“DAD… MY BACK HU.RTS SO BAD I CAN’T SLEEP. MOM TOLD ME NOT TO TELL YOU.”

my voice as calm as I could. “Dad’s here. Come here, sweetheart.”

She didn’t move.

I set my suitcase down and walked toward her slowly, like one wrong step might make her disappear. When I knelt in front of her, she flinched—and a cold wave ran through me.

“Where does it hurt?” I asked.

Her small hands twisted the hem of her pajama shirt until her knuckles continue reading …