Karina:

When we pulled into the driveway, the sight of my parents standing on the porch immediately hit me like a wave of warmth. I hadn’t expected to feel this much relief just by being home, but there it was—the familiar feeling of being safe, of being surrounded by people who loved me, no matter what I had been through.

My heart clenched as I stepped out of the car, and my mom was the first to reach me. She opened her arms wide, and I didn’t hesitate. I went straight ...