The first three days of official bed rest at the Black Box were torture. Keifer had turned our master suite into a high-tech fortress. He had installed a silent mini-fridge (filled only with "healthy" greens), a specialized orthopedic mattress, and he even had a security monitor on his desk that showed a live feed of me resting.
"I'm a surgeon, not a prisoner!" I grumbled into my pillow
But Keifer had a major board meeting in Makati that he couldn't cancel—something about a new medical wing for the Watson Group. The moment his convoy cleared the front gates, the "Secret Meeting" was officially in session.
I grabbed my phone and hit the Section E group chat. Jay: "The keifer has left the building. Code Red. Bring the contraband."
Within twenty minutes, the silence of the mansion was shattered. I heard the front door burst open, followed by the familiar chaotic thundering of footsteps on the stairs
The bedroom door swung open. Keigan and Keiran led the charge, looking like they were smuggling state secrets. Keigan unzipped his hoodie to reveal three bags of extra-spicy chips and a bottle of mountain dew. Keiran pulled two tubs of "street-style" fishballs and squidballs from his backpack, still steaming.
"We had to bribe the gate guards with Keifer's vintage scotch to let the delivery guy in," Keiran whispered, locking the bedroom door. "Mumma, you owe us big time."
The Squad Arrives
Behind them filed in the rest of the army. Mica and Calix (carrying their 5-month-old), Freya and Erdix (trying to keep their toddler from jumping on my bed), and Felix, Kit, and Eren, who were carrying enough takeout boxes to feed a small village.
"We brought the BBQ sauce!" Kit announced, presenting it like a trophy. "And Eren brought three types of mango ice cream just in case your mood swung mid-meal."
"You guys are lifesavers," I sobbed—partly from hunger, partly from 8th-month hormones. "Keifer has been feeding me nothing but steamed kale and quinoa. I think Alexander is trying to kick his way out just to find a burger."
The Chaos in the Suite
In minutes, my pristine, white-sheeted bed was transformed into a picnic ground.
Felix and David were sitting on the floor, showing Rory and Emman videos of the "BBQ-Shrimp incident
Mica and Rakki were sitting on the edge of the bed, helpfully dipping fries into my mango ice cream for me.
C in was actually checking my pulse while eating a spring roll. "As your doctor, I disapprove. As your friend... pass the spicy vinegar."
Aries and Ella were sitting in the corner with Tita Gemma, who had secretly brought a tray of her homemade lechon kawali. "Don't tell your mother," Tita whispered, "but a little fat is good for the babies' brains."
Percy and Ate Honey were busy setting up a portable projector on the wall so we could watch a movie. "We're watching a comedy," Honey decided. "No medical dramas. Jay doesn't need to critique the surgical techniques right now."
The "False" Alarm
We were in the middle of a heated debate—Moya and Kit were arguing about whether Aurora's first dress should be silk or velvet—when the security intercom buzzed.
"Ma'am Jay? Sir Keifer is at the gate. He forgot his briefcase."
The room went into a state of pure, unadulterated panic.
"SCATTER!" Felix hissed, grabbing a box of pizza and sliding under the bed. Keigan and Keiran started frantically stuffing chip bags into the closet. Kit grabbed a bottle of Febreze and started spraying the air like a madman to hide the smell of BBQ sauce. Mica and Calix scrambled into the ensuite bathroom with their baby, while C in quickly threw a blanket over the pile of takeout boxes and sat on them.
I grabbed a medical journal, threw my glasses on, and tried to look "rested."
The Confrontation
The door opened. Keifer walked in, looking sharp, powerful, and very suspicious. He stopped, sniffing the air.
"Why does it smell like... hickory smoke and Febreze in here?" he asked, his eyes narrowing as they swept the room. He looked at C in, who was sitting very stiffly on a suspicious lump under a blanket. "C in? Why are you sitting on my wife's laundry?"
"I'm... testing the firmness of the cushions!" C in squeaked.
Keifer walked over to the bed. He looked at me. I gave him my most innocent, "Starlight" smile.
"You're home early, hubby," I cooed.
Keifer didn't say a word. He reached down and pulled the blanket back. A half-eaten burger and a tub of BBQ sauce were revealed. Then, a muffled sneeze came from under the bed.
"Felix," Keifer said calmly. "If you don't want me to double your gym membership fees, come out from under there."
One by one, the squad emerged. Keigan and Keiran peeked out from the closet, looking sheepish. Keifer looked at the mess, the family, and the guilty faces of Section E.
I prepared for the "Monster" roar. I expected him to kick everyone out. But instead, Keifer looked at my face—my messy, BBQ-sauce-stained, happy face—and let out a long, heavy sigh.
He took off his suit jacket, loosened his tie, and sat down on the only empty spot on the bed. He reached into a box, grabbed a cold fry, and dipped it into my mango ice cream.
"If you're going to have a secret party," Keifer muttered, taking a bite and grimacing, "you could have at least saved me some of the spicy fishballs."
The room erupted in cheers. The "Secret Meeting" wasn't a secret anymore, but as the whole family piled back onto the bed, I realized that even a "Monster" couldn't resist the chaos of a Watson-Mariano reunion.
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