After fucking all yesterday to celebrate the pregnancy, Tank gathered his family in at his parent's house on the compound.

The entire family sat in the living room, everyone eyeing Tank with curiosity. Tamera, Tanya, Terrance Jr., Georgia, and even the men—Fred and Frank—all waited for whatever big announcement he had to share. Kayla sat beside him, her hand resting in his, her nerves buzzing, but Tank? He was grinning from ear to ear like he had just won the lottery.

Terrance Sr. leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, watching his youngest child with a knowing smirk. He had raised Tank, knew him better than anyone, and the way his boy was standing there—chest puffed out, grinning like a damn fool—he already knew.

His eyes shifted to Kayla. "She's pregnant," he said, the excitement already bubbling in his tone.

Sherri gasped, her hand flying to her chest as Georgia squealed beside her.

"Yup," Tank grinned, pulling Kayla closer. "My baby is having my baby."

Miss Sherri clapped her hands together, a huge smile spreading across her face. "Lord, I knew it! I been dreamin' 'bout fish for weeks!"

"Me too," Georgia chimed in, rubbing her belly. "Every time I close my eyes, I see fish swimmin' everywhere."

Tanya smirked. "Well, y'all ain't wrong this time."

Tamera, who had been silent for a moment, looked at Kayla, a genuine smile softening her usual tough demeanor. "How far along are you, Kayla?"

Kayla bit her lip. "I'm not sure yet. My cycles are irregular, so I haven't had a real period in a while. But Tank—" she nudged him playfully, "—he swears he knew before I did."

"Damn right," Tank smirked, rubbing her belly with a possessiveness that made her heart race. "I been puttin' in work."

"Oh, Lord," Tanya groaned, shaking her head. "Ain't nobody tryna hear 'bout you puttin' in work."

"Too late," Terrance Jr. laughed. "We all knew once he brought her home it was only a matter of time."

Fred leaned forward, grinning. "You ready for fatherhood, young buck?"

Tank's face grew serious for a moment, his hand still resting on Kayla's stomach. "Hell yeah. I been ready. Soon as I knew she was mine, I knew I wanted to put a baby in her." He looked down at Kayla, his voice softening. "And I'm gonna take care of y'all, both of y'all."

Kayla's throat tightened with emotion, and Sherri reached over, squeezing her hand. "You got a good man, baby girl."

"I know," Kayla whispered, looking up at Tank with love in her eyes.

Terrance Sr. nodded in approval. "Well, son, I hope you ready. 'Cause babies? They change everything."

Tank smirked, leaning back with confidence. "Good. 'Cause I want everything with her."

The room erupted in chatter, excitement filling the space as everyone began talking about baby names, cravings, and all the things to come. But as Tank stood there, his hand never leaving Kayla's belly, he silently promised himself—this was just the beginning.

Sherri wiped her tears, but they kept coming. Her baby—her last-born, her heart—was having a child of his own. And Kayla? Lord, she loved that girl like she had birthed her herself. She pulled Kayla into a tight embrace, holding her as if she could pour all her love and joy into her.

"Oh, baby," Miss Sherri sniffled, rubbing Kayla's back. "You don't know how happy you just made me."

Kayla smiled, feeling the warmth of being truly accepted. "We have a doctor's appointment tomorrow," she said softly. "I hope you're available to come."

Sherri pulled back just enough to look at her, her hands still holding Kayla's arms. "Me?" she asked, her voice breaking with emotion.

Kayla nodded. "Of course. You're going to be this baby's grandma, and I want you there from the very beginning."

More tears spilled down Sherri's cheeks as she cupped Kayla's face. "Baby girl, you don't know what that means to me."

Tank smirked, watching the exchange, his chest swelling with pride. He knew his mama was going to love Kayla, but seeing this? Seeing his woman and his mama already bonded like this, it hit different.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Kayla assured her.

Sherri turned to Tank and playfully smacked his arm. "Boy, you better keep treatin' this girl like the queen she is."

Tank chuckled, pulling Kayla closer. "Ain't no doubt about that, Ma."

The rest of the family chimed in, excitement filling the room as the reality of a new baby coming into the Carter family set in. But through all the congratulations, belly rubs, and baby name discussions, Sherri held onto Kayla's hand, silently thanking God for sending this girl into their lives.

Because from this moment on, Kayla was family.

As the next day arrived, Tank drove down the road, one hand gripping the wheel while the other rested on Kayla's thigh, his thumb rubbing slow circles against her skin. Kayla still felt overwhelmed from yesterday—Miss Sherri's, or rather Mama Sherri's, love and acceptance had made her emotional. She had never experienced that kind of unconditional warmth before, and it filled a space in her heart she didn't even realize was empty.

"I meant what I said last night," Sherri spoke from the backseat. "Ain't no 'Miss Sherri' no more. I'm your Mama now, so you better get used to it."

Kayla smiled, turning slightly to meet the older woman's eyes. "Okay, Mama," she said, the word feeling foreign on her tongue but warm in her chest.

Sherri clapped her hands together. "That's what I'm talkin' about."

Tank smirked, glancing at Kayla before refocusing on the road. "Told you, baby. You ain't just my woman, you're family."

Kayla placed her hand over his on her thigh, giving it a gentle squeeze. She wanted to believe in this—this love, this support, this family.

"Now," Sherri said, shifting forward slightly. "How you feelin', baby girl? Any nausea? Cravings? You been takin' your vitamins?"

Kayla chuckled softly. "I feel okay, just a little more tired than usual. And I stay hungry."

Sherri nodded knowingly. "Mmm-hmm, that baby workin' up an appetite. You make sure both of y'all stay fed, you hear me, Tank?"

Tank grinned. "Oh, she stay eatin', Ma. Ain't gotta worry about that."

They pulled into the doctor's office parking lot, and Tank found a spot right up front. Before Kayla could even think about reaching for the door handle, Tank was already out, rounding the truck to open her door.

"C'mon, lil bit," he said, offering his hand.

Kayla took it, stepping down as he pulled her close, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"We 'bout to hear our baby's heartbeat for the first time," he murmured against her skin, his excitement barely contained.

Kayla swallowed hard, nerves and anticipation swirling inside her.

Sherri stepped beside them, looping her arm through Kayla's. "Come on, baby girl," she said warmly. "Let's go see about my grandbaby."

Inside the doctor's office, Kayla sat in the waiting room between Tank and Sherri, her fingers nervously laced together. Tank had one big hand resting on her thigh, giving it a reassuring squeeze every so often. Sherri was buzzing with excitement, already planning baby showers and gender reveals in her head.

"You got a preference?" Mama Sherri asked, tilting her head toward Kayla. "Boy or girl?"

Kayla bit her lip, her free hand resting on her belly instinctively. "I just want a healthy baby."

Tank smirked. "I want a lil' girl that look just like her mama."

Sherri beamed. "Now, that'd be somethin' special."

Before Kayla could respond, the nurse called her name.

Tank helped her up, keeping his hand on the small of her back as they followed the nurse down the hallway. Sherri stayed right by her side, holding her hand like she was already her daughter by blood.

The exam room was cool, sterile, but Kayla barely noticed. She was too focused on the monitor, the ultrasound machine sitting next to the bed. This was real. She was really pregnant.

"Go 'head, baby, lay back," Tank urged, helping her onto the exam table.

She did as told, lifting her shirt to expose her stomach.

The doctor walked in moments later, a friendly Black woman with warm brown eyes. "Good afternoon, y'all. How we feeling today?"

"Nervous," Kayla admitted with a small laugh.

Sherri squeezed her hand. "That's normal, baby."

"Well, let's see what we got," the Dr. Brown said, rolling her stool over. She applied the cool gel to Kayla's belly, and Kayla shivered at the sensation.

Tank leaned in closer, his eyes locked on the monitor. The doctor pressed the wand to her stomach, moving it slowly until—

Thump-thump. Thump-thump. Thump-thump.

The room filled with the sound of their baby's heartbeat.

Kayla gasped, her free hand flying to cover her mouth as tears welled in her eyes.

Tank's entire face lit up. "Damn," he breathed. "That's our baby?"

Sherri was full-on crying at this point, holding onto Kayla like she was her own. "Oh, Lord," she sobbed.

Kayla turned her head to look at Tank, her heart swelling at the emotion on his face. He reached for her hand, gripping it tightly.

"You hear that, lil bit?" he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "That's our baby."

Kayla nodded, unable to speak past the lump in her throat.

The doctor smiled. "Sounds strong. Everything looks good. Congratulations, y'all."

Tank exhaled deeply, pressing a hard kiss to Kayla's forehead. "You did that, baby. You growin' our baby."

Kayla let out a soft laugh between her tears. "We did that."

Sherri wiped her eyes. "This baby is already so loved."

Tank kissed Kayla's hand before murmuring, "And we just gettin' started."

Dr. Brown smiled as she moved the ultrasound wand across Kayla's belly, taking measurements. "Based on the size of the baby and everything I'm seeing here, you're about thirteen weeks pregnant," she announced with a warm smile.

Kayla's eyes widened. Thirteen weeks. That meant she'd been pregnant all this time, even before the trip with Tank. Her mind raced, trying to pinpoint exactly when it happened, but it didn't matter. She was already in her second trimester.

Tank grinned, squeezing her hand. "Told you," he said, his voice full of pride. "I felt it in my soul."

Sherri gasped. "Thirteen weeks! Lord, that's a whole three months! This baby gon' be here before we know it!"

Dr. Brown chuckled at their excitement. "Everything looks good, and your baby's heart rate is strong. Have you had any morning sickness?" she asked Kayla.

Kayla shook her head. "Not really. Just been sleeping a lot and hungrier than usual."

"That's common," Dr. Brown nodded. "Every pregnancy is different, but you seem to be doing well so far. We'll schedule your anatomy scan in a few weeks to find out the gender, if you want."

Tank's grip on Kayla's hand tightened. "Hell yeah, we wanna know. I gotta start plannin'."

Sherri fanned herself, still overwhelmed with emotion. "Thirteen weeks. Lord have mercy. We gotta start gettin' things together. A nursery, clothes, a baby shower—"

Kayla looked between them, her heart swelling. She had never felt this kind of love and support before. It made her eyes sting with unshed tears.

Dr. Brown printed out the ultrasound pictures and handed them to Kayla. "Here's your first baby picture."

Tank reached for it before Kayla could, staring at the grainy image like it was the most precious thing in the world. "Damn," he murmured, shaking his head. "That's our baby right there."

Kayla leaned into him, letting the warmth of his excitement calm her nerves.

Dr. Brown stood. "I'll have the nurse bring in your prenatal vitamins, and we'll set up your next appointment. Any questions?"

Kayla swallowed, her voice soft. "Just... what should I be doing to make sure the baby stays healthy?"

Dr. Brown smiled. "Keep doing what you're doing. Eat well, get plenty of rest, and take your vitamins. And with a support system like this, I have no doubt you and your baby will be just fine."

Tank kissed Kayla's temple. "You hear that, lil bit? We doin' good."

Kayla nodded, gripping his hand. "Yeah. We really are."

Kayla laughed softly as she adjusted her shirt, watching Tank wipe the last of the gel from her belly with focused precision. His excitement was infectious, and she could see the wheels turning in his head as he started planning for their baby's arrival.

"I need to get you a truck, baby," he declared as they stepped out of the doctor's office into the bright Georgia sun. "What you prefer—a Jeep Wrangler or a Ford Bronco?"

Kayla blinked, caught off guard. "A truck?"

"Yeah, you need somethin' safe and sturdy for when you ridin' around with my baby," he said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I ain't gon' have y'all in nothin' small. So which one you want?"

Sherri chuckled as she walked beside them. "Lord, this boy already plannin' a whole fleet. Ain't even let the baby get past the first ultrasound."

Kayla smirked, shaking her head. "I don't know, Tank. I ain't really thought about it."

"Think about it now," he urged. "Jeep or Bronco?"

Kayla bit her lip, glancing at him. "I like the Bronco."

"Say less," Tank grinned. "That's what we gettin' then."

Sherri shook her head, amused. "Boy, let this girl breathe. One thing at a time!"

Tank ignored her, still listing things out loud. "Gotta get the nursery set up. We need a crib, stroller, car seat—hell, we need a whole baby store at this point. And you gon' need some maternity clothes soon, too."

Kayla placed a hand on his chest, stopping him. "Tank, breathe. We got time."

He looked down at her, his light brown eyes still burning with excitement. "I know, but I wanna make sure you and our baby got everything y'all need. I ain't lettin' you want for nothin', Kayla."

Kayla softened, feeling the sincerity in his voice. "I know, Tank. And I appreciate it. But let's just enjoy this moment first, okay?"

Tank exhaled, nodding. "Alright, alright. But best believe by the end of the week, we gettin' that Bronco."

Kayla laughed as she climbed into his truck. "You somethin' else, Tyler Carter."

"And you love it," he smirked, kissing her forehead before starting the engine. "Now let's go get somethin' to eat. My baby's mama needs to eat good."

Sherri just shook her head in the backseat, smiling. "Lord help us, this baby gon' be spoiled rotten."