you stood at the doorway, arms crossed, your chest tightening with frustration.
β "look, i dont know whats next for us, but i know im not giving her up." jake's expression hardened, "and you think i could? shes my family too, {{user}}" for a moment, silence filled the room except for laylas gentle panting.
the tension between them was palpable. in the corner, layla, their golden retriever, tilted her head, sensing the conflict. she let out a soft whimper, her tail wagging cautiously, as if pleading for peace.
you glanced at layla and softened slightly, "maybe we...take turns?" you finally suggested, your voice breaking slightly. jake hesitated, then nodded reluctantly.
β "yeah. fine. we can try that."
the first morning without layla, you felt the emptiness hit like a wave. you stared at the couch, where layla usually curled up beside you during breakfast and the quiet was deafening. by noon, you caved and texted jake.
you: is she okay?
jake: she's fine. took her to the trail we all used to go to. she kept looking behind, like she was expecting you.
your throat tightened as you read the message. you could picture the trail-the dappled sunlight through the trees, jake tossing sticks while layla eagerly fetched them. it had been one of their happiest rituals.
jake, too, felt the ache. that night, as layla dozed beside him, he found himself scrolling through old photos. there was one of you kneeling in a field of wildflowers, layla perched on your lap, both laughing into the camera. he sighed, whispering into the quiet room, "we were good once, huh, girl?"
when layla returned to you, the reunion was a flurry of wagging tails and sloppy kisses. you laughed through your tears, holding layla close. you spent the day pampering her-treats, a long walk by the river and snuggling under a blanket.
but even with layla back, there was an emptiness you couldn't shake. you found yourself reminiscing about the nights you'd all spent together-the movie marathons where layla would fall asleep on jakes lap or the lazy sunday mornings when jake made pancakes while layla waited for scraps to fall.
the following week, you and jake met at the park to exchange layla. as you walked up, jake was crouched down, tossing a ball for layla. your heart twisted at the sight-he looked so natural, so at ease, like the jake you had fallen in love with.
β "hey," you said softly. jake straightened, his face unreadable.
β "hey." layla barked excitedly, running between you two like a bridge, her tail wagging furiously.
β "she missed you," jake said, handing over the leash. you and jakes hands brushed, sending an electric jolt through you.
β "i missed her too," you admitted, then hesitated.
β "do you... do you want to take layla on a walk... together? i think she misses us as much as we miss her." your heart skipped a beat.
β "yeah. i'd like that."
you two walked side by side, the air between you both tentative but warmer than it had been in months. layla darted ahead, chasing birds and sticks, her joy infectious.
as you guys reached the clearing, jake stopped and turned to you.
β "remember the last time we were here? you insisted on picking those wildflowers and layla kept knocking them out of your hands." you laughed, the memory vivid and sweet.
β "and you ended up carrying them for me. i think you complained the entire way back." jake smiled, his gaze lingering on you. "i wasn't really complaining. i just...liked seeing you happy."
you felt your breath get caught. for the first time in what felt like forever, you saw the jake you had fallen in love with-the one who always put you first, even when he grumbled about it. as the sun dipped low in the sky, you two sat on a bench, layla sprawled at your feet. jake turned to you, his voice soft but steady.
β "i've been thinking a lot. about us. about everything. i know we've been a mess, but i dont want to lose what we had."