My wife is paralyzed, so I haven’t been inti:mate with her for four months. Out of deep frustration, I left her alone for ten days to go on a date with the younger sister of my colleague. And then… the unexpected happened.

bills, wet towels, sore backs, and nights so long they felt like punishment. In the hospital, we had routines handed to us by professionals. At home, we had only each other, and I was far less steady than either of us had believed.

Our bedroom changed first. The side table filled with medicine bottles, ointments, water cups, and folded notes from doctors,continue reading …