When the Tango never took off: A struggling young couple learns how to turn around a floundering relationship

He looks dashing in his new suit and hat. She’s elegant in her new outfit and sheitel. They both have that newlywed glow. Once sheva brachos is over, the work of growing together begins. Sometimes, it’s smooth sailing. But at other times, childhood baggage and emotional immaturity get in the way. Here, a struggling young couple learns how to turn around a floundering relationship

Faigy

I love how Ta thinks I’m looking to marry someone like him. Yes, because I’d love to watch history repeat itself, said no one ever. Even though I have to admit, Dovi Fuchs sounds like he’s the whole package: tall, dark, and committed enough to Torah and Yiddishkeit to meet Ta’s exacting standards. I’m committed to Yiddishkeit, too. Just not in the “let’s make our own mayonnaise on Pesach and women should only wear black” way that Ta recently dictated. Poor Ma and the boys…

Okay, Dovi Fuchs is amazing. And his favorite color is yellow. Not black; yellow. Is it super nerdy if I wear my butter-yellow sweater with the oversized sleeves next date? It is, but I’m still going to do it.

He smiled and said, “Nice sweater.”

I’m melting.

Dovi

She makes me smile. Those were the first words out of my mouth after my first date with Faigy. No one ever looked at me like that before, as if I have all the answers in life. She sees me. And she likes what she sees. Is it too depressing to say I’ve never felt that before? That my family was never truly happy to see me, to be with me?

There’s just something so light about her, so happy. And when she wore that yellow sweater, it was like all the sunshine in the park was being channeled through her.

Faigy

Our engagement is a whirlwind of appointments, shopping, and tears. Ta can’t believe the length of sheitels I’m buying. He tried pressuring me into changing my mind.

But it’s my life now. My choices. I don’t need to follow Ta blindly anymore; I have a new path in life. And his name is Dovi.

Dovi

I feel sorry that Faigy’s father is giving her a hard time about her sheitels and clothing. She looks great to me, and perfectly tzniyus, and she’s going to be my wife, so I don’t really see why her father has the right to an opinion. I listen while she cries and then take her out for ice cream. We end up laughing so hard, we spill our cones. I want to marry this girl, the one in yellow who goes from crying to laughing and says it’s because I’m with her.