Chapter 36
Jason
The past two days have been a whirlwind of confusion and mild panic.
It all started when I lost my phone Friday night while out getting a late snack with Jake, Elena, and her parents—only to discover it the following night at the bottom of Jake’s backpack.
I still have no idea how it ended up there, and when I asked him if he remembered putting it in his bag he just shrugged and said, “I don’t think so.
” My son has the memory of a goldfish sometimes.
Everything else spiralled after that. I couldn’t fix the urgent supply problem back at the restaurant without a phone, and worse, I was completely cut off from Mila for an entire day.
After our final trip to Disneyland on Saturday, things took another unexpected turn.
Elena came down with a bout of food poisoning, likely from a piece of raw fish that had no business being on a plate, and we found ourselves in the emergency room for nearly four hours.
It wasn’t until later that night that we stumbled back into the hotel, exhausted and dehydrated.
Jake stayed with me in my hotel room while Elena rested in hers, his quiet presence a small comfort in the chaos.
And it was only then, as I was helping him unpack his bag, that I found my phone switched off and tucked deep at the bottom, as if someone had tried hiding it there the whole time.
It’s now 9:35 on a Sunday night, and the plane is just about to take off for Sydney, this time with Jake and my ex-wife seated beside me.
Elena, pale and visibly drained, had chosen to forgo the final leg of the trip, deciding not to continue on to Osaka.
Though she insists she’s feeling much better, I can see in her face she’s just ready to get home and sleep the day away.
She’s leaning back in her seat, eyes closed, cocooned in a thin airline blanket, while Jake sits between us, contentedly nibbling on a packet of pretzels.
Elena’s parents chose to continue on without us, and though the trip was cut short, Jake didn’t seem to mind. He’s already brimming with stories, eager to tell his friends all about his trip to Disneyland, and the baby panda he half-jokingly plotted to smuggle home.
We sit quietly as we watch the cabin crew perform their safety demonstrations under the muted glow of the overhead lights, their gestures fluid and practiced. For once, the day passed without incident, a rare and welcome reprieve after the emotional shitstorm of the past twenty-four hours.
“I can’t wait to sleep in my bed. I miss Murphy,” Jake mumbles between crunchy bites of pretzels, talking about his stuffed toy beetle.
“By the time you wake up, we’ll be in Sydney already. So, quickly finish your snack, and get some sleep.”
While I’m grateful to be flying home with my boy, what I really long for is to see Mila and hold her in my arms again. After more than a day of silence that stretched like an eternity, I finally reached her just moments before leaving for the airport this afternoon.
At first, her voice was clipped, cool and distant, the kind that twists in your gut.
But after she listened to me explain everything, I felt the ice in her tone begin to melt.
Her words softened, her pauses stretched longer, and though things weren’t quite right just yet, there was a flicker of warmth I hadn’t heard in days since our last conversation.
She initially promised to stop by once we’re settled and rested from the flight, but I couldn’t bear the wait. I practically begged for her to come over the moment I get home—no matter how early it might be. I’ve been away from her far too long, and I’m not willing to wait another minute longer.
“What time do we land in Sydney?” Elena murmurs, eyes still closed as she tilts her head slightly in my direction.
“We should land around six in the morning.”
“Are you going to stay up for a bit?”
“Yeah, I am. I’m not really tired yet. Might just put on a show or something.”
Her eyes slowly drift open, and for a moment, we simply stare at each other. She offers a faint smile, brief and tentative, and just like that, I catch a glimpse of the Elena I used to know, before she tore my heart to shreds.
I turn away quickly, fixing my gaze on the window as the plane begins its ascent.
It rises steadily into the night until we break through the veil of clouds and soar above them.
Below the world dissolves into a blur of lights and shadows, flickering and fading, as if the world itself is holding its breath. Tokyo really is a beautiful city.
“Thanks for changing our flights so we could all go home together.” Elena’s hushed voice cuts through my daze.
I glance back at her. “Of course. It’s safer for Jake if we all stick together.”
“Yeah, that’s what I mean.” She lets out an awkward laugh. “But you didn’t have to pay for it. It was my fault we had to change plans. At least let me pay you back.”
I shake my head. “No need, Elena. I was happy to do it... Really. Now get some sleep.
I’ll wake you when they start serving our first meal.”
She nods slowly, then snuggles up closer to Jake, who’s now peacefully drifting into sleep.
After selecting a crime show from the little screen in front of me, I settle into my seat, adjusting it until I find a position that’s somewhat tolerable.
As the episodes flicker by over the next couple of hours, I barely register a thing, my thoughts many miles away, lost in the one place my heart desperately aches to return to.
It’s just after sunrise in Sydney when the Uber pulls into my driveway.
The sky is painted in soft pastels, and the quiet hum of early morning settles around us.
Elena helps Jake out of the car while I retrieve our luggage from the boot, just mine and Jake’s.
We’d agreed to share a ride since our homes are only a short drive apart.
It’s my week with Jake, so it made more sense to stop at mine first and get him settled, while Elena continues the rest of the short trip on her own.
She crouches down, wrapping our son in a tight hug before I gently guide him inside the house. As I turn to see Elena off, she lingers just outside the car, taking her time to leave, despite the Uber driver waiting impatiently for her.
“Umm… Jase?” she says, her voice tinged with a soft, uncertain shyness.
“What is it?”
She takes a few tentative steps towards me, pausing halfway across the front yard, leaving the rest of the distance for me to close.
“I just wanted to say thank you for coming along and making the trip really special for Jake… and for me. It’s been such a long time since he’s had a proper holiday with all of us together.”
“I’d do anything for Jake if it means making him happy. There’s no need to thank me.”
“I know, but… it was nice,” she says softly, a small, almost wistful smile ghosting across her lips. “To feel like a family again.”
I give a silent nod, unsure how to respond to that. When the silence stretches, she clears her throat and asks, “So… what are you up to for the rest of the day?”
“Mila’s coming over to the house to spend some time with us.”
Her smile falters at the mention of Mila, her gaze sharpening just a little. She tries to mask it, but the flicker of jealousy in her eyes is impossible to miss.
“Oh. That’s nice,” she smiles through gritted teeth, “I hope you all enjoy your day, then.”
Her eyes dart over my shoulder for a brief second before she smirks and steps forward, wrapping her arms around me in an embrace.
I freeze, taken aback by the sudden gesture.
It’s been so long since we’ve hugged like this, and honestly, it feels strange.
Off-kilter. Wrong in all the ways it used to feel right.
I offer her an awkward pat on the back, but as I pull away, she catches me off guard once more, reaching up to cup my face and pressing a soft kiss to my lips.
On instinct, I quickly push her away by the shoulders. “What the fuck are you doing, Elena?!” I snap.
She just laughs—fucking laughs, as if she hadn’t just done that on purpose. “Oh, come on, Jase. We’ve kissed plenty of times before.”
“You know I’m with someone else now. Why would you do that?” I hiss, keeping my voice low so Jake won’t hear, but sharp enough to reveal the anger simmering underneath.
“Would you just relax? It was just a little thank you kiss, that’s all.
” she says, her tone light and way too casual, only fuelling my anger.
“Anyway, give Jake a kiss for me.” She flashes me one last smirk, before giving a little wave to someone behind me.
When I turn to see who it is, my stomach drops.
Mila is parked across the street, still in the driver’s seat, her expression shadowed with something that looks a lot like hurt. Fuck! I call out and rush towards her, but I’m too late—she takes off, tyres screeching slightly as she drives away without so much as a glance back.
“If she can’t handle a little healthy competition, then is she even the woman for you?”
Elena’s voice rings out from where she now stands beside the passenger door of the Uber. My jaw tightens so hard it feels like it might shatter.
As I storm towards her, Jake suddenly pokes his head out the front door, messy hair and all. “Hey, Dad,” he yells out. “Can you make me eggs? I’m hungry.” I clamp my jaw tight, holding back a scream that threatens to escape.
Elena seizes the moment to escape my fury, slipping into the Uber and peeling out of the driveway. I watch her go with my jaw tight and fists clenched at my sides. I’ll deal with her later.
Once she’s out of sight, I head back inside, pulling out my phone to call Mila. But she doesn’t answer. Not the first time. Not the second. All seven of my calls go straight to her voicemail. I start to panic, praying she made it home safely.
Determined to make things right, I call my dad and ask if he can watch Jake for a little while. He doesn’t press for more details, just tells me to bring him over.
Twenty minutes later, I’ve dropped Jake off at Dad’s and I’m back on the road, heading straight to Mila’s apartment.
When I arrive, I instantly notice her car missing from its usual spot, but I go up anyway, just in case.
I knock. No answer. The silence confirms what I already suspect—she’s not home.
She’s probably at Sofia’s by now, venting about what a complete arsehole I am.
I pull out my phone and send her a text, hoping to try my luck one last time.
Me: Mila, I’m outside your place. Can we please talk? If now’s not the right time, I’ll come back whenever you’re ready. Just… please don’t shut me out.
Knowing she’s not going to respond anytime soon, I slip my phone back into my pocket and head towards the car, bracing myself for the long, agonising drive back home.