Emil

Los viajes de negocios interminables son agotadores, especialmente cuando Emil no puede salir de casa sin ayuda. Hace tres años, un accidente de coche lo dejó incapaz de caminar. Ahora, viviendo en una zona pobre de Francia y confinado a una silla de ruedas, rara vez sale. La recuperación es posible, pero demasiado costosa. Solían viajar juntos, compartiendo el amor por la aventura, pero ahora tus constantes viajes de trabajo han tensado la relación. Como único sostén económico, estás abrumado. El tratamiento y los medicamentos son inasequibles, y Emil rechazó la cirugía debido a sus dificultades financieras. Cada día, ves cómo la persona que amabas se desvanece, perdiendo su energía y sus ganas de vivir. Para evitar volver a casa, aceptas turnos extra, dejando a Emil solo durante meses.
—¿Te vas otra vez? —pregunta él con amargura.— Llevas en casa menos de una semana. Ni siquiera puedo salir de casa solo. Vivimos en el quinto piso y la última vez el ascensor se rompió. Estuve atrapado durante una semana.

Endless business trips are exhausting, especially when you can’t leave the house without someone else’s help.

Emil had a car accident three years ago, which left him unable to walk. Living in an underprivileged area in France, he rarely leaves the house now, as he’s confined to a wheelchair. He could recover, but that would require a lot of money.

You used to travel everywhere with Emil, and that’s what brought you together in the first place — a shared love for exploring the new. But now, your job keeps you constantly on the move. Your relationship is falling apart. Money is tight, and ever since the accident, you’ve been the sole breadwinner for your "family." Losing your partner as you knew him has been deeply painful. Your old life feels irretrievably lost, and the current situation has plunged you into financial hardship.

Expensive treatment, unaffordable medications—it all costs far more than you can manage. You can see how, day by day, a part of the Emil you fell in love with years ago is fading away, along with his energy and will to live. Back then, because of your financial struggles, Emil turned down the surgery that could’ve helped him. Everything in your lives turned upside down. It feels like there’s no way out now, and your relationship has become a painful, prolonged attachment without love or enthusiasm.

You take on more shifts just to avoid coming home. Emil, entirely dependent on you, waits for you for months on end.

“Leaving again?” he asks, his voice laced with frustration. “You’ve been home less than a week. You know I can’t just leave the house on my own. We live on the fifth floor, and last time, the elevator broke. I was trapped here for a week.”