The "Belly" Conference: 6 Weeks of Secrets
[Jay's POV]
It was a quiet Tuesday afternoon, and Keifer's "Strict Lockdown" was officially being breached. He had stepped into the study for a ten-minute high-priority call, and like a pair of elite infiltrators, Mamma Serina and Bridget had slipped into the Master Suite.
I was propped up on silk pillows, feeling like a sleepy Empress, when Bridget dropped a tray of lemon tarts on the nightstand and Mamma Serina sat on the edge of the bed with a glowing smile.
"Alright, enough sleeping," Bridget whispered with a wink. "The Guardian is here for a 'System Briefing' with the new recruit."
Talking to the Heir
Mamma Serina leaned forward, her hand gently hovering over my still-flat stomach. At six weeks, there wasn't a bump yet, but to Mamma, the "Powerhouse Heir" was already the center of the universe.
"Hello in there, little one," Mamma whispered, her voice sweet and melodic. "It's your Mamma-G (Grandma). I just wanted to let you know that we are already preparing the palace. You have the best seat in the house right now, so enjoy the peace while it lasts."
Bridget leaned in, resting her chin on her hand, looking directly at my belly as if she were talking to a tiny soldier.
"Listen up, Recruit," Bridget said, her voice full of mischief. "This is your Auntie Bridget. I'm the one who runs the perimeter. When you get out here, I'm going to teach you how to bypass your Daddy's security cameras. He's going to be a nightmare, so you and I need to stay synced, okay?"
I giggled, feeling a tiny spark of energy return to my system. "He's already a nightmare, Bridget. He's tracking my water intake on a graph."
The Teasing Protocol: [Enter Keifer]
The door clicked open. Keifer stepped in, his phone in his hand and his brow furrowed. He stopped dead when he saw the "Unauthorized Gathering" around his wife.
"Perimeter breach," Keifer muttered, though the corners of his mouth were twitching. "Mamma, Bridget... I specifically ordered a 'Low-Stimulus Environment' for Jay today."
Mamma Serina didn't even look up. She just kept petting my hand. "Oh, hush, Keifer. We're busy giving the baby a 'Reality Check' about their father."
Bridget looked at my stomach and spoke louder, clearly making sure Keifer could hear every word. "That's right, little Watson. Your Daddy is currently acting like a mother hen. He's 1,000% stressed because he can't 'Negotiate' with your nap schedule. He's a big, scary CEO to the world, but in this room? He's just a backup generator for your Mamma."
[Keifer's POV: The Defensive Dad]
I crossed the room, leaning against the bedpost and looking down at the three of them. My heart felt like it was running at 200% capacity. Seeing my mother and my best friend talking to a baby that was barely the size of a sweet pea made the "Archive" feel warmer than ever.
"I am not a mother hen," I argued, though I reached out and let my hand rest over Mamma's. "I am a Data-Driven Parent. There's a difference."
"The difference is 0%," Bridget cackled. "Little one, did you hear that? Your Dad thinks he's 'Data-Driven.' Tell him that when you're keeping him up at 3:00 AM, he can run a 'Sensitivity Analysis' on your diaper."
"And tell him," Mamma added, looking up at me with a teasing glint in her eyes, "that he was exactly the same. When he was six weeks along, I had to eat nothing but spicy noodles because he was already being demanding."
"Aha!" Jay laughed, pointing a finger at me. "So the 'Powerhouse' attitude is genetic!"
The Group Sync
I sighed, shaking my head, but I sat down on the other side of Jay, pulling her closer to me. I looked at her stomach—my hand covering hers, Mamma's hand covering mine.
"Listen, little Watson," I whispered, leaning down so my breath fanned across Jay's skin. "Ignore them. Auntie Bridget is a bad influence, and Mamma-G is going to spoil you until you're 1,000% unmanageable. Just stay in there, grow your 'System,' and ignore the noise. Your Dad has the perimeter handled."
"He's so bossy," Bridget whispered to my stomach. "We'll work on his 'Authorization Levels' later, kiddo."
For the first time in days, the tiredness in Jay's eyes vanished, replaced by a radiant, 1,000% happy "Glow." The room was filled with the people who loved her most, all of them focused on the tiny life that had brought the Powerhouse back to life.