An hour has passed since my mother noticed my father was missing. Family and friends have combed the street, knocking on doors, and now even our neighbors are helping. My dad has a smart watch, and a medical bracelet, but on days like today, when his memory is spotty and he's not himself, he tends to tear them off. 

And now here we are, in an emergency, and we can't track my dad's GPS.

My group doubles back to the house, which consists of Kyle, my nephew Alejandro, Anika, and me. The sun is beginning to set, which means there will be less light for us to search. We walk up the path, my hand in Anika's, and I squeeze it tightly when we spot my mom in the doorway. She's gripping her phone and looks at us with large, desperate eyes.

"Anything?" she asks.

"No." I shake my head. 

"Your brother is still not answering."

"I'm sure he's on his way." I take her elbow and steer her inside. "Maybe his phone died?"

"Mara, I don't want to sit down." My mom bats my hands. "I should be out there, looking for my husband."

"I know, but we need you here in case Dad wanders back."

"Speaking of Lucas." Anika tugs my shirt and nods as he pulls up in the Mini Cooper Enzo gifted me. The broken window good as new.

"It's about time," I huff and sprint down the path to meet him at the sidewalk for a good smacking. "Where have you been? Why haven't you answered our calls!"

"Hey!" He dodges my blows and snatches my wrists. "Stop. I'm here now."

"Dad is missing!" 

"I know. Take a breath and calm down. We're going to find him."

"No, I'm not going to calm down, Lucas. This is nothing to be cavalier about. Dad doesn't have his smartwatch or his medical bracelet. Meanwhile, you haven't bothered to answer your ph—"

The rest of the words catch in my throat and my chest expands with a sharp gasp when I catch sight of a familiar silhouette in my peripheral. Even the breeze senses him and floats the intoxicating woodsy notes of Enzo's cologne over to me. My heart swells with warmth, and I step away from Lucas as if the last few seconds have zapped from my memory.

"You're here," I say, and we rush to each other.

"I came as soon as I heard." He engulfs me in his arms, my head buried in his chest, and his lips against my temple. 

Hugging Enzo is like going home.

"I'm here to help," he says. "I have a few connections at local news stations. If you give me your dad's information and a photo, we can get more people searching for him."

"You would do that?" I pull back just enough to look at his handsome face.

"Of course."

"And I've got my brother on standby," says a woman with an athletic build, and ash blonde hair. I have no idea who she is, but it appears she arrived with Enzo.

"Mara, this is Noelle. She's Carmine's daughter and is here to help, too. Her brother, Mario, is a police officer and can put out an alert for your dad."

A strangled cry of relief crawls up my throat, and my knees sway, but Enzo's arms are still around me, keeping me steady. He wipes my tears of joy and kisses my forehead. 

"Wait." I shake my head. "How did you know my dad is missing?"

"Uh..." Enzo's gaze darts to Noelle.

"Lucas and I are friends," she says. "We ran into each other at the store while he was buying ice, and got distracted with chit-chat. As soon as Lucas learned your dad went missing, I called Enzo, thinking he might want to know, considering the two of you are... dating?"

"I see." I nod, but my head is swirling with puzzle pieces. 

First, how long has Lucas been friends with someone who not only knows Enzo but is the daughter of a mobster? Second, Enzo said that Noelle has a brother named Mario who is a cop. What a small world it would be if it were the same officer who is married to the abused woman Lucas admitted to dating. However, I don't have the capacity to digest anything else, nor the chance to, because as soon as I hear Kyle's voice, I'm reminded that he's here.

"Mara?" he says with clear hurt in his voice. "What's going on?"

I turn around to find him standing there, his brows furrowed with hands on his hips and his eyes going from me to Enzo's arms around my waist. Kyle looks away, but I can't read his expression. So, I uncurl myself from Enzo and go to him. 

"They've come to help," I say. "They have connections we can use to find my dad."

But I'm unsure why I mention that. Guilt, perhaps, considering what a hero Kyle has been rallying my family together to search for my father, only to find me in the arms of another man. Kyle chuckles, but it's not a jovial laugh. Instead, he closes his eyes and rubs the bridge of his nose.

"I'm so stupid," he mutters.

"What?" 

He drops his hand and his stern eyes meet mine. "What more do I have to do, to prove that I'm the better man for you?"

"Kyle... I—"

"No," he laughs again. "I'm an idiot for thinking you'd choose me, but it's clear now. You want him, the old man, and I will never understand why."

"I'm sorry—"

"No," he says again. "I can't hold your hand as you choose someone who will leave you in disappointment, with no future. I would have given you the world, but I realize now that you're not worthy of it. I have wasted my time."

"Kyle," I gasp.

"Bye, Mara."

He kisses my cheek, then squeezes my hand and walks away. With each step he takes in the opposite direction from me, something in my chest tightens, like a screw being turned. I've been rejected dozens of times, so I know how awful it feels, and now I've done it to someone else. Maybe I should run after him, properly explain and apologize? 

"Is everything ok?" Enzo approaches.

"I think I broke Kyle's heart..."

"I'm sorry." Enzo caresses my cheek. "He'll be ok."

I shake my head and blow out a breath, "It's getting dark. We should get back to searching."

Within thirty minutes of giving the new stations the information about my father, they broadcasted his story, and thanks to Mario, the police sent out an alert. Yet, after an hour, we still can't find him as we sweep our flashlights across lawns, into backyards, and through bushes. We search at bus stops and local businesses, but we leave with people wishing us good luck, instead of answers. 

In the midst of it all, I receive a text from Josh, saying that he saw the news, and hopes my father is found. I send him a thank you, and he says he shared about my dad on Facebook, trying to spread the word. So, I tell him I appreciate it, but then block his number. It's time that I close that chapter on him for good.

We regroup at the house to share our progress, and I can tell some are tired from walking and searching without results, but we need to keep looking. Enzo insists we rest, and my feet do need a break, so I sigh and follow everyone up the sidewalk. Lydia looks exhausted while holding my little niece, Millie, who is passed out in her arms, and my mom looks defeated as she sits on the porch. People console her on their way into the house, and she offers to make everyone coffee.

"I'll make it, Mom," Lydia says, adjusting Millie on her hip, who is no longer young enough to be held like a toddler, but she's the little princess of the family and will forever be treated like one. 

Lucas plucks Millie from her arms and says he's going to put her to bed. My nephew Alejandro follows with a yawn. He's thirteen and no longer a little boy, yet too young to be a man, and rolls his eyes when Lydia tells him to go to bed, too. This leaves Enzo and I awkwardly alone with Lydia as we trail behind everyone. Aside from the scrape of our shoes against the concrete, there is silence between us.

That is until Enzo breaks the ice.

"Lydia," he says. "You have great kids."

"Thanks." Her mouth forms a flat line as she tugs her jacket closed.

"You're lucky to have them."

That causes her to inhale a sharp breath through her nostrils, causing them to flare. "I appreciate it, but we don't have to talk."

"It was a genuine compliment," I bark at her. "Must you be so rude?"

Enzo gives a quick head shake. "It's ok, Mara."

"No, it's not." I block Lydia's path. "Why are you like this? Why can't you be nice to him?"

"Nice?" she scoffs, her brows flying toward her hairline. "Why would I be nice to a man exploiting my baby sister?"

"He is not exploiting me."

"No?" Lydia scoffs again. "He's a fifty-year-old man who throws money at you like some pimp." She looks past me at Enzo. "What? You can't find anyone your age? Or is it just easier to mold someone whose frontal lobe isn't fully developed yet?"

I stomp my foot. "That is not what's going on here! I'm not a child or an escort."

"Hah. Sure, ok. Whatever you have to tell yourself." Lydia rolls her eyes, and she looks so much like Alejandro. She pivots to go around me, but I yank her arm.

"Don't walk away!" I shout.

"Let go of me!" she yells back. 

"ENOUGH." My mom shoves between us. "Que está pasando aquí?"

"This man..." Lydia points at Enzo. "Pays Mara to go on dates with him. Like a puta!" 

"Que?" My mom's wide eyes dart to me. 

"That's not true," I say.

"Oh, yes, it is. Every time you see her leave the house all dressed up, it's to go have sex with this man for money."

"You are so out of line!" I shove her, and she shoves back.

My mom pushes us apart with a growl. "Stop it! Mara, is this true?"

"No!" 

"She's lying to you," Lydia says. "He has her brainwashed, like a true groomer."

"How dare you call him that!"

"Well, it's true!"

"You are such a self-righteous bitch, Lydia."

"ENOUGH," my mom barks again and begins wagging her finger to give us a tongue lashing, but something captures her attention. 

She looks past us and her hands go to her face as she releases a shriek so powerful it vibrates in my chest upon exploding from her mouth. She barrels through us and takes off running down the walkway.

"Mi Amor!" she cries, and I nearly collapse at the site of my father.

He's standing there, disoriented, blood streaming down his face as if he was beaten. His lip has a deep cut, coloring his teeth red when he attempts to speak, and he sways in clothes covered in dirt. Everywhere my eyes land, there are scrapes and lumps all over his skin. 

Who did this to him?

Everyone comes rushing out of the house to see what the commotion is, and Lucas pushes through them, and then runs to my parents.

"Papa!" He hooks his arm around our father to help him walk. "We need an ambulance."

"On it!" Enzo says, his phone pressed to his ear with 911 already dialed. 

The paramedics arrive shortly after, followed by the police, and while the EMTs check out my father, the officers ask him questions, but he's too confused to answer. He says he went for a walk with Josh, but the man he describes sounds nothing like him. Nevertheless, the cops say they're going to speak to Josh anyway. My father is then placed in the ambulance so he can have further exams at the hospital, and my mom goes with him. 

As soon as they drive away, and the brake lights fade down the block, I finally exhale a sigh of relief.

"Thank you for everything that you did," I say, turning to Enzo.

"It was nothing." He shakes his head, but his gaze is cast at our feet. "I should get going now that things are sorted."

I furrow my brows in confusion. "Get going?"

"Yes."

"Is something wrong?" I rest one hand on his chest, with the other going to his cheek, hoping he'll look at me, but he doesn't.

"It's been a long day, Mara. We should both get some rest." He kisses my palm and turns away, but I grab his hand to stop him from walking.

"Enzo. What's wrong?"

"Nothing." He finally looks at me, and forces a weak smile. "I'm just tired, and you should be with your family." 

"Why not come inside?" I gesture toward the house.

"No." He shakes his head again, his eyes returning to the ground. "You know I don't belong there."

"Yes, you do."

"No." He looks me in the eyes. "Look what just happened. You and Lydia were at each other's throats. We both know I'll never be accepted considering how we met, and how our relationship developed."

"Don't say that!"

"It's the truth, Mara. Your sister will never respect me or our relationship, and once your mom has a chance to digest what she told her... there's just no way."

"That's not true. We just need them to give us a chance."

Enzo sighs, his shoulders sagging with it. "Listen, I'm glad I got to help you find your dad, but I really should go." He leans in and kisses my cheek. "I'll be in touch."

The moment he pulls away, there is a glacial wall of cold that divides us, and it might as well be as tall as the sky. His hand slips from mine, and my breath catches sharply in my throat as if I've been punched in the gut. 

What the hell is happening? 

Why does this feel like that night he gifted me the car and I drove away brokenhearted?

This shift of energy between us is immediate, like flicking a light switch to make a room go dark. I shake my head and utter his name, but Enzo continues walking away and climbs into his car. Meanwhile, I'm still standing here, confused. This has to be a fever dream. There is no way he just walked away with our relationship feeling final.

A pair of hands squeeze my shoulders. It's Anika.

"Do you need a hug?"

"Yes," my voice cracks.

She embraces me, and I've never felt so small in someone's arms as I do now. 

*

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It's been a while since I last updated! My mental health hasn't been great, so it's been a bit of a struggle to write. I'm trying to get back into the swing of things, though ❤️ The ending is so close!