“It’s that someone asked what my work was worth and then paid me without telling me I should be grateful for the opportunity.”
That evening we talked about money in a way we never had before.

I had viewed providing as the central proof of my worth; Maya had sometimes viewed accepting help as a debt she would have to repay through silence.

Both ideas had left us vulnerable in different ways.

We decided to review the household budget together every month, including savings, medical expenses, childcare, and our separate professional goals.

Maya insisted we add a category for small pleasures, things that weren’t emergencies or investments.

“Like a good pastry,” she said.