I had almost been offended.

What kind of wedding gift is an escape fund?

What does it say about how your parents see the marriage you’re about to enter?

I had tucked it into the suitcase lining half out of gratitude and half out of a vague wish not to think about why I might need it.

And now, on my knees on the floor of a house that had shown me its teeth, I understood the gift completely.

My parents had not been pessimistic.