All that tension I had been holdin’ onto just melted. I leaned back into him, lettin’ myself relax into his hold, feelin’ safe again in a way I hadn’t in weeks.
And just like that, I fell asleep in his arms.
It was the middle of the night, and Kay’Lo still had me in his arms, sleepin’ with his chest pressed against my back and his arm wrapped firm around my waist like he hadn’t moved at all since he pulled me in earlier.
I woke up slow, not even understandin’ what the hell pulled me out my sleep at first until that strange feelin’ came through my stomach again, low and tight. It was a stretch deep inside me that I ain’t never felt before.
I stayed still, blinkin’ into the dark, tryna catch it before it passed. For a second, I thought maybe I was trippin’ or maybe my body was just adjustin’ again the way it had been doin’ these last few weeks.
I kept my head rested back into Kay’Lo, tryna let it go and fall back asleep, but my hand moved on its own, slidin’ down over my stomach while I waited to feel My’Love.
That had become my comfort, just waitin’ for her to move, and to remind me she was right here, but this time… it was quiet.
I pressed a lil’ more, rubbin’ slow and patient at first, givin’ her time. I kept tellin’ myself she was probably just sleeping, but the longer I waited, the more that quiet started messin’ with me.
My heartbeat picked up just a lil’. It wasn’t necessarily enough to panic, but it was enough that I couldn’t ignore it. When that same tight pull came back again a few minutes later, stronger this time, I couldn’t brush it off no more.
I reached for my phone off the pillow, bein’ careful with it so I wouldn’t wake ’Lo yet. When the screen lit up and showed two in the mornin’, it made everything feel heavier.
The room was silent, dark, and still, and I was lyin’ here countin’ seconds, rubbin’ my stomach while waitin’ for my baby to move.
I pressed my hand a lil’ firmer, slidin’ it across my belly, tryna wake her up without rushin’ it, but when nothin’ came back, I felt that uneasiness settle deeper in my chest.
I swallowed hard, breathin’ through my nose, tellin’ myself to stay calm, but then that pain came again, and this time I felt it wrap through me enough to make me shift in Kay’Lo’s arms.
That was when I tapped him.
My fingers brushed against his forearm first, then I tapped him more, callin’ his name low. He moved just enough to let me know he heard me, his hand already slidin’ over my stomach before his eyes even opened.
Even half asleep, he was tuned into me and into My’Love.
His palm spread over my belly, rubbin’ automatic, and I pushed myself up a lil’, turnin’ my head so I could look at him in the dark while I told him I couldn’t feel the baby move and that my stomach was hurtin’. That woke him all the way up.
He sat up behind me with no hesitation, his hand stayin’ right where it was while his focus locked in. I felt that shift in him instantly.
“A’ight,” he muttered low, his voice still rough from sleep.
His hand slid over my stomach with intention, his palm spread wide while his fingers pressed in slow, with firm circles that made me focus on him instead of the panic I felt. He ain’t hesitate or second guess nothin’. He just moved, adjustin’ me without a word as his other hand slid under my belly and lifted it, supportin’ the weight of me and My’Love at the same time. The pressure had my body easin’ into him before I even realized it, and the way he held me here, grounded and sure, made it hard to be scared.
“My’Love… Move for Daddy,” he murmured low, his voice calm but heavy with certainty while his hand pressed a lil’ deeper, workin’ her into place like he knew exactly where she was sittin’.
His thumb dragged slow across the side of my stomach, then back again. I could feel how focused he was just through his touch alone.
“Come on, lil’ mama,” he said.
There was somethin’ in his tone that felt sure, like he already knew she was gon’ answer him. He kept his hands movin’, firm enough to get her attention, but patient enough not to stress her out.
Then, she kicked… and it was a strong one.
It made me gasp, my fingers grabbin’ onto his wrist while relief hit me so fast it almost took the breath out of me. I nodded quickly, tryna catch myself while my chest rose and fell uneven.
“I felt her…” I whispered, my voice soft and shaky.
Kay’Lo let out a low hum under his breath. He leaned down closer, his hand still spread over my stomach while his lips pressed against my skin. He kissed my skin slow at first, right over where she just moved, then again, and again, like he was lovin’ on her through me. Like he needed her to feel him just as much as I did.
“Yeah, baby… I know you in there,” he murmured low against my stomach, his voice deep and calm while his hand kept movin’ over me, rubbin’ firm and sure. “Don’t do that. You hear me?”
The way he said it made somethin’ in me soften all over again, and without even thinkin’, my hand slid up to the back of his head, my nails movin’ through his hair while I held him there, not even tryna hide how much I needed this moment.
