After lunch, Amala went straight to Kat’s room. Now that she’d had some time to get used to what was happening, she felt a strong need to just be with her sister, even though it meant avoiding any talk of cancer. They had always been close, had always spent a great deal of time together. And now Amala had been gone a very long time and Kat was married. But their sisterhood had not changed, and Amala wanted Kat to know that. She also wanted to spend as much time with her sister as she possibly could without intruding upon Kat’s time with her husband. She knew that Henry was with Kat now, but she at least wanted to check in on her sister and find out when it might be a good time for them to catch up.

At the top of the stairs, Amala turned a corner and nearly bumped into Henry, who was coming from the other direction. Before either of them could even exchange a hello, she saw his eyes widen as he took in the way she was dressed, and he said, “You look . . .”

“What?” she pressed when he didn’t finish.

“So . . . comfortable; at home. I was searching for the right words.”

“I like it,” Amala admitted, pressing her hands down the soft, blue silk she was wearing. “I want to thank you . . . for being so thoughtful. It means more than I can say.”

“I think I understand,” he said.

“Yes, I think you do.”

“And you’re welcome.”

“I . . . was just going to check in on Kat,” Amala said. “Is she resting? Should I wait to—”

“She’s more comfortable lying down, but she’s often restless. I’m certain she would enjoy your company.”

“We have a great deal of catching up to do,” Amala said.

“I’m certain you do.” Henry smiled, and it was easy to pretend there was nothing wrong. “And since I have promised to help your father with some estate business, I will leave the two of you to gossip and giggle to your hearts’ content.”

Amala laughed softly at his words, mostly because she couldn’t deny it was true. She suddenly felt the deprivation of being away from her sister for so long; she was surely in need of a great deal of sisterly gossip and giggling, and she had to assume Kat was as well.

Before they parted ways, Amala hurried to say something she’d wanted to say to him long before she came home, but there had been so much drama taking place. “I was so sorry to hear about Everett.”

Henry looked down and heaved a deep sigh. “Yes, it was difficult. He was a very good friend to me.”

“And to me,” Amala said and allowed their shared memories of his part in their relationship to speak for itself.

“I still find myself wishing I could go out there and talk to him,” Henry added.