I’m (41f), an introvert, married (46m). My husband is my best friend. We can’t get enough of each other and share everything. So I feel fulfilled romantically and friendship-wise by him, along with our animals. But I do feel a societal obligation to have a friend group or several separate friends. I have some a few friends that I care about and occasionally talk to. We pick up where we left off but often months in between us texting. If I needed to talk to them about something emotional and serious I can and I get support - And I do the same for them. They’re genuine and mature adult friendships. Most are childfree and I met through work. The friendship grew slowly over years because I’m very private and keep to myself at work. I’m currently phasing out a 20+ year friendship that has become a drain since she and her husband had a kid. I was so excited when they were going to be childfree and then suddenly they were “trying” for over a year and got pregnant. I cried for a couple weeks because I knew the relationship was going to be over. That the kid would drive us apart, and he has. Every text conversation we have (we live far apart) she steers to her kid - pictures, videos, and how the topic relates to him. My husband has many male friends from college that he still keeps in touch with, male and female friends from work, and make and female friends from where he volunteers snd these people barely mention their kids. Occasionally they will share a funny story about their kid, or a struggle they are having with their kid, but it’s occasional and not their entire focus. So I know it’s not impossible for my friend to do that too.