Chapter 68 Luca

• Luca
• “Please call me when you land,” my mother-in-law says, her gaze filled with concern. She’s been nothing but supportive in the last couple of weeks, and I can’t help but wonder if seeing Valentina and I persevere helped her heal some of her own wounds. It certainly seems that way. She no longer seems scared that I’ll hurt or abandon Valentina, and my wife also seems much more at ease. I never realized how much distance there still was between us, but she’s right. There was a sense of inequality between us, in part because I held more leverage than she did, and in part because our marriage was built on contractual terms that felt forced.
• In some ways, we chose each other, but in other ways, we never would’ve known if we’d be together if not for the circumstances that led to our marriage. Everything we’ve been through in recent weeks has become a silver lining that I’ll always be grateful for. Knowing that my wife wants to be with me despite me being penniless, despite the undoubtedly rough times we’re about to face… that truly is priceless, and it has added a layer of intimacy between us that wasn’t there before.There is not even a hint of reluctance or blame in her demeanor. She truly is in this with me, every step of the way.