Mae hesitated before admitting, "It's just that I felt like you were avoiding me lately. It hurt, Liang."
Liang felt a pang of guilt, realizing that his own troubles had caused him to distance himself from his friend. "I'm sorry, Mae. I've been dealing with some personal issues, and I didn't mean to neglect our friendship."
Mae nodded, understanding, "I hope you know you can always talk to me, just like you can with your mother."
The mention of his mother tugged at Liang's heart. He realized that he had been shutting out the two most important women in his life. He sighed, "You're right. I've been unfair to both of you."
After their heart-to-heart conversation, Liang felt a weight lifted off his shoulders. He still had a long journey ahead, but he knew he could count on his friends, including his mother, for support.
