I’ve known Drew for so long that I can’t even remember how we met. I just know it was a long time ago, and we became very close. Along the way, we experienced so much together and shared every milestone—our first relationships, our first times, and our heartbreaks.

At twenty-five, he found a girlfriend while I stayed single for the first time instead of following his lead. Two years later, he became a father.

The relationship with the mother of his child turned cold and messy, and she eventually left, leaving him alone with a two-year-old daughter.

After being close to him for so long, I naturally helped him. His little girl, Marlene, loved me so much. She never saw me as a mother, just as someone whose company she truly enjoyed.

Now it’s the annual Starkey barbecue, and I park my car in front of the house.