MARRY YOUR KILLER
Chapter Eighty-Five: The Twins
---
The morning sickness started three weeks later.
Jay woke before dawn, her stomach heaving, her hands gripping the edge of the bathroom sink. Keifer was behind her before she could call his name. His hands were on her hair. His voice was low. His face was pale.
"Jay. What's wrong?"
She leaned against him. Her face was pale. Her hands were shaking. "I don't know. I've been sick for days. I thought it was something I ate. I thought—"
He pulled her close. "We're going to the doctor. Today."
---
The doctor's office was white and quiet.
Jay sat on the examination table, her hands in her lap, her face calm. Keifer was beside her, his hand in hers, his face tense. The doctor was looking at the screen. Her face was focused. Her hands were steady.
Jay watched her face. Watched for the flicker. The shift. The change.
The doctor smiled. "Congratulations."
Jay's heart stopped. "What?"
The doctor turned the screen. The image was gray. The shapes were small. Two shapes. Two hearts. Two lives.
"You're pregnant," the doctor said. "With twins."
---
The room was silent.
Keifer stared at the screen. His face was white. His hands were shaking. "Twins."
The doctor smiled. "Twins. Both healthy. Both strong. You're about eight weeks along."
Jay looked at the screen. At the small shapes. At the beating hearts. At the lives growing inside her.
"Twins," she whispered.
Keifer pulled her close. His arms were around her. His face was in her hair. "Twins."
She held him. Her hands were shaking. "We're having twins."
He kissed her forehead. "We're having twins."
---
The news spread fast.
Percy was in the kitchen when they got home. He took one look at Keifer's face and dropped his spatula. "What happened? Is everyone okay? Is Jay—"
Jay walked into the kitchen. Her face was calm. Her hands were steady. "I'm pregnant."
Percy's mouth fell open. "What?"
Care was at the table. She stood up. Her hands were on Jay's arms. Her face was pale. "You're pregnant?"
Jay smiled. It was small. Tired. Real. "I'm pregnant. With twins."
The kitchen exploded.
Percy was screaming. Honey was laughing. Aries was crying. Ella was crying. Lyra's face was blank. Her eyes were not. Alex was holding her hand. Care was holding Jay. Cole was holding Care. Rakki was screaming. Ci N was laughing. Mica was crying. Calix was holding her. Freya was smiling. Erdix was beside her. Grace was hugging Denzel. Kit was with Mayo. Kuya Angelo was holding Ion. Tita Gemma was crying. Tita Rachel was holding her.
Percy ran to Jay. His arms were around her. His face was in her hair. "Twins. You're having twins. I'm going to be an uncle. Twice."
Jay held him. "You're going to be an uncle."
He pulled back. His face was wet. "I'm going to be the best uncle. The best."
Honey pulled him back. "Let her breathe."
Percy laughed. He was crying. He was laughing. He was everything.
---
Lyra was in her corner.
Her hands were in her pockets. Her face was blank. Her eyes were on Jay. Alex was beside her. His hand was in hers.
"She's having twins," Alex said.
Lyra's voice was low. "Twins."
Alex pulled her close. "You're going to be an aunt."
She leaned against him. "An aunt."
He kissed her hair. "The best aunt."
She almost smiled. Almost. "The best."
---
Care was in the garden with Jay.
The flowers were blooming. The grass was green. The steps were warm. They sat together, their hands intertwined.
"Twins," Care said.
Jay looked at her sister. "Twins."
Care smiled. It was small. Tired. Real. "I'm going to be an aunt."
Jay pulled her close. "You're going to be an aunt."
Care held her. "I'm going to be the best aunt."
Jay laughed. "You're going to be the best aunt."
---
The weeks passed.
Jay's stomach grew. The twins grew. The house grew. Percy painted the nursery. Pink and blue. Yellow and green. He couldn't decide. He painted everything. Honey watched him. Her face was calm. Her eyes were soft.
Aries built the cribs. Ella sewed the blankets. Lyra stood in the corner, watching. Her face was blank. Her eyes were soft. Alex was beside her. His hand was in hers.
Care stocked the medical room. Baby supplies. Baby medicine. Baby everything. Cole was beside her. His hand was in hers.
Rakki bought toys. Ci N carried them. Mica researched. Calix read. Freya guarded. Erdix watched. Grace protected. Denzel planned. Kit organized. Mayo helped. Kuya Angelo blessed. Ion prayed. Tita Gemma cooked. Tita Rachel cried.
The house was full. The house was loud. The house was home.
---
The night came.
Jay stood at the window of the nursery. The cribs were white. The blankets were soft. The walls were painted with stars. Keifer came in behind her. His arms went around her waist. His face was in her hair.
"You're thinking," he said.
She leaned against him. "I'm always thinking."
He turned her to face him. His hands were on her stomach. Her stomach was round. The twins were moving. The twins were alive.
"What are you thinking about?" he asked.
She looked at him. At the man who had saved her. At the man who had loved her. At the man who had given her everything. At the man who was giving her twins.
"I'm thinking about the garden," she said. "About the mud. About the Ferris wheel. About the contract. About the day you put the ring back on my finger."
He kissed her forehead. "I'm thinking about the day you took a bullet for me."
She touched his face. "I would do it again."
He kissed her hand. "I wouldn't let you."
She smiled. "You don't have a choice."
He knelt. His face was level with her stomach. His hands were on her belly. His lips were on her skin.
"Hello," he said. "I'm your father. I've been waiting for you. I've been waiting for you my whole life."
Jay's hands were in his hair. Her face was wet. Her heart was full.
---
The twins moved. Two small kicks. Two small lives. Two small hearts.
Keifer looked up. His face was wet. "They know me."
Jay laughed. She was crying. She was laughing. She was everything. "They know you."
He stood up. His arms were around her. His face was in her hair. "I love you."
She held him. "I love you too."
---
The house was quiet.
The twins were sleeping. Jay was sleeping. Keifer was awake. He was watching her. The moonlight was on her face. Her hands were on her stomach. The twins were safe. The twins were home.
He touched her face. Her skin was warm. Her breathing was slow.
"I love you," he said.
She smiled. Her eyes were still closed. "I know."
He laughed. It was a soft sound. "You always know."
She opened her eyes. They were bright. "I always know."
He kissed her forehead. "Sleep."
She closed her eyes. "You sleep."
He smiled. "I'm watching you."
She pulled him close. "Then watch."
---
The sun was rising when Jay opened her eyes.
Keifer was beside her. His arm was around her. His face was close. His eyes were open.
"You're staring," she said.
He smiled. "I'm observing."
She laughed. "Same thing."
He kissed her. Soft. Slow. A morning kiss. The kind of kiss that said he would never leave. The kind of kiss that said she was home.
She kissed him back.
---
The house was waking.
Percy was in the nursery. Honey was beside him. Aries was building something. Ella was sewing something. Lyra was in her corner, Alex beside her. Care was in the medical room. Cole was with her. Rakki was with Ci N. Mica was with Calix. Freya was with Erdix. Grace was with Denzel. Kuya Angelo was with Ion. Tita Gemma was with Tita Rachel.
Jay walked into the nursery. Keifer was behind her. His hand was in hers.
Percy looked up. His face split into a grin. "They're going to be here soon."
Jay looked at the cribs. At the blankets. At the stars on the walls. "Soon."
Percy walked to her. His arms were around her. "You're going to be a mother."
She held him. "You're going to be an uncle."
He pulled back. His face was wet. "The best uncle."
She smiled. "The best."
---
END OF CHAPTER EIGHTY-FIVE