Chapter: The Announcement That Changed Everything
(Jay's POV)
The next day arrived faster than I wanted.
Mostly because I didn't want to leave Keifer's arms.
But also because my phone had been buzzing non-stop since 6 AM.
Angelo: DINNER TONIGHT 7PM DON'T BE LATE
Angelo: I MEAN IT
Angelo: BOTH OF YOU
Angelo: ESPECIALLY YOU KEIFER
Angelo: I KNOW YOU HAVE A PRIVATE JET NOW IDC
Angelo: BE HERE
I groaned and shoved my phone under the pillow.
Keifer stirred beside me.
"Mmm?"
"Angelo."
"What about him?"
"Being Angelo."
He laughed sleepily.
Pulled me closer.
"Five more minutes."
"We're going to be late."
"Worth it."
I smiled.
Stayed.
Five minutes turned into thirty.
Thirty turned into an hour.
By the time we actually got up and ready—
It was already 5 PM.
---
The Drive to Angelo's House
Keifer drove.
I watched the familiar streets pass by.
"Any idea what this dinner is about?"
He shook his head.
"Angelo just said everyone has to be there."
"That's suspicious."
"Very."
"Should we be worried?"
He glanced at me.
Smirked.
"When it comes to your family?"
"Always."
He laughed.
"Fair."
We pulled up to Angelo's house.
The driveway was already full of cars.
Cin's car.
Rakki's car.
Denzel's car.
Aries' motorcycle.
Percy's unnecessarily expensive sports car.
I stared.
"Why is everyone here?"
Keifer parked.
"Angelo said everyone."
"But this is—"
I counted.
"Everyone."
We walked to the door.
I hesitated.
Keifer noticed.
"You okay?"
"Yeah."
"Liar."
I looked at him.
"What if something's wrong?"
He took my hand.
Squeezed.
"Then we face it together."
I nodded.
"Together."
We opened the door.
---
Inside – The Living Room
The living room was packed.
Cin and Rakki on one couch.
Denzel, Grace, and Grazel on another.
Aries sprawled on the floor.
Percy checking his reflection in a window.
And Angelo—
Angelo was standing at the front.
Arms crossed.
Grinning like he knew something we didn't.
The moment we walked in—
Everyone turned.
Stared.
Silence.
I froze.
"What?"
Aries grinned.
"Nothing."
Percy nodded.
"Nothing at all."
Cin raised his phone.
"Just documenting."
Rakki smirked.
"For history."
Grazel pointed.
"Keif! Smol! Here!"
I looked at Keifer.
He looked at me.
Same thought.
What is happening?
Angelo clapped his hands.
"Finally!"
He walked toward us.
Pulled us both inside.
"Everyone's here!"
He pushed us toward the center of the room.
"Good!"
"Now we can start!"
I blinked.
"Start what?"
Angelo ignored me.
He climbed onto the couch.
Literally stood on it.
Like some kind of dictator addressing his people.
"ATTENTION EVERYONE!"
Aries saluted.
"YES SIR!"
Percy straightened.
"READY SIR!"
Cin fake cried.
"PROUD SIR!"
Rakki sighed.
"This is my life now."
Denzel covered Grazel's ears.
"Baby, this is your uncle."
Grace nodded.
"Get used to it."
Grazel clapped.
"Uncow! Uncow!"
Angelo pointed at us.
"THESE TWO."
He pointed dramatically.
"HAVE BEEN IN LOVE FOR SIX YEARS."
Aries cheered.
Percy whistled.
Cin recorded.
Rakki smirked.
Angelo continued.
"THEY HAVE SUFFERED."
"THEY HAVE WAITED."
"THEY HAVE FINALLY FOUND THEIR WAY BACK TO EACH OTHER."
He paused for dramatic effect.
Everyone leaned in.
"AND NOW—"
My heart stopped.
"NOW—"
Keifer's hand tightened on mine.
"NOW—"
Angelo grinned.
"IT'S TIME."
"TIME FOR WHAT?!" I shouted.
He jumped off the couch.
Landing perfectly.
Walked toward us slowly.
Dramatically.
Like this was a movie.
Stopped right in front of us.
Looked at Keifer.
Looked at me.
Then—
"JAY AND KEIFER'S WEDDING."
"NEXT MONTH."
The room exploded.
Aries screamed.
"FINALLY!"
Percy grabbed his chest.
"I'M GONNA CRY!"
Cin jumped up.
"BEST DAY EVER!"
Rakki actually smiled.
"About time."
Denzel clapped.
Grace cheered.
Grazel copied everyone.
"YAY! YAY! YAY!"
I stood there.
Frozen.
Staring at Angelo.
"What."
He grinned.
"You heard me."
"Next month."
I shook my head.
"No."
"Nope."
"That's— that's too soon—"
Angelo waved his hand.
"Nonsense."
"We've waited six years."
"You've waited six years."
"Same thing."
"IT'S NOT THE SAME THING!"
Aries grabbed my shoulders.
"Jay. Jay. Jay."
"What?!"
"You're getting married!"
"I KNOW BUT—"
"To Keifer!"
"I KNOW—"
"The love of your life!"
"I KNOW—"
"So why are you fighting it?!"
I opened my mouth.
Closed it.
Opened it again.
Nothing came out.
Because—
He was right.
I wasn't fighting the wedding.
I was fighting the speed.
The suddenness.
The—
Keifer's hand found mine again.
Squeezed.
I looked at him.
He was calm.
Too calm.
"You knew about this."
He shook his head.
"No."
"Then why aren't you freaking out?"
He smiled.
Soft.
Warm.
"Because I'd marry you tomorrow if I could."
My heart stopped.
Completely.
Stopped.
"Wh— what?"
He stepped closer.
Cupped my face.
"I've waited six years, Jay."
"What's one more month?"
My eyes burned.
"You're so unfair."
He grinned.
"I know."
"Stop being romantic."
"Never."
Aries fake gagged.
"GET A ROOM!"
Percy threw a pillow.
"THEY'RE DOING IT AGAIN!"
Cin wiped fake tears.
"Beautiful."
Rakki nodded.
"Truly."
Grazel pointed.
"Keif! Smol! Wuv!"
Grace laughed.
"She gets it."
Denzel nodded.
"She's the smartest one here."
Angelo clapped again.
"OKAY OKAY!"
Everyone quieted.
He looked at me.
At Keifer.
"So?"
"What do you say?"
I looked at Keifer.
He looked at me.
Six years.
Six years of pain.
Six years of waiting.
Six years of loving him.
Even when I tried not to.
Even when I ran.
Even when I built walls.
He was always there.
In my heart.
In my soul.
In every part of me.
I smiled.
"Yeah."
Angelo leaned in.
"Yeah what?"
"Yeah."
"Next month."
Keifer's face lit up.
"Really?"
I nodded.
"Really."
He kissed me.
Right there.
In front of everyone.
Aries screamed.
Percy cried.
Cin recorded.
Rakki smirked.
Denzel covered Grazel's eyes.
Grace laughed.
And Angelo—
Angelo raised his glass.
"TO THE WEDDING!"
Everyone cheered.
"TO THE WEDDING!"
---
Later – After Dinner
The chaos had settled into comfortable noise.
Everyone scattered around the living room.
Talking.
Laughing.
Just being family.
I sat on the couch with Keifer beside me.
His arm around my shoulder.
Mine around his waist.
Grazel had crawled into my lap at some point.
Falling asleep against my chest.
Small.
Warm.
Perfect.
I looked down at her.
"Hey, Keif."
"Yeah?"
"She called us wuv."
He laughed quietly.
"She did."
"She's two."
"She's advanced."
I grinned.
"She really is."
Cin walked over.
Dropped onto the couch across from us.
Rakki followed.
Curled beside him.
Cin pointed at Grazel.
"She asleep?"
"Yeah."
"Good."
He lowered his voice.
"So."
"Next month."
"Crazy."
I nodded.
"Very crazy."
Rakki smirked.
"Excited?"
I thought about it.
About walking down the aisle.
About saying I do.
About spending forever with Keifer.
"Yeah."
"Really excited."
Cin grinned.
"Good."
"Because we're throwing the best bachelor party ever."
I raised an eyebrow.
"For who?"
"Both of you."
"Separately."
"Obviously."
I laughed.
"Obviously."
Keifer groaned.
"Do I want to know?"
Rakki shook her head.
"No."
"Definitely not."
Cin nodded.
"It's a surprise."
"A terrible surprise."
"The best kind."
Aries appeared behind the couch.
"Did someone say bachelor party?!"
Percy appeared beside him.
"WE'RE PLANNING IT!"
Cin pointed.
"YOU'RE NOT INVOLVED."
Aries gasped.
"EXCUSE ME?!"
Percy grabbed his chest.
"BETRAYAL!"
Rakki crossed her arms.
"You two are too chaotic."
Cin nodded.
"You'd ruin it."
Aries looked at Percy.
Percy looked at Aries.
Then—
They grinned.
Evil grins.
"We'll plan our own."
"For them?"
"No."
"For us."
Cin threw a pillow.
"GET OUT!"
They ran away laughing.
I buried my face in Keifer's shoulder.
"I love this family."
He kissed my head.
"Me too."
"Even when they're insane."
"Especially when they're insane."
I looked up at him.
"Next month."
"Yeah."
"Crazy."
He smiled.
"The best kind of crazy."
---
Later That Night – Leaving
Everyone said their goodbyes.
Cin and Rakki left first.
Then Denzel, Grace, and sleeping Grazel.
Then Aries and Percy disappeared upstairs.
And finally—
It was just me, Keifer, and Angelo.
Angelo stood at the door.
Arms crossed.
Looking at us.
"Next month."
I nodded.
"Next month."
He pointed at Keifer.
"Take care of her."
Keifer nodded.
"Always."
He pointed at me.
"Take care of him."
I smiled.
"Obviously."
Angelo grinned.
"Good."
He pulled us both into a hug.
Surprising.
Warm.
"Proud of you two."
I hugged back.
"Thanks, Kuya."
Keifer nodded.
"Thank you, Angelo."
He pulled away.
Wiped a fake tear.
"Now go."
"Before I cry for real."
We laughed.
Walked to the car.
Drove away.
Watching Angelo's house shrink in the rearview mirror.
---
The Drive Back
Quiet.
Peaceful.
Keifer's hand in mine.
"You okay?" he asked.
"Yeah."
"Happy?"
I looked at him.
At his profile in the dim light.
At the man who had loved me for six years.
The man who had waited.
The man who had protected me.
The man who was going to be my husband.
"Yeah."
"Really happy."
He squeezed my hand.
"Me too."
I leaned my head on his shoulder.
"Next month."
"Next month."
"I'm going to be your wife."
He kissed my head.
"And I'm going to be your husband."
I smiled.
"Sounds good."
"Sounds perfect."
We drove home.
To our home.
To our future.
To forever.
---
That Night – Our Room
We lay in bed.
Tangled together.
The city lights outside the window.
His heartbeat under my ear.
"Jay?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you."
I lifted my head.
"For what?"
"For coming back."
"For trusting me."
"For loving me."
I touched his face.
"Idiot."
He smiled.
"I know."
"I never stopped loving you."
"Even when I tried."
"Even when I ran."
"Even when I built walls."
"You were always there."
He kissed my forehead.
"You too."
"Always."
I lay back down.
Closed my eyes.
"And next month—"
"I'm going to marry you."
"And never let you go again."
He held me tighter.
"Promise?"
I smiled.
"Promise."
And outside—
The city kept moving.
The world kept spinning.
But in that room—
In that moment—
Everything was perfect.
Because we had finally found our way back.
To each other.
To love.
To forever.
The end.
(For now.)