I like the beginning of relationships. From the time a guy spots you and tries to make you his to the time he proposes is always magical. That’s when men are at their best. Even the devil among them puts down his sword and puts on the cloak of an angel. I like the attention in those periods, so I take my time to enjoy it very well, knowing that this man in front of me will change as the relationship progresses.

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Martin. This guy didn’t know when to stop after I’d said no to him. He kept chasing and making promises like a man in love. He built me a castle in the air and said, “If only you would bow to my proposal, everything you see could be yours.”

I said no.

He went and came back with another plan. He planned a weekend getaway for us. He listed the places we would go and the activities we would do. He asked what I wanted to eat and what I would like to drink. A lot of thought went into that, so I said, “Why not? This one looks exciting.”

He came to my place to pick me up. His old Elantra looked spotless and sparkly. He opened the door for me, waited till I sat down, and closed it. This kind of treatment only happens at the initial stages of love. I sat and watched him drive carefully like he was carrying his bride.

I started sweating in the car. I looked around and realized all the windows were up. He was also sweating. I said, “It’s hot in here.” He responded, “Yeah, the air conditioning is on but it hasn’t gotten cold yet.”

We had been in the car for over ten minutes. Five minutes more and my makeup was suffering. He still insisted the air conditioning would kick in very soon. I opened my window for air to enter. He said, “Ahhh, you’ve wasted our suffering. Two minutes and we would have been chilled like ice.”

He closed it again, but the air conditioning still didn’t work. I was looking at him. He would run his hand over the vent and tell me, “It’s coming. You wait. You will beg me to lower it and I won’t mind you.”

We got to the place drenched in our own sweat. The thing didn’t work. He said, “I fixed it yesterday because of this date. I will visit that repairer after here and he will see what I do to him.”

When a man wants to impress you, he goes all out. They’ll pay for repairs that will later fail. They’ll make plans just to impress you. I love men, but I love them more at the initial stages of the relationship.

We had a very beautiful moment playing games, painting, sipping, eating good food, and drinking good wine. He asked me, “So what else should I do to make you say yes?” I answered, “You’ve done enough. You even placed me in an oven just to cook my skin. I’m your girlfriend already. I love you, truly.”

To prove it, I gave him a kiss. He said, “No, you’re playing with me.” I did it again and again until he believed. While driving back home, he said, “Let’s try the air conditioning again. It might work.” We both burst out laughing.

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A year and a half later, we got married. He was genuine, and it showed throughout the months we were together. It was our one-year anniversary a week ago. Has he changed? Does he still do things to impress me? Does the air conditioning work?

No.

We have more pressing issues now, but he loves me in a way I expect a husband to love a wife. No frills. No decoration. No icing. Just real, raw love without filters to show that he cares enough not to put me in an oven to burn.

—Gina

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