In this rich novel of family conflict and closely guarded secrets, Mary Cable explores dreams and fears that lie hidden deep within the human heart.Alex Smithson, forty-two-years-old and living in Santa Fe, leads an under-demanding life made prickly only by her oppressive, aristocratic in-laws to whom Alex will never be entirely acceptable. The Smithsons have always treated Alex as an outsider, despite the fact that she has been married to the older of their two sons, Oz, for nearly twenty years. Putting up with their behavior, however, is a small price to pay in exchange for her comfortable world.But Alex's life is about to change, for her in-laws have threatened to disinherit both of their sons.Feeling vulnerable and unsure of her future, Alex is suddenly swamped with memories of earlier years of uncertainty and loss. The daughter of Foreign Service parents, Alex spent her childhood moving from one exotic location to another, learning new languages and customs but never quite feeling that she belonged. Then, following a searing love affair with disastrous consequences, Alex thought she had at last found security when she met reliable Oz Smithson.Now, Alex finds herself at a crossroads. She wants to hold on to what is safe and familiar but faces the unknown. And before she can take risks, she must ask herself penetrating questions and make difficult choices.Deftly addressing universal themes of love, family, and self-realization, Mary Cable gives us a warm, sympathetic story about how one woman comes to terms with her past and the future.