Journey of the heart(3)

Chapter 36: Building the Future

The next morning, Mya woke up with a sense of calm that lingered from the previous night. The date with Jaylen had been exactly what they needed—a reminder of their love and connection, a break from the hustle of their everyday lives. She stretched in bed, the early morning light filtering through the curtains, and smiled as she thought about the future they were building together.

Zaria's soft babbling came through the baby monitor, pulling Mya from her thoughts. She slipped out of bed quietly so she wouldn't wake Jaylen and tiptoed into Zaria's room. Her little girl was standing up in her crib, holding onto the rails, her bright eyes looking expectantly at the door.

"Good morning, sunshine," Mya whispered, picking Zaria up and planting a kiss on her cheek. Zaria giggled and wrapped her arms around Mya's neck, snuggling into her warmth.

As Mya carried Zaria into the living room, her mind wandered to the day ahead. She had a client meeting in the afternoon and a few work tasks to knock out before then, but overall, it was going to be a light day. Mya was thankful for that. The past few months had been a blur of activity, between managing her business, being a mother, and adjusting to life in New York. Today, she wanted to slow down and savor the little moments.

Once Zaria was settled with her breakfast, Mya made herself a cup of coffee and sat down at the kitchen table. The quiet hum of the city outside was becoming familiar now, and Mya found comfort in it. New York wasn't as intimidating as it had been when they first arrived—it was slowly becoming home.

As she sipped her coffee, Mya's phone buzzed with a message from Layla.

Layla: "How was date night?! I need details. 👀"

Mya laughed softly, shaking her head as she typed a reply.

Mya: "It was perfect. Exactly what we needed. We went to that restaurant Jaylen loves, and it felt like old times."

Layla's response came quickly.

Layla: "Aww, I'm so happy for you guys! You deserve that time together. You're both working so hard."

Mya smiled, appreciating Layla's constant support. Even though they lived in different cities now, their friendship was still strong. Mya often found herself texting or calling Layla for advice, a laugh, or just to catch up on life. It was nice to have that connection, even from afar.

As Mya set her phone down, she thought about how far she and Jaylen had come—not just geographically, but emotionally. They had taken a leap of faith when they moved to New York, and while there had been challenges, they were stronger than ever. The life they were building here was full of possibility, and Mya couldn't help but feel excited about what was next.

Later that afternoon, Mya sat in her home office, preparing for her client meeting. She had a few final touches to put on the presentation she was working on, and as she reviewed the slides, she felt a sense of pride. Her business had grown significantly since they'd moved to New York, and she was attracting clients she never would have dreamed of working with before. The city had opened doors for her, and she was stepping through each one with confidence.

Just as she was finishing up, her phone buzzed again—this time with a call from Melody, one of her oldest clients.

"Mya, girl, how's it going?" Melody's voice was warm and familiar, bringing back memories of their work together in North Carolina.

"Hey, Mel! It's going well. Just getting ready for a meeting. What about you?"

"Oh, you know, keeping busy with the cafes. Actually, that's why I'm calling. I've been thinking about expanding again, maybe even opening a location in New York. And I wanted to know if you'd be interested in working with me on the marketing and branding for it."

Mya blinked, caught off guard by the offer. "Wait—you're serious? You want to open a cafe here?"

Melody laughed. "Yep! I've been thinking about it for a while, and I think it's time. New York has such an amazing food scene, and I think we could do something special here. But I can't do it without you, Mya. You've been such a huge part of my success already, and I trust you to help me navigate the market in the city."

Mya's heart raced with excitement. This was exactly the kind of opportunity she had been hoping for when they moved to New York—a chance to work on something big, something meaningful. She could already see the potential, the ways they could bring Melody's vision to life in the city.

"I'm in," Mya said, smiling. "I'd love to work with you on this."

Melody cheered on the other end of the line. "Yes! I knew you'd say yes. I'm so excited, Mya. Let's meet up soon and start planning."

After they hung up, Mya sat back in her chair, letting the excitement wash over her. This was it—another big step forward, another chance to grow her business and do what she loved. She couldn't wait to tell Jaylen about it later.

That evening, as Mya and Jaylen sat on the couch, enjoying a rare quiet moment together after Zaria had gone to bed, Mya told him about Melody's call.

"So, Melody's thinking about opening a cafe here in New York," Mya said, turning to face Jaylen. "And she wants me to help with the branding and marketing for it."

Jaylen raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Wow, that's huge. Are you going to do it?"

Mya nodded, a grin spreading across her face. "I already told her I'm in. It's going to be a lot of work, but I'm so excited about it. This is exactly the kind of opportunity I've been hoping for."

Jaylen's smile matched hers, and he leaned in to kiss her forehead. "I'm proud of you, Mya. You've built something amazing here, and you're just getting started."

Mya's heart swelled at his words, and she rested her head on his shoulder. "Thank you. I couldn't have done any of this without you."

Jaylen chuckled softly. "You give me too much credit. You're the one making moves. I'm just here to cheer you on."

Mya shook her head. "No, Jay. You're a big part of this. You've been my rock through all of it."

They sat in comfortable silence for a while, the city's soft hum providing the soundtrack to their evening. Mya felt a deep sense of peace settle over her. Life wasn't perfect—it was messy, busy, and full of challenges—but it was theirs, and they were building something beautiful together.

As she glanced over at Jaylen, she knew that no matter what came next, they were ready for it. They had faced so much already, and each time, they had come out stronger. This new chapter in New York was just the beginning, and Mya was excited to see where it would take them.

Because with Jaylen by her side, and Zaria growing every day, Mya knew they could handle anything.

The future was full of possibilities, and Mya was ready to embrace it—all of it.

Together, they were unstoppable.