The 8th month arrived with a tension so thick it could be cut with a surgical blade. Jay was now under total "Black Box Lockdown," confined to the master suite with a rotating shift of Ci n, Mica, and Freya monitoring her vitals every hour.
Since Jay couldn't leave, Keifer issued a mandatory "Mission: Nursery Completion" order. He didn't just send the family shopping; he rented out the most exclusive mall in Manila for a private, five-hour chaotic shopping spree.
POV: Keifer (Mark Keifer Watson)
I stood in the center of the mall atrium, my earpiece humming with the chatter of Section E. I had a live feed of Jay's medical monitors on my watch. My goal was simple: buy everything. If Jay even looked at a picture of something in a magazine, I wanted it in the mansion by sunset.
"Listen up," I barked into the comms. "Keigan, Keiran, you're on furniture. Percy, Aries, you're on toys—try not to buy anything that vibrates or glows with 'cosmic energy.' Section E, you're on tactical gear and clothing. Angelo, keep them from burning the mall down."
The Chaos in the Aisles
Section E took "baby shopping" to a level of insanity that only billionaires and mercenaries could achieve
Ci n & Rakki: Instead of looking at onesies, Ci n was in the high-end electronics store. "I need a portable, hospital-grade incubator that can fit in the back of my SUV," he muttered. Rakki was busy buying a designer briefcase. "For her legal documents," she explained. "Astraea needs to be ready for her first board meeting by six months."
Erdix & Rory: They were in the security boutique. "Does this diaper bag have a hidden compartment for a Glock?" Rory asked a terrified salesclerk. Erdix was busy syncing the store's smart-cribs to his laptop. "I'm optimizing the lullaby frequencies," he said. "The factory settings are trash."
Mayo & Kit: They had taken over the candy and cafe section. "We need a chocolate fountain for the nursery," Mayo insisted. Kit was nodding. "Sugar is a basic food group for Watsons."
POV: Jay (Jasper Jean Mariano) - Back at the Black Box
I was propped up on my bed, looking at the "Shopping Live Stream" Felix had set up for me. I was in my "Savage" 8th-month mood, fueled by boredom and the heavy weight of my belly.
"PERCY!" I yelled into the tablet. Percy (Blue Eyes) jumped in the middle of the toy aisle. "Put that giant teddy bear back! It's ten feet tall! Where is it going to sleep? In the guest room?!"
"It's a guardian bear, Jay!" Percy shouted back at the camera.
"It's a dust magnet, Blue Eyes! Move to the clothes section! And Aries, put down that 'Healing Crystal Cradle'! If I see one more rock, I'm banning you from the delivery room!"
I looked at Alexander, who was sitting on the edge of my bed, helping me "reject" items on the screen. "That one, Mumma!" he pointed. "Donald said we need the golden sword for Baby Astra!"
"No swords, Alexander," I sighed, though I smiled when I saw Keifer in the background of the video, personally inspecting the thread count of silk baby blankets.
The Family Rivalry
The shopping trip turned into a competition between the Marianos and the Watsons.
Ma (Jeena) and Tita Gemma were in the boutique section, picking out delicate hand-made lace gowns. "She needs to look like a lady," Ma said firmly.
Suddenly, Keigan and Keiran ran past with a miniature, motorized Watson-Security jeep. "She needs to look like a Boss!" Keiran yelled.
Kuya Angelo was walking calmly with Lia, Ion, and the twins, Aryan and Arina. The 8-year-old twins were picking out matching outfits for Astraea. "She has to dress like us, Tito Keifer!" Arina insisted, throwing five sets of designer dresses into the cart.
Denzel and Grace were arguing with Calix and Mica over which baby monitor had the best resolution. "My monitor uses satellite tracking!" Denzel boasted. "Mine uses AI to predict the baby's mood before she even cries!" Calix countered.
The Heartbeat of the Mission
As the chaos reached its peak, Keifer walked into a quiet, high-end jewelry store. He didn't look at the watches or the rings. He walked to a display of rare, pink diamonds.
"I want a necklace," he said to the jeweler. "One for my wife, and a smaller, matching one for my daughter. Something that says they are the only stars in my sky."
On the live feed, I saw him pick out two perfect, shimmering stones. My heart skipped a beat. The 8th month was terrifying—my body felt like it was failing, and the "Critical" warning from Ci n was always in the back of my mind—but seeing my husband and my chaotic family preparing for Astraea made the fear bearable.
The Return to the Black Box
By evening, five delivery trucks arrived at the Black Box. Section E was tasked with unloading, which turned into a wrestling match between Rory and Drew over who got to carry the "Tactical Stroller."
"Ate! Look what I got!" Donald and Grazel Jay ran into my room, showing off tiny superhero capes they had bought for the baby.
The nursery was filled within hours. It was a mess of lace, silk, carbon fiber, crystals, and high-tech medical gear.
Keifer walked into the room last, his face tired but his eyes soft as he looked at me. He handed me a small velvet box. "For the Queen of the Fortress," he whispered.
I opened it to see the pink diamond. "It's beautiful, hubby. But you know she's going to spit up on this within five minutes, right?"
"Then I'll buy her another one," he shrugged, sitting on the bed and pulling me into his arms.
As the family gathered in the hallway, arguing about where to put the ten-foot teddy bear, the 8th month ended with a feeling of overwhelming abundance. We had the gear, we had the clothes, and we had the fortress. Now, all we needed was for the star to arrive—and for her mother to stay.