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

He stared.

“Then give them facts.

Not family interpretations.”

I nodded.

“I intend to.”

He left.

Elaine watched him disappear.

“That,” she said quietly, “is why I never finished the conversation.”