The morning of Denzel and Grace's wedding arrived like a sunburst.
Perfect weather. Blue skies. Warm breeze.
The Fernandez house was chaos—the good kind.
Tita Gema ran around with a lint roller, attacking anyone in a 10-foot radius. Jasfer tried to "help" with decorations and got banned to the patio. Serina glided through the madness, calm and elegant, fixing things with quiet precision.
Jay's grandma sat in her rocking chair, cane tapping. "WEDDINGS! I'VE SEEN SO MANY! THIS ONE BETTER BE GOOD!"
Keigan: "Lola, every wedding is good."
Jay's grandma: "NOT THE ONE WHERE THE GROOM FAINTED. THAT WAS EMBARRASSING."
Keiren: "Someone fainted?!"
Jay's grandma: "THE GROOM. RIGHT AT THE ALTAR."
Keigan: "Was the wedding still good?"
Jay's grandma: "IT WAS MEMORABLE. SAME THING?"
Keiren: "Not the same thing."
Jay's grandma: "IT IS IN MY HEAD."
Grazel Jay was the star of the morning.
She wore a tiny flower girl dress, carrying a basket of real petals (she'd insisted on real ones). She'd been practicing for weeks.
Grazel Jay: "I'M READY! I'VE BEEN READY! FLOWERS ARE READY!"
Denzel knelt to her level. "You're going to be perfect, baby."
Grazel Jay: "I KNOW."
Grace: "Confidence. She gets that from me."
Denzel: "She gets everything from you."
Grace: "Including her beauty?"
Denzel: "That's from me."
Grace: "Debatable."
Jay stood in front of the mirror in her maid of honor dress.
Soft lavender. Simple. Elegant.
She looked... beautiful.
A knock on the door.
Keifer's voice: "Can I come in?"
Jay: "It's bad luck to see the maid of honor before the wedding."
Keifer: "I'm not the groom."
Jay: "Fair point."
He entered.
Stopped.
Stared.
Jay: "What?"
Keifer: "You're..."
Jay: "I'm what?"
Keifer: "I don't have words."
Jay: "Keifer."
Keifer: "You're the most beautiful person I've ever seen."
Jay's heart flipped. "Smooth."
Keifer: "Honest."
He crossed to her. Kissed her forehead.
Keifer: "I love you."
Jay: "I love you too."
Keifer: "Tss."
Jay: "You're stealing my thing now?"
Keifer: "OUR thing."
Jay: "Same thing?"
Keifer: "Same thing."
The ceremony was outside. Flowers everywhere. Chairs in rows. Arch draped in white.
Grazel Jay walked first.
She threw petals with intense focus. Every step deliberate. Every throw perfect.
Guests melted.
Grazel Jay reached the front. Turned. Waved.
Grazel Jay: "I DID IT!"
Denzel, at the altar: "You were perfect, baby."
Grazel Jay: "I KNOW."
Then the bridesmaids.
Mica. Rakki. Freya. Ella. Honey (honorary).
Each beautiful. Each walking with purpose.
Freya caught Edrix's eye. Looked away quickly.
Edrix smiled.
Then—
Jay.
She walked alone. Graceful. Confident.
Keifer stood near the altar (man of honor, so he was already there). He watched her approach.
Everyone saw it. The way his face softened. The way his eyes never left her.
Percy (official photographer) captured every second.
Percy: "THIS IS CINEMA!"
Ci-n (assistant documentarian): "I'M CRYING!"
Rakki: "You're not even in the wedding party."
Ci-n: "EMOTIONAL INVESTMENT DOESN'T REQUIRE PROXIMITY!"
Grace walked last. Stunning. Radiant.
Denzel's eyes filled with tears.
Denzel: "You're..."
Grace: "I'm what?"
Denzel: "Everything."
They held hands at the altar.
The officiant spoke. Vows were exchanged. Rings were placed.
Grazel Jay watched with intense focus. She'd later tell everyone she "helped."
Finally—
"You may kiss your bride."
Denzel kissed Grace. Deep. Long. Perfect.
The crowd cheered.
Grazel Jay threw the rest of her petals in excitement.
Grazel Jay: "FLOWERS FOR EVERYONE!"
Reception was chaos.
Food. Music. Dancing.
Tita Gema had outdone herself. Jasfer did a terrible karaoke version of a love song. Serina danced with Jay's grandma. Jay's grandma moved surprisingly well.
Percy and Ci-n documented everything.
Percy: "TABLE DECORATIONS! CAKE CUTTING! FIRST DANCE!"
Ci-n: "I GOT THE CAKE FROM THREE ANGLES!"
Rakki: "That's... actually impressive."
Ci-n: "I HAVE SKILLS!"
The dancing began.
Denzel and Grace first. Slow. Romantic.
Then everyone joined.
Mica and Calix. Rakki and... no one, but Ci-n dragged her anyway. Freya and Edrix (pretending it wasn't a big deal). Drew and his money (he danced with his wallet). David asleep in a corner. Eren dancing with a bird outside. Josh swaying peacefully.
Aries and Ella moved together.
Aries: "This is nice."
Ella: "This is tolerable."
Aries: "Same thing?"
Ella: "Same thing."
Then—
Jay and Keifer.
They didn't need words.
He held her. She leaned into him. They moved like one person.
Slow. Perfect. In love.
Percy captured every second.
Percy: "THIS IS THE DEFINITION OF JAYFER!"
Ci-n: "THE DEFINITION! THE MEANING! THE EVERYTHING!"
Rakki: "You two need help."
Percy: "WE HAVE EACH OTHER!"
The night continued.
Toasts were made. Jokes were told. Grazel Jay fell asleep in Grace's arms, still clutching her flower basket.
Jay and Keifer slipped outside.
Quiet. Stars. Perfect.
Jay: "Today was beautiful."
Keifer: "You were beautiful."
Jay: "You say that every day."
Keifer: "Because it's true every day."
Jay: "Smooth."
Keifer: "I try."
She leaned against him.
Jay: "One day, that'll be us."
Keifer: "Our wedding?"
Jay: "Yeah."
Keifer: "You think about that?"
Jay: "Sometimes."
Keifer: "Me too."
Jay: "What do you imagine?"
Keifer: "You. Me. Family. Chaos. Perfection."
Jay: "Same thing?"
Keifer: "Same thing."
He kissed her.
Long. Slow. Full of promise.
Inside, Percy was at the window.
Percy: "THEY'RE KISSING! UNDER THE STARS! CI-N, COME HERE!"
Ci-n ran over. "I'M HERE! I'M HERE!"
They watched. Documented. Cried a little.
Rakki: "You two are unbelievable."
Percy: "WE'RE DEDICATED!"
Ci-n: "WE'RE PROFESSIONALS!"
Rakki: "You're really not."
The night ended.
Guests left. Family cleaned up. Grazel Jay was carried to bed by Denzel.
Jay and Keifer sat on the patio. Tired. Happy.
Jay: "Today was perfect."
Keifer: "Today was ours to share."
Jay: "I love you."
Keifer: "I love you too."
Jay: "Tss."
Keifer: "Stop."
Jay: "Never."
He kissed her forehead.
Inside, Percy's voice: "THEY'RE DOING THE THING AGAIN!"
Ci-n: "DOCUMENTING!"
Rakki: "GO TO BED."
Percy: "HISTORY NEVER SLEEPS!"
Jay laughed.
Keifer smiled.
Jayfer forever.