#### Part 2: Recovery, Distance, and the Slow Shift in Everything
The surgery was long and exhausting. Daniel received my kidney, and he got a second chance at life. I, on the other hand, was left recovering with a painful scar, fatigue, and a body that felt permanently changed.
For a while, we stayed close. We recovered together, moved slowly around the house, and supported each other through the aftermath. It felt like we had survived something life-changing and come out stronger.
But slowly, things began to shift.
Daniel returned to work, but emotionally, he seemed distant. He was often on his phone, working late, or too tired to talk. Small disagreements became more frequent. Conversations felt shorter, colder. When I tried to check in on him, he would shut down or ask for space.
At first, I told myself it was normal. He had been through trauma. Facing illness like that changes people. I tried to be patient, to give him time to adjust.
But distance has a way of growing quietly when it is left unspoken.
Eventually, even the idea of “we’re a team” started to feel like something from the past.
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