I first saw Samajeo in June 2009 at his Graduation from A-Level while I was there in support of my friend Patrina. She gave me a camera to take pictures of her but when I saw that face, that amazingly cheesy smile from that unknown young man I couldn’t help but to capture it. When we got home and I showed her the pictures (a little more pictures than I should have had of a stranger) I asked her his name and after she told me I never forgot. Sometime later I added him on Facebook but never got a respond and honestly, I even forgot I added him until I visited the pharmacy some years later and saw that amazingly cheesy smile again.  I never said a word to him and he never acknowledged my existence so we continued life as normal. On July 20th 2014 I saw something on Facebook that made me think of him so I went back and saw that my friend request was still not accepted after 4 years. So, I Melinda Welch added him AGAIN that day but this time I sent a message with it saying “hi” and ever since that day he loved me. The time we started to communicate Samajeo was living in U.K. so we had not quite met face to face (ok we never met). We talked every day since that day for months via Facebook, WhatsApp and Skype. We knew each other for a few months but it felt like we knew each other forever. After 6 months of nonstop conversation I realized that maybe that’s all it would be because we have never seen each other. He had already told me he would not want to start a relationship over the internet and he had no clue as to when he was coming home so I took that as a cue to not get involved even though I already loved him. We kind of lost contact for 3 months after that but too much was there to let go so we reconnected and since then we have been   inseparable. 

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Being who we were as you grew from past relationships we came to the table with opinions, habits and traits that we had to evolve to become who we are now - a solid stable couple. I never understood how people could say "I don't know! It just happened" but I don't know how to explain our progression any other way. For those who know Melinda, knows how unlikely it is for her to be the pursuer (although truth be told we took turns pursuing) but here we are. One day she sent a message and from there I was messaging non-stop on Facebook which I abhorred up until then. I told her add me on WhatsApp and I was so confident that she would I gave her my number without asking for hers and simply waited. Then I was my turn to be uncharacteristic, trying to explain that I don't have a girlfriend but not being able to explain what we were. Nine months after our first conversation I was able to say she was my girlfriend. Less than three months later she was on a flight to the UK. A year and two trips later after meeting Ava it was my turn to make the long journey. For those who know me I am quite comfortable with combining a very loose plan with improvisation; so, after getting the blessing of her mom the task was set to somehow get home and surprise her with not only my presence but a ring. I will save THAT story for Mrs. Williams to share. So here we are - Two lives united in friendship, Two friends united in love, One love united in Christ.