The daughter-in-law was still asleep at 11 a.m., and her mother-in-law stormed in with a stick to teach her a lesson — but what she saw on the bed froze her in place.

The wedding had barely ended when Mrs. Reyes collapsed onto the bed without even taking off her apron.

Her body ached from head to toe. Her feet burned. Her shoulders throbbed. The house still smelled of oil, perfume, and too many people. The kitchen was a disaster, the floor was sticky, and every surface seemed to carry the fingerprints of celebration.

But rest, in that house, never lasted long.

At five in the morning, she was awake again.