JAY POV.
We are in the car.
Keifer is driving with one hand like some kind of sexy villain from a rom-com, and his other hand is holding mine like we're in a music video. Meanwhile, Kade is on my lap, pressing his sticky little palms against the window, absolutely losing his mind over buildings and bright lights.
Buildings, kid. They're just rectangles with windows. But okay, go off.
Keifer lifts my hand to his lips and kisses it.
My brain short-circuits for a second.
Focus, Jay. Don't be weird. Don't be weird. You're a grown woman. Act normal.
I smile anyway. Traitor.
"Da!" Kade bounces so hard I almost drop him. He's pointing at colorful balloons like he's just seen the face of God.
Okay, fine. Those are pretty cool.
"Keifer…"
"Hmm?"
"Kade wants those balloons."
Keifer glances at the balloon man, then back at me with that stupid handsome face.
He pulls the car over.
"Wait here," he says, and gets out.
"Dada is going to bring you balloons!" I tell Kade in my baby voice.
He's vibrating. Like a tiny human earthquake.
We both watch through the window as Keifer walks up to the vendor.
And then he buys all of them.
Of course he does.
He comes back holding this massive bouquet of glowing balloons.
Kade is now feral. Arms in the air. Babbling nonsense. "Da… ba… ta… wa…"
Keifer opens the door. Kade reaches for the balloons immediately.
"Easy, champ." Keifer hands him the balloons. There are so many. Kade's tiny fists can't even hold them all.
"Why did you buy all the balloons?" I ask, narrowing my eyes at him.
He shrugs. "My son wanted them."
"He wanted just one."
"But I want to give him more than he asks for."
I stare at him for a moment. That's actually really sweet.
"You're going to spoil him," I say quietly.
"Like I haven't spoiled you."
I open my mouth to argue, then close it. Fair point.
Before I can respond, he gives one balloon to Kade and places the rest in the backseat.
He gets back in the car.
"You're impossible," I mutter, turning to look out the window.
"You're impossible," he says back.
A smile slips out. I try to suppress it. I fail. I always fail with this man.
The car starts. His hand finds my thigh. I don't say anything. I don't want him to move it.
---
After a while, the car stops.
I look around. It's dark. No buildings. No lights.
Where are we?
I look at Keifer. "Why did you stop the car?"
He doesn't answer. He gets out.
What is happening?
He opens my door. "Come out."
"But there's—"
"Shh. Trust me."
I hesitate for a second, then nod. I do trust him. Even when he's being mysterious.
He takes Kade from me. I get out.
"Ma…" Kade whines, burying his face in Keifer's neck.
"He's scared," I whisper.
Keifer kisses Kade's head. "It's okay, champ. I'm here."
He holds my hand and starts walking. I hold on tighter than necessary.
"Keifer, where are we going?"
"You'll see."
"That's not an answer."
"I know."
I glare at the back of his head. He can't see it. Doesn't matter. He knows.
We reach a big door. He pushes it open.
Suddenly—lights.
"HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!"
I freeze. Kade startles and lets out a small cry, but Keifer soothes him immediately.
I blink. My eyes adjust.
Section E. My family. Keiren. Keigan. Everyone.
They're all here.
"JAY!" Ci-n comes running.
Before I can process anything, he wraps his arms around me.
"I missed you, Jay," he says.
I hug him back. "I missed you too."
"Wow, Jay. Favoritism," Drew calls out.
Ci-n pulls back and looks at Drew. "You're just jealous."
"Of you? Please."
"This kid is delusional," someone from Section E says.
"Keifer will show him his place," another adds.
Ci-n turns to me with a pout. "Jay, they're bullying me."
"Then stop being so bully-able," I say.
He gasps. "That's not how you comfort someone!"
"That's how I comfort someone."
Keifer comes up beside me, still holding Kade. "Leave my wife alone."
"She started it," Ci-n mumbles.
"I literally just got here," I say.
"See, Keifer? Your wife has an attitude."
"I know," Keifer says. "I love it."
I feel my face warm. Traitor number two.
Keiren and Keigan appear at my side. "Ate, can we hold Kade?"
"Later," I say, kissing both their foreheads. "He's a little overwhelmed right now."
"Okay," they say in unison, then run off to bother someone else.
I turn to greet my family. Kuya is already walking toward me.
"How are you?" he asks, pulling me into a hug.
"More than fine," I say. And I mean it.
My parents hug me next. My mom cries a little. My dad pretends he isn't emotional. Same as always.
"You look tired," my mom says, holding my face.
"Mom."
"What? A mother notices."
"I'm fine. Really."
She doesn't look convinced, but she lets go.
---
Eventually, everyone settles down. Kade is on the floor with his balloons, poking them curiously. The adults watch him like he's the most fascinating thing in the world. He kind of is.
Keifer sits beside me. His arm rests on the back of my chair.
"When did they get here?" I ask.
"Yesterday night."
I turn to look at him. "And you knew?"
"Of course."
I hit his shoulder lightly. "You could have told me."
"And ruin the surprise?"
"Yes."
He laughs quietly. "No, you wouldn't want that."
I don't argue. He's right.
"We're staying the whole weekend," Keiren announces from across the room.
"Who said that?" Keigan asks.
"I did."
"You can't just decide that."
"I just did."
They start bickering. I smile.
Kade tries to eat a balloon string. Keifer gently pulls it away from him. Kade looks offended.
"Don't give me that face," Keifer tells him.
Kade makes the same face harder.
"Now I know where he gets it," Keifer says, glancing at me.
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Sure you don't."
Ci-n walks over and sits on the floor next to Kade. "Hi, little guy."
Kade stares at him.
"I'm your favorite uncle."
"No, you're not," Drew says from somewhere.
"Stay out of this, Drew."
Kade reaches out and grabs Ci-n's nose.
"Ow—okay, that's fair."
I laugh. Keifer's thumb traces slow patterns on my shoulder. I lean into him.
"Let's cut the cake," Keifer says after a while.
He stands and offers me his hand. I take it.
"Everyone, cake cutting!" Keigan shouts.
Keiren and Ci-n wheel out a trolley with the cake. It's beautiful. Gold and cream. Happy Anniversary, Jay & Keifer. Written across the front.
"Who picked this?" I ask.
"I did," Keifer says.
"It's perfect."
"I know."
I roll my eyes. Cocky.
I look around for Kade. He's not on the floor anymore. My chest tightens.
"Where's Kade?" I ask.
Everyone looks around.
"He was just here," Ci-n says.
"He's fast," Keiren offers.
"He's eight months old," I say, already scanning the room.
Then I see him.
He has crawled to the cake trolley. He's holding the edge of the tablecloth. He's pulling himself up.
"Kade, no," I say.
Too late.
His hand goes straight into the cake.
I sigh.
Keigan gasps. Keiren laughs. Ci-n covers his mouth.
Kade pulls his hand back, looks at the frosting, then shoves his whole fist into his mouth.
Silence.
Then Kade giggles.
The room erupts.
"He's just like you," my mom says to me, laughing.
"I was never like that."
"You ate a whole tub of butter when you were two."
"That's different."
"How?"
"I was older."
Keifer shakes his head, but he's smiling. He walks over, picks Kade up, and wipes the frosting off his face with his thumb.
"You're a menace," Keifer tells him.
Kade smiles with frosting still on his one teeth.
"Yeah, he's definitely like you," Keifer says to me.
I cross my arms. "I'm not a menace."
"You threatened to punch Ci-n ten minutes ago."
"He deserved it."
Ci-n nods from the floor. "I did."
Keifer walks back to me, Kade on his hip. He leans down and kisses my forehead.
"Happy anniversary, Jay."
I look at him. At our son. At our family scattered around the room, laughing and talking and making noise.
"Happy anniversary, Keifer."
And for a moment, everything is quiet in my head. No chaos. No noise.
Just peace.
Then Ci-n yells, "CAN WE EAT THE CAKE NOW?" and the moment passes.
I laugh.
This is my life.
I love it.
__
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Sorry for late update guys but I'm busy with exams but still try to give you chapters.
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