15. Jayson Comes Back
Chapter fifteen
Jayson Comes Back
For the next several days, Miko allowed herself to enjoy what was developing between her and Meca. She stopped analyzing every conversation and questioning every feeling. She didn’t know where their relationship was going, but she knew she felt good when they were together.
Meca never pressured her. She didn’t ask Miko to define their relationship or explain herself to anyone. She gave Miko room to understand her feelings at her own pace, and that patience only made Miko care about her more.
Everything between them felt comfortable.
Until Jayson called.
Miko was sitting on the couch watching television when his name appeared on her phone. She stared at the screen longer than she should have. It had been a while since they had spoken, but seeing his name still created a familiar feeling in her chest.
Jayson had always been able to disappear for a while and return as if no time had passed. That was how their relationship worked. They argued, separated, and gave each other space. Eventually, one of them called, and the distance between them disappeared.
The phone continued ringing.
Miko answered. “Hello.”
“You forgot about me?”
She recognized the playful tone immediately.
“No. I didn’t forget about you.”
“You sure?”
“I’m sure.”
“Then why I haven’t heard from you?”
Miko leaned back against the couch. “Phones work both ways.”
Jayson laughed. “There she go.”
“There who go?”
“The woman who always got something smart to say.”
“You called me.”
“I know.”
“So what do you want?”
“I can’t call to hear your voice?”
“You can, but you usually want something.”
Jayson laughed again. “I want to see you.”
Miko became quiet.
“What?” he asked. “You got somebody over there?”
“No.”
“Then why you hesitating?”
“I’m not hesitating.”
“Yes, you are.”
Miko looked around the empty room. Nothing had changed, but suddenly the space felt different. She had spent so much time thinking about Meca that she hadn’t considered what would happen when Jayson came back into her life.
“Where you been?” Miko asked.
“Working.”
“For all this time?”
“You know how the shop gets.”
Jayson worked long hours at the barbershop, especially toward the end of the week. His customers depended on him, and he enjoyed the atmosphere—the music, the jokes, and the constant conversations. He could spend an entire day cutting hair without realizing how much time had passed.
“That’s not an excuse,” Miko said.
“I didn’t say it was.”
“Then what are you saying?”
“I’m saying I missed you.”
Miko closed her eyes.
Those words still affected her. Jayson had been part of her life long enough to know exactly how to reach the part of her that remembered everything they had shared.
“I missed you too,” she admitted.
“Can I come by?”
Miko hesitated again.
Jayson sighed. “Something is different.”
Her eyes opened.
“What makes you say that?”
“Because you never had to think this hard about seeing me before.”
“I’ve been busy.”
“Doing what?”
“Living my life.”
“And your life don’t have room for me anymore?”
Miko didn’t answer.
Jayson’s voice softened. “Miko, what’s going on?”
“Nothing is going on.”
“Then let me come see you.”
She should have said no. She knew she needed time to think about what Jayson’s return meant and how it would affect Meca. But saying no to him felt like closing a door she wasn’t ready to close.
“Okay,” Miko said.
“I’ll be there in an hour.”
When the call ended, Miko remained on the couch with the phone in her hand.
An hour.
She looked toward the clock and then down at her messages. Meca had texted her a few minutes earlier.
Meca: What are you doing?
Miko read the message but didn’t respond immediately.
She didn’t want to lie, but she wasn’t ready to tell Meca that Jayson was coming over. She also didn’t understand why she felt guilty. She and Meca had never discussed exclusivity. Meca knew Jayson existed, and Miko had never promised that her feelings for him were gone.
Still, something about not answering made her feel dishonest.
Miko: Watching television.
Meca: You want some company?
Miko stared at the message.
Meca usually called before coming over, but sometimes she stopped by after work or brought food without making a big deal about it. On any other night, Miko would have said yes.
Miko: Not tonight. I’m tired.
Meca: Okay. Get some rest.
Miko: I will.
Meca: Goodnight.
Miko: Goodnight.
The conversation ended, but the guilt remained.
Forty-five minutes later, Miko heard a knock at the door. She took a deep breath before opening it.
Jayson stood on the other side wearing a black T-shirt, jeans, and the same smile that had gotten him out of trouble with her more times than she could count.
“You going to let me in?” he asked.
Miko stepped aside. “Come in.”
Jayson walked through the doorway and looked around. “It smells good in here.”
“It always smells good in here.”
“That’s true.”
He turned toward her, and for a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Jayson pulled her into his arms.
The hug felt familiar. His cologne, the warmth of his body, and the way his arms settled around her brought back memories she had not forgotten. Miko allowed herself to relax against him.
“I really did miss you,” he whispered.
Miko closed her eyes. “I missed you too.”
When he released her, Jayson studied her face. “You look good.”
“So do you.”
“You sound surprised.”
“I’m not.”
They sat on the couch and began talking. Jayson told her about the barbershop, his customers, and the foolish arguments that happened there almost every day. Miko laughed at his stories the same way she always had.
For a while, everything felt normal.
That was the problem.
Jayson knew how to make Miko forget the distance between them. He reminded her of the version of herself that existed before Meca—before questions, confusion, and feelings she couldn’t explain.
As Jayson spoke, Miko’s phone vibrated on the table.
Meca’s name appeared on the screen.
Jayson glanced at it. “Who is Meca?”
Miko quickly turned the phone over. “A woman I work with.”
“She calling you this late?”
“She’s my friend.”
Jayson looked at her. “Must be a close friend.”
“She is.”
He nodded slowly. “Okay.”
Miko recognized the change in his expression. “Why you say it like that?”
“Like what?”
“Like you don’t believe me.”
“I didn’t say I didn’t believe you.”
“You didn’t have to.”
Jayson leaned back against the couch. “I’m just asking a question.”
“And I answered it.”
He studied her for a moment before smiling. “You’re defensive.”
“No, I’m not.”
“Yes, you are.”
Miko reached for her phone. There was a missed call and a message.
Meca: I know you said you were tired. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.
Miko read the message twice.
Jayson watched her face. “Everything good?”
“Yes.”
“You sure?”
Miko looked at him.
Meca asked her that same question every day.
But coming from Jayson, it felt different.
Miko placed the phone back on the table. “Everything is fine.”
Jayson moved closer to her. “I want us to stop doing this.”
“Doing what?”
“Going weeks without talking. Acting like we don’t care about each other when we both know we do.”
Miko looked down.
“What do you want, Jayson?”
“You.”
The answer came without hesitation.
Miko felt her chest tighten.
A few weeks earlier, hearing those words would have given her everything she thought she wanted. Now they created another question she wasn’t prepared to answer.
Jayson lifted her chin. “Tell me you don’t want me.”
Miko looked into his eyes.
She couldn’t say it.
Because it wouldn’t have been true.
She still cared about him. She still felt the history between them, and a part of her still wanted the relationship they had always believed they could repair.
But another part of her was thinking about the phone turned facedown on the table.
Thinking about Meca.
Thinking about the message she had ignored.
“I can’t tell you that,” Miko said.
Jayson smiled. “That’s what I thought.”
He leaned forward and kissed her.
Miko kissed him back.
The moment felt familiar, but it didn’t feel uncomplicated. Even as Jayson held her, Miko could not silence the part of her mind that knew another person had become important.
Later, after Jayson left, Miko picked up her phone and called Meca.
Meca answered after the third ring. “Hey.”
“Hey.”
“I thought you were going to sleep.”
“I couldn’t.”
“You okay?”
Miko closed her eyes.
There was that question again.
This time, she didn’t know how to answer.
“I’m fine,” she said.
Meca was quiet.
“You don’t sound fine.”
“I’m just tired.”
“Okay.”
Miko could hear the distance in Meca’s voice. It wasn’t anger. It was caution.
“Meca…”
“Yes?”
“Jayson came over.”
Silence settled between them.
Miko waited.
Finally, Meca spoke. “Thank you for telling me.”
“That’s all you’re going to say?”
“What do you want me to say?”
“I don’t know.”
“I knew he could come back.”
“But—”
“Miko, you never told me you stopped caring about him.”
“I didn’t.”
“I know.”
Meca’s calm response made Miko feel worse.
“Are you mad?” Miko asked.
“No.”
“You sound mad.”
“I’m not mad. I’m protecting myself.”
“From me?”
“From what this could become.”
Miko sat down on the edge of her bed. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
“I believe you.”
“But?”
“But not wanting to hurt somebody doesn’t mean you won’t.”
Miko had no response.
Meca sighed. “Get some rest. We can talk later.”
“Meca.”
“Yes?”
“Nothing.”
“Goodnight, Miko.”
“Goodnight.”
The call ended.
Miko stared at the phone, feeling the weight of two different relationships pulling her in opposite directions.
Jayson had returned with history, familiarity, and promises of rebuilding what they had lost.
Meca had entered her life unexpectedly and created feelings Miko had never known how to name.
Miko still cared about Jayson.
She also cared about Meca.
For the first time, she understood that admitting her feelings was only the beginning.
Eventually, those feelings would require a choice.