Jay pov
The seventh month of carrying Alexander and Aurora felt like I was lugging around two very active bowling balls that liked to kick each other. But today, the "Nesting Instinct" had reached a fever pitch, and I had summoned the entire Watson clan and the Section E squad for a mission: The Ultimate Baby Takeover.
The luxury wing of the mall was officially closed to the public. You'd think we were preparing for a national event, but no—the Watsons and the Marianos were just going baby shopping.
I walked at the center of the pack, flanked by Keifer, who looked like a protective gargoyle. Behind us was a literal army of family and friends.
"Alright, listen up!" I called out, waddling slightly. "We have two babies coming—Alexander and Aurora. We need double of everything, but different colors. Kit, you're in charge of aesthetics. Moya, check the safety ratings. Felix, try not to get lost in the lingerie section again."
Hey! That was one time!" Felix complained, while Eren laughed, checking his phone. "Don't worry, Jay," Eren winked. "I've got three 'consultants' on FaceTime right now to tell us what's trendy." "By 'consultants,' he means girlfriends," David muttered, rolling his eyes as Rory and Emman laughed.
The Boutique Bedlam
We entered the high-end nursery store, and it was instant chaos.
Mica and Calix were pushing their 5-month-old son's stroller. "Jay, look at this teething ring!" Mica suggested, while Calix was busy comparing the structural integrity of two different cribs.
Freya and Erdix were chasing their 1.5-year-old son, who was currently trying to climb a display of stuffed bears. "Erdix, catch him!" Freya yelled. "He's a Watson-trained climber!"
My family was just as busy. Tita Gemma and Tito were debating over silver spoons, while my parents, Jeena and Jasper Mariano, were already crying over tiny baby socks. "Our little Jay-jay is having her own Jay-jays," my mom sobbed.
Kuya Angelo and Ion—the veteran twin parents—were giving Keifer a stern lecture. "Listen, Keif," Angelo said, holding one of his twins while the other pulled on his ear. "Buy the double-sized coffee machine. You'll need it."
Aries and Ella were focused on the 'horoscope' vibes. "Aries says the babies are going to be strong-willed," Aries (my horoscope brother) declared, while Ella picked out two tiny silk robes.
My step-brother Percy and Ate Honey were arguing over toys. "He needs a drone!" Percy insisted. "She needs a dollhouse that has working electricity!" Honey countered.
The "Feeding" Dress Debate
I moved to the maternity section with the girls. Rakki and C in, our newly married couple, were helping me pick out breastfeeding dresses.
"This one is cute, Jay!" Rakki said, holding up a wrap-around. "I don't know," I frowned. "Will it fit the 'Double Watsons'?"
Keifer walked over, looked at the dress, and frowned. "Too low-cut. Absolutely not." "Keifer! It's for nursing!" I snapped. Keigan and Keiran popped their heads up from behind a rack of clothes. "Mumma, get the one with the pockets! You can hide snacks in there!" Keigan suggested. "Yeah, Mumma, pockets are life," Keiran agreed.
The Lunch of Legends
After four hours, we took over a massive seafood restaurant. We pushed five tables together. At the head of the table sat Grace and Denzel with 5-year-old Gracel Jay, who was busy coloring on her placemat.
Everyone ordered: Steak for Keifer, pasta for Rakki and C in, and a mountain of appetizers for Eren, David, and Rory.
Then, my order arrived. The table went dead silent.
I had a giant bowl of Mango Ice Cream, a plate of Grilled Tiger Shrimps, and a small porcelain bowl of thick, dark Barbecue Sauce.
"Jay... what is that?" Tita Gemma asked, horrified. "Lunch," I said simply.
I picked up the BBQ sauce and drizzled it—thick and sticky—all over the cold, yellow mango ice cream.
Oh, gross!" Felix gagged, while Emman looked like he wanted to faint. "That is a crime against culinary arts," Calix noted, though he was recording it on his phone.
I didn't care. I picked up a shrimp, dunked it deep into the BBQ-Ice-Cream mixture, and took a massive, blissful bite.
"MMM!" I moaned. "It's perfect. Salty, sweet, and smoky."
The Teasing Inferno
"That's it. The babies are going to be born with BBQ birthmarks," Kit joked, pointing at my bowl. "Keifer, look at your wife!" Aries laughed. "She's lost it!"
Keifer was staring at my plate with a look of terrified adoration. He looked at the BBQ-covered shrimp I was holding, then at me. "You want a bite, hubby?" I offered, moving it toward his mouth.
Keifer backed up so fast he almost hit Tito. "I love you, weify. I would fight a lion for you. I would sign over the Watson Group to you. But I am not eating a BBQ shrimp sundae."
"Chicken," I teased, while Keigan and Keiran made gagging noises. "I'll eat it for five hundred pesos!" Keigan shouted. "Don't you dare, Keigan," Jeena (my mom) warned. "You'll be in the bathroom for a week!"
Gracel Jay looked at my bowl and then at her mom. "Mommy, can I have BBQ ice cream too?" "NO!" Grace and Denzel shouted in perfect unison.
As we sat there—a huge, loud, messy mix of Watsons, Marianos, and Section E—I felt the babies kick in perfect rhythm. They were already used to the chaos. My husband was 'whipped,' my friends were crazy, and my lunch was disgusting to everyone but me. It was perfect.
The teasing didn't stop with the shrimp. In fact, it escalated into a full-blown Watson-Mariano comedy roast.
"I'm a doctor, and I'm telling you, that combination is going to create a new element on the periodic table," Mica laughed, leaning over to show Calix the video she just took. "Look at the way the BBQ sauce swirls into the mango. It looks like a crime scene!"
"It's not a crime scene, it's a masterpiece!" I countered, taking another huge, BBQ-drenched bite. I looked at my step-brother Percy and Ate Honey. "You guys want some? It's high in protein and... happiness."
"I love you, Jay, but I value my digestive system," Percy said, holding up his hands in defense. Honey just giggled, filming the whole thing. "Ate, you're definitely going to trend on the family group chat for this one."
The "Uncle" Challenge
Keigan, never one to back down from a dare, squinted at my plate. "Okay, wait. If Alexander and Aurora like it, maybe it's not that bad? Keiran, if I eat a piece, will you give me your new gaming headset?"
"Deal," Keiran smirked, leaning back. "But you have to swallow it. No spitting."
The whole table went silent as Keigan reached over with a fork. Keifer looked like he was watching a slow-motion car crash. Tita Gemma was clutching her chest. "Keigan, hijo, don't do it!"
Keigan stabbed a piece of shrimp, dipped it deep into the BBQ-covered mango ice cream until it was dripping, and shoved it into his mouth.
His face went through five stages of grief in three seconds. His eyes bugged out, his cheeks puffed, and he turned a strange shade of pale.
"Oh, he's going down!" Felix shouted, laughing so hard he almost fell off his chair. "Finish it, Keigan! The headset is waiting!" Eren egged him on, while David, Rory, and Emman started a rhythmic chant: "Swallow! Swallow! Swallow!"
Keigan finally gulped it down, his eyes watering. "It tastes like... like a sweet campfire that drowned in the ocean," he gasped, grabbing his water glass. "Keiran, keep the headset. It's not worth the trauma."
The Family Wisdom
My mother, Jeena, just shook her head, smiling at Jasper. "Remember when I was pregnant with Jay? I used to eat peanut butter with bagoong."
"Don't remind me," my dad laughed. "I had to drive to three different provinces just to find the right brand of shrimp paste at 3:00 AM."
Kuya Angelo and Ion were busy trying to keep their twins from throwing fries at Aries and Ella. "You think the food is the crazy part?" Angelo said, looking at Keifer. "Just wait until you have two different babies crying for two different things at the same time. One will want BBQ and the other will want ice cream. It's a preview of your life, Keif."
Keifer looked at me, then at my stomach, and then back at the BBQ mess on my plate. He let out a long, heavy sigh of defeat. He reached over and gently wiped a stray drop of sauce from the corner of my mouth.
"I've spent years building an empire so I could be in control," Keifer murmured, loud enough only for our end of the table to hear. "And yet, here I am, completely at the mercy of a woman who eats BBQ shrimp sundaes. I am so incredibly whipped."
At least you're a well-fed whipped husband," I teased, offering him the last shrimp.
"Get that away from me, weify," he chuckled, pulling me closer for a side-hug despite the smell of vinegar and mango.
The Shopping Finale
After lunch, we couldn't just leave. Section E decided we needed a "final walk-through."
Grace and Denzel let Gracel Jay pick out a "welcome gift" for the twins—she chose two matching teddy bears, one with a little stethoscope and one with a little CEO tie.
Rakki and C in bought us a "New Parents Survival Kit" which mostly consisted of high-end earplugs and a bottle of expensive champagne for "when they finally turn eighteen."
Tito and Tita Gemma loaded up the trunk of one of the SUVs with enough organic baby blankets to cover the entire city of Tagaytay.
As we walked back to the convoy of black vehicles, the sun setting behind the mall, I looked at our massive, crazy, beautiful group. Marianos, Watsons, and the chosen family of Section E.
"You okay, Mumma?" Keiran asked, noticing me slowing down. "Just full," I said, patting the twins. "And happy."
Keifer opened the door for me, hand-protecting my head as I climbed in. As the rest of the family waved us off, shouting about "BBQ Ice Cream" and "Twin Power," Keifer leaned in and kissed me—not a CEO kiss, but a husband kiss.
"Tomorrow," he whispered, "we are eating normal food. Or I'm moving into the guest house."
"We'll see what Aurora says about that, babe," I winked.
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