Before they both meet they were a little different to who they were.
Mary, had just been divorced to her husband that was tired of her being so "absent" in their relationship not understanding its just her job that takes up a lot of time. He didn't bother visiting her at work or helping her out and left her after some time. With all the stress and work she kind of started falling to stress eating and gained the pudge she has today, she was a lot more thinner back in the day. She started asking out men that would be willing to go on a date with her to see if she could try being a relationship again but tends to strike out a lot with how busy and forgetful she is, till she finally meet one that would try his best to keep her.
Erick, was working for the marines at the time. He was stationed up north for a time and then did some time in Russia as a marksman for his team. He left after serving for 4 years. He thought joining the military would be cool to tell girls hes a veteran but honestly they don't give him even long enough to talk to let him tell them he is. After a year of doing odd jobs and learning a bunch of random skills he thought would get him a girlfriend a rather tall lady came up to him with no warning and asked him out on a date, that tall lady being Mary.