Elias Fikru has never met an opportunity he hasn’t seized. Except, of course, for the life-changing one, he’s stubbornly ignored for the past nine months. He'd be a fool not to accept the chance to pursue his doctoral studies in the U.S., but saying yes means leaving his homeland, and Elias isn't ready to make that commitment.

Meeting Desta, the Dominican-American emergency relief worker with the easy smile and sad eyes, makes Elias want things he’s never envisioned for himself. Rediscovering his country through Desta’s eyes emboldens Elias to reach for a future where he can be open about every part of himself. But when something threatens the future that’s within their grasp, Elias and Desta must put it all on the line for love.

Dedication

To Addis Ababa, the New Flower, and Abyssinia—the homeland of my heart.

Betam amaseganallo.

Epigraph

“Wasn't that the definition of home?

Not where you are from, but where you are wanted.”

― Abraham Verghese, Cutting for Stone

Chapter 1

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

January

As soon as I stepped out of the airport, I felt it. The something in the air my mom always mentioned when she talked about Addis.

I looked around the crowd waiting for the recent arrivals as I hefted my huge backpack, searching for a big white head of hair. “À la Don King” my mother had said when she described Tefare, my parents’ old driver from when they first lived here almost thirty years ago—who was picking me up tonight. I finally spotted a man with a mass of fluffy gray hair in the back, and walked over. I kept my eye on Tefare, who was scanning the crowd as he held up a sign that read MR. WALKER.

I stepped up to him, extending my hand “Tefare. It’s me, Desta.”

Immediately he threw his arms out and pulled me in for an elaborate hug. We bumped shoulders on either side and clapped each other’s backs for what felt like minutes.

“Desta, you look just like your mama. How is my friend Fatima? Does she still make that delicious meat soup?”

I smiled at the mention of sancocho; my mother told me that Tefare had been a devoted fan of the Dominican stew whenever she made it in the old days.

I shook my head at his question as we walked together to the parking lot. “She doesn’t make it that much anymore. She’s vegan now. Only eats fasting food.”

He gasped like I’d told him she’d given up eating altogether. “Only fasting food. No meat?”

I grinned at the shock in his voice. “No meat,” I repeated as Tefare shook his head in silence, like the whole situation was too far gone to comment on.