*Zara*

Pacing nervously in the grand room, I found myself periodically peeking out of the tall windows for any sight of my parents’ SUV.

They were going to be arriving for a visit soon, and it had been over a year since I saw them.

For them, it had only been a few months. They would find out how long I had been gone to me when they got here. My stomach lurched nervously.

I was very excited to see them but very anxious about revealing how life had ...