Their expressions immediately hardened with suspicion. “Who are you?” one of them asked, her tone sharp.

It dawned on me—they didn’t recognize me. We had met before, but that was years ago, and time had clearly changed them.

“I’m… a friend of Liam’s,” I replied, keeping my tone light and natural. There was no way they’d open up if I revealed the real reason I’d come. “I heard he had a baby and thought I’d drop by to see how things were ...