A Duty Unfulfilled

I've been caring for my partner since she fell ill a year ago. The responsibility feels overwhelming at times; there's an unspoken pressure to be the perfect caregiver, the rock in her stormy life. Lately, I find myself struggling with urges that feel both inappropriate and inevitable, moments when I want more than just to care for her physically. It's not romantic, but it goes beyond basic needs. We've never discussed such things openly, and yet there are nights when silence between us echoes louder than words ever could.