how does this text come off: Suddenly, her resolve crumbled, and her knees buckled, causing her to drop slightly. 
She managed to catch herself on the sink-counter, the cool surface providing the only support that prevented her from collapsing fully onto the floor.

Seeing her distress, Jon swiftly pulled out a chair and helped her sit down. 
He hurried to fill a glass with cold water and handed it to her. Cristina gratefully took the glass and placed her elbow on the table, her forehead resting in her hand.
 The hard surface pressed against her skin, providing a sense of stability in the midst of the overwhelming situation. 
The magnitude of what was happening was too much for her to comprehend, shaking her beliefs to the core. “I think I just need a good night’s sleep,” she finally uttered, her voice slightly quivering.

Concerned, Jon frowned but glanced around the living room to ensure no one else was present before whispering, “Are you sure?”

“Yes,” Cristina replied, taking a sip of her coffee to steady herself. “Have you ever heard of residual grief?”

Jon pondered for a moment, unsure if this was a joke or a serious question. But as a tear slipped down Cristina’s cheek followed by another and another, her hand trembling violently, he reached out and placed his hand on her shoulder, offering a calming touch.

“Tell me what’s happening, Mom. You can tell me, even if you feel unable to,” Jon gently urged.

She had always been the rock in their family, the pillar of stability, but now her world was crumbling like an avalanche falling apart. “I’m sorry,” Cristina muttered, her voice filled with regret.

Jon gripped her hands tightly, searching her eyes for understanding. “Hey, for what?” he asked, genuinely puzzled.

“For everything,” Cristina replied, turning away in embarrassment.

Confused, Jon prompted, “What do you mean by everything?”

Taking a shaky breath, Cristina continued, tears streaming down her face. “For something that happened long ago… Before you were born,” she revealed her distress evident.

Jon fell silent, his mind swirling with unanswered questions. “Could you try to help me understand? So that I can help, if I can? That’s all I ask,” he finally said, his voice filled with a mix of concern and curiosity.

“I’m just afraid if I tell you… it will tear us apart,” Cristina confessed, her words rushed and frantic.

“What could be so dreadful?” Jon asked softly, his voice filled with a reassuring tone.

Taking a moment to compose herself, Cristina smiled through her tears, then leaned forward and kissed Jon on the cheek. “A long time before I met your father, I was with a man named Michael, and he loved me,” she began, her voice filled with both nostalgia and pain.

Curiosity piqued, Jon asked, “How did the two of you meet?”

Cristina looked up at him, her gaze clouded with memories of Michael, making it difficult for her to speak. “You should probably leave now. I think I might need some space,” she whispered, her voice trembling.

“He was striking and had known of me for a while. I was so self-conscious that I could barely look at him,” Cristina began, her voice filled with vulnerability. “But eventually, I summoned the nerve to make eye contact and smile. He sat there, not saying a word. We remained locked in an awkward silence, neither of us knowing what to say.”

She hesitated, and then continued, “Eventually, he said, ‘What was that you said about nothing being worth the wait?’” “This nightmare engulfed me, plunging me into a state of utter helplessness,” she Through “I didn’t know what to do,” I added, the words barely escaping my lips.
“Deep humiliation and a heavy sense of self-loathing consumed me,” I lamented, my voice filled with anguish.
As tears silently carved their path across my cheeks, I resolutely raised my arm, flagging down a passing taxi. Seeking refuge within its impersonal sanctuary, I yearned for solace that words could not provide. 
“Overwhelmed by uncertainty,” I confessed, my voice wavering, “I kept wondering if I should have disclosed my single status.”
Regret and self-doubt coursed through my veins, leaving me mortified and humiliated.
“And those opinions of my female colleagues at work,” I sighed, the weight of their judgment intensifying my anguish.
A profound sadness gripped my being, making it feel impossible to ever summon the courage to ask a man out again.
“I wanted to retreat from the world, to vanish into obscurity,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
But amidst the darkness, a realization slowly dawned upon me.
“I yearned for a partner who embodied ease and connection,” I confessed, my voice filled with longing.
“Someone who would embrace my insecurities, unafraid to show their emotional side.”
“A lover whose words flowed effortlessly, resonating with depth,” I added my voice full of hope.
“I longed for a love that mirrored my passion for life itself,” I exclaimed, the fervor in my voice palpable.
Reflecting on my past experiences, I realized the limited exposure I had to the presence of men.
“Attending an all-girls academy,” I explained, my tone tinged with nostalgia, “my interactions were primarily with a female faculty, save for my father.”
“Public speaking and performing on stage became second nature to me,” I recalled, my voice carrying a hint of confidence, “while scientific knowledge and writing skills remained unexplored territories in my life’s narrative.
"I was confident in my knowledge and determined to find solutions. I felt pleased with myself. My classmates and I had vibrant social lives, engaging in activities such as painting, playing cards, and dancing."
In our class, there were a few boys who always stayed in the same group and didn’t mix with us socially. 
"We engaged in arts and crafts, creating small paintings and sculptures. Unfortunately, we didn't have any watercolor paint, so we couldn't paint outside. However, this was the least of our worries. Although I had received a small art set as a gift from my grandparents, I lacked artistic inclination."
As I recall that moment, I can still feel the warmth of the sun on my skin and the gentle breeze carrying the scent of blooming flowers. 
He stood before me, tall and confident, with piercing blue eyes that seemed to see right through me. 
His voice was deep and soothing, like a melody that I couldn’t get enough of. 
As we talked, I couldn’t help but notice the graceful movement of his hands as he spoke, using subtle gestures to emphasize his words. 
He leaned in slightly, as if sharing a secret, making me feel like I was the most important person in the world to him at that moment.

When he gave me the books, I remember feeling the smooth covers under my fingertips, hearing the sound of the pages rustling as I turned them, and smelling the ink and paper. 
As I read, I was transported to different worlds and times, each one more fascinating than the last.
 The words on the page seemed to come alive, and I could almost hear the voices of the philosophers and thinkers he had introduced me to. 
He brought books on a variety of topics, including Surrealism, Protopopov, Bukharin, Tzvetan Todorov, Agamemnon, Sartre, Derrida, Kierkegaard, Poincare, Nietzsche, and Marx. Looking back, I realize that it wasn’t just his knowledge that made him amazing, but the way he shared it with me.
He made me feel like I could understand these complex ideas and that I had something valuable to contribute to the conversation. It was a feeling that stayed with me long after our conversation ended, and one that I will always cherish.
“To me, he was not just an inspirational figure, but a blazing comet streaking across the night sky, leaving trails of awe and wonder in his wake,” she breathed shallowly. “Some of the most forceful speeches I had ever heard flowed from his lips like a symphony of passion. He was a majestic force of nature. That’s how I remember him.”
A dear friend of mine, a French woman with an artist’s soul, cherishes a conversation she had with him while the three of us sat in a quaint café during our journey through Paris. 
She recalls him asking, “Why do history’s great men, the Marquis de Sade included, get depicted as monstrous beings to pique our historical curiosity?” 
“He firmly stated that there are no wretches or individuals who have failed miserably,” she said. 
“What I remember from that moment speaks to a profound sense of justice. It wasn’t just visionary or progressive, but it embodied the essence of humanism. For a brief moment, he ignited in me a flicker of trust. There were more of those remarkable souls than the world had taught me about. He was approximately my father’s age, standing tall but slightly shorter, standing at six feet seven.”

I gazed into his eyes and thought, “There lay something captivating, an enigma I could never unravel.”

“He’s akin to my father and sees me through eyes that recognize true beauty.”

“In what sense?” inquired Jon.

“In the sense that he possessed an inner strength that radiated like a hidden sun. Moments of silence and tranquility held as much significance as the spoken words between us. And when words were necessary, they were like precious gems, never wasted, and I found solace in that about him.”

“Please, continue,” Jon urged 
“He said nothing, but the silence was palpable. I could feel my heart racing as I searched for a response, but my mind was blank.
The room felt suffocatingly quiet, and I could hear the sound of my own breathing. I shifted my weight from one foot to the other, feeling the coolness of the floor through the soles of my shoes. My cheeks were burning, and I couldn’t help but look down at my feet, hoping to disappear into the ground. His gentle touch on my shoulder brought me back to the present moment. 
He could sense my embarrassment and self-consciousness, and he knew just what to do. With his guidance, I learned how to embrace my true self and let go of my insecurities.”

“Naturally, given your experience.”

“Thank you,” Cristina replied.

Jon merely smiled.
While Jon and Cristina were talking, Jon’s father, Jake, sat on the hall floor, out of sight, listening to their conversation in shock.
“We went out to lunch, then we went dancing, and I was having a wonderful time.”
“When we went to our first club, we had a great time. We were so young, danced and laughed. We were a little out of place, but we were having so much fun. I was so content, I didn’t care.”
“Then he said we could go home together, but I couldn’t think of what to say,” Cristina said.
Jon looked at her and was about to ask about his father, Jake, and what he made of it all during this time. Before Jon could ask, Jake walked into the kitchen. “I was wondering where you two were,” he said.
Jake looked at Cristina, then at Jon. “What’s going on?” Jake asked his face serious.
“Mom was telling me about Michael,” Jon said. Jake had hoped never to hear that name again. Cristina had broken a promise made long ago not to bring his name up again.
“Your mother was talking about Michael,” Jake said. Cristina’s face dropped. “I was married to an older man, and then I met your father when I married him.”
“I betrayed the man I was married to,” Jake couldn’t believe what Cristina had said.
“What happened to Michael?” Jake asked.

“He was my redeemer.”

“Cristina, I don’t believe you,” Jake said.
“When I was young, I did many things wrong, things I regret now, but they were long ago and no longer matter. 
Things that resurfaced when I met him caused me immense pain. With love, patience, and guidance, he supported me to soothe the pain I had inside.”
“I don’t understand. Is Michael your husband?”
Cristina nodded.
“My father was so heartbroken.”
“I was seeing Michael.”
“You know what I mean,” Cristina said. Jake had never seen Cristina cry, and he was trying to understand.
“Cristina, look at me,” Jake said. Cristina looked the other way as Jake walked around and lifted her head.
“Was Michael your husband?” Jake said.
“Yes,” Cristina said.
“When we were married, I was married to Michael. I loved him. I couldn’t stop thinking about him,” Jake railed in shock; his entire world (or so it seemed) built on a lie.
Jake went from the kitchen and slid down the hall wall, ending up on the floor, where he sobbed violently. 
Cristina grasped what she'd done and went to get up, but Jon prevented her. Saying, 
‘You stay right here. I'm seeing if dad's okay; once it’s done, I'm getting Emily from upstairs, and we're going tonight!' Jon said. 
He was both shocked and seething at once.
Jon went into the hall and stopped by his devastated dad.
‘Strange question to ask, but are you all right, dad?’ Jon asked Jake.
Jake was too numb at that moment to express how he felt in words. Jon stayed with him and made sure he was okay.
Jake got up and went upstairs, where he retrieved an old leather suitcase from the top of the wardrobe.
Cristina came in and saw what he was doing.
‘It’s very late; where would you go?' Cristina said. In a near panic.
Jake gave Cristina an expression that said, ‘Don’t.’ He finished packing and went down to his car.
Emily came downstairs after being sent up for her own safety..
‘What’s happening?’ she inquired.
‘Complicated. Come to me.’ said Jon.
Putting the suitcase in the car, Jake got in. At that moment, Jon came out.
‘Dad, where are you going?’ he said.