Journey of the heart(3)

Chapter 6: Hustle and Heart

Monday morning hit like a train. Mya was up early, already on her laptop, knockin' out emails and checkin' her schedule. The weekend had been a nice break, but now she was back to business mode. She had a full week ahead—meetings with clients, catchin' up with Melody about the cafe, and a couple of new projects she was takin' on.

Jaylen kissed her on the forehead before headin' out the door for his own busy day. "You got this, baby," he said, flashin' her a grin. "But don't forget to take a breather when you need it."

Mya smirked, watchin' him leave. He always knew how to keep her grounded, even when things got crazy. She was grateful for him, more than she could put into words.

Once she was alone, she dived back into her work. Mya loved what she did, but it wasn't easy—bein' her own boss came with a lot of responsibility, and sometimes it felt like the weight of everything was on her shoulders. But she reminded herself why she started this journey in the first place. It wasn't just about buildin' a business—it was about buildin' a life she could be proud of, somethin' that gave her freedom and purpose.

Around noon, her phone buzzed with a message from Melody.

Melody: Hey, you free for coffee tomorrow? I wanna go over some ideas for a new promo we're thinkin' about doin' for the cafe.

Mya smiled, typin' back quickly.

Mya: I'm free at 2! Let's meet at the cafe?

Melody: Perfect. See you then!

Mya leaned back in her chair, excited to hear what Melody had planned. The cafe had already been buzzin' with more foot traffic, and it felt good to know she had a hand in helpin' it grow.

The next day, Mya walked into Melody's Cafe right on time. The place had a nice flow of people comin' in and out, and it looked like Melody had built a solid customer base in such a short time. Mya spotted Melody at one of the tables in the corner, wavin' her over.

"Hey, girl!" Melody said as Mya sat down. "Thanks for meetin' me. Things been crazy, but good crazy."

"I can see that," Mya said, noddin' toward the steady stream of customers. "You doin' your thing. I'm proud of you."

Melody smiled, tuckin' a curl behind her ear. "Thanks, but I still got a long way to go. That's why I wanted to talk to you. I'm thinkin' about doin' a promo—maybe like a 'buy one, get one free' deal or somethin' to get more people in the door. What you think?"

Mya thought for a second, then nodded. "That could work, but I think we need to build some buzz around it first. If we just throw the promo out there, it might not have the impact you want. What if we partner with a local influencer? Get them to post about the cafe, talk about the vibe here, and then push the promo through their platform. That way, we reach a bigger audience."

Melody's eyes lit up. "That's smart. I been followin' a few people on Instagram who are big in the area. Maybe I can reach out to them and see if they're interested in doin' somethin' like that."

Mya nodded, already thinkin' about how to make it work. "Yeah, let's put together a plan. I can help you craft the pitch, make sure it aligns with what you want for the brand."

They spent the next hour brainstormin', bouncin' ideas off each other, and plottin' the next moves for the cafe. Mya could see the excitement in Melody's eyes—it reminded her of how she felt when she first started her business. That fire, that hunger to make somethin' of your own, was somethin' she respected.

"I'm glad I met you," Melody said as they wrapped up the meeting. "You been a huge help, Mya. I don't know what I'd do without your advice."

Mya smiled, feelin' a sense of pride. "You doin' all the hard work, Melody. I'm just here to help you along the way. You got this."

As they said their goodbyes, Mya walked out of the cafe feelin' inspired. Workin' with people like Melody was what made this hustle worth it. It wasn't just about buildin' her own brand—it was about helpin' others shine, too.

That evenin', Mya was at home, goin' through her planner, when Jaylen walked in, lookin' tired but happy. He tossed his keys on the table and dropped onto the couch next to her.

"You good?" Mya asked, glancin' at him with a smile.

Jaylen nodded, lettin' out a deep breath. "Yeah, just been a long day. I got a new property I'm tryna lock down, and it's been one thing after another."

"I know the feelin'," Mya said, shuttin' her planner. "But we makin' moves, right?"

Jaylen grinned, leanin' in to kiss her. "Always. You doin' okay, though? You been workin' nonstop."

Mya nodded, restin' her head on his shoulder. "I'm good, just tryna keep everything balanced. I met with Melody today to talk about a new promo for her cafe. Things are pickin' up over there."

"That's dope," Jaylen said, wrappin' an arm around her. "You out here helpin' other people win. That's why I'm proud of you."

Mya smiled, feelin' that warmth spread through her. Jaylen always knew how to make her feel appreciated, even when she was too caught up in her own grind to see it.

"You know," Jaylen started, his tone shiftin', "I been thinkin' 'bout somethin'."

Mya looked up at him, curious. "What's on your mind?"

Jaylen hesitated for a second, then continued. "I been thinkin' 'bout takin' a step back from work, maybe lettin' someone else handle some of these deals so I can focus on other things. Like us. And... maybe startin' a family."

Mya's heart skipped a beat. They'd talked about it before, but this felt different—like Jaylen was ready to make moves toward that next chapter.

"Startin' a family?" Mya repeated, her voice soft.

Jaylen nodded, his eyes serious. "Yeah. I feel like we in a good place. I wanna make sure I'm there for you, for us, when we take that step. I don't wanna be so caught up in work that I miss out on what really matters."

Mya felt her chest tighten with emotion. She'd been thinkin' about it too—what it would mean for them to start a family, how their lives would change. But hearin' Jaylen say it out loud made it feel real.

"I'm ready whenever you are," Mya said quietly, lookin' into his eyes. "I been thinkin' about it, too."

Jaylen smiled, leanin' in to kiss her softly. "Then let's start makin' moves. We don't gotta rush, but I want you to know I'm all in. Whatever comes next, we doin' it together."

Mya smiled, her heart full. She'd always known they were buildin' somethin' special, but now it felt like the future was wide open—full of possibilities, full of love, full of everything they'd been workin' toward.

As they sat there, wrapped up in each other, Mya felt a sense of peace settle over her. The hustle was real, but so was the love they shared. And she knew that whatever challenges came their way, they'd face them together—stronger than ever.

This was the life they'd built. And Mya couldn't wait to see what came next.