The night before my wedding, Henry and I sat on wooden chairs side by side on the porch of my new Federal-style house.

“Are you worried about this business in Europe?” I asked. He shrugged.

“Why would I be worried?”

“Cal seems to think Hitler is spoiling for war.”

“Cal is a pretty smart fellow, so he might be right, but even if he is, I can’t see us getting involved. It’s the other side of the world, for heaven’s sakes. All that trouble has nothing to do with America.”

Henry was stretched out beside me, his legs propped up on the outdoor coffee table. In one hand, he held a beer, and in the other, a lit cigarette. This was a new habit he’d picked up during his year in the Army, and one I was not fond of. We sat in silence for a moment, and I was worrying about Hitler and Europe and just hoping that Henry was right—but was startled when my brother suddenly burst out laughing.

“What?” I said, alarmed.

“Sorry…sorry. It’s just that I’m sitting here on the porch of this fancy house and I can’t believe you’re really going to live here. Mother and Daddy wouldn’t believe their eyes if they could see you now. Your new kitchen is as big as our old house.”

I couldn’t believe I was going to live there either. My new house was every bit as grand as the Hilton, although of course, on a smaller scale. But at four thousand square feet, with four expansive bedrooms and, to my bewilderment, two bathrooms and an indoor laundry, it still didn’t feel real to me. I knew Calvin was well-off, but we were engaged before I discovered the extent of his wealth. It wasn’t just his high-paying job. It turned out his parents were wealthy too.

“Who would have thought you, my roughhousing, horse-breaking, fence-fixing, tractor-driving sister, would become the well-to-do wife of some airplane genius?” Henry chuckled.

“It is a surprising turn,” I admitted.

Calvin and I continued to grow close after Henry left until we were unlikely best friends. When he told me he’d fallen in love with me and wanted me to be his wife, I was heartbroken, not pleased. I had no intention of accepting his proposal and figured it would be cruel to stay in our friendship knowing our feelings were imbalanced.

“I know you don’t feel the same way about me, and it’s perfectly fine,” Calvin said quietly. I was relieved, but still confused, especially when he added, “I just can’t help but wonder if there’s not a solution that would suit both of us.”

“A solution?”