I was hovering in the space between consciousness and dreaming for an interminable amount of time, so when I heard excited voices downstairs, I wasn’t sure if it was real or a dream. The sound was persistent and I decided that I needed to check. I had to know if Tahir was home safely. I dragged my sore body from his bed and slowly made my way down the stairs. I could hear multiple voices from the kitchen, but Tahir’s cut clearly through all the rest.

If I was capable of ...