The following week, I accompanied Brad to the specialist. We sat together while the doctor explained the results and discussed the next steps. Further examinations were necessary before his condition could be fully understood, and she explained that different causes of memory problems required different approaches. Brad listened quietly, occasionally looking at me as though he expected me to disappear. I squeezed his hand whenever his expression changed. For the first time, we were discussing our future honestly instead of pretending everything was fine.

On the drive home, Brad suddenly asked whether I remembered our first anniversary. I laughed through my tears and reminded him about the restaurant where he accidentally spilled an entire glass of water across the table. He smiled, then admitted he had forgotten the restaurant’s name. That small confession broke my heart. But instead of hiding it, he allowed me to help him remember. We decided to create something together: a collection of photographs, stories, and memories from our life.