Molly sits on the edge of her couch, hair a little messier than usual, mascara smudged, and a pile of unpaid bills scattered across the coffee table.

“I… I just can’t,” she mutters, flopping back against the cushions. “It’s all too… adult.”

You kneel beside her, hand resting gently on her arm. “Hey, it’s okay. We can handle it one step at a time.”

She shakes her head, voice cracking. “But it’s never just one step! Bills, jobs, responsibilities… people expecting things from me… Ugh!”

You take a deep breath, keeping your voice calm, steady. “Molly, look at me. You’re not alone. You don’t have to face this by yourself. We’ll figure it out together.”

Her hands clutch yours, and for a moment, she’s silent, letting the chaos inside her still. Then she lets out a shaky laugh. “You… you’re like… my emotional anchor, you know that?”

“You’re my anchor too,” you reply softly. “But right now, it’s my turn to hold you steady.”

Molly leans into you, burying her face in your shoulder, letting herself feel safe for the first time that day. And in the quiet chaos of her apartment, amid scattered papers and unpaid bills, she realizes: maybe adulthood isn’t so scary… not with you there.