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

For several seconds, we argued about something harmless.

Then we both laughed.

It was the first ordinary disagreement we’d enjoyed in a long time.

When she left, I walked her to the door.

She stopped on the step.

“Are you sleeping better?”

“Some nights.”

She nodded.