But instead of moving closer to those dreams, Carlos often felt as though he was spending all his energy simply preventing things from getting worse.
Elena carried her own worries.
She could see the exhaustion in her husband's face, yet she did not always know how to help.
She tried to keep the household running smoothly.
She compared grocery prices, postponed unnecessary purchases, and found creative ways to make meals stretch.
Sometimes she reassured Carlos that they were doing better than he thought.
Other times, she remained silent because she knew he was already overwhelmed.
Gradually, their home developed an atmosphere of careful restraint.
Nobody wanted to create another problem.
Nobody wanted to upset anyone else.
Small frustrations were swallowed instead of discussed.
Conversations became shorter.
Affection became quieter.
Laughter became less frequent.
They were not an unhappy family because they lacked love.
They were a loving family struggling beneath the weight of circumstances they could not easily control.
