Tears filled my eyes, but they were no longer tears of despair. They were tears of gratitude for the foresight and love that Manuel had shown. “Yes,” I agreed, taking his hand in mine. “Yes, we can.”

With renewed vigor, we began walking back toward the distant city, side by side, supporting each other as we always had. The journey was long and arduous, but with each step, I felt the weight of abandonment lessen, replaced by a growing sense of purpose.As the sun began to set, casting golden hues across the landscape, I knew that we were on the brink of a new chapter. It would be a chapter written not with bitterness or resentment but with hope and resilience. Manuel and I had been given a chance to reshape our destiny, and I was determined to seize it with both hands.Our children may have left us behind, but they had also unwittingly set us free.