Once Upon a Friendship

Another minute passed before the door opened and Liam’s heart started to pound with a panic he’d never felt that morning standing outside on the sidewalk thinking that his father was going to crucify him. Thinking that he was going to jail.

This morning had been his father’s time to face his own accountability.

Tonight was Liam’s.

His own press conference.

His last confession.

Marie stood in the open doorway.

Alone.

“Where’s Gabi?”

“She’s in bed, Liam.”

“Get her up.” He tried to sound like his old self. To smile. And failed at both.

“No.”

No?

He stood there, still in the suit he’d had on that morning, a faltering grin on his face, and didn’t know what to do with himself.

“Go home, Liam.”

Go home, Liam. Neither of the girls had ever said that to him before. Ever.

They should have. Years ago. Many times.

“But Gabi—”

“You need to leave her alone now. She’ll be fine. She just needs some time.”

This was it, then. His worst nightmare. This whole thing with Gabi—it had already ruined their friendship.

And still, his need didn’t dissipate. It intensified. “I can’t, Marie.”

He was being driven by something stronger than logic. Or even desire.

“Of course you can. I’m serious, Liam. You need to go.”

He’d have liked to believe he’d have done as Marie asked if he hadn’t heard the sniffle. He didn’t think so, though.

“What was that?” he asked, looking toward the archway that led to the girls’ living room.

“Nothing.”

There were no lights on in there.

But...

He strode toward the room anyway.

“Liam, you can’t go in there. You can’t always just do what you want—”

Marie trailed behind him as he saw, by the light coming from the window, Gabi’s silhouette, her head and arms hunched over her knees.