Charles survived, though recovery would be long and uncertain. I stayed by his side, determined not to waste another second resenting a man who had given me everything.
Fifty years of marriage taught many lessons. Almost losing him taught the greatest: love is not confinement. Love is care, attention, and countless small gestures so subtle you forget them—until they vanish.
Freedom wasn’t something I needed to find—it was something I needed to understand.
And finally, I do.