Francis, a musician, used to play at the hotel when he studied at the University of the Arts. He had arranged to use the piano to impress Rachel, who was then earning her doctorate in chemical engineering at Drexel. She was wowed. After the private concert, the two headed to the Continental diner for drinks and more conversation.
Rachel, now 27, grew up in Northeast Philadelphia. Francis, now 26, is a native of Capitol Heights, Md., in the Washington suburbs, who had transferred from the University of the Arts to the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, where he earned a degree in music composition. Shortly after the couple met, he became the music coordinator at the Please Touch Museum.
In 2009, Rachel left her roommates in the Northeast and she and Francis got an apartment together in University City.
How does forever sound?
Rachel had just arrived home from school on a February Friday afternoon. She was dressed in sweats and prepared to do nothing more than run some errands and enjoy a relaxing evening at home. She was upstairs when she heard Francis come in. "Please get dressed nice and come downstairs," he yelled up. She vetoed the change of clothes. "I just want to go food shopping," she said.
When Rachel came down to see what her boyfriend wanted, there was a slide show playing on the television. She saw pictures from around the time they met, an early beach trip, their first visit to see his parents, and move-in day at their apartment. An original song written by Francis played, and it was his voice narrating the scenes. "There came a point where I knew I couldn't just have you as my girlfriend," Francis said in the recording. "You had to be my wife."
