She leaned against his shoulder.
“And now?”
He took her hand.
“Now I’m still afraid sometimes. But I know that if we ever reach a point where we’re together only because of money, fear, or obligation, we will have to be honest enough to admit it.”
Raquel rested her head against him.
“That’s not a very romantic answer.”
He kissed her forehead.
“Would you prefer that I promise to love you forever without ever questioning anything?”
She pretended to consider it.
“No. I think I’d rather have the truth.”
He smiled.
“Then that’s what I’ll give you.”
They sat quietly as the sky changed color.
Raúl had once believed that poverty was the greatest threat to his family’s future. Raquel had once believed that betrayal was proof that genuine love might never be possible for her.
Neither had been entirely right.
Money could ease suffering, but it could not create trust. Age could change the shape of a relationship, but it could not determine the worth of the people inside it. And love could bring two people together without guaranteeing that they would never hurt each other.
