Later in life, I agreed to marry a man with disability — there was no love between us

weighed us down. Because my mother looked tired and worried. Because I was forty and had mornings when I woke late. Because James was gentle, and gentleness is rare.
He turned off the light. The room seemed to stop. I felt him sit down on the edge of the mattress. “Are you okay?” he asked, his voice low and careful. I nodded even though he couldn’t continue reading …