Pure and simple. The dark-haired woman pacing before the row of aquariums would be his future wife. Something was wrong though. Most people buying aquariums looked happy, expectant, like they couldn’t wait to begin picking out their new finned friends. This woman was clearly sad; there were red circles around her ebony eyes. He straightened his nametag, ran a hand through his too-long hair, and approached. “Hi, could I help you pick out an aquarium?” She whirled around. The red ribbon holding back her shoulder-length hair whacked him in the cheek. “Oh. Hi. I need an aquarium fast. Saltwater.” A pair of big bubbly tears appeared in the corners of her eyes as she detailed a break-in that occurred while she was out of her apartment. Shopping, she said—not for clothes, she was quick to explain—for groceries. When she returned home, the place was a shambles, and her precious fish were flip-flopping on the floor. Shawn helped her pick out a new twenty-five-gallon tank, then had what he considered a brilliant idea.
