Journey of the heart(3)

Chapter 47: Unsettled

Mya could sense the shift in Jaylen before he even said a word. He was up before her, his usual routine of preparing coffee replaced with a quiet, distant demeanor. She'd seen it before, back when they were still figuring each other out, back when Jaylen kept most things to himself. But this time was different—it was like something was weighing on him, something he wasn't ready to talk about yet.

As she sipped her coffee and watched Zaria play in the living room, Mya felt that familiar pang of worry settle in her chest. Jaylen was a protector, always making sure everything was handled before things got out of control. But that part of him also made it hard for him to open up when he was struggling.

He emerged from their bedroom, fully dressed and ready for the day. He kissed Mya softly on the forehead, his usual "good morning" sounding flat.

"You alright?" Mya asked, her eyes searching his.

Jaylen avoided her gaze for a second, then nodded. "Yeah, I'm good. Just got some things on my mind."

Mya knew better than to push. If he wasn't ready to talk, he wouldn't, and pressing him would only make him shut down more. Still, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

"Alright," she said softly, placing her hand on his arm. "But if you need to talk, you know I'm here."

Jaylen gave her a small smile, one that didn't quite reach his eyes. "I know, Mya. I'm handling it. I'll talk to you about it soon."

That was enough to ease her for the moment, but as the day went on, Mya couldn't help but think back to that look in his eyes—one she hadn't seen in a long time. She tried to focus on work, on the café's progress and her responsibilities, but her mind kept drifting back to Jaylen.

Later that afternoon, as she finished up a call with one of the contractors, her phone buzzed with a text from Melody: Hey girl, how's everything? Miss our coffee runs.

Mya smiled, typing back a quick response. Everything's good! Just been buried in café stuff. We need to catch up soon.

But as she set her phone down, her thoughts went back to Jaylen. She didn't want to involve anyone else in their business, but she wished she had someone to talk to about what was going on. Melody was always there for her, but this felt different—something bigger, something she couldn't quite put into words.

That evening, after Zaria was put to bed, Mya found Jaylen in the living room, his phone in hand, looking more stressed than she'd ever seen him. She sat beside him, waiting for him to speak, hoping he'd let her in on whatever was weighing him down.

After a few moments of tense silence, Jaylen finally spoke, his voice low. "I got somethin' I need to tell you."

Mya's heart raced, but she kept her expression calm. "Okay. What's going on?"

Jaylen took a deep breath, setting his phone on the table. "It's my business. One of the deals I was workin' on... it's gone bad. And the people involved, they ain't playin' by the rules. Things could get messy."

Mya's stomach tightened. She'd always known Jaylen's work in real estate wasn't without its challenges, but this sounded serious. "What do you mean, 'messy'?"

Jaylen leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Some of the people I was dealin' with... they're not the type to just walk away. And now that the deal's fallin' through, they're lookin' to recoup what they lost. I've been tryin' to keep it away from you and Zaria, but after what happened the other day, I don't know if I can."

Mya's mind was spinning. "The other day? You mean at the station?"

Jaylen nodded, his jaw tightening. "Yeah. That was just the beginning. Rashad showed up here last night, tryin' to pull me deeper into it. I don't wanna drag you into this mess, but I need you to know what's goin' on. I'm tryin' to handle it, but I don't know how long I can keep it from touchin' us."

Mya felt a mix of fear and frustration rise in her chest. She appreciated that Jaylen was finally telling her the truth, but the fact that he had been dealing with this for so long without saying anything made her worry. "Jaylen, why didn't you tell me sooner? We could've figured this out together."

"I didn't wanna worry you," Jaylen said, his voice soft. "You got enough on your plate, and I thought I could handle it on my own. But now I'm not so sure."

Mya placed her hand on his, squeezing it gently. "We're in this together, Jaylen. I need you to stop trying to protect me from everything. We're a family. If something's going on, we face it as a family."

Jaylen looked at her, his eyes filled with a mix of regret and resolve. "You right. I'm sorry, Mya. I just—this life, everything we built... I don't wanna lose it."

Mya's heart softened. "We're not gonna lose anything. We just need to figure out a way to get through this. You're not in this alone."

Jaylen nodded, but Mya could still see the tension in his face. He was used to carrying everything on his own shoulders, but this was different. This was bigger than just him, and they both knew it.

"What do we need to do?" Mya asked, her voice steady. "How do we make sure this doesn't come back on us?"

Jaylen exhaled, leaning back against the couch. "I've been thinkin' about that. I gotta talk to some people, figure out how to settle this without things gettin' worse. I need to clear up this mess, and it's gonna take some time. But I'll do whatever it takes to protect you and Zaria."

Mya nodded, feeling a sense of clarity wash over her. Things weren't going to be easy, but they never were. They had always found a way through tough times, and this would be no different.

"We'll figure it out," Mya said softly. "Together."

Jaylen pulled her close, his arms wrapping around her as they sat in silence. The weight of what was happening still hung in the air, but for the first time, Jaylen wasn't carrying it alone. And that made all the difference.