He pulled her close, and Padma sank willingly into his tight, warm hug, wrapping her arms around him in turn and relishing the feel of his strong arms around her. When he apologized, she kissed the space just behind his ear, it being the only place her lips could reach while he held her so tightly.
"It's okay," Padma murmured in his ear. "It's a scary thing to have to tell people."
She paused a moment. "Everyone has secrets, and it's not easy to be honest with people. Especially if you're worried about facing prejudice and narrow-mindedness."