It was in New Brunswick at Neguac, along the Atlantic coast. It was a world of lumber, fishing, and farming. A region of tough, hardworking, big-hearted people that he grew to love because it was where he met the woman he would marry.

He’d been in New Brunswick about six months when he’d gone to a school near Burnt Church and gave a presentation on staying safe to a classroom of ten-year-olds. While he was taking questions about stranger danger, drugs, alcohol, what to do about bullying, he’d noticed that the teacher, Ms. Cathy Pearson, had left the room. When she’d returned to make sure that her class thanked him, he thought her eyes had reddened. She touched a tissue to her nose a few times.

Later, when they were alone in the hall, he kept his voice low and said: “Forgive me for intruding, Cathy, but is everything okay?”

She tried smiling then looked away, her composure slipping.

“No, not really, but I’ll be fine.”

“If you’d like to talk, I’m a good listener. In fact, I’ve got time now.”

School was done for that day. She’d weighed up his offer, started shaking her head as if she was going to decline.

“Listen,” he’d said. “I don’t know what’s troubling you and it’s none of my business, but sometimes talking with someone can help.”

She’d searched his eyes for a moment then asked him to meet her outside by the basketball court.

As they walked alone along the edges of the school yard she told him that her fiancé had broken off their engagement, that he’d met someone else and was moving to Toronto. Fortin and Cathy walked the entire perimeter of the school property three times before she’d finished pouring out her heart to him.

“I’m sorry for burdening you with this, Will. But I saw how good you were with the kids. You struck me as a kind-hearted man. You’re a good listener and you were right. This has helped, thank you.”

A few days later he’d called her to see how she was doing.

She thought he was sweet and thoughtful to call and told him so two weeks later when they’d met for coffee at a diner. In the weeks that followed, they continued having coffee together; then it was dinner in Miramichi, then shopping and a movie in Moncton, then a weekend in Halifax.

Their relationship grew and two years later, it had blossomed into an engagement.

They were married in a little seaside church on Prince Edward Island, where her family was from.

Surely, this had to be the greatest, most wonderful thing he could’ve done, he thought, as he looked into Cathy’s eyes that day.

She was his sun, his stars, and his moon.

Cathy was his world.