W
E
D D I N
G T
O
A
S
T
·
S
P E
A
K E
R ’
S C
O
P Y
Rachel
&
Evan
Delivered with love by Dana — coworker, friend & emergency chocolate supplier
✦
G
ood evening, everyone. For those I haven’t met, I’m Dana — Rachel’s coworker, her emergency
chocolate supplier, and the keeper of the shared spreadsheet where we track birthdays, snack
inventory, and, as of last year, one very important new entry: Evan.
W
orking beside Rachel has been one of the quiet joys of my life. She’s the person who stays late to
help a teammate meet a deadline that was never hers. She celebrates other people’s wins louder
than her own. And when Evan started appearing in the lobby every evening at 5:47, I watched
something remarkable happen: Rachel — always composed, always on top of everything — began
leaving her desk on time. Every single day.
A
t first, Evan was simply the mystery man at pickup. Then he was at the holiday party. Then he
came to the team potluck — she assured us he “wouldn’t be any trouble,” and he showed up with
three trays of dumplings and quietly stayed to wash the dishes. I remember turning to a colleague
and saying:
this is the one.
W
hat I love about Rachel and Evan together is how easy it is. They share the same terrible puns.
They have the same patient way of listening, as if whatever you’re saying genuinely matters. And
they make each other better — Rachel is calmer, Evan is somehow more organized, and between
the two of them they now carry the emotional intelligence of a small nonprofit.
R
achel, you have been my friend through deadlines, reshuffles, and far too many sad desk salads.
Seeing you this happy is the best thing work has ever given me. And Evan — thank you for loving
her the way she loves everyone else: completely, and without keeping score.
1 / 1
