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it’s part of you just like the color of your eyes and your hair.”
    “Enric—” Rebecca couldn’t hide her anguish.
    “No, Rebecca, let me finish.” He took a deep breath and continued, his voice tight with the effort. “I’ve repressed it for too many years, lacking the courage to bring it out into the open. But now I have to, and I feel so alone. I even told Father Arnau, to see if it would help me feel better, or to get advice or something . . . I don’t know.”
    He rubbed his head and ran his fingers through his straight, glossy hair.
    “And what did the priest say?”
    He shrugged and closed his eyes a moment. When he opened them again, they were glassy and a little red.
    “That I should fight. That life is made up of battles and sacrifices and that I shouldn’t give up. But, mostly . . . to not let my feelings control my actions.”
    Rebecca listened, her heart breaking, not knowing what advice she could give. She laid a hand on his arm.
    “You know I’ll support you no matter what.”
    He looked up at her and smiled wanly. “I know.”
    “I think Mother and Daddy only want what’s best for us. But deep down, I agree that you did the right thing in facing it and starting a new life.”
    “You really think so?” he asked, rubbing his hands together with his elbows resting on his knees.
    “It’s the only way Mother will ever come to understand. I think that in time . . .” She stopped.
    Her brother nodded. “I hope so.”
    They sat quietly, each one lost in thought, until Enric smiled.
    “What?” asked Rebecca, returning the smile; his happiness was contagious.
    “I’ve met someone.”
    “Really?”
    “Actually, I already knew him. He’s a friend from the university. His name’s Pablo.”
    She was so surprised she didn’t know what to say. She mumbled something incoherent.
    “Stop. You don’t have to say anything,” he cut her off. “I know it’ll take some time to get used to the idea. But I’d like you to think about it.”
    She exhaled in relief. “OK.”
    Enric turned serious again. “I can’t believe you’re getting married in three months.”
    “I know; it’s a little weird.”
    “You can always ditch him at the altar,” he teased.
    “Don’t start, Enric.”
    “I won’t. I’m just saying that as long as you haven’t said ‘I do,’ there’s still time . . . You know.”
    “Mother would die!”
    “She’s not the one who’ll be sleeping with Mario.”
    Rebecca raised a finger in warning, and her brother apologized.
    “OK, I’m sorry. I won’t say anything else. If you’re happy, so am I.”

    Rebecca was totally absorbed in remembering the conversation with her brother when Berta, seated next to her, broke in.
    “We’re landing. Look.”
    Berta leaned in and peered out the tiny window.
    “Finally, we can see something,” Rebecca said. “There was a sea of clouds below us the whole time.”
    “You slept the whole time.”
    “Well, I opened my eyes once.”
    “Hey!” complained Lola, who had gotten stuck with the aisle seat. “I can’t see anything.”
    The airplane landed along the Inverness Firth, with the city in the background. The capital of the Highlands was at the mouth of the River Ness, on the far southwest side of Moray Firth.
    Much to Lola’s delight, Rory Elliot was waiting for them in the small airport’s arrivals area.
    They hadn’t seen each other for two years, but as soon as he saw Lola, Rory hurried to meet her, dodging carts loaded with luggage. When he reached her, he gave her a huge hug, then kissed her on each cheek. Berta and Rebecca couldn’t help smiling at the effusive greeting. At last he noticed the two friends.
    He greeted them with the two kisses, Spanish-style, also.
    “How was the flight?” he asked, with almost perfect Spanish, as he guided them to the exit.
    “Short enough that we didn’t get tired,” said Lola, taking advantage of the conversation to get a good look at him.
    Rory had blond