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

Maybe a short trip in spring.

The future no longer had to be organized entirely around what Douglas or Aaron might do.

One afternoon, Elaine brought the birthday photograph.

The cake looked worse than I remembered.

Collapsed in the center.

Covered in strawberries.

I was laughing.

Elaine stood beside me.