I stood for a long time in front of the flowerbed downstairs. The sun was so harsh it made my eyes ache. Everything looked blurry, like I was seeing the world through a lens smeared with tears I couldn't wipe away.

My dad, my mom, me, and my brother.

When did our simple four-person family get so damn complicated?

About an hour later, my dad came downstairs looking for me. I was hiding in the shade of a tree and saw him walk out of the building, glancing ...