Liam, I’m so sorry. Never knew this would take this long. I won’t be coming back till tomorrow. I am so sorry. Love, Emily.

The message came in at some minutes to seven in the evening, when Liam had been waiting and hoping she would call for some time. And then she’d just sent a text.

He took a deep breath and tried to concentrate on the T.V. but he was boiling inside. There was nothing he could do. If he showed his anger, everyone would think he was not being supportive and he didn’t want that. It was just really painful and frustrating when he couldn’t do anything just because he didn’t want to give that impression.

Just then, Daniel called. Liam had completely forgotten about the movie with Charlotte.

“Hey, dude,” he said.

“Liam, I have been waiting for your call, did you call Charlotte. Is she okay with it?”

Liam hesitated. “Well, don’t worry pal, I got this.”

“What?” he sounded disappointed. “You’re taking her?”

“Yea. Emily stood me up tonight and I’m tired of being home alone.”

“Well, okay then, no problem. Sorry about that. I heard she went to Detroit as that Tom guy’s date.”

Liam was taken aback. “What date?”

“Oops! You didn’t know?”

‘Know what?”

“Tom was around today. The HR head-player dude. The guy in the picture with your babe.”

“Yes,” Liam retorted, staying as calm as possible, “I know who he is.”

“Yea, he was around today. They were seen leaving together. She didn’t tell you?”

Liam was quiet and his heart was beating rapidly. She hadn’t mentioned that. she hadn’t said anything, the same way she had said nothing that morning.

“Hello, are you there Liam?”

“I’ll call you later,” he said hurriedly and ended the call.

Then he began to dial a number.

“Hey, Liam.”

“Hi, Charlotte, for a while I thought you were avoiding my call.”

There was a chuckle. “What do you want Liam?”

“Well, are you still free tonight?”

She hesitated. “Wait, what about that beautiful plan with your girlfriend?”

“Well, you can forget that. We both can. And again, I am sorry about forgetting your birthday and I feel awful. So I want to make it up to you, and you mentioned movies? How about I come to pick you and we can quickly go before the tickets get sold out?”

“Hmmm. Are you sure you won’t get into trouble for this?” She asked.

“You know me, I love trouble,” he replied.

“That was the old you, not the new you,” said his friend.

“Okay, let’s just enjoy the old me tonight, how about that?”

He could hear her chuckle. “Okay. I will send the direction but if you stand me up, I swear I will never talk to you ever again.”

Liam smiled. “Come on, what kind of an asshole would stand a beautiful lady up.”

Charlotte laughed and hung up.

Liam smiled, standing up. He was done feeling sorry for himself. He could have some fun, right? Emily seemed to be.

“So, am I completely forgiven?” Liam asked as they finished the movie and were heading out.

Charlotte smiled. “Ask me that when I get home.”

“Come on Charlotte, I said I was sorry.”

“Yea, I heard you the first, second and the hundredth times. By the way, why did you change your plans? I hope your girlfriend isn’t angry.”

They were now standing by the roadside, waiting for a cab.

“No, she’s not angry” Liam replied, putting his hands in his pockets.

Charlotte eyed him suspiciously. “Hold on, why do I feel as if she doesn’t know that you took me to the movies?”

Liam sighed. He didn’t want her to ruin things. “Well, that is because she doesn’t.”

Charlotte looked surprised. “Why doesn’t she? Is everything okay in your relationship?”

“Everything is fine,” he replied as quickly as possible.

“Oh no! You just lied. “

“Come on, I didn’t lie...”

“And you just lied again!“ Charlotte gasped. “You’re becoming someone else entirely, Liam. What is the problem?”

“There is no problem,” Liam insisted, stubbornly, while trying to hail a cab.

“Don’t stop a cab for me; let’s take a walk, if you’re okay with it.”

Liam shrugged. “Of course, I’m down with that.”

So they both started walking along the road.

“Spill it,” Charlotte ordered, but he only smiled.

“Spill what?”

“The main reason why you are with me instead of being with your girl.”

“I already told...”

Charlotte stopped and faced him. “Look, if you lie to my face one more time, I will puke, so tell me the truth.”

Liam took a deep breath, he knew that there was no hiding anymore.

“Well, the truth is that Emily isn’t around this evening I don’t want to be home alone.”

“Oh! She isn’taround? Well, why do you sound so sad and angry about it then?”

“Oh! Come on, I am not angry and...”

“It’s alright, Liam. Though I’m not really super happy that I am the second option...” Liam wanted to object but she continued. “I am happy that at least you didn’t spend the evening alone.”

He smiled. “I’m sorry. You were the only one I could think of and I wanted to use the opportunity to make things better between us.”

Charlotte smiled, stopped and faced him. “There is something you’re not telling me, Liam. Your girlfriend wasn’t around for your birthday, she isn’t around now when you had initially told me that you had a plan… what’s going on?”

Liam sighed and moved nearer to the wall closest to them, on which he leaned his body. Charlotte took a few steps towards him.

“Liam, what’s the problem? We used to be friends, I mean we’re still friends, so you can tell me, right? Remember I’m a good listener.”

Liam thought for a while, he actually needed to talk to someone apart from his dude friends.

“Charlotte, if I tell you this, can you just please be open and direct without being prejudiced?”

“Sure,” she replied.

“Ever since Emily got this huge nomination, I have been nothing but supportive and I think she is overworking herself and it’s getting in between us. She no longer has time for me, or even remembers special days and dates...” he sighed. “This evening was her idea and now she’s not even here, she’s at the Detroit offices with Tom, who she never even told me about. She never told me that they would be going together.”

“Tom?”

“Yea?”

“You mean Tom Hanks? The HR head of your company?”

He raised an eyebrow. “You know him?”

She nodded. “Yes. We dated for a while. He was an asshole, he ruined my perfect relationship.”

Liam was surprised. “Really?”

“Yea. He was working with us before he moved. You need to do everything to get your girlfriend out of his hands. Else, you might just end up losing her.”

“But everyone thinks I’m being selfish and paranoid, I don’t want her to think that I’m holding her back, Charlotte. I don’t even know what to do.”

Charlotte inhaled sharply. “You need to find a way, else just kiss your girlfriend goodbye. He is a devil in disguise, as he sees a beautiful thing and he just takes it.”

“So what do you suggest?”

“I suggest you do everything possible to make your girlfriend aware that you love her and that you need her and that you are happy for her. Don’t get angry because right now is when she will feel you are not supporting her when you are only trying to keep her safe from that awful man.”

Liam sighed. “Thanks so much, Charlotte. I will figure something out.”

She nodded, and easily stopped a cab. Before she got in, she turned around and kissed him on the cheek. “You’re a good person, you love her and she has no idea how lucky she is. Just note that once she starts telling you things she wouldn’t have said on a normal day, you will be losing her gradually. But she will know how great you are eventually. We always find out later how amazing A man you are, regrettably. Good night, Liam.” She slid into the cab and Liam closed the door for her, waving as the car zoomed off.

Putting his hands in his pockets, Liam began to take a stroll. His mind went back to what Charlotte had just said.

“Yes. We dated for a while, he was an asshole, he ruined my perfect relationship. You need to do everything in your power to get your girlfriend out of his hands. Else, you might just end up losing her.”

This was the time to show how much he supported Emily so that she would not think whatever Joe had thought. He grimaced at the thought of Joe. He hated that old man. How in the world could he have once admired him? He just challenged him. He recalled the way he had asked Emily about Tom at the conference room where he had overheard them talking about the report before he had to go check it out himself. It was like he actually wanted them to be together. He shook his head, trying to ignore the anger boiling inside him. He thought of calling her.

Quickly, he brought his phone out but to his disappointment, her phone seemed to be switched off, suddenly, a terrible feeling started welling inside him again.

“Yes. We dated for a while, but he was an asshole. He ruined my perfect relationship. You need to do everything in your power to get your girlfriend out of his hands. Else, you might just end up losing her.”

What could they be doing that would have made her switch off her phone? He asked himself.

“Liam, trust your girlfriend, okay?” He said to himself. That warning was enough to calm his doubtful mind. Finally, he waited by the roadside to catch a cab.