Liam let out a soft laugh and playfully tousled my hair. "Selena, it's been ten years. You've grown distant from me!"
I pretended to be annoyed and pushed his hand away. "Ugh, you've ruined my hair again!"
It was as if we had been transported back to the days when the three of us were thick as thieves.

Once my fever recovered, Liam stuck by my side, helping me pick up all the essentials I needed to get by.
At one point, he mentioned offhandedly, "While you were asleep, some guy named Henry called for you... He sounded kind of ticked off. Do you need to call him back?"
I paused, a bit taken aback, but quickly offered Liam a reassuring smile. "He's nobody important. Let's just forget about him."
There was a time when I would not dream of missing a call from him, but then, it seemed like none of that mattered anymore.
As time went on, Liam and I rekindled our old closeness, reminiscent of the bond we shared a decade ago.
He was even there for me at my prenatal appointments.

When he found out about my divorce and pregnancy, the compassion in his eyes nearly made me cry.
All the strength I had been pretending to hold onto just fell apart.
"Selena, you're one tough cookie, and with a mom like you, your little one's going to be blessed!"
He wrapped me in a warm, strong hug, and in that unfamiliar place, I felt like I had found the most dependable shoulder to lean on.

"Selena!"
Hearing that voice, I thought I was in a dream.
Henry, who had never left Itania, was suddenly standing in front of me, looking worn from his journey.
His eyes settled on Liam, hard and unfeeling.
My heart skipped a beat, and I instinctively stepped in front of Liam, shielding him from Henry's stare.
Henry's face crumbled with disbelief, his voice laced with incredulity. "Selena, are you avoiding me? Is it because of him?"
My heart skipped a beat, but I steeled myself and looked away, refusing to meet his gaze.
"We're divorced, Henry. My life is none of your business now."
Henry staggered back, as if I had physically pushed him.
"Selena, what are you saying? Our divorce... It wasn't real! I've been waiting for you to come back so we can start over!"
I locked eyes with him, my voice steady and final. "It's over, Henry. There's no starting over."
Despair filled Henry's eyes.
He jabbed a finger toward Liam, his voice rising. "Is he the reason? Is he why you won't come back to me?"
Gritting my teeth, I looped my arm through Liam's and faced Henry with an icy stare.
"Yes, and that's why you need to stop looking for me."
Henry just stood there, looking lost. After what seemed like an eternity, he spun around and stumbled away until he vanished from my sight.
My knees buckled, and I started to collapse.
Liam was right there as he caught me, his eyes wide with worry. "Selena, are you alright?"
I shook my head faintly, my hand drifting to my belly. "Liam, I'm sorry... I didn't mean to drag you into this."
He gave me a look that was hard to read before gently lifting me up in his arms. "Let's not worry about that now. We need to get you to the hospital."
The stress had taken its toll on me and the baby. Following the doctor's orders, I spent three days in the hospital.
Those days passed without a word from Henry. Perhaps he had finally given up.
As I lay there, the sadness was overwhelming. Letting go of Henry was proving to be the hardest thing I had ever done. I had gone back to him after every goodbye, and my love for him was too deep to just turn off.
Forgetting him would take more time than I had to spare.
Throughout my stay, Liam was there, caring for me with a tenderness that went beyond friendship. He even signed the hospital forms as the baby's father, standing by me when I needed him most.
It was not until I left the hospital that he got busy with my college enrollment details.