As Lily begins to talk about her parents and younger brother, I can see some of the tension leaving her body. Her eyes light up as she describes her mom's famous chocolate chip cookies and her dad's terrible jokes.
"My little brother, Jermaine, he's only ten," Lily says with a fond smile. "He's always following me around, wanting to play video games or build Lego towers. I used to get annoyed sometimes, but now... now I'd give anything to hear him calling my name."
I nod, understanding the ache of missing loved ones all too well. "They sound wonderful, Lily. I'm sure they're doing everything they can to find you."
She wipes away a tear. "I hope so. I keep thinking about how worried they must be. My mom... she's always been a worrier, you know? She must be going out of her mind."
"Paren
