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Aisha wiped the tears from her own cheeks.

“Mi amor, Aisha. You came back.” Pilar held Aisha’s shoulders and looked her up and down. She looked towards Gabi and smiled. “You are welcome to my house.”

“Gracias, Pilar,” Gabi said. The pride she felt at Aisha’s courage spread warmth inside her chest, and she released a long slow breath of relief.

She looked to the hills and across the field to the feed shed, reminded of the night when Aisha had asked her to run away, all that had happened in between, and how much they had missed. There was so much to catch up on now, so much to discover. Aisha was an aunt, and they were welcome. They had family here. They had made the right decision to return, to heal wounds, and they wouldn’t look back. Who knew, they might even decide to settle in Granada and maybe her dad would visit them for a holiday.

Gabi took Aisha’s hand. “I love you,” she whispered.

“I couldn’t have done it without you. Any of it. I wouldn’t have left and travelled the world if it hadn’t been for you. And it’s because of you I’m back here now.”

Gabi kissed her. “You’ve changed lives, Aisha. You were always going to do that, my love. And you can carry on doing that here, for your own people. I’m just glad you chose to take this journey with me.”