After a month of grueling recovery, the Black Box had finally transitioned from a hospital ward back into a fortress of luxury. Keifer was officially "fully operational," according to my latest scans, and he had decided to celebrate by arranging a private dinner on our rooftop terrace—away from the chaos of Section E and the prying eyes of the world.
07:00 PM: The Setup
POV: Jay
I was standing in front of the mirror, wearing a deep emerald silk dress that hugged every curve I'd forgotten I had while living in scrubs. I was finally feeling like "The Queen" again.
Keifer walked up behind me, looking devastatingly sharp in a black dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up, revealing the faint, silver scars on his forearms. He wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me back against his solid chest. His heartbeat was strong and steady—my favorite rhythm in the world.
"You look dangerous, wifey," he murmured, his lips grazing my neck. "I might have to cancel the dinner and just keep you in this room."
"Not a chance, hubby," I laughed, turning in his arms. "I've been eating hospital cafeteria food and protein shakes for weeks. I want that steak. And the wine."
08:30 PM: The Romantic "Date"
The terrace was breathtaking. The Manila skyline glittered like a sea of diamonds, and the air was filled with the scent of night-blooming jasmine. We were halfway through a bottle of vintage red, finally talking about things that didn't involve bandages or blood pressure.
"I was thinking about the sanctuary in the mountains," Keifer said, his hand covering mine on the table. "Once I'm at 100%, we should take the kids and—"
Thump. Thump. Thump.
The heavy glass doors to the terrace creaked open. We both froze.
A tiny, shadow-like figure emerged. It was Astraea, wearing her favorite "Ninja" onesie (a gift from Alexander) and dragging a plush dragon behind her. She didn't look sleepy. She looked like she was on a mission.
"Pa-pa!" she chirped, her eyes lighting up as she spotted the breadbasket on the table.
"Astra?" I sighed, looking at my wine glass. "You're supposed to be with Lia. It's past your bedtime."
Astraea ignored me completely. She crawled over to Keifer, used his expensive trousers as a climbing wall, and hauled herself into his lap. She grabbed a piece of sourdough and looked at us both with a look of pure, unadulterated triumph.
"Ma-ma!" she said, pointing at the steak on my plate. "Num num!"
09:00 PM: The Third Wheel
The romantic candlelit dinner for two had officially become a chaotic family picnic for three.
Keifer was currently cutting tiny, baby-sized pieces of wagyu beef while Astraea sat on his lap, effectively using his silk shirt as a napkin. She had managed to get a smudge of butter on his chin and was currently trying to "feed" him a piece of broccoli she'd rejected twice.
"So much for the 'private' date," Keifer muttered, though he was grinning as Astraea patted his cheek with a greasy hand.
"She's a Watson-Mariano, Keifer," I said, leaning back and sipping my wine while I watched the "Monster" being bullied by a one-year-old. "She knows when there's high-quality food being served. You can't exclude her from the strategy meeting."
Suddenly, another head popped out from behind the curtain. Alexander crept out, holding two plastic cups and a bottle of sparkling grape juice.
"I heard there was a party," he whispered, looking at us hopefully. "Rory said the rooftop was 'Infiltrated,' so I came to provide backup."
10:30 PM: The Real Sanctuary
The table was a mess. The candles had burned down, the steak was cold, and there were breadcrumbs everywhere.
Alexander was curled up on a lounge chair, fast asleep with his grape juice cup still in his hand. Astraea had finally conked out, her head resting directly on Keifer's chest, her tiny mouth slightly open as she snored softly.
I moved my chair closer to Keifer's, resting my head on his shoulder. He put his arm around me, his thumb tracing the strap of my dress.
This wasn't exactly what I planned," Keifer whispered, looking down at our sleeping children. "I wanted to give you a night where you didn't have to be a mother or a doctor. Just Jay."
"Hubby," I said, looking up at him, "I spent weeks in that ICU thinking I'd never see this again. The 'private dinner' was nice, but this?" I gestured to the kids. "This is the only version of 'peace' I ever want."
Keifer leaned down, kissing my forehead. "You're getting soft, Dr. Savage."
"Only for you three," I whispered. "Anyone else tries this and I'm calling security."
"Good," Keifer smirked, his eyes darkening with that familiar, possessive heat. "Because once they're in bed, I still plan on finishing that conversation about what I want to do to you."
"I'll hold you to that, Monster."