Tam reached out to take his wife's hand for a moment, an uncommon gesture in a reserved Buddhist country. "My family didn't like her when we first met," he said. "She came from a poor background." Everyone, he admitted, was opposed to the marriage. After a period of soul-searching, he approached his parents. "I told them, you will not change my heart," he said and smiled. "They came to the wedding."

Once married, they moved in with his parents and the difficulties multiplied. His sister and wife had once been classmates. When Phuong married into the family through an older brother, she acquired the status of senior sister. The demoted sibling rallied the family with gossip and innuendo. Since there were ten children, the resulting noise was substantial. It had taken years for Phuong's natural grace and gentle personality to establish her as a valuable addition to the family tree.

WAR-TORN ROMANCE · ESCAPE FROM VIETNAM