Chapter One Hundred Thirty Nine: The Twins Are Here
Three months had passed since the chaos of cravings and mood swings. The mansion had survived. Everyone had survived. Barely.
Now Jay was nine months pregnant.
And she was done.
---
The morning started like any other. Jay woke up, tried to roll out of bed, failed. Keifer had to help her.
"I can't do this anymore," she announced.
"You're doing great."
"I'm doing terrible. I'm the size of a house. The baby thinks my ribs are punching bags. I can't see my feet."
Keifer kissed her forehead. "You're beautiful."
"I'm a whale."
"A beautiful whale."
She threw a pillow at him. He caught it, grinning.
---
Downstairs, everyone was gathered for breakfast.
Akshi was feeding the twins—Ella's babies were three months old now, growing fast. Shreya was seven months pregnant, her belly round and full. She'd finally stopped crying about her shoes. Mostly.
Percy was in the middle of telling a story. "—and THEN the baby kicked and Jay said—"
Jay walked in. "Don't finish that sentence."
"IT WAS FUNNY!"
"It was not funny."
"IT WAS HILARIOUS!"
Honey pulled him back. "Babe, let the pregnant woman eat."
"WHICH ONE? THERE ARE TWO!"
"Both of them."
---
Jay sat down. Grabbed a pickle. Ate it. Grabbed another.
Shreya watched her. "You're really leaning into the pickles."
"The baby wants pickles."
"You've been saying that for three months."
"The baby still wants pickles."
---
Then it happened.
A sudden gush of warmth.
Jay froze.
Keifer saw her face. "Jay? What's wrong?"
"My water just broke."
---
The mansion exploded.
Keifer scooped her up. "HOSPITAL! NOW!"
Jay grabbed his arm. "The bag! The hospital bag!"
Akshi ran. "I'LL GET IT!"
Shreya stood, belly first. "I'M COMING!"
"You're seven months pregnant!"
"I'M COMING!"
Percy ran in circles. "TWINS! THE TWINS ARE COMING!"
Honey grabbed him. "Babe, calm down!"
"I CAN'T! BABIES!"
---
Keifer drove like a man possessed.
Jay held her belly. "Slow down!"
"THE BABIES ARE COMING!"
"The babies can wait for traffic!"
"THEY CAN'T!"
She gripped the dashboard. "I'm having twins in this car, you're going to kill us all!"
He slowed. Slightly.
---
They arrived at the hospital in record time.
Keifer carried her inside. "MY WIFE! TWINS! HER WATER BROKE!"
The nurses moved fast. Wheelchair. Triage. Monitors.
Keifer refused to leave her side.
---
The waiting room filled quickly.
Akshi and Chethan. Shreya and Mithun. Percy and Honey. C.N. and Rakii. David and Freya. Felix and Bridget. Mica and Calix. Kuya Angelo and Ion. Tita Gemma and Tito Rachel.
Aries and Ella arrived with their twins, both babies sleeping peacefully in their carriers.
Ella sat carefully. "I remember this."
Aries kissed her forehead. "You were magnificent."
"You cried."
"I was emotional."
"You cried more than I did."
"Debatable."
---
Shreya paced. "Why is it taking so long?"
Mithun caught her arm. "You're seven months pregnant. Sit."
"I can't sit!"
"You'll go into labor yourself."
"THAT WOULD BE DRAMATIC!"
"Shreya. Sit."
She sat.
---
Percy paced instead. "HOW LONG DOES THIS TAKE?"
Honey pulled him to a seat. "Twins take time."
"I DON'T HAVE TIME! I NEED TO SEE THE BABIES!"
"You'll see them when they're born."
"BUT—"
"Percy. Sit."
He sat.
---
Hours passed.
C.N. made notes. "Labor duration: 3 hours and counting. Twin delivery: Statistically longer than single births."
Rakii lowered her camera. "Are you really taking notes right now?"
"Data is important."
"Data can wait."
He closed his notebook. "Fine."
---
Jay was in the delivery room, Keifer beside her. She was gripping his hand, breathing through contractions.
"I can't do this," she gasped.
"You can."
"It hurts!"
"I know."
"YOU DON'T KNOW!"
He kissed her forehead. "You're right. I don't. But I'm here."
She squeezed his hand harder. "YOU'RE NOT LEAVING."
"Never."
---
Hours crawled by.
The waiting room was quiet. Tense. Waiting.
Then—a cry.
A baby's cry.
Everyone stood.
---
The nurse appeared, smiling. "Congratulations. You have a healthy baby boy."
Percy screamed. "A BOY!"
Honey grabbed him. "Babe, there's another one!"
The nurse smiled wider. "And a healthy baby girl."
---
The waiting room exploded.
Percy was on the floor. "BOY AND GIRL! TWINS! ONE OF EACH!"
Honey helped him up. "Babe, calm down!"
"I CAN'T! BABIES!"
Akshi grabbed Chethan. "TWINS! JAY HAS TWINS!"
Chethan held her. "I know! I know!"
Shreya was crying. "A boy and a girl!"
Mithun held her. "You're next."
"SEVEN MONTHS IS TOO LONG!"
---
Tita Gemma sobbed. "TWINS! MY BABY HAD TWINS!"
Tito Rachel held her. "You're going to dehydrate."
"I DON'T CARE!"
Kuya Angelo stood by the window. Ion beside him. He almost smiled. "Another two."
Ion squeezed his hand. "The family keeps growing."
---
They were allowed in, one by one.
Jay was exhausted but glowing. Keifer held a tiny bundle. A baby boy. Dark hair. Keifer's eyes.
Jay held another. A baby girl. Light hair. Jay's smile.
Percy was first in. "WHAT ARE THEIR NAMES?"
Jay looked at her son. "Alexander."
Keifer looked at his daughter. "Aurora."
---
Percy cried. "ALEXANDER AND AURORA! THE MOST BEAUTIFUL NAMES!"
Honey pulled him back. "Let them breathe."
"I CAN'T! BABIES!"
Akshi came next. "ALEXANDER! AURORA! I'M AN AUNT!"
Chethan held her back. "Let them hold the babies."
"I'M HOLDING THE BABIES IN MY HEART!"
---
Shreya walked in slowly, Mithun beside her. She looked at the twins. "They're perfect."
Mithun put his hand on her belly. "Ours will be here soon."
"Seven months is too long."
"Seven months is nothing."
She leaned into him. "I love you."
"I love you too."
---
Jay held Alexander. Keifer held Aurora.
They looked at their children.
"Alexander," Jay whispered.
"Aurora," Keifer whispered.
"Brother and sister."
"Twins."
"Like Aries and Ella's babies."
"Cousins."
She leaned into him. "Our family."
"The best family."
---
Keiran ran in, Keigan behind him. "MUMMY! PAPPA! I HAVE A BROTHER AND SISTER?"
Jay smiled. "You have a brother and a sister."
Keiran looked at Alexander. Then at Aurora. "Rex is going to be SO HAPPY!"
Rex, held high, seemed thrilled.
Ganesha nodded approvingly.
Keigan looked at the twins. "They're small."
"They're newborns."
"They're okay?"
Jay's eyes filled with tears. "They're perfect."
Keigan almost smiled. "Good."
---
The waiting room filled with family.
Akshi holding Alexander. Shreya holding Aurora. Percy trying to hold both. Honey stopping him.
C.N. taking notes. Rakii photographing everything.
David crying. Freya patting his back.
Felix and Bridget holding hands, watching.
Mica bouncing. Calix holding her back.
Aries and Ella with their twins, all four babies now.
Kuya Angelo watching it all, Ion beside him.
Tita Gemma crying. Tito Rachel holding her.
---
That night, Jay and Keifer were alone with their babies.
Alexander slept in the bassinet. Aurora slept beside him.
Jay looked at Keifer. "We have twins."
"We have twins."
"A boy and a girl."
"Alexander and Aurora."
She leaned into him. "I love you."
"I love you too."
"Thank you for not letting me kill you during labor."
He kissed her forehead. "Thank you for not killing me."
---
Alexander opened his eyes. Looked at his father. Closed them.
Aurora yawned. Tiny. Perfect.
Jay touched her daughter's cheek. "Hi, baby. Welcome to the world."
Aurora made a small sound. Approval, maybe.
Jay touched Alexander's hand. "Hi, baby. You're going to love it here. You have a big brother. You have cousins. You have a family that's going to love you forever."
Alexander's fingers curled around hers.
She cried.
Keifer held her.
Their family was complete.
---
End of Chapter One Hundred Thirty Nine