Journey of the heart(3)

Chapter 7: Shifts and Surprises

Mya sat at her desk the next morning, still thinkin' about her convo with Jaylen the night before. Startin' a family felt more real now, like it was no longer just a distant idea. It was exciting, but also a little scary. Balancin' her business, her marriage, and eventually motherhood was gon' be a lot, but Mya knew she was up for the challenge. She always had been.

Her phone buzzed, interruptin' her thoughts. It was Melody, textin' her bright and early.

Melody: Good news! I reached out to that influencer we talked about, and they're down to partner for the promo! We're thinkin' about launchin' it next week. You got time to meet up later today?

Mya smiled, typin' back quickly.

Mya: That's great! I'm free at 3 if that works for you?

Melody: Perfect. See you then!

Mya sat back, feelin' proud of how far Melody's cafe had come. It was a reminder that the work she was doin' was makin' a real difference. She wasn't just out here hustlin' for herself—she was helpin' other people win, too.

She spent the rest of the morning goin' through her usual tasks—emails, checkin' in with clients, and brainstormin' new ways to grow her business. But in the back of her mind, she couldn't stop thinkin' about the future. Jaylen had really gotten her thinkin'. Could they handle a baby with all this goin' on? Was she ready to slow down?

Around lunchtime, Mya decided to take a break and head to the park near their apartment. The fresh air always helped clear her head, and she needed some time to think. As she walked, her phone buzzed again. This time it was Layla.

Layla: Girl, I was just thinkin' about you. How you holdin' up?

Mya: I'm good! Actually been thinkin' about somethin' big...

Layla: Spill!

Mya paused, smilin' to herself as she typed.

Mya: Jaylen and I are talkin' about startin' a family. Like, for real.

It didn't take long for Layla to respond, and Mya could practically hear her excitement through the phone.

Layla: OH MY GOD. Mya, that's HUGE!!! You ready for that?

Mya: I think so. I mean, it feels right, ya know? But it's a lot to think about.

Layla: I feel you. But you and Jaylen are solid. Y'all ready for whatever comes next. I'm here for it, girl! Let me know if you need anything when the time comes.

Mya smiled, feelin' the love. Layla always had her back, no matter what. She took a deep breath, lettin' the thought of startin' a family settle in a little more. It felt like her life was shiftin', like she was steppin' into a whole new chapter.

Later that afternoon, Mya met up with Melody at the cafe, excited to hear more about the influencer deal. When she walked in, Melody was already at a table, her laptop open and her face lit up with excitement.

"Mya! Girl, we got this," Melody said, her energy contagious. "The influencer I reached out to is huge in the area, and they're all about helpin' local businesses. They said they'll do a couple of posts and stories about the cafe, and we can time it with the promo launch. I think this is gon' be big."

Mya nodded, feelin' the buzz. "That's perfect. We can build some serious hype around this. I'll help you come up with some graphics and captions to match their posts, keep everything cohesive."

They spent the next hour workin' out the details of the promo, plannin' how to time everything just right to maximize the buzz. Melody was excited, and Mya could feel it too. This was gon' be a game-changer for the cafe.

"You know, you really helped me get to this point," Melody said as they wrapped up the meeting. "I don't know if I would've had the confidence to reach out to these influencers without your help. You made me believe I could do this."

Mya smiled, feelin' that familiar warmth. "You did the work, Melody. I just gave you a push. But I'm proud of you for steppin' outta your comfort zone."

Melody nodded, lookin' thoughtful. "I gotta ask, though—how do you keep it all balanced? Your business, your marriage, everything? I feel like I'm always runnin', tryin' to catch up."

Mya chuckled. "Honestly? I'm still figurin' it out. It's a lot, but I just take it one step at a time. And I try to remind myself that it's okay to slow down when I need to. It's not easy, but I got a good support system."

Melody smiled. "Yeah, I can see that. You and Jaylen seem like you got it all figured out."

Mya's heart skipped a beat at the mention of Jaylen. She thought about how they'd been talkin' about startin' a family, and suddenly it felt like everything was shiftin' in that direction.

"We workin' on it," Mya said with a grin. "But it helps when you got someone in your corner who's on the same page."

They wrapped up the meeting, and as Mya walked back home, she felt a sense of clarity. She didn't have all the answers, but she was startin' to realize that it wasn't about havin' everything figured out. It was about takin' things one day at a time, trustin' the journey, and knowin' that she and Jaylen were in it together.

That evenin', Mya and Jaylen were havin' dinner at home, just the two of them. They'd been so busy lately that these quiet moments felt extra special. As they ate, Jaylen brought up somethin' that caught Mya by surprise.

"So, I been thinkin'," Jaylen started, settin' his fork down and lookin' over at her. "Maybe we should take a little trip. Get away for a weekend, just the two of us."

Mya raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "A trip? What brought that on?"

Jaylen shrugged, smilin'. "I feel like we both been goin' non-stop. I just wanna take some time to slow down, recharge, and enjoy each other. Plus, I figured it might be a good time to talk more 'bout what we want for the future—without all the distractions."

Mya's heart skipped a beat. The idea of gettin' away for a little while sounded perfect. They hadn't had much time for just the two of them since the wedding, and she knew Jaylen was right—they needed that time to focus on each other.

"I love that idea," Mya said, her voice soft. "Where you thinkin'?"

Jaylen grinned. "I was lookin' at this spot up in the mountains. It's quiet, secluded, just us and nature. Thought it might be nice to unplug for a few days."

Mya smiled, feelin' the excitement build. "I'm in. Let's do it."

They spent the rest of the night talkin' about the trip, plannin' out the details and gettin' excited for some much-needed time away. Mya felt a sense of peace settle over her, like this trip was exactly what they needed. She knew they had a lot to talk about—startin' a family, what their future looked like—but she wasn't worried. She had Jaylen, and together, they could figure out anything.

As they curled up on the couch later that night, Mya rested her head on Jaylen's chest, listenin' to the steady beat of his heart.

"Thank you for always thinkin' about us," Mya whispered, her voice soft. "You make sure we stay grounded, even when things get crazy."

Jaylen kissed the top of her head, his voice low and filled with love. "That's what we do for each other, Mya. We in this together, no matter what."

And in that moment, Mya knew that no matter how busy life got or how many changes came their way, they were solid. They were buildin' a life full of love, trust, and partnership—and that was all that mattered.

With the promise of their trip on the horizon, Mya felt ready to embrace whatever came next. Together, they were unstoppable.