That belief started when I agreed his mother, Elena, would come live with us.
She had suffered a stroke before our wedding. One side of her body was paralyzed. She depended on help for everything—eating, bathing, moving, even turning in bed.
At first, I told myself it would only be temporary.
But months turned into years.
And somehow, I became her full-time caregiver… while her own son slowly stepped away from all responsibility.
Every day followed the same routine.
I woke up early, helped her out of bed, fed her, gave her medication, cleaned her, and changed her sheets. At night, I stayed alert in case she needed to move or use the bathroom.
And Daniel?
He worked, came home, and disconnected.
Whenever I asked for help, he would say,
“You do it better than I would. I’d only make things harder for her.”
