JAY JAY POV
"Kuya, stay here for dinner," I said, still catching my breath from the chaos.
Kuya shook his head as he peeled off the tiara and wiped the glitter from his face.
"Not possible, Jay. Ion and Aion will be waiting for us. We'll get going."
Aries was already ripping off the skirt like it personally offended him.
"Then come tomorrow. It's the kids' birthday," I reminded them. "Tell everyone. I forgot to inform them."
They both nodded immediately — because no one in this family dared miss the kids' birthday.
"Kuya, we will get going," Keigan said, adjusting his shirt.
"Keigan, stay over for the night," I said, stopping him before he could leave.
He shook his head. "Not possible, Jay. We both have school tomorrow."
I sighed. "Fine. Then come tomorrow evening."
They nodded again.
Keiran walked over and hugged Keifer tightly, like nothing had happened earlier.
But Keigan…
Keigan didn't hug him.
He just held Keifer's gaze — a long, tense, unreadable eye contact that said everything they weren't saying out loud.
Keifer didn't look away.
Keigan didn't either.
And something in my chest tightened.
This wasn't just awkward.
This was a crack forming.
A silent distance growing.
A wound neither of them wanted to talk about.
I watched them, my heart sinking a little.
I had to fix this.
Before it went further.
Before it became something they couldn't come back from.
Keigan and Keiran left, the door clicking shut behind them, and the house finally settled into a quieter rhythm.
I looked at the kids.
"Me and Papa will make dinner for you guys," I said.
They nodded eagerly and turned on the TV, already absorbed in whatever cartoon was playing.
Keifer followed me into the kitchen.
I started gathering ingredients, trying to focus on chopping vegetables instead of the tension still lingering from earlier.
Then I felt his arms wrap around my waist from behind, his head resting on my shoulder like he always did when he wanted peace.
"Keifer," I said quietly.
"Hmm?" he murmured, warm breath brushing my neck.
"When will you talk to Keigan?"
"I'm talking to him," he said.
I shook my head. "But not like you talk to Keiran. Keifer, the past is the past. Leave it alone."
"But Jay, what he did—"
I pulled out of his arms, turning to face him fully.
"Keifer. Leave the past."
He looked frustrated, jaw tightening. "Jay, I'm not like you. What if he does it again?"
I stared at him. "What do you mean you're not like me?"
"You forgive, Jay. I can't."
That hit me harder than I expected.
"Keifer, if I forgave you… and Section E… and Kuya… then why can't you forgive Keigan?" I snapped, louder than I meant to.
His eyes flickered, but he didn't back down.
"It's not that easy," he said, voice low.
"I don't understand what is so hard!" I yelled, the frustration boiling over.
The second those words left my mouth —
"I don't really understand what is so hard!" —
the whole kitchen shifted.
Keifer's eyes snapped up to mine, sharp, hurt, defensive all at once.
"Jay, don't yell at me," he said, voice low but trembling with frustration.
"Then explain it to me!" I shot back. "Because all I see is you pushing your own brother away for something that happened years ago!"
He ran a hand through his hair, pacing once, twice.
"You think it's that simple? You think I can just forget what he did?"
"Yes!" I yelled. "Because I did! I forgave you, Keifer! I forgave everyone! Why can't you do the same?"
He stopped pacing and looked at me like I'd slapped him.
"I'm not you," he said quietly. "I don't forgive that easily."
"And what does that mean?" I demanded. "That I'm stupid for forgiving? That I'm weak?"
His eyes widened. "I never said that."
"You implied it."
"No, Jay—" he stepped closer, but I stepped back.
"Keifer, you're holding onto something that's hurting you more than it's hurting him."
He clenched his jaw. "He betrayed me."
"And you think you didn't betray me?" I snapped before I could stop myself.
Silence.
A heavy, suffocating silence.
Keifer's face fell — not angry, not defensive — just… wounded.
"Jay…" he whispered, voice cracking. "That's not fair."
I swallowed hard, guilt hitting me instantly, but the frustration was still burning too hot to stop.
"You can't expect everyone to be perfect except you," I said, softer but still firm. "Keigan made a mistake. A big one. But he's trying. And you're shutting him out."
Keifer looked away, breathing uneven.
"I'm scared," he finally said, voice barely audible.
I froze.
"What?" I asked, softer now.
He swallowed hard. "I'm scared he'll hurt you again. I'm scared he'll hurt us again. I'm scared I'll trust him and he'll ruin everything."
My anger melted instantly.
Because that wasn't stubbornness.
That was fear.
Deep, old, unhealed fear.
I stepped closer, placing a hand on his cheek.
"Keifer… you're not protecting us by pushing him away. You're just hurting yourself."
His eyes closed, leaning into my touch like he needed it to breathe.
"I don't know how to let it go," he whispered.
I sighed, resting my forehead against his.
"Just let it go, Keifer. He's your own brother. He also faced problems," I whispered, my voice softer now.
Keifer's eyes lowered, and after a long moment, he nodded.
"For you," he murmured.
That made me smile — small, warm, relieved.
"Good," I said, tapping his chest lightly. "Now go make dinner for us."
He blinked. "Why? I thought it was you and me."
"It was," I said, turning back to the counter, "but that was before you argued with me. Now go. The kids will get hungry."
Keifer stared at me like I'd just betrayed him again.
"Jay… that's not fair."
"It is," I said, grabbing the chopping board. "Actions have consequences."
He groaned dramatically, dragging his feet toward the stove like a punished teenager.
"You're punishing me with cooking," he muttered.
"Yes," I said sweetly. "And you're lucky I'm not making you wear the princess skirt again."
He froze.
"…I'll start cooking."
I smirked.
From the living room, the kids yelled, "PAPA HURRY WE'RE HUNGRY!"
Keifer sighed like the world's most exhausted father.
"See?" I said. "Go."
He shot me a look — half annoyed, half in love — then started pulling out pans.
And just like that, the kitchen filled with the soft sounds of him cooking, the kids laughing in the background, and the quiet warmth of a family settling back into peace after a storm.
I sat on the counter, swinging my legs while Keifer moved around the kitchen like a grumpy chef who'd been sentenced to hard labor.
"Make dessert too," I said casually. "Maybe some chocolate cookies won't hurt."
He froze mid‑stir.
"Jay—" he started, already sounding betrayed.
"Do it," I said, pointing at the mixing bowl like a queen issuing royal orders.
Keifer turned slowly, eyebrows raised, lips pressed into a thin line.
"You're punishing me," he said flatly.
"Yes," I replied, smiling sweetly. "And you deserve it."
He stared at me for a long moment, then sighed dramatically, grabbing the flour like it had personally offended him.
"You know," he muttered, "most people punish their husbands with silence. Or chores. Not… baking."
"You're welcome," I said.
Keifer finally finished cooking, and I called out to the kids.
"Kids, dinner is ready!" I yelled.
"Keira, go call Mia," I told her.
A moment later, Mia came downstairs with Keira and Caleb. They all sat at the table, and we started eating, talking, and laughing like always.
Keifer and Caleb talking while me and Mia were talking about the latest gossip and the kids in their own world
In the middle of dinner, Mia looked at me and said, "Jay… we're planning to move out after the kids' birthday tomorrow."
I paused. "Why?" I asked her.
Caleb answered gently, "It's nothing serious, Jay. We just don't want to trouble you. And with Mia being pregnant, things are going to get hectic. Her mood swings already started."
"So what? She dealt with my mood swings," I said, trying to lighten the moment.
Mia gave me a small smile. "I know, Jay. It's just… we want some privacy too. And we already bought a house here. It's only a few blocks away."
I exhaled slowly.
"Fine. If that's what you want, I won't force you to stay."
Dinner ended quietly after that — warm, but with a little ache sitting in my chest. Still, we cleaned up together, and then it was time to put the kids to sleep.
I tucked each of them in, kissing their foreheads one by one.
"Good night, kids," I whispered. "Love you."
"Good night, Mama," they all said, voices soft and sleepy. "Love you more."
Keifer leaned down and kissed them too, murmuring his own goodnights, brushing hair out of their faces like he always did.
When the lights were off and the door was closed, the house finally felt still.
We walked to our room together, the quiet settling between us — not heavy, just… calm.
I slipped onto the bed, lying down with a long sigh, letting the day finally catch up to me — the mall, the chaos, the princess disaster, the fight, the emotions, Mia's news.
Everything.
The mattress dipped a little as Keifer moved around the room, but I didn't look up. I just lay there, breathing, waiting to see what he would do next.
Keifer finally lay down beside me, the mattress dipping as he settled in. A second later, his arm slid around my waist and he pulled me close, chest pressed against my back
"I'm sorry," he murmured, voice low and tired but honest. "I will never leave you again… even if you tell me to."
My chest tightened — not with pain this time, but with something warm and soft and a little fragile.
"I hope so," I whispered, snuggling deeper into him, letting his warmth wrap around me.
Keifer smiled against my hair
His arms tightened around my waist, holding me like he was anchoring himself — like I was the only place he wanted to be.