They also learned to talk openly about the future. They discussed health, aging, family responsibilities, and the question of children without pretending that difficult subjects could be solved by affection alone.
They were not a perfect couple.
They were two people who had discovered that love was not a rescue mission, a business arrangement, or a public performance.
It was a partnership that required honesty, patience, and the courage to face uncomfortable truths.
One evening, several months after the wedding, Raúl found Raquel sitting on their terrace, watching the sunset.
He sat beside her.
“What are you thinking about?” she asked.
He smiled.
“The first day I came to your house to repair that toilet.”
Raquel laughed.
“I offered you a fortune, and you walked out.”
“You offered me a fortune in exchange for one night.”
“And you refused.”
“I was afraid.”
“Of me?”
“Of becoming someone I wouldn’t respect.”
