Chapter: The Name Game – Round Two
(AUTHOR'S POV)
Three days had passed since the great name debate.
Jay and Keifer still hadn't decided.
Mica and Calix still hadn't decided.
The lists were getting longer.
The suggestions were getting weirder.
And the family?
The family was losing their minds.
---
The Morning – Watson Mansion
Jay woke up in Keifer's arms.
Blue beside her.
Baby boy kicking.
Already active.
She groaned.
"Another kick."
Keifer's hand moved to her belly.
Felt it.
Smiled.
"Good morning, little man."
Another kick.
Stronger.
Jay winced.
"He's going to be a fighter."
Keifer nodded.
"Like his mother."
She hit his chest.
Weak.
"No power."
He kissed her head.
"Love you."
"Love you too."
"Now—"
"Names."
She groaned again.
"Not names."
"Yes names."
"We have to decide."
She looked at him.
"What if we never decide?"
"Baby arrives."
"And we're like—"
"Hi, baby."
"Welcome to the world."
"You don't have a name."
"Sorry."
He laughed.
"We'll decide."
"Today."
"Hopefully."
She nodded.
"Hopefully."
---
The Living Room – Chaos Crew
They walked downstairs.
Hand in hand.
Blue followed.
The living room was already chaos.
Aries and Percy were arguing.
About names.
Of course.
Keigan and Keiran were adding suggestions.
More names.
More chaos.
Mica and Calix were on video call.
From their house.
Both looked exhausted.
Same struggle.
Same lists.
Same madness.
Jay sat on the couch.
Keifer beside her.
Blue on her lap.
Aries pointed at Percy.
"KAI IS BETTER THAN KIAN!"
Percy pointed back.
"KIAN IS BETTER THAN KAI!"
"KAI!"
"KIAN!"
"KAI!"
"KIAN!"
Jay watched.
Amused.
"Idiots."
Keifer nodded.
"Complete idiots."
"But entertaining."
She smiled.
"Always."
Keigan ran to her.
"Hipag! Hipag!"
"Yes, Keigan?"
"I have more name suggestions!"
She braced herself.
"Okay."
"Let's hear them."
Keigan pulled out a notebook.
Full of names.
Pages and pages.
Jay's eyes widened.
"How many did you write?!"
Keigan beamed.
"ALL OF THEM!"
"Every K name I could find!"
"From the internet!"
"From books!"
"From my brain!"
Keiran sighed.
"I tried to stop him."
"Couldn't."
Jay took the notebook.
Flipped through.
Hundreds of names.
Some normal.
Some... not.
Keifer peeked over her shoulder.
Read some aloud.
"Kaleidoscope?"
Keigan nodded.
"Unique!"
"Kangaroo?"
"Strong!"
"Ketchup?"
"Food theme!"
"Like Baby Raspberry!"
Jay stared at him.
Keigan smiled.
Innocent.
Too innocent.
She looked at Keifer.
He looked at her.
Same thought.
Same love.
Same—
"No."
Keigan deflated.
"But—"
"No Ketchup."
"No Kangaroo."
"No Kaleidoscope."
Keigan sighed.
"Fine."
"But I tried."
She patted his head.
"You did."
"Good boy."
He beamed again.
Easy to please.
---
The Video Call – Mica's Struggle
Mica's voice came through the phone.
"JAY!"
"You won't BELIEVE what Calix suggested!"
Jay leaned closer.
"What?"
Mica held up a list.
"CAULIFLOWER."
Silence.
Then—
Jay burst out laughing.
Mica joined.
Both pregnant.
Both crying with laughter.
Calix's voice.
"It's unique!"
Mica waved.
"It's VEGETABLE!"
Calix shrugged.
"Baby Strawberry."
"Vegetable theme."
"Works."
Mica looked at Jay.
"Help me."
Jay laughed harder.
"I can't."
"This is YOUR husband."
Mica sighed.
"I know."
"But still."
Jay caught her breath.
"What about the C names?"
"We had a list."
Mica nodded.
"We did."
"But Calix keeps adding."
"Crazy ones."
"Cauliflower."
"Cantaloupe."
"Cucumber."
Jay lost it again.
Keifer patted her back.
"Breathe, wifey."
She waved.
"Can't."
"Too funny."
Mica was laughing too.
Both of them.
Pregnancy hormones.
Everything was funny.
---
The New Suggestions
Aries grabbed the phone from Jay.
"MICA!"
"HEARD YOU NEED C NAMES!"
Percy joined.
"WE HAVE THEM!"
Mica braced herself.
"Okay?"
"Hit me."
Aries screamed.
"CYCLOPS!"
Percy added.
"CENTIPEDE!"
Keigan jumped.
"CRUSTACEAN!"
Mica stared.
Long stare.
Very long stare.
Then—
She laughed.
Hard.
Calix appeared beside her.
"What's happening?"
Mica pointed.
"Cyclops."
"Centipede."
"Crustacean."
Calix blinked.
Then—
Laughed too.
Both of them.
Pregnant couple.
Losing it together.
Jay watched.
Smiling.
This was family.
Crazy.
Chaotic.
Perfect.
---
The Serious Moment
After the laughter faded.
After the chaos settled.
After the ridiculous names were discarded.
Jay looked at Keifer.
"Can we decide?"
He nodded.
"Let's try."
She pulled out their list.
The real list.
The serious list.
Kai.
Kian.
Kyle.
Kevin.
Knox.
Kaleb.
Kason.
Killian.
Kael.
Kellan.
Kieran.
Kace.
She read them aloud.
He listened.
Thought.
"Kael."
"Kellan."
"Knox."
"Those are my top three."
She nodded.
"Same."
"Kael Watson."
"Kellan Watson."
"Knox Watson."
She said them aloud.
Testing.
Feeling.
Kael.
Kellan.
Knox.
Baby boy kicked.
Hard.
Jay gasped.
"Whoa."
Keifer touched her belly.
"What happened?"
She smiled.
"I think he has an opinion."
He felt another kick.
Right then.
Laughed.
"Okay, little man."
"Which one?"
Kick.
Kick.
Kick.
Three kicks.
Jay counted.
"Three kicks."
"For three names?"
Keifer nodded.
"Maybe."
"Or maybe he's just active."
She grinned.
"Or maybe—"
"He likes all three."
Keifer kissed her head.
"Then we have time."
"Still."
She nodded.
"Still."
---
The Video Call – Mica's Decision
Mica's voice.
"WE DECIDED!"
Jay grabbed the phone.
"WHAT?!"
"WHAT IS IT?!"
Mica held up a sign.
Written in marker.
CAMILLA DELOS SANTOS
Jay screamed.
"CAMILLA!"
"BABY STRAWBERRY IS CAMILLA!"
Mica nodded.
"CAMILLA!"
"WE LOVE IT!"
"It's perfect!"
Jay cried.
Happy tears.
Pregnancy hormones.
"IT'S BEAUTIFUL!"
Mica cried too.
"I KNOW!"
"BABY CAMILLA!"
Calix appeared.
Hugged her.
Both crying.
Both happy.
Keifer smiled.
"Camilla Delos Santos."
"Pretty name."
Jay nodded.
"The prettiest."
She looked at Mica.
"WE HAVE TO CELEBRATE!"
Mica nodded.
"NOW!"
"COME OVER!"
"BRING FOOD!"
"BRING CHAOS!"
Jay stood.
Well— waddled quickly.
"WE'RE COMING!"
Keifer helped her.
"Easy, wifey."
She waved.
"BABY CAMILLA AWAITS!"
He laughed.
"Okay."
"Let's go."
---
The Drive – To Mica's House
The car was full.
Jay.
Keifer.
Blue.
Aries.
Percy.
Keigan.
Keiran.
All of them.
Crashing the celebration.
Jay was glowing.
Happy.
Excited.
"Baby Camilla."
"Baby Strawberry has a name."
Keifer squeezed her hand.
"Beautiful name."
She nodded.
"Now we need Baby Raspberry's name."
He smiled.
"Soon."
"Very soon."
She looked at him.
"What if we never decide?"
He kissed her head.
"We will."
"When the time is right."
"He'll tell us."
She touched her belly.
"Will you, baby?"
Kick.
She laughed.
"That's a yes."
---
Mica's House – Celebration
They arrived.
Door opened.
Mica stood there.
Beaming.
"JAY!"
They hugged.
Carefully.
Both pregnant.
Both protecting bellies.
Both crying.
Again.
Camilla Delos Santos.
Perfect name.
Everyone piled in.
Food everywhere.
Chaos everywhere.
Love everywhere.
Aries grabbed the mic.
Again.
Where did he get a mic?
"EVERYONE!"
"TOAST TO BABY CAMILLA!"
Percy joined.
"THE MOST BEAUTIFUL NAME!"
Keigan cheered.
"CAMILLA! CAMILLA! CAMILLA!"
Keiran nodded.
"Perfect choice."
Cin raised his glass.
"TO MICA AND CALIX!"
Rakki added.
"AND BABY CAMILLA!"
Freya wiped her eyes.
"So beautiful."
Grace nodded.
"The best name."
Grazel raised her juice box.
"TO BABY CAMILLA!"
"MY NEW FAVORITE COUSIN!"
Denzel blinked.
"What about Grapefruit?"
Grazel thought.
"She's second favorite."
"Camilla is new."
"New is exciting."
Everyone laughed.
Jay leaned against Keifer.
Happy.
Content.
"Baby Camilla."
He kissed her head.
"Baby Camilla."
"And soon—"
"Baby Raspberry."
She nodded.
"Soon."
---
That Night – Their Room
Back home.
Finally.
Jay in his shirt.
Blue beside her.
Keifer holding her.
She was exhausted.
But happy.
So happy.
"Today was perfect."
He nodded.
"Perfect day."
"Baby Camilla."
"Beautiful name."
She smiled.
"Now we need our name."
He kissed her head.
"We'll find it."
"When the time is right."
She touched her belly.
Baby boy kicked.
Softly this time.
Content.
She whispered.
"Kael?"
Kick.
"Kellan?"
Kick.
"Knox?"
Kick.
Three kicks.
Again.
She laughed.
"He likes all three."
Keifer nodded.
"Then we keep them."
"Until he decides."
She looked up.
"What if he never decides?"
He smiled.
"Then we decide."
"When we meet him."
"When we see his face."
"Then we'll know."
She softened.
"That's beautiful."
He kissed her.
Soft.
Sweet.
"I love you, wifey."
"I love you too, hubby."
"And Baby Raspberry."
"And Baby Camilla."
"And all the names."
She grinned.
"Forever?"
"Forever."
---
The End
(For now.)