My Apartment Burned Down. My Parents Said, “Not Our Problem.” Then the Fire Investigator Called.

Couldn’t stop.

His response came flat. Final. “This isn’t our problem, Evelyn. You should have been more careful. You’re an adult now.”

The line went dead.

I sat there for a long time, phone still pressed to my ear, listening to silence. The firefighters kept working. Neighbors drifted back inside. The sun started to rise, painting the smoke a sickly continue reading …