My name is Larissa, and I’m just a regular woman trying to keep up with the demands of life. Between work and everything else, I sometimes forget to slow down and focus on what really matters. But nothing could have prepared me for the day I returned to my childhood home, only to find it reduced to rubble and my mother missing. This is our story.
I hadn’t seen my mom in person for a few months, but we talked on the phone often. Her voice always had this warmth that made everything feel okay. I missed her more than I’d admit, but life got busy.
Work, errands, and everything else just took over. Each time we talked, she’d ask, “When are you coming home, sweetheart?” I’d always say, “Soon, Mom, soon.” But somehow, “soon” kept slipping away.
One day, after a tough week, I thought, “Why not surprise her?” I didn’t tell her I was coming. I just wanted to see her face light up when I walked through the door. The idea made me smile the whole drive down.
