Journey of the heart(3)

Chapter 16: The Big Reveal

Dr. Patel smiled, her finger hovering over the screen. "Well, congratulations... you're having a baby girl!"

Mya's heart stopped for a second, and then it felt like it was racing a mile a minute. A girl. A baby girl. She looked at Jaylen, whose eyes were wide, and she could see the joy spread across his face.

"A girl," Mya whispered, her voice thick with emotion. She had imagined this moment a thousand times, but now that it was real, it hit her in a way she hadn't expected. She was going to have a daughter.

Jaylen squeezed her hand, his smile the biggest she'd ever seen. "A little girl, Mya. We havin' a daughter."

Mya blinked back the tears that had welled up in her eyes, nodding as the reality settled in. "Yeah. We havin' a daughter."

Dr. Patel gave them a moment before wiping off the gel from Mya's belly. "Everything's looking perfect," she said, smiling warmly. "Your baby girl is growing well, and you're both in good health."

"Thank you," Mya said, her voice still shaking a little from the rush of emotions.

As they left the doctor's office, Mya couldn't stop replaying the words in her head. A baby girl. Their daughter. She was excited, but it also felt like a whole new set of responsibilities were falling into place. She thought about what kind of role model she'd be, how she'd teach her daughter to be strong and confident, but also kind and open-hearted.

Jaylen was quiet as they drove home, his hand resting on her knee, but she could feel the same energy pulsing through him. When they finally pulled into the driveway, he turned off the car and just sat there, staring straight ahead, still processing.

"You good?" Mya asked, a little smile tugging at her lips.

Jaylen turned to look at her, his eyes still wide. "I'm just... wow. A daughter, Mya. I don't even know what to say. I wasn't expectin' it to hit me like this."

Mya chuckled, reaching for his hand. "Me neither. But I feel like it's right, you know? Like we're meant to have her."

Jaylen smiled, leaning over to kiss her softly. "Yeah. We're gonna raise a strong, beautiful little girl."

The news of the baby girl spread fast. Mya and Jaylen couldn't wait to share it with their family and friends, and within days, everyone knew. Jaylen's mom was thrilled, already making plans for all the ways she was going to spoil her granddaughter. Layla, of course, was ecstatic, blowing up Mya's phone with ideas for cute baby girl outfits.

The excitement only made the pregnancy feel more real, and Mya found herself dreaming about what their little girl would be like. Would she have Jaylen's steady, calm nature? Or would she be more like Mya—always full of energy, ideas, and determination? Either way, Mya knew that she and Jaylen were going to make sure their daughter grew up knowing she was loved and capable of anything.

One Saturday afternoon, as Mya was folding baby clothes that Layla had sent over, Jaylen walked into the nursery, his face thoughtful.

"You know, we gotta start talkin' about names soon," he said, sitting down on the edge of the bed and watching Mya.

Mya nodded, placing a tiny onesie on the stack. "I know. I been thinkin' about it."

Jaylen leaned back, folding his arms across his chest. "You still like Zaria?"

Mya smiled, remembering how they'd first talked about it a few months back. "I do. It feels strong, like she'll grow into it."

Jaylen nodded, then tilted his head. "What about a middle name?"

Mya paused, her brow furrowing as she thought. "I was thinkin' about something simple, maybe somethin' that honors family."

Jaylen's face lit up. "What about Grace? It's your mom's middle name, right?"

Mya's heart swelled at the thought. Her mom had always been a steady force in her life, and naming their daughter after her would be a way to carry that legacy forward.

"I love that," Mya said softly. "Zaria Grace. It's perfect."

Jaylen smiled, standing up and walking over to her. He placed his hands on her belly, feeling the baby's soft movements under his touch. "Zaria Grace," he repeated, as if testing it out. "Yeah, she gon' be a force."

Mya laughed, feeling a rush of emotion. "She's definitely gon' be somethin' special."

As the months went by and Mya's belly grew, so did the reality of what was coming. The nursery was almost finished, the crib set up, the tiny clothes folded and ready. Jaylen had become even more protective, constantly checkin' on Mya to make sure she was comfortable and takin' breaks when she needed them.

One night, after dinner, they sat on the porch, their usual quiet time after a long day. Mya leaned back in her chair, rubbing her belly as the baby kicked softly.

"You ready for this?" Mya asked, her voice soft as she looked over at Jaylen.

Jaylen glanced at her, a slow smile spreading across his face. "I'm ready. Nervous, but ready. You?"

Mya nodded, her heart full. "Yeah, I'm ready. I think about her all the time, wonderin' what she'll be like, what our life will be like with her."

Jaylen reached over, takin' her hand in his. "It's gonna be beautiful, Mya. You know that, right? We been through so much together, and now we're about to have this whole new adventure. We gon' figure it out, just like we always do."

Mya smiled, squeezin' his hand. "I know. And with you by my side, I feel like we can handle anything."

They sat there in the quiet, the stars twinkling above them, and Mya felt a deep sense of peace settle over her. She knew there would be challenges ahead—sleepless nights, moments of doubt—but she also knew that with Jaylen, they'd face it all together.

The future was full of unknowns, but for the first time in a long time, Mya wasn't afraid of what was coming. She was ready to embrace every moment, every joy, every challenge, knowing that their little family was about to grow in the most beautiful way.

And as the cool night air wrapped around them, Mya knew that their daughter, Zaria Grace, was already loved beyond measure.

The journey was just beginning, and Mya was ready for whatever came next.