex has little memory of the conversation, but seems to recall that Elisa is doing something crafty as they talk for the next hour.
(Note: This is NOT the last time that Elisa is crafty--it is a talent she will possess for years to come.)
Ch. 6: Winter
Things snowball--and yet it will be a long time until the gentle thaw of Spring warms these lovers.
Ch. 7: Spring
After two months, Alex finally works up the courage to make his move: they kiss.
It is the first of many passionate kisses to come.
Ch. 8: Summer
Elisa works at a candle factory and smells of Vintage Havana and Grapefruit Pomelo.
Alex continues doing shows and smells of popcorn and stage fog.
They stargaze, ride bicycles, and swim all Summer long.
Ch. 9: Two Roads
One year later, Alex is called to serve a mission in Florida.
Elisa completes her freshman year at the dorms.
It is a tearful separation.
Letters are exchanged every week.
Ch. 10: Eight Months
Elisa dutifully holds out eight months before rightly realizing that she is missing out on the time of her life in college.
Communications cease.
Ch. 11: Orphaned
Elisa breaks many hearts at school.
She is pretty, and smart, and talented.
She wins art shows, gets immaculate grades, and moves into an apartment with a nickname.
She goes to Romania to work in an orphanage. Twice.
Ch. 12: Converted
Alex travels up and down Florida's Gulf Coast: Fort Myers, Clearwater, Sarasota, Tampa. He preaches in the country and in the city. It is hot and humid and rains every afternoon in the Summer. He survives no fewer than five hurricanes. He loves it.
Ch. 13: Home is Where the Heart Is
Alex returns home, still madly in love with Elisa.
She will have none of it.
Ch. 14: Half a Decade
Alex spends the next five years chasing Elisa.
She goes to Romania again.
He goes to London. Three times.
She decides to become a doctor, he a director.
She is accepted into Medical School, he starts a theatre company.
She takes her Boards, he takes a show to the International Theatre Festival in Edinburgh.
She is still running.
Ch. 15: What a Catch
Alex breaks his leg, but still rides public transportation up once a week to visit Elisa in Salt Lake.
She is still not having it.
His leg heals, but his heart does not.
Just when Alex has reached the bounds of his perseverance, Elisa relents.
He is exhausted. She is exhausted.
They come to the realization that they truly are the best of friends.
After dating for another year, they decide to get married.
Ch. 16: Check, Please?
They pick out an antique ring. Alex says they can't afford it, but buys it in secret. He takes it in to have it sized and the jeweler loses a diamond. Alex presses on in spite of the setback.
He takes her out to eat at a swanky joint and sneaks away to ask the waiter to bring out the ring before dessert.
It is a nerve-racking hour.
Dessert comes and goes.
The waiter forgot.
Ch. 17: Memory Grove
The next day, Alex asks Elisa if she'd like to go on a walk. She doesn't feel like going on a walk. He insists.
He pops the question at Memory Grove.
She never saw it coming.
She consents--in spite of a missing diamond.
It's true love.
Ch. 18: Eloping is Not an Option
It is October.
Despite Alex's best attempts, they do not schedule a December wedding, nor a Spring Break wedding, or even an April wedding.
It will be nearly nine months before they celebrate their matrimony in July.
Elisa makes Alex promise to never mention the 'E' word.
Ch. 19: To Everything There is a Season
It is the slowest Autumn of their lives, which then in turn becomes the longest, coldest winter. And then the most dismal, dreary spring. It is tediously followed by the hint of a tantalizing Summer just around the corner.
Ch. 20: Summer Again
Finally the weather warms, the crickets begin to sing, and July is coming up so quickly you can almost smell firework mortars and lemonade stands.
Though it's allegedly bad luck, Alex catches a glimpse through the window of Elisa in her wedding dress as she is fitted for an alteration.
She is radiant.
He could not be more excited.
Ch. 21: The Big Day
PLEASE JOIN US ON THE DAY TO HELP US WRITE THIS FINAL CHAPTER IN WHAT HAS BECOME THE BEGINNING OF A VERY LONG LOVE STORY!