Susana listened. Without judgment. Without interrupting the speech. She sometimes gently placed her hand on his. Nothing more. And yet, it was immense.
Unfounded accusations
When Susana’s family resurfaced — with a bang, aggression and threats — it was Samuel who found himself in their sights. He was accused of manipulation, of exploiting a vulnerable person. The police were contacted. A social worker came to investigate. She did not find any pressure, no access to finances, no irregularities. Nothing but a man taking care of his neighbor.
Susana, serene, has taken documents out of her bedside table. She had sold her house two months before moving in with Samuel. The money was intended to finance her care, then to fund a structure for elderly people without families. When her nephew accused her of depriving them of their inheritance, she replied soberly: “You are my parents. Samuel, on the other hand, behaved like a family. »*
Words that allow us to move forward
Susana passed away peacefully one morning, in her sleep. At the funeral, the family, who had been absent for years, was present. Samuel, on the other hand, was thinking about the night before: she had asked him to tell her about her plans for the next day. He had imagined a future out loud — traveling, reconnecting with an old friend, learning to exist without the weight of guilt.
