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

They hadn’t changed because I questioned them.

They weren’t something I’d misunderstood after a stressful night.

He’d known I would object.

And he’d planned the explanation before I even came home.

Ruth looked at me.

“Do you want a break?”

I shook my head.

“Keep going.”