My feet carry me to the third floor, to the already familiar room, where I hope to find Brandon, but the bedroom is empty. I walk along the corridor, listening, I distinguish male voices coming from behind the far door. I go up to her and freeze: knock or eavesdrop? Perhaps I can hear something interesting that they won’t tell me under normal circumstances, either protecting me from unrest, or not trusting me completely. While I hesitate, the door swings open: I see Alex smiling, his eyes tired, his eyes reddened.

“Come in,” he makes an inviting gesture, stepping aside.

I enter a room that turns out to be a...