At the age of 40 I closed my eyes and agreed to marry a lame man just to end everything… but on our wedding night, when I raised the blanket with trembling hands, I discovered a truth I never imagined.

“Miguel…” I whispered.

He responded immediately, as if he hadn’t been asleep.

“Yes?”

Are you awake?

“Yes.

There was a little silence.

“You didn’t have to sleep on the floor,” I said.

Miguel let out a soft laugh.

“It’s okay. I’m used to it.

“But it’s our wedding night.

“That’s exactly why,” he replied calmly. I don’t want you to remember tonight as something that made you feel obligated.

His words struck me in a strange way.

For the first time in a long time, someone was thinking about my feelings rather than theirs.

I was silent.

After a moment, he spoke again.

“Rosa… if you want, tomorrow we can tell everyone that this was a mistake.

I was lightly incorporated into the bed.

What?

“We can annul the marriage,” he said. No one will blame you.

“And you?”

“Me neither.

His voice was quiet, but there was something hidden in it.

Something I could not identify at that time.

“Miguel,” I said slowly. Why did you do this?

“What?

“Marry me knowing that I wasn’t in love.

There was a pause.

Then I heard the slight sound of him settling on the ground.

“Because sometimes… loving someone means accepting what that person can give you.

“Even if it’s too little?”

“Even if it’s almost nothing.

I felt a knot in my throat.

The rain was still falling.

And that night, for the first time, I couldn’t sleep.

The days began to pass in a calm way.