Marriage, Jude and Sabina quickly realized, was not living in isolation. Though their home was small and modest, its walls were not impenetrable. Life had a way of testing them not only through their own choices but also through the ties of blood and community.
The refrigerator ordeal had been a lesson in compromise. But another challenge soon arrived—one that tested their loyalty not just to each other, but to the larger family circles that tugged at them from both sides.
It began one Thursday evening when Jude’s younger cousin, Marco, showed up at their door. His shirt was damp with sweat, his hair unruly, his face etched with worry.
“Jude,” Marco greeted breathlessly. “I didn’t know who else to run to. I… I need help.”
Sabina, who had been setting the table for dinner, looked up in
