In that moment, I realized she didn’t want perfection — she wanted partnership. Not just the big gestures, but the everyday noticing, the invisible tasks, the shared responsibility. I apologized, not for the cup, but for not recognizing sooner how much weight she had been carrying alone. Together, we talked about responsibilities and how to split not just chores, but the thinking behind them.

Now, mornings are still mine, but not as a favor — as my role. She rests, I work through the routine, and when something is forgotten, we laugh instead of blame. That coffee mug taught me more than any argument could. Real support isn’t about showing you can help — it’s about choosing to help every day, even in the smallest ways. And in those little moments, our home feels more like a team than ever before.