The baby had just gone down, and I figured I had enough time to wash my hair before the next meltdown. My husband was out grabbing groceries, and my brother, Keane, was in the living room\u2014same spot as always, headphones on, silently playing his matching puzzle app like he does every afternoon. Keane doesn\u2019t talk much. Hasn\u2019t since we were kids. He\u2019s gentle, predictable, sweet in his own quiet way. He lives with us now. When we offered, he just nodded. I wasn\u2019t sure how it\u2019d work out, honestly\u2014but we\u2019ve made it work.<\/p>\n
Anyway, mid-shampoo, I heard the baby cry.<\/p>\n
That sharp, fussy wail\u2014the one that means I\u2019m not okay. My stomach dropped. I rushed to rinse, heart pounding, soap still in my ears. But then\u2026 silence.<\/p>\n
Total silence.<\/p>\n
I threw on a towel and raced into the hallway, half-expecting chaos.<\/p>\n
Instead, I froze.![\"\"](\"https:\/\/readmore.cx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Readmore-1-1-1-122222-1.webp\")
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