Then it happened. I saw her, as I was coming out of the factory one afternoon. She was with a friend, and they were stepping out of the grocers, arm in arm. She was laughing, tossing her golden hair back as it shone in the sun. She was the prettiest thing I had ever seen in my life, and I knew right then and there I would do whatever it took to make her mine.

Hannah was her name. Hannah. I used to roll her name around in my mouth, letting the vowels slide over my tongue. I would daydream about our life together, the children we would have. For the first time I knew what it felt like to truly love someone.

She didn’t come from money, but that didn’t bother me. I had more than enough of it for both of us, and she was pretty enough for people to ignore her shortcomings. Whatever she wanted, she got.

“Fe,” she’d coo, batting those long lashes at me. “You love me, right?”

I would smile and squeeze her hand. She wouldn’t let me kiss her yet, claiming it to be improper. “Of course I do, my darling.”

“The dressmaker has the most beautiful dress in the window. I’d love to wear it and make you proud at the Smith’s dinner next week.”

I bought her dresses and hats. Bikes, and roller skates. Riding lessons, and paints. Flowers and the most delicate pieces of jewelry. All of it necessary to prove herself to society, she’d say. And all of it necessary for me to prove my love to her.

I was so clouded by love and beauty I didn’t see her for what she really was. I just wanted to make her happy. I didn’t stop to notice she never once told me she loved me in return.

Summer turned to Fall, and the trees began to lose their leaves. I wanted to ask Hannah to marry me, and so I bought the prettiest ring I could find, smiling as I imagined it on her delicate finger. I had the cook plan a meal of all her favorites, and dressed myself in my finest suit. Her mother came to the dinner as well, as a chaperone. We ate the meal, before I dropped to one knee before her chair.

“Hannah, will you do me the honor of making me the happiest man alive, and becoming my wife?”

There were no tears, or over-the-top professions of love. From Hannah at least. Her mother broke down into tears, overwhelmed with emotion her daughter was marrying so well. Hannah only smiled and offered her hand for me to slide the ring on. “Of course I will, Fe. But I want something first. As a wedding gift.”

The ring looked stunning on her ivory finger. I would do whatever she asked. “Anything for you.”