Stuck with the enemy

After my shift at the café, I walked home, my thoughts clouded by the day's strange events. The encounter with Leo lingered in my mind, his words echoing in a way that felt both unsettling and oddly familiar. I couldn't shake the feeling that he was hiding something. Then, just as I turned a corner, my phone buzzed with a new message. It was from an unknown number.

Hi, it's Leo, from the café.

My heart skipped a beat as I read the text. How had he gotten my number? Unease prickled at the back of my neck, but I replied, keeping it short.

How did you... get my contact?

His response came almost immediately.

Sorry, I didn't mean to overstep. I just wanted to apologize if I came across as too intense. I didn't want you to feel uncomfortable.

I read his message again, a flicker of irritation mixing with my unease. Was this his way of being polite? And then, his next message:

I'm the one who saved you that night, Deniz. I couldn't just stand by and watch. I needed to make sure you were safe.

I froze, rereading his words. So he was saying he'd been there... but why hadn't he said anything then? The pieces didn't quite fit, and the feeling that something was off grew stronger. Before I could respond, a familiar figure came into view up ahead.

"Deniz?"

The sound of that voice stopped me cold, and I looked up in disbelief. Standing there on the street was Jacob. My Jacob. The boy I'd grown up with, who'd felt more like family than anyone else I'd ever known. He looked older now, his hair a bit longer, his features sharper, but there was no mistaking him.

"Jacob?" My voice barely rose above a whisper, but I was already moving toward him, my heart leaping with joy.

He broke into a grin, his eyes warm with that familiar, brotherly affection. "It's me," he said, reaching out as I threw my arms around him.

It had been five years since he'd left us to follow the faint, stubborn hope of finding his family. He hadn't abandoned me or Aras, I knew that-but his absence had been a quiet ache that never quite healed. And now, he was back.

"I can't believe it," I whispered, pulling back to look at him. "When did you get here?"

"Just today," he said, his voice low and comforting. "I couldn't stay away any longer. I missed you all too much." Then I hurried him home, eager to share the surprise with Aras. When we reached the house, I opened the door and called out, barely able to contain my excitement.

"Aras!" I said, grinning widely. "Look who I found!"

Aras appeared from the kitchen, wiping his hands on a dish towel. His eyes fell on Jacob, and for a split second, he froze, as if not quite believing what he was seeing. Then a broad smile spread across his face.

"Jacob? No way!" Aras exclaimed, quickly moving toward him. "You're actually here!"

They embraced, clapping each other on the back, laughing in disbelief.

"Man, it's been too long," Aras said, pulling back to look at him. "We thought you'd disappeared off the face of the earth. And I've been telling Deniz you'd just show up one day, like some hero from an old story!"

Jacob chuckled, a bit shy but clearly glad to be back. "Well, heroes are supposed to find what they're looking for," he said, his voice taking on a more serious tone. "I... didn't exactly have that kind of luck."

Aras's expression softened, and he motioned for us to sit. "Come on. You're here now, and that's what matters."

We all settled into the cozy living room, with Aras and I on the sofa, and Jacob taking the armchair, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. There was a beat of silence as he seemed to collect his thoughts.

"So," Aras said, his voice gentle but curious, "did you... find them? Your family, I mean."

Jacob sighed, his eyes focused on the floor for a moment. "I... well, I thought I'd find some answers," he admitted quietly. "I found a woman who says she's my grandmother, living in a small town. She was kind, and I stayed with her for a while. But she doesn't know much about my parents or why they left me. Just bits and pieces, and most of it doesn't make sense." He looked up, meeting Aras's gaze. "There were more dead ends than answers."

Aras nodded, the sympathy clear in his eyes. "I'm sorry, Jacob. I can only imagine how hard that must've been. And you stayed all this time?"

Jacob nodded. "I did. I thought... maybe I'd find something else, some other clue if I just kept looking. But eventually, it became clear that I was just hitting the same walls over and over."

"Did she tell you anything about your parents?" I asked gently.

Jacob shook his head, a small, sad smile on his face. "Only that they left town when I was a baby. She doesn't know where they went or why they left. And honestly, I don't think she's telling me everything she knows."

There was a brief silence, filled with a mix of sadness and understanding. Finally, Aras spoke up, his tone lightening. "Well, you know what? You're stuck with us now. We are your family, and we'll make sure to give you plenty of reasons to be grateful for coming back."

Jacob laughed, visibly relaxing. "That's the plan, isn't it?" He looked at me and Aras, his gaze softening. "I missed you both more than I can put into words."

Aras leaned forward, his tone half-serious, half-teasing. "We missed you too. Deniz here has been a nightmare without you," he said, throwing me a playful look. "I've had to take all her complaints alone!"

"Hey!" I protested, laughing, swatting him lightly on the arm. "I'm not that bad!"

Jacob chuckled, shaking his head. "Some things really don't change."

I smiled, feeling a deep warmth spread through me. For now, it was enough that Jacob was back with us, safe. There would be time to unpack the past and the mysteries surrounding his family, but for tonight, I was just grateful we were all together again.