But the good version of myself—the one Danni seems so sure I could be—would she value authenticity over her friend’s well-being? Or would she happily play a role every now and then when it’s needed? Would she, perhaps, be more liberal with white lies than I am?

“I can try,” I offer, and Molly silently nods in response. I clear my head, and think of what I would say if Molly were a family friend, or a visiting diplomat, who had gone through a recent tragedy. “I can’t imagine what you must be going through,” I say. “Oscar was a wonderful, incredible person. He was kind, and funny, and loyal, and the loss of him is just … simply devastating. I know there’s nothing I can say that can erase this, or ease your burden, but if there’s anything you need from me—anything I can do—I will be there in a heartbeat. You’re my best friend,” I finish, and that part, at least, rings true. “And I’m so sorry you have to live through this.”

I sneak a glance at Molly to ascertain her reaction. She doesn’t look particularly moved. In fact, she appears to be fighting a smile of mirth.

“Yeah,” she says, her mouth trembling with the effort of remaining straight-faced. “That was, um … very fake.”

“I did warn you.”

“You did,” she agrees, finally letting the smile win. Sun peeking through clouds. “Thank you for trying, though. At least you tried.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t try earlier.” And again, it’s honest.

The smile fades in an instant, and all at once, Molly looks as though she’s on the verge of tears. She blinks up at the ceiling. “I just really thought you didn’t care. I thought we didn’t matter to you. I was so hurt, I was … I just…”

“I have cared about you since the day I met you,” I say quietly. “You matter to me more than almost anyone in the world, and there’s never been a moment that wasn’t true.”

The tears spill over now, slipping down her cheeks one by one. She makes no move to wipe them away. I watch them fall, and feel a pang of jealousy, which I know full well is an abominable reaction to someone I love crying, but I feel it all the same.

“Molly?” I say. “I’ve been trying to apologize and understand what happened between us for months. Why are we having this conversation now?”