The next morning.
Jay woke early. Heart pounding. Today was the day.
Keifer stirred beside her. "Morning."
Jay: "Morning."
Keifer: "You're up early."
Jay: "Girls' outing."
Keifer: "Girls' outing?"
Jay: "Mica. Rakki. Freya. Ella. Honey. Shopping."
Keifer: "I'll drop you."
Jay: "No."
Keifer: "Why not?"
Jay: "Because it's girls only. And you'll hover."
Keifer: "I don't hover."
Jay: "You hover."
Keifer: "I protect."
Jay: "Same thing?"
Keifer: "Not the same thing."
Jay: "Tss."
Keifer: "OUR thing."
Jay: "OUR thing."
He kissed her forehead. "Fine. But text me when you get there."
Jay: "I will."
Keifer: "And when you leave."
Jay: "I will."
Keifer: "And every hour."
Jay: "That's excessive."
Keifer: "That's love."
Jay: "Same thing?"
Keifer: "Same thing."
She got ready. Normal clothes. Normal bag.
Inside the bag: the pregnancy test. Wrapped in tissue. Hidden.
She took a taxi. Heart racing.
Mall. Baby section.
She stood there. Blue. Pink. Tiny clothes. Tiny shoes.
Her hands shook as she picked them out.
One blue onesie. One pink onesie. One pair of blue shoes. One pair of pink shoes.
She added a small stuffed bear. Blue bow. Pink bow. Both.
At the counter, the cashier smiled.
Cashier: "Congratulations. Is it your first?"
Jay: "Yes."
Cashier: "Boy or girl?"
Jay: "We don't know yet."
Cashier: "Exciting."
Jay: "Terrifying."
Cashier: "Same thing?"
Jay laughed. "Same thing."
She bought a gift box. Wrapped everything inside. Blue tissue. Pink ribbon.
Tucked the pregnancy test in last.
Wrapped it. Sealed it. Perfect.
She texted Section E.
Jay: Come to our house tonight. 7 PM. Important.
Ci-n: IMPORTANT?! WHAT IMPORTANT?!
Rakki: Ci-n, calm down.
Mica: What's happening?
Jay: Just come.
Freya: You're being mysterious.
Edrix: She's being Jay.
Freya: Shut up.
Edrix: Never.
Aries: Should I be worried?
Jay: No. Just come.
Ella: We'll be there.
Yuri: Coming.
Liana: We'll bring dessert.
She texted her family.
Jay: Dinner at our house tonight. 7 PM.
Tita Gema: I'LL COOK!
Jay: No cooking. Just bring yourselves.
Jasfer: Why?
Jay: Surprise.
Serina: We'll be there.
Jay's grandma: SURPRISE?! I LOVE SURPRISES!
Yuri's grandma: I LOVE THEM TOO!
Jay's grandma: YOU'RE NOT INVITED!
Yuri's grandma: I'M COMING ANYWAY!
She took a taxi home.
Heart pounding. Hands sweating. Box in her lap.
She walked in.
Keifer was on the couch. Asleep.
TV playing softly. His phone on the floor. Groceries still in bags.
He must have waited for her text. Must have fallen asleep waiting.
Jay smiled. Her husband. Always waiting for her.
She set the box on the table. Covered it with a blanket.
Sat beside him. Lifted his head gently. Settled him in her lap.
He stirred. Snuggled closer.
Keifer: "Jay?"
Jay: "I'm here."
Keifer: "You're back."
Jay: "I'm back."
Keifer: "Good."
He fell back asleep. Curled into her. Like a child. Like home.
Jay stroked his hair. Watched him.
Soon, she thought. Soon you'll know.
Her phone buzzed.
Mica: On our way.
Rakki: Ten minutes.
Freya: Bringing wine.
Ella: And snacks.
Aries: We're coming.
Serina: Leaving now.
Tita Gema: I BROUGHT FOOD ANYWAY!
Jay smiled. Her family. All of them.
She let Keifer sleep. Held him. Waited.
His face was peaceful. Relaxed. Happy.
She thought of their baby. Would they have his nose? Her eyes? His stubbornness? Her appetite?
She laughed softly.
Keifer stirred. "What?"
Jay: "Nothing."
Keifer: "You're laughing."
Jay: "Thinking."
Keifer: "About?"
Jay: "You."
Keifer: "Tss."
Jay: "OUR thing."
Keifer: "OUR thing."
He opened his eyes. Looked up at her.
Keifer: "You're looking at me."
Jay: "I'm always looking at you."
Keifer: "Different. Like you have a secret."
Jay: "Maybe."
Keifer: "Are you going to tell me?"
Jay: "Soon."
The doorbell rang.
Jay: "They're here."
Keifer sat up. Rubbed his eyes. "Who?"
Jay: "Everyone."
Keifer: "Everyone?"
Jay: "Section E. Family. Everyone."
Keifer: "Why?"
Jay: "Dinner."
Keifer: "We planned dinner?"
Jay: "Surprise."
Keifer: "You're being very mysterious today."
Jay: "I have my reasons."
She opened the door.
Chaos flooded in.
Ci-n: "SISTER JAY! WHAT'S THE SURPRISE?!"
Rakki: "He's been asking for two hours."
Percy: "DOCUMENTING! I KNEW SOMETHING WAS HAPPENING!"
Mica: "What's going on?"
Calix: "Why are we all here?"
Freya: "This better be good."
Edrix: "It's Jay. It's always good."
Freya: "Shut up."
Edrix: "Never."
Rory: "I've calculated a 95% probability of major news."
Drew: "I'm taking bets on what it is."
David: "Baby. 500."
Drew: "Bold."
Eren arrived with Kevin the Seventeenth. "Kevin wanted to come."
Josh nodded. Gave the bird a tiny bow.
Baster hummed a "mystery" melody.
Aries and Ella walked in. Aries: "What's happening?"
Ella: "We're here."
The family arrived.
Tita Gema: "I BROUGHT FOOD! I KNOW YOU SAID NO COOKING BUT I COOKED!"
Jasfer: "I helped!"
Tita Gema: "YOU BURNED THE RICE!"
Jasfer: "ARTISTIC BURNING!"
Serina: "What's the occasion?"
Jay's grandma: "I'M HERE! WHERE'S THE SURPRISE?"
Yuri's grandma: "I'M HERE TOO!"
Jay's grandma: "YOU'RE NOT INVITED!"
Yuri's grandma: "I'M STILL HERE!"
Jay's grandma: "I NOTICED!"
Yuri's grandma: "GOOD!"
Grazel Jay ran in. "AUNTIE JAY! I BROUGHT FLOWERS! MANY FLOWERS!"
Denzel: "She's been saving them."
Grace: "The garden is empty again."
Grazel Jay: "WORTH IT!"
Dinner was chaos.
Everyone ate. Talked. Laughed.
Keifer watched Jay the whole time. Suspicious. Curious.
Keifer: "Why is everyone here?"
Jay: "Just visiting."
Keifer: "All of them? At once?"
Jay: "Family does that."
Keifer: "You're lying."
Jay: "I'm not."
Keifer: "Your ears are red."
Jay: "Winter allergies."
Keifer: "It's not winter."
Jay: "INDOOR ALLERGIES."
Keifer: "Jay."
Jay: "Keifer."
After dinner. Everyone gathered in the living room.
Jay stood. Heart pounding.
Everyone went quiet.
Ci-n: "SHE'S STANDING! SOMETHING'S HAPPENING!"
Rakki: "Ci-n, shh."
Jay: "I need everyone to come here. Please."
They gathered. Confused. Curious.
Keifer stayed on the couch. Watching her.
Jay walked to the table. Lifted the blanket.
The gift box. Blue tissue. Pink ribbon.
She carried it to Keifer.
He looked at the box. Then at her.
Keifer: "Jay?"
Jay: "Open it."
Keifer: "What is this?"
Jay: "Your surprise."
Keifer: "From the girls' outing?"
Jay: "From me."
She sat beside him. Hands shaking. Heart pounding.
He pulled the ribbon. Opened the box.
Blue tissue. Pink tissue.
He pulled out the first onesie. Blue.
Looked at her.
Pulled out the second. Pink.
His hands started shaking.
He pulled out the shoes. Blue. Pink.
The bear. Blue bow. Pink bow.
At the bottom of the box—
The pregnancy test.
Two lines.
Keifer stared at it.
Silence.
Keifer: "Jay."
Jay: "Yeah?"
Keifer: "This is..."
Jay: "It's positive."
Keifer: "We're..."
Jay: "We're having a baby."
He looked at her. Eyes wide. Face unreadable.
Then—
He pulled her into his arms. Held her tight. Buried his face in her hair.
Keifer: "We're having a baby."
Jay: "We're having a baby."
Keifer: "Our baby."
Jay: "Our baby."
He pulled back. Looked at her. Tears in his eyes.
Keifer: "I love you."
Jay: "I love you too."
Keifer: "So much."
Jay: "Me too."
Keifer: "Tss."
Jay: "OUR thing."
Keifer: "OUR thing."
He kissed her.
The room ERUPTED.
Ci-n: "SHE'S PREGNANT! BABY JAYFER!"
Rakki: "OH MY GOD!"
Mica: "I'M SOBBING!"
Calix: "THAT'S AMAZING!"
Freya: "I'M NOT CRYING!"
Edrix: "You're crying."
Freya: "SHUT UP!"
Edrix: "NEVER!"
Rory: "Probability of happiness: 1000%."
Drew: "I lost the bet and I DON'T CARE!"
David: "Best loss ever."
Eren: "Kevin the Seventeenth approves!"
Josh nodded. Wiped a tear.
Baster hummed a lullaby.
Aries hugged Jay. Tight.
Aries: "You're having a baby."
Jay: "I'm having a baby."
Aries: "I'm going to be an uncle."
Jay: "You're going to be an uncle."
Aries: "I'm not crying."
Jay: "You're crying."
Aries: "Tss."
Jay: "There it is."
Ella hugged her. "Congratulations."
Jay: "Thank you."
Ella: "I'm going to teach this kid everything."
Jay: "That's terrifying."
Ella: "That's love."
Yuri and Liana hugged Keifer.
Yuri: "Congratulations, man."
Keifer: "Thanks."
Liana: "You're going to be a great dad."
Keifer: "You think?"
Yuri: "We know."
They nodded. Old friends. New peace.
Serina held Jay's face. Tears streaming.
Serina: "My anak. Having a baby."
Jay: "Mom."
Serina: "I'm so proud."
Jay: "I'm scared."
Serina: "That's normal."
Jay: "Really?"
Serina: "Really. I was terrified with Keifer."
Jay: "You?"
Serina: "Every day. Still am."
Jay laughed. Serina hugged her.
Jasfer was already crying. "I'M GOING TO BE A GRANDPA!"
Tita Gema: "I'M GOING TO BE A GREAT-AUNT!"
Jasfer: "I'M GOING TO TEACH THEM EVERYTHING!"
Tita Gema: "YOU'LL TEACH THEM WRONG!"
Jasfer: "I'LL TEACH THEM PERFECT!"
Jay's grandma grabbed Keifer. "YOU'RE GIVING ME A GREAT-GRANDCHILD!"
Keifer: "We're giving you one."
Jay's grandma: "SAME THING!"
Yuri's grandma: "I'M GOING TO BE A GREAT-GREAT-... SOMETHING!"
Jay's grandma: "THAT'S NOT A THING!"
Yuri's grandma: "IT IS TODAY!"
Jay's grandma: "FINE! BE A GREAT-GREAT SOMETHING!"
They hugged.
Grazel Jay ran over. "AUNTIE JAY! UNCLE KEIFER! BABY?!"
Jay knelt. "Yes, baby. There's a baby coming."
Grazel Jay: "WHERE?!"
Jay: "In my tummy."
Grazel Jay stared at Jay's stomach. Then threw flowers at it.
Grazel Jay: "FLOWERS FOR BABY! WELCOME TO THE FAMILY!"
Keifer picked her up. "Thank you."
Grazel Jay: "I'LL TEACH THEM FLOWERS!"
Denzel: "She's going to be the best cousin."
Grace: "The most chaotic cousin."
Grazel Jay: "BEST COUSIN!"
Section E surrounded them.
Ci-n: "BABY JAYFER! I'M GOING TO BE THE BEST UNCLE!"
Rakki: "We're all going to be aunts and uncles."
Mica: "I'm going to spoil them so much."
Calix: "Same."
Freya: "I'm going to teach them not to take nonsense."
Edrix: "And I'll teach them patience."
Freya: "Shut up."
Edrix: "Never."
Percy: "I'M GOING TO DOCUMENT EVERYTHING! BABY'S FIRST PHOTO! BABY'S FIRST WORD! BABY'S FIRST—"
Honey: "Let the baby be born first."
Percy: "I'M PREPARING!"
Keifer held Jay. Hand on her stomach.
Keifer: "There's a baby in there."
Jay: "There's a baby in there."
Keifer: "Our baby."
Jay: "Our baby."
Keifer: "Jayfer Junior."
Jay: "We are NOT naming them Jayfer Junior."
Keifer: "Why not?"
Jay: "Because that's ridiculous."
Keifer: "It's perfect."
Jay: "It's not."
Keifer: "Tss."
Jay: "OUR thing."
Keifer: "OUR thing."
He kissed her.
The celebration continued.
Everyone stayed late. Ate. Laughed. Cried.
Jay and Keifer stood at the door. Watching them leave.
Jay: "That was chaos."
Keifer: "That was our family."
Jay: "Same thing?"
Keifer: "Same thing."
They closed the door.
Alone. Their house. Their news.
Keifer pulled her close. Hand on her stomach.
Keifer: "I can't believe it."
Jay: "Believe it."
Keifer: "We're having a baby."
Jay: "We're having a baby."
Keifer: "I love you."
Jay: "I love you too."
Keifer: "Both of you."
Jay: "Both of us."
Keifer: "Tss."
Jay: "OUR thing."
Keifer: "OUR thing."
He kissed her stomach. Then her lips.
That night. Their bed.
Jay's head on his chest. His hand on her stomach.
Keifer: "Jay?"
Jay: "Yeah?"
Keifer: "What do you want? Boy or girl?"
Jay: "Healthy."
Keifer: "That's not an answer."
Jay: "That's THE answer."
Keifer: "Fine. But secretly?"
Jay: "Secretly?"
Keifer: "Secretly."
Jay: "...Boy."
Keifer: "Boy?"
Jay: "A little boy with your stubbornness and my appetite."
Keifer: "We're doomed."
Jay: "Completely doomed."
Keifer: "Same thing?"
Jay: "Same thing."
He kissed her. Hand on her stomach.
Their baby. Their future.
Jayfer forever. Now three.