I took my chance

I (33) have never been great at dating and have paid for all the sex I have ever had. Didn't expect to ever marry either, but fate had other ideas. A family I had known all my life fell on hard times. First, a trade started that destroyed their business; then the father (66) got ill. Medical costs took most of their remaining money; his funeral took the rest. A proud family reduced by things they couldn't control. They had never been rich, but were doing well enough to support themselves till everything changed suddenly. Too proud to accept charity or ask for help. I knew only because I lived close by and knew the family via my late father, who was good friends with their late father. I also knew about their beliefs and traditions. I quickly realized it was my best chance to get a wife. I approached the mother (54) and didn't offer her charity; I asked for the daughter's hand in marriage. Citing our long family friendship and never mentioned their problems, as that would shame them. The daughter (24) wasn't engaged or promised to anyone. The mother was receptive and asked the daughter, who worried about her mother, if she was going to leave her, which is the way in our country. I answered that I wanted her mother to live with us, as happened in their culture. The mother wanted a better future for her daughter; the daughter wanted her mother's future to be secure. Marrying me gave them both security and a better future; I'm not wealthy either. But I have a career with a future and own my own home. Once the agreement was made, we married at a registry office, with no large wedding. Once married, my wife and I started trying to start our family. My now mother-in-law ran the house, as is their custom. My wife's only concern was starting a family, then raising the child. We succeeded, and my wife is now due to have our son in October; my only concern is how many children we will have. I thank fate for its help.