The Truck Driver

Somewhere Between Envy and Disbelief

Gwen parked her car a great distance away as she walked up to the Carter's Compound. Adonis followed close behind, his stride long and determined, while Janay trailed with a smirk, barely containing her excitement at whatever drama was about to unfold.

"Janay, I'm serious," Adonis warned lowly. "You bet' not be messy."

Janay waved him off like he was talking nonsense. "Boy, shut up."

Before Adonis could check her again, Gwen cut her sharp eyes toward Janay. "And I mean it, too. If you start anything with Kayla, I'll whoop your ass right here in front of everybody."

Janay sucked her teeth and crossed her arms.

As they moved closer, Gwen took in the sight of the Carter property. The compound was vast, stretching out further than she expected, but it was the peace surrounding it that got to her. It was different. A world away from the chaos Kayla had grown up in. And from the distance, she spotted Kayla sitting on the porch, knees to her chest, as Sherri gently brushed through her curls. The older woman hummed as she worked, the scene so intimate, so soothing, that it made Gwen's chest tighten.

Then she saw the way Sherri pulled Kayla into a hug before kissing her forehead and heading inside. And that's when she saw him.

Tank.

He moved in like it was second nature, seamlessly taking over, his large hands gently replacing where Sherri had been moments ago. The way he handled Kayla, like she was precious, made Gwen pause. She had no idea what she expected from this so-called truck driver, but it damn sure wasn't that. And it damn sure wasn't him.

Tank was fine.

Built like he could move mountains, with that thick country stance and a presence that demanded attention. Even from a distance, Gwen could tell he was the kind of man who didn't play about what was his.

Janay noticed, too. And for the first time, she was speechless.

She had been ready to clown Kayla, to crack jokes about her being knocked up by some old, sloppy, truck-driving man, but the second she saw Tank up close? That shit left her breathless. She wasn't expecting him. Wasn't expecting a man that looked like he belonged on the cover of a damn romance novel. And once again, Kayla got lucky. Even when life tried to shit on her, she still managed to land on her feet. It wasn't fair.

But Janay wasn't about to let that slide.

Gwen reached the gate first, ringing the bell. Within moments, Fred opened it, his stance relaxed but firm. "What y'all need?"

Gwen straightened her shoulders. "I'm here to check on my niece. I ain't here for trouble."

Fred studied her for a beat before stepping aside. "Come on in. But don't start no mess."

Gwen nodded. "We won't."

Adonis stayed quiet, but Janay rolled her eyes dramatically as they stepped inside.

As they got closer, the first thing Gwen noticed was Kayla's belly. Small, but there. And as much as she tried to keep her emotions in check, seeing her niece like this broke her.

"Kayla..." Gwen's voice wavered as she hurried forward. "Why didn't you tell me? When I asked you if you were okay—why didn't you tell me?"

Tears welled up in Gwen's eyes as she grabbed Kayla's hands, squeezing them tight. "I really failed you. I didn't protect you."

Kayla's bottom lip trembled as she held onto her aunt. "I was scared auntie. I didn't know how to say it."

"You don't ever have to be scared again, baby. You hear me?" Gwen whispered, holding her close. "You safe now."