birth - JAYFER- THE MAFIA'S VOW

MARRY YOUR KILLER

Chapter One Hundred Two: The Birth

---

Nine months had passed since the wedding.

The house in Manila was ready. The nursery was painted pale gold, the color of morning, the color of hope. Two cribs stood side by side, white wood, soft blankets, small pillows. Percy had painted stars on the ceiling, tiny dots of gold and silver that glowed in the dark. Keiran had helped, his hands covered in paint, his face bright, his laughter loud. Keigan had watched, his arms crossed, his face cold, his eyes soft.

The twins' clothes were folded in the dresser. Tiny onesies. Tiny socks. Tiny hats. Care had organized them by color, by size, by season. Cole had carried the boxes. Rakki had opened them. Ci N had read the instructions. Mica had calculated the optimal arrangement. Calix had agreed. Freya had stood guard. Erdix had stood beside her. Grace had approved. Denzel had nodded. Kuya Angelo had blessed the room. Ion had prayed. Tita Gemma had cried. Tita Rachel had held her hand.

Jay stood in the doorway. Her stomach was huge. The twins were heavy. The twins were ready. The twins were waiting.

Keifer was behind her. His hand was on her back. His face was calm. His eyes were not.

"They're coming soon," Jay said.

Keifer kissed her hair. "They're coming soon."

She leaned against him. "Are you ready?"

He pulled her close. "I've been ready my whole life."

---

Lyra's room was at the end of the hall.

The machines beeped. The monitors glowed. The roses were red on the table beside her bed. Fresh roses. Percy brought them every morning. He stood in the doorway, his hands in his pockets, his face soft.

"She'd want to be there," Percy said.

Honey was beside him. "She will be."

Percy looked at Lyra. At her pale face. At her closed eyes. At the hand that was in Alex's. "She'll wake up. She'll wake up in time."

Honey took his hand. "She will."

---

Alex sat beside Lyra's bed. His face was thin. His eyes were hollow. His hand was in hers. He hadn't left. He wouldn't leave. He was waiting. He would always wait.

The door opened. Jay stood in the doorway. Her stomach was huge. Her face was calm. Her eyes were on Lyra.

"The twins are coming," Jay said.

Alex looked up. His face was pale. "When?"

Jay touched her stomach. The twins kicked. Two small feet. Two small lives. Two small hearts. "Today. The doctor said today."

Alex's hand tightened on Lyra's. "She wanted to be there. She wanted to see them. She wanted to hold them. She wanted—"

Jay walked to the bed. She took Lyra's other hand. Her fingers were cold. Her skin was pale. Her face was still.

"She will," Jay said. "She'll be there. She'll see them. She'll hold them. She'll—"

The pain came. Sharp. Sudden. Deep. Jay's hand tightened on Lyra's. Her face went white. Her breath caught.

"Jay," Keifer said. He was beside her. His arms were around her. His face was white. "Jay, what's wrong?"

Jay's voice was tight. "The babies. They're coming. Now."

---

The hospital was chaos.

The nurses were running. The doctors were shouting. Keifer was beside Jay, his hand in hers, his face white, his voice low. "You're going to be okay. You're going to be okay. You're going to—"

Jay screamed. The pain was white. The pain was deep. The pain was life.

Percy was in the waiting room. His hands were shaking. His face was wet. Honey was beside him, her hand in his, her face calm. Aries was with Ella, their hands intertwined, their faces pale. Care was in the delivery room, her hands steady, her face calm, her voice low. Cole was in the hallway, waiting. Rakki was with Ci N, her face hard, her eyes wet. Mica was at her laptop, her fingers still, her face focused. Calix was beside her. Freya was at the door, her arms crossed, her face sharp. Erdix was beside her. Grace was with Denzel, her hands on the roses, her face hard. Kuya Angelo was with Ion, his face calm, his hands steady. Tita Gemma was crying. Tita Rachel was holding her hand. Keiran was sitting on the floor, his knees against his chest, his face buried in his arms. Keigan was beside him, his hand on his brother's back, his face cold, his eyes red.

Alex sat in the corner. His hands were empty. His face was pale. His eyes were on the door. Lyra was at home. Lyra was sleeping. Lyra was waiting.

"She's going to miss it," Alex said. His voice was low. His voice was breaking. "She's going to miss the birth. She's going to miss the twins. She's going to miss—"

Percy walked to him. He put his hand on Alex's shoulder. "She's not going to miss it. She's going to be there. She's going to see them. She's going to hold them. She's—"

Alex's face was wet. "She's not waking up."

Percy pulled him close. "She will. She will."

---

The delivery room was bright.

Jay lay on the bed, her hands gripping Keifer's, her face pale, her body shaking. The doctor was between her legs, her voice steady, her hands sure. The nurses were around her, their faces calm, their voices low. Care was beside Jay, her hand on her arm, her face calm.

"Push," the doctor said. "Push now."

Jay pushed. The pain was white. The pain was deep. The pain was life.

Keifer's hand was in hers. His face was white. His voice was low. "You're doing it. You're doing it. You're—"

Jay screamed. The pain was everything. The pain was nothing. The pain was her children.

The first cry came. Small. Sharp. Alive.

The doctor held the baby. A girl. Small. Pink. Screaming. "It's a girl."

Jay's face was wet. Her hands were shaking. "A girl."

The nurse placed the baby on her chest. The skin was warm. The eyes were closed. The mouth was open. The lungs were strong.

Keifer touched her face. His fingers were shaking. His face was wet. "She's beautiful."

Jay looked at her daughter. At the small face. At the tiny fingers. At the life they had made. "Aurora. Aurora Watson."

The baby's eyes opened. Just a slit. Just enough. Dark eyes. Keifer's eyes. Jay's heart.

---

The second cry came. Stronger this time. Louder. More insistent.

The doctor held the baby. A boy. Small. Red. Screaming. "It's a boy."

Jay's face was wet. Her hands were shaking. "A boy."

The nurse placed the baby on her chest. The skin was warm. The eyes were closed. The mouth was open. The lungs were strong.

Keifer touched his face. His fingers were shaking. His face was wet. "He's perfect."

Jay looked at her son. At the small face. At the tiny fingers. At the life they had made. "Alexander. Alexander Watson."

The baby's eyes opened. Just a slit. Just enough. Dark eyes. Jay's eyes. Keifer's heart.

---

The waiting room was silent when the doctor came out.

Percy stood up. His hands were shaking. His face was wet. "Are they okay? Is Jay okay? Are the babies—"

The doctor smiled. "They're all healthy. A girl and a boy. Aurora and Alexander. Both strong. Both beautiful. Both perfect."

Percy's knees buckled. Honey caught him. His face was wet. "A girl and a boy. A girl and a boy."

Honey held him. "A girl and a boy."

Aries was crying. Ella was holding them. Rakki was crying. Ci N was holding her. Mica was crying. Calix was holding her. Freya was crying. Erdix was holding her. Grace was crying. Denzel was holding her. Kuya Angelo was crying. Ion was holding him. Tita Gemma was crying. Tita Rachel was holding her. Keiran was jumping. His voice was loud. "A GIRL AND A BOY! A GIRL AND A BOY!"

Keigan stood in the corner. His arms were crossed. His face was cold. His eyes were red.

Alex sat in the corner. His hands were empty. His face was pale. His eyes were on the door. Lyra was at home. Lyra was sleeping. Lyra was waiting.

"She missed it," Alex said. His voice was low. His voice was breaking. "She missed the birth. She missed the twins. She missed—"

Percy walked to him. He knelt in front of him. His hands were on Alex's shoulders. "She didn't miss it. She's going to see them. She's going to hold them. She's going to—"

Alex's face was wet. "She's not waking up."

Percy pulled him close. "She will. She will."

---

The room was quiet when they brought the twins in.

Jay lay in the bed, her face pale, her eyes tired, her arms full. Aurora was on her chest, small and pink, her eyes closed, her breathing soft. Alexander was beside her, small and red, his fists clenched, his face serious.

Keifer sat beside the bed. His hand was in Jay's. His face was wet. His eyes were on his children.

"They're beautiful," Keifer said.

Jay smiled. It was small. Tired. Real. "They're perfect."

Keifer touched Aurora's face. Her skin was soft. Her lips were parted. Her hair was dark. "She has your eyes."

Jay touched Alexander's hand. His fingers curled around hers. "He has your stubbornness."

Keifer laughed. "He's going to be trouble."

Jay pulled him close. "They're both going to be trouble."

---

The door opened. Percy stood in the doorway. His face was wet. His hands were shaking. His voice was low.

"Can I see them?"

Jay smiled. "Come in."

Percy walked to the bed. His steps were slow. His hands were empty. He looked at Aurora. At her small face. At her tiny fingers. At her closed eyes. "She's beautiful."

He looked at Alexander. At his serious face. At his clenched fists. At his dark eyes. "He's perfect."

He looked at Jay. His face was wet. "You're a mother."

Jay's eyes were wet. "I'm a mother."

Percy pulled her close. His arms were around her. His face was in her hair. "I'm so proud of you."

She held him. "I know."

---

The family came. One by one. Aries and Ella. Rakki and Ci N. Mica and Calix. Freya and Erdix. Grace and Denzel. Kuya Angelo and Ion. Tita Gemma and Tita Rachel. Keiran and Keigan.

They held the twins. They touched their faces. They whispered their names. They cried. They laughed. They loved.

Aurora slept. Alexander watched. His eyes were dark. His face was serious. He was watching. He was waiting. He was ready.

Keiran held Aurora. His hands were careful. His face was bright. "She's so small."

Keigan stood beside him. His arms were crossed. His face was cold. His eyes were soft. "She's small."

Keiran looked at him. "You want to hold her?"

Keigan's face didn't change. "No."

Keiran pushed Aurora into his arms. Keigan's arms came up. He held her. His face was cold. His eyes were not. She was small. She was warm. She was his family.

Keiran grinned. "You love her."

Keigan's face didn't change. "She's acceptable."

Keiran laughed. "You love her."

Keigan looked at Aurora. At her small face. At her tiny fingers. At her closed eyes. "I love her."

---

Alex stood in the doorway. His hands were empty. His face was pale. His eyes were on the twins.

Jay saw him. "Alex."

He walked to the bed. His steps were slow. His hands were empty. He looked at Aurora. At her small face. At her tiny fingers. At her closed eyes. "She's beautiful."

He looked at Alexander. At his serious face. At his clenched fists. At his dark eyes. "He's perfect."

Jay took his hand. "She's going to wake up. She's going to see them. She's going to hold them."

Alex's face was wet. "I know."

Jay squeezed his hand. "Take them to her."

Alex looked at her. "What?"

Jay picked up Aurora. She was light. She was warm. She was breathing. "Take them to Lyra. Let her feel them. Let her know they're here. Let her know they're waiting."

Alex's hands were shaking. "I can't. What if she doesn't—"

Jay placed Aurora in his arms. She was small. She was light. She was his family. "She will."

---

The room was quiet when Alex walked in.

The machines beeped. The monitors glowed. The roses were red on the table beside Lyra's bed. Fresh roses. Percy brought them every morning.

Alex sat beside the bed. Aurora was in his arms. Her eyes were closed. Her breathing was soft. Her hand was a fist.

"Lyra," Alex said. His voice was low. His voice was breaking. "Lyra, wake up. Please wake up."