Chapter 146

Her heart ached for the boy in the photo. She placed the albums back and was about to close the drawer when she noticed a leather-bound journal.

‘Murat Yildiz Khan’ was etched on the first page.

The musty smell of the basement lingered as Ayleen flipped through the old, leather-bound journal, its pages fragile with age. The handwriting was unmistakably childish, large and uneven, with uneven smudges indicating the emotions that had poured into the ink. She paused, her fingers trembling, and began to read the entries. Each page more painful than the previous.

***

April 15, 1992

“Mom and Dad fought again today. She said she didn’t want to live here anymore. Dad yelled back. I don’t know what they were talking about, but it made my chest hurt. Why can’t they just laugh like the families on TV? Why can’t we be happy too?”

***

May 3, 1992

“Dad left for another trip. He said he’d be back in a few days. Mom stayed behind thi