I’ve Rented My Flat to a Couple — A Boy and Girl, Both New Arrivals, for About 8 Years

For about eight years I rented my flat to a young couple, both newcomers to the city. The man worked in an autorepair shop, and his partner was a sales consultant. The rent covered the utilities for both my own apartment and the one they occupied, and it even left a little for gasoline. Our relationship was strictly business, and over the years I never had any complaints about them.
Then, last year, the woman called me in tears. She told me doctors had discovered a tumor in her breast; after a long, difficult wait to see a physician and to get tests done, they diagnosed her with stageIII cancer. When the boyfriend learned the news, he abandoned her. She had no one to turn toshe had acquaintances, but none were close or wealthy enough to help. Without her partners income she could no longer afford the rent and would have to move out. She asked for two weeks to find a new place and said she would return to her village, where the local hospital could operate on her and monitor her afterward.
I knew she needed treatment in the city, where the hospital was far better. I offered her to stay in the apartment for the duration of her therapy, free of charge. If she could still chip in for utilities, that would be welcome; if not, I would manage without it. She was extremely grateful and wept with relief. Her mother soon arrived from the village to help care for her after the operation. The surgery went well, chemotherapy followed, and she entered remission.
During their stay they did contribute to the utility bills, though not always the full amount; they simply couldnt pay completely, but they tried. The most painful thing was hearing from people who knew the story that I was foolish for losing money and that I could have rented the place to someone else. Colleagues, a few friends, even my mother said so. Could people really be that heartless, unable to see the plight of someone struck by misfortune? The exboyfriend never returned, and he even spread vile rumors, claiming she would be left with a disfiguring scar. Hearing that about a pretty girl was terrifying.
Now shes fine, under regular medical supervision, with a good prognosis. She kept renting from me, found a new boyfriend, and this summer she married him. Im thrilled for her; we became friends through all the events, and I was even an honored guest at her wedding. By autumn they plan to take out a mortgage and move into their own home. I didnt become poor while receiving the usual rent, although financially its been a bit tighter, I wont deny that. Still, Im glad I gathered the strength to help a person preserve her life and healthsomething far more valuable than any sum of money.