Amala exchanged a long gaze with him that allowed her to fully absorb what he was asking her and what it meant—both in regard to the past and the future. There were aspects of this situation that still frightened her and left her concerned, but she had certainly learned that though there were certain things in life that could not be changed or controlled, the rest had to be up to her. Kat was gone; Henry loved her and she loved him. She didn’t want to live her life alone. In spite of the fine example that Paulina had offered of how that was possible, Amala didn’t share her aunt’s wanderlust, and she truly longed for the companionship of a husband and the opportunity to be a mother. And Henry had proven over time how much he understood her plight and how his own love and personal regard for her homeland and her heritage made him the best possible match for her.

In the naiveté of youth, Amala had believed that every person likely wanted to believe that finding love was the answer to every problem in life, that true love could conquer all. Amala had grown past such childish notions at an age much younger than the average woman. The color of her skin and hair had quickly made her realize she could never expect the same out of life as the women around her. And yet she had observed that even in marriages in which race and skin color were not an issue, love in and of itself was never enough. Romantic love faded, attraction was likely relative, and it took a true and abiding presence of trust, respect, and commitment to make a marriage successful and to face the challenges of life. And Amala knew now what she hadn’t known when Henry had first asked her to marry him; she knew that together they shared those things. Their love for each other was strong and true, but they also had the ability to communicate and be united firmly against the hardships of the world. She had carefully examined these things in her heart in the months since Kat had died and had likely been doing so at some unconscious level in her mind long before that. She knew that marrying Henry was absolutely the best thing she could do with her life and that with him at her side, she could live the best possible life available to her, given the facets of it that could never be changed. And maybe—just maybe—the two of them together could make a difference—even a small one in helping the world be just a little more accepting of a mixed family.