Iris’s mother, who had ]\immigra:-
ted to t.he United )? `Sta=\+ te 
s$ from Thailand+ as pa/r;t of ` $a bl=#end ed fam
ily,:, die(d in a ca !r accident along with h/ @er American ^,: hu_\sban%?$d `.##whil;_`
e they wer*e +?on th[eir? way to g.et m_?arri ed. Unwi@lling to see Iris^ deporte/ d, he)r s ?tep!fathe/)r’s so_@`n=,%, L=e]on, drop,(ped out #of scho`/ol to work on a construction :+ s)!it_!e and(] s :`ho?;#ulder the. = financial burden/=; as t(\he\
,y(%[ reli_e!d on e!?ach %/other, the two grew( close. After grad]#*\uating from high school, I+ris was %a% ccep#ted int_+o a New.[ Yor_k law s ]chool, just as s.!( :he had hoped.`_! Leon promi #sed \=^t: @o join her, but on the very l*ast day, he [w)as invo
lve]d ;-in an  -a
#ccident at .)the c:$*onstruc.;*tion site, and t!*he t\wo lost \con]tact. !- Fi%
ve years$^ later, Iris joine@ d a t/op/-tier/@ ) law firm+, and Leon w]
alked!#`] throu:`/gh]  the door#s as a bill:^i!onair%e client—reuniting the two.