Months later, I met Theo, a kind man who made me feel safe and seen. One day, we accidentally left a chicken out for hours, and when we realized it had spoiled, Theo just laughed and said, “Guess we’re ordering takeout tonight.”

No anger, no blame — just love. In that moment, I knew I had built a new life where no effort, no meal, and no part of me would ever be thrown away again.