Astrid

It was my first day of school and I was scared. Mom walked me into my classroom. We'd already met my teacher and dad felt like I shouldn’t be nervous. But growing up in the packhouse, the only other kid I ever really got to see was Eddie, and we didn't often play together. I wasn't really good at socializing with people my own age.

Mom bringing me in might have been embarrassing for some people, but not for me. I was comforted knowing that she was ...