I hated hearing it because it explained so much.

At home, Mariana and I established a small routine.

Three nights a week we ate dinner without phones.

On Sundays we reviewed household decisions together.

She retained her own financial accounts.

I stopped treating account access as something I granted her, and we made sure the shared accounts worked for both of us with transparent controls.

Some evenings we talked easily.

On others she grew quiet when she heard footsteps in the hall or a car turning into the drive.