

Danika wasn’t entirely sure what death felt like, but she was certain her current state must be close. There were blessings everywhere and a thousand shades of joy all around him. Because the world wasn’t split into unhappy endings and happily ever afters. He and Danika had broken clean in half this morning, but nothing about her was ruined, either. A broken one, true, but broken didn’t mean ruined. Your mother and I, Jamal and Fatima, we’re all a family.” A family. And Fatima, she couldn’t ask for a better uncle.” Kiran reached up to put a hand on his cheek. But you wouldn’t.” “Well,” she said with a smile, “you’re impossible to hate.” Then her expression softened. have I ever said thank you?” She blinked, raised her eyebrows. Zaf came to a stop, turning to face his sister. And if that was all wrong for her, he’d just have to deal with the loss. He loved her absolutely and he loved her uncompromisingly. But one thing would never change: Zaf loved Danika in bold black-and- white, stark and completely unsubtle, no shades of gray to be found. “Yeah.” He wanted to learn those shades-or rather, to get better at remembering them. But there are shades of gray, too, Zafir.” “Yeah,” he agreed. I know sometimes you worry about things being. “If you’ve overwhelmed her,” Kiran said slowly, “that might be a good idea.
