principal’s office, swinging his small feet under a chair, waiting for parents who would never come.
His aunt, Lorraine, arrived with red eyes and shaking hands.
“Auntie?” Malik asked, standing quickly.
“Where’s mama? Where’s daddy?” Lorraine pulled him into her arms so tightly he could barely breathe.
“They had to travel, baby,” she whispered.
“They had to go somewhere for a while.
Malik frowned against her shoulder.
Without saying bye, Lorraine began to cry harder.
Years passed before Malik learned that some journeys did not bring people back.
And by
