Chapter One Hundred Twenty One: The Little Surprise
The morning after Akshi and Chethan's reconciliation, the mansion was peaceful.
Too peaceful.
Jay woke up in Keifer's arms, stretched, and immediately felt it.
Nausea.
Overwhelming, stomach-churning nausea.
She bolted for the bathroom.
---
Keifer sat up, alarmed. "Jay? You okay?"
The only response was the sound of her being violently ill.
He was at the bathroom door in seconds. "Jay? What's wrong? Should I call a doctor?"
She waved weakly from the floor. "I'm fine. Just... something didn't agree with me."
"Food poisoning?"
"Maybe. I don't know."
He helped her up, concerned. "You're pale. Lie down. I'll get you water."
---
She spent the morning in bed.
Keifer hovered.
Akshi brought crackers. "My mom always said crackers help with—" She stopped. Looked at Jay thoughtfully. "With... stomach issues."
Chethan appeared with ginger tea. "My aunt swears by this."
Shreya sat with her, holding her hand. "You sure you're okay?"
Mithun, passing by, observed quietly. "Food poisoning usually passes quickly. If it continues, see a doctor."
Keiran climbed onto the bed carefully. "Mamma sick? Rex wants to help."
Jay managed a smile. "Rex can help by being cute."
"Rex is ALWAYS cute."
---
By afternoon, Jay was feeling better.
But a thought had planted itself in her mind.
A terrifying thought.
A hopeful thought.
A thought she was almost too scared to have.
---
She found Keifer in the study.
"Keif?"
He looked up immediately. "You okay? Should you be walking around?"
"I'm fine. But... I need to ask you something."
"What?"
She took a breath. "Remember when we lost the baby?"
His face went pale. "Jay—"
"I know it's soon. I know we're still healing. But—" She stopped. "What if I'm pregnant again?"
---
He was quiet for a long moment.
Then he crossed to her.
Took her hands.
"Jay, after what happened—if you're scared, if you're not ready—"
"I don't know what I am. I'm scared and hopeful and terrified all at once."
He pulled her close. "Me too."
"We need to find out."
"We do."
"Together?"
"Always together."
---
The drive was quiet.
Jay held his hand. He held hers tighter.
"What if I'm wrong?" she whispered.
"Then we'll know. And we'll keep healing."
"What if I'm right?"
He looked at her. "Then we love this baby. We hope. We pray. We take it one day at a time."
"And if something happens again?"
"Then we grieve. Together. Like we did before."
She squeezed his hand. "I love you."
"I love you too. No matter what."
---
The clinic was quiet.
Tests done. Waiting.
Keifer paced. Jay watched him.
"You're going to wear a hole in the floor."
"Can't help it."
"Keif. Sit."
He sat. Took her hand. "I'm terrified."
"Me too."
"But also hopeful."
"Me too."
"That's the scary part. Hoping."
"I know."
---
The doctor came in.
Smiling.
"Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Watson. You're pregnant."
---
The world stopped.
Jay stared. "What?"
"Pregnant. About six weeks. Everything looks perfect so far."
Keifer's grip on her hand tightened. "So far?"
"We'll monitor closely. Given your history, we'll take extra precautions. But right now, everything is exactly as it should be."
Jay burst into tears.
Keifer pulled her close, tears streaming down his own face.
"A baby," he whispered. "Another baby."
"Another baby."
"We'll be careful this time."
"We'll be vigilant."
"We'll hope."
"We'll hope."
---
They walked out of the clinic in a daze.
Keifer called no one.
Not yet.
They needed time to process.
To hope.
To be scared together.
---
They sat in the car for a long time.
Just holding hands.
Just breathing.
"Are we going to tell them?" Jay asked.
"Not yet. Not until we're sure."
"When will we be sure?"
"I don't know. But we'll know when."
She nodded. "Okay."
---
They drove home in silence.
But it was a good silence.
A hopeful silence.
A scared silence.
But together.
---
That evening, they acted normal.
Dinner with the family.
Laughter. Chaos. Love.
No one suspected anything.
Jay caught Keifer's eye across the table.
He smiled slightly.
She smiled back.
Their secret.
For now.
---
That night, they sat on the balcony.
The stars were bright.
"Hi, baby girl," Jay whispered up at them. "We're trying again. We hope you're watching. We hope you'll watch over this one too."
Keifer wrapped his arms around her.
"She will."
"You think?"
"I know."
---
Keiran appeared in the doorway.
Rex in one hand. Ganesha in the other.
"Mamma? Pappa? Why are you outside?"
"Just looking at the stars, baby."
"Oh." He climbed onto Jay's lap. "Rex wants to see too."
"Rex can see."
They sat together.
The three of them.
Plus Rex and Ganesha.
Watching the stars.
Hoping.
---
End of Chapter One Hundred Twenty One