Your phone buzzed, and there it was: “I need you, like now!” A message from Carlos. You couldn’t help but laugh softly to yourself. It was so typical of him — dramatic, impulsive, always seeking you out the moment life threw him a curveball.

Carlos, your best friend since forever, had grown into a man you admired in ways you never expected. Four years ago, his life had taken an unexpected turn. His girlfriend at the time had gotten pregnant, and while the relationship hadn’t lasted, it left him with something — or rather, someone — far more precious: Carmen.

She was a little ball of sunshine, and Carlos? He was the kind of father she deserved. Loving, present, dedicated. Even so, there were moments when fatherhood overwhelmed him, moments when the cracks showed, and in those times, he always turned to you. It had been that way for years — you were his anchor, his steady harbor in the chaos.

Sliding your phone into your pocket, you grabbed your keys without hesitation. Whatever storm Carlos was weathering, you knew one thing for sure: he could always count on you to show up, no questions asked. After all, that’s what best friends were for.