Chapter: The Divorce That Wasn't
(AUTHOR'S POV)
The morning started like any other.
Sun shining.
Birds singing.
Jay waking up in Keifer's arms.
Perfect.
Until—
It wasn't.
---
The Fight
Jay sat up suddenly.
Glared at Keifer.
He blinked.
Confused.
"What?"
She crossed her arms.
"You know what."
He didn't know.
He never knew.
That was the problem.
"Jay, I really don't—"
"LAST NIGHT."
He thought.
Last night.
They had dinner.
Talked.
Laughed.
Went to sleep.
Normal.
"What about last night?"
"YOU FELL ASLEEP."
"Yes?"
"WHILE I WAS TALKING."
"Oh."
"OH?! THAT'S IT?!"
Keifer sat up.
Rubbed his eyes.
"I'm sorry?"
"Sorry doesn't fix it!"
"I was tired—"
"SO WAS I!"
"BUT I LISTENED TO YOU!"
He opened his mouth.
Closed it.
Opened it again.
Nothing.
Because—
He had no memory of this conversation.
None.
But clearly—
It was important.
Very important.
Jay continued.
"And last WEEK."
"You forgot our anniversary."
"Our WEDDING anniversary."
Keifer winced.
"I didn't forget—"
"YOU DID."
"I planned a surprise—"
"FOR THE WRONG DAY."
He paused.
"...Did I?"
"YES."
"Oh."
"OH IS RIGHT."
She stood.
Paced.
Hands waving.
"And the week before THAT."
"You said my cooking was 'interesting.'"
"It WAS interesting."
"INTERESTING IS NOT A COMPLIMENT!"
"IT WAS UNIQUE!"
"UNIQUE IS WORSE!"
Keifer watched her pace.
Beautiful.
Even when angry.
Especially when angry.
She stopped.
Pointed at him.
"I've had ENOUGH."
He braced himself.
"I want a DIVORCE."
The room went silent.
Dead silent.
Keifer stared at her.
Long stare.
Very long stare.
Then—
He stood.
Walked to his closet.
Pulled something out.
Hidden.
Behind his clothes.
A small ball.
A badminton ball.
Shuttlecock.
He stuffed it under his shirt.
Right over his stomach.
Puffed it out.
Then walked back to her.
Hand on his belly.
Face serious.
"You can't divorce me."
Jay blinked.
"What?"
He patted his stomach.
"I'm pregnant."
She stared.
Complete stare.
Brain short-circuiting.
"You're— what?"
"Pregnant."
"With our baby."
"You can't leave me now."
"I'm carrying your child."
Jay's mouth opened.
Closed.
Opened again.
Nothing.
Because—
What do you say?
When your husband claims he's pregnant?
With a badminton ball under his shirt?
Keifer kept a straight face.
Somehow.
"I know it's sudden."
"But we have to think about the baby."
"Our baby."
"Growing inside me."
He patted his stomach.
The shuttlecock shifted.
Lopsided.
Jay saw it.
Her eye twitched.
"You— you have a—"
"Badminton ball."
"Yes."
"Under your shirt."
"Yes."
"And you're calling it a baby."
"Our baby."
"Keifer."
"Yes, wifey?"
"That's a SHUTTLECOCK."
He looked down.
At the lump.
Patted it.
"It's our child."
"Don't be cruel."
Jay's face changed.
Her anger cracked.
Her lips twitched.
Her eyes watered.
Not from sadness.
From laughter.
She tried to hold it in.
Failed.
A snort escaped.
Then another.
Then—
Full laughter.
Bent over.
Crying.
Unable to breathe.
Keifer watched.
Still serious.
Still holding his stomach.
Still holding the shuttlecock.
"What's so funny?"
She pointed.
"You— you—"
"PREGNANT?!"
"With a BADMINTON BALL?!"
He nodded.
Solemn.
"It's a miracle."
She laughed harder.
Fell on the bed.
Rolling.
Tears streaming.
Keifer walked closer.
Stood over her.
Still serious.
"Jay."
"This is serious."
"Our baby is at stake."
She looked up.
At his face.
At the lump.
At the shuttlecock tilting sideways.
Lost it again.
"KEIFER—"
"I can't—"
"You're—"
She couldn't finish.
Keifer finally cracked.
Smiled.
Then laughed.
Pulled the shuttlecock out.
Threw it on the bed.
Lay beside her.
Pulled her close.
She fought.
Laughing.
"No— stop— I'm still mad—"
He held tighter.
"You're not."
"I AM."
"You're laughing."
"Doesn't mean—"
"Means you're not mad."
She looked at him.
At his smile.
At his eyes.
At the idiot she married.
The idiot who stuffed a badminton ball under his shirt.
To make her laugh.
To stop the fight.
To save them.
She sighed.
Defeated.
By love.
By laughter.
By him.
"I hate you."
He grinned.
"No you don't."
"I do right now."
"No you don't."
She hit his chest.
Weak.
"No power."
He kissed her forehead.
"Love you, wifey."
"Love you too, idiot."
"Pregnant idiot."
He laughed.
"Your pregnant idiot."
She shook her head.
But she was smiling.
"Where did you even GET that?"
"The shuttlecock?"
"Yes."
"From the game room."
"You had a badminton ball in the game room?"
"Yes."
"And you thought—"
"'I'll use this to fake a pregnancy'?"
He nodded.
"Best idea I've ever had."
She stared.
"You're insane."
He grinned.
"Your insane."
She buried her face in his chest.
Laughing again.
"This is my life now."
He kissed her head.
"Best life."
She looked up.
"Keifer?"
"Yeah?"
"If you ever actually get pregnant—"
"I'll be very impressed."
He laughed.
"Deal."
---
The Aftermath
They lay there.
Tangled.
Calm.
Happy.
Jay traced patterns on his chest.
"So."
He looked at her.
"So."
"We're not getting divorced?"
"No."
"Ever?"
"Never."
She nodded.
"Good."
"Because I'd miss your stupid ideas."
He smiled.
"My stupid ideas?"
"The shuttlecock one."
"Top tier."
He grinned.
"Top tier stupid?"
"Top tier genius."
"Same thing?"
"Different."
"How?"
"Stupid is bad."
"Genius is good."
"Your idea was both."
He laughed.
Pulled her closer.
"Love you."
"Love you too."
"Even when you threaten divorce?"
"Even then."
"Especially then."
She smiled.
Snuggled closer.
"Good."
"Because I'm not going anywhere."
He kissed her head.
"Promise?"
"Promise."
"Forever?"
"Forever."
---
The Shuttlecock
Later that day.
They went downstairs.
Hand in hand.
The shuttlecock was on the table.
Aries saw it.
Picked it up.
"What's this doing here?"
Jay and Keifer exchanged glances.
Same thought.
Same smile.
Same love.
"Nothing," they said together.
Aries squinted.
"That's suspicious."
Percy appeared.
"Very suspicious."
Jay shrugged.
"Just a shuttlecock."
Keifer nodded.
"Nothing special."
Aries looked at them.
Percy looked at them.
Same thought.
Same suspicion.
Same—
"You're hiding something."
Jay smiled.
Sweet.
Innocent.
"Always."
Keifer pulled her closer.
"Forever."
Aries groaned.
Percy sighed.
The shuttlecock sat there.
Witness to the madness.
Witness to the love.
Witness to the day Jay almost divorced her husband.
Over a badminton ball.
---
That Night
In their room.
Jay in his shirt.
Keifer beside her.
She looked at him.
"Hey."
"Yeah?"
"Thanks."
"For what?"
"For making me laugh."
"For stopping the fight."
"For being you."
He kissed her forehead.
"Always."
"Forever."
"No question."
She smiled.
"Love you, hubby."
"Love you too, wifey."
"Even when you're crazy?"
"Especially then."
She laughed.
Snuggled closer.
"Good."
"Because I'm not changing."
He held her tighter.
"Wouldn't want you to."
They slept.
Happy.
Together.
Perfect.
---
The End
(For now.)