The evening's formal presentations concluded with the traditional opening of the dancing, as orchestral music began to fill the grand hall with melodies that had been carefully selected to honor all five continental traditions. This was the moment I had been preparing for—not just the careful choreography that my girlfriends had planned, but the delicate political ballet that would determine the success of everything that followed.
The conversations we had held over the past few days had been some of the most difficult of my life. Explaining to five remarkable women that I needed to pursue another relationship—not out of wandering affection, but as a calculated move to prevent a war—had required every bit of diplomatic skill I possessed. But their understanding and support had been nothing short of extraordinary.
