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

The lamp.

The hallway where Aaron had been standing.

Then at my father.

“No.”

The answer seemed to surprise everyone except me.

For a moment, Douglas looked genuinely offended.

“This is your home.”

I thought of all the nights I’d lain awake listening for footsteps.