At 3 A.M., My Brother Dragged Me Out of My Bedroom While Dad Laughed—He Had No Idea What the Smoke Detector Had Recorded

I looked at her.

“Mom, you don’t have to do this because of me.”

She stopped.

Then said:

“I’m doing it because I should have answered the question when it was first asked.”

Ruth let the silence stand.

Elaine finished signing.

When she left, I walked her to the door.