The Truck Driver

TJ is Coming

The next few days felt like a blur of discomfort, exhaustion, and anticipation. Kayla was feeling everything: her body ached, her belly felt heavier than ever, and she swore TJ was trying to claw his way out with how low he was sitting.

Tank did everything in his power to keep her comfortable, rubbing her back, massaging her swollen feet, and running warm baths for her in the evenings. He barely left her side, making sure she had everything she needed before she even had to ask.

"Mmm, right there," Kayla moaned softly as Tank's strong hands kneaded into her lower back. "I swear, if you ever leave me, I'm takin' these hands with me."

Tank chuckled, pressing a kiss to the back of her neck as he worked through the tension in her muscles. "Ain't goin' nowhere, baby. You stuck with me forever."

Kayla exhaled, relaxing into his touch. "Good, 'cause I ain't got the energy to train nobody else."

Each night, she barely slept, waking up constantly to shift positions, use the bathroom, or just sit up and breathe through the pressure building in her pelvis. Tank stayed up with her, rubbing her belly and whispering to TJ, trying to soothe them both.

By the fourth day, Kayla was over it.

"Tank, I swear to God, if this boy don't come soon, I'm 'bout to evict his ass myself," she groaned, gripping the counter in the kitchen as another wave of discomfort rolled through her.

Tank was by her side immediately, rubbing slow circles on her back. "We almost there, baby. Just a lil' longer."

"A lil' longer? A lil' longer? Boy, I been pregnant for a damn eternity!"

Sherri smothered a laugh from the other side of the kitchen while Grandma Hattie just nodded knowingly. "Yep, she gettin' close," Hattie said. "That fed-up stage mean that baby 'bout ready to make his grand entrance."

Kayla groaned, gripping Tank's arm as she waddled to the couch. "I don't even care no more. I'll squat in the backyard and push him out my damn self."

Tank's eyes widened. "The hell you won't."

"Then y'all better figure somethin' out," she shot back, shifting uncomfortably as TJ pressed down on her bladder again. "'Cause I can't take this no more."

Tank knelt in front of her, kissing her knee before resting his head against her belly. "Aight, lil' man, you heard your mama. Time to pack up and clock out, son. We ready for you."

Kayla huffed, running her fingers through Tank's soft curls. "He better listen. 'Cause if I'm still pregnant next week, y'all 'bout to have to sedate me."

The next morning, Kayla woke up feeling an unfamiliar pressure in her lower abdomen. It wasn't like the usual discomfort she'd been dealing with; it was heavier, more intense. She shifted in the bed, groaning as she tried to sit up.

"Tyler," she mumbled, nudging his shoulder. He was knocked out, sprawled on his stomach, one arm wrapped around her waist even in his sleep.

"Hmm?" he grunted, barely stirring.

"I feel...different."

That got his attention. Tank immediately sat up, rubbing his eyes before looking at her. "What you mean 'different'?" His voice was thick with sleep, but his concern was clear.

Kayla exhaled, pressing a hand to her belly. "TJ is sittin' so damn low. I feel so much pressure... like, way more than before."

Tank was already moving, reaching for his phone to call his mama. "Hold on, let me wake mama up—"