JAY JAY POV
They kept firing questions at me from every direction — but honestly, it was mostly Keifer answering like he was the spokesperson of my life.
Then Ci‑N suddenly leaned forward, eyes sharp in that nosy‑little‑brother way of his.
"So… are you two okay now?"
The room went quiet.
Keifer looked at me.
I looked at Ci‑N.
I took a breath.
"It's whatever you guys want to think," I said.
Rory leaned forward, eyes squinting.
"So… a yes?"
I looked at all of them. "Are we okay now?"
Felix shrugged, sipping his coffee like this was a casual gossip session.
"I mean, you let him in, so my guess is a big old yes."
I nodded once.
"Then that's the answer for Keifer and me."
I stood up.
The entire room froze.
Section E stared.
Aries blinked.
Kuya Angelo's jaw dropped.
Even Percy paused mid‑tickle attack with the kids.
Then Keifer shot up from the sofa like a man who just heard his name called in church.
"Jay, wait," he said, practically tripping over the coffee table to follow me.
I didn't.
I walked straight to the kids, who were still climbing all over Percy like he was a jungle gym.
"Let's go make breakfast," I said, tapping Kevin's shoulder.
Because out of all my kids, only he likes to cook.
The other two?
They like to order food and eat like tiny royalty.
Kevin perked up immediately.
"Okay, Mama!"
Kade and Keira?
They just waved like little bosses dismissing their staff.
Behind me, I could feel Keifer's eyes glued to my back — confused, relieved, and absolutely dying to follow me.
But Section E?
They were already exploding.
"She forgave us!" Ci‑N whisper‑shouted like he'd just uncovered a government secret.
"That's it," Rory asked confused
Felix leaned back, smirking. "So they're back together."
I didn't even turn around.
The entire living room was still recovering from my fake meltdown when Kevin tugged my hand.
"No," I said loudly, grabbing Kevin's hand. "I hate you guys. Get out of my house."
Silence.
Actual, stunned, nobody‑breathing silence.
"Ma, are you mad?" Kevin asked, eyes wide.
I softened immediately.
"No, baby. I was just messing with them."
Kevin nodded like a tiny CEO.
"Let's make waffles."
Behind us, chaos detonated.
"WHAT THE FUCK—"
"SHE WAS JUST JOKING?!"
"JAY, I SWEAR TO GOD—"
"YOU GAVE ME A HEART ATTACK—"
"STOP FUCKING JOKING LIKE THAT—"
I slammed a pan onto the counter.
"The next person that cusses in this house, I will kick them out!"
Instant silence.
I wasn't about to let my four‑year‑olds start cussing like Section E.
Then someone muttered, "Like you don't cuss every ten seconds."
I spun around so fast the air shifted.
"Son of a—" I stopped myself mid‑cuss. "Who said that?"
I held the pan like a weapon.
Everyone went quiet.
Then Kuya Angelo stepped forward, calm and collected.
"I will help you guys," he said.
I nodded, grateful for at least one adult in this zoo.
Kevin tugged my shirt again.
"Ma, who is he?"
"One of your Titos," I told him.
Kevin blinked. "How many Titos will we have?"
Kuya chuckled, ruffling Kevin's hair.
"Many."
Kevin nodded like he was preparing himself for a lifetime of chaotic uncles, dramatic ninongs, and Section E disasters.
Kevin stood on his little stool beside Kuya Angelo, mixing the batter with the same exact posture Keifer always had — one hand in his pocket, chin slightly up, eyebrows lowered like he was judging the bowl.
Kuya watched him for a moment, confused… then amused.
"Why are you mixing like that?" Kuya asked.
Kevin didn't even look up.
"This is how Papa mixes."
Kuya snorted. "You're really copying him, huh?"
Kevin finally turned his head, slow and dramatic — exactly like Keifer.
Then he said:
"Tito… you're just jealous because you don't look cool when you cook."
The entire kitchen exploded.
My face tunred red because I was holding onto my laugh
Kuya Angelo blinked, stunned. "I— what— jealous?!"
Kevin shrugged, still mixing like a mini Keifer.
"Yeah. You look like a teacher doing homework."
Section E screamed.
Keifer, leaning on the doorway, smirked proudly.
"That's my boy."
Kuya pointed at Kevin, offended.
"I do NOT look like a teacher doing homework!"
Kevin nodded seriously.
"You do. You look like you're thinking too hard."
The room lost it again.
Ci‑N: "ANGELO GOT DESTROYED—"
Percy: "KEVIN PLEASE—"
Rory: "BRO HE'S FOUR—"
Eman: "HE COOKS BETTER THAN YOU TOO—"
Kuya threw his hands up.
"I came here to HELP!"
Kevin patted his arm like a disappointed parent.
"It's okay, Tito. Not everyone can be cool like Papa."
Keifer's ego grew three sizes.
And Kuya Angelo?
He just stood there, absolutely betrayed by a four‑year‑old.
"Kevin," I said finally, trying not to laugh. "Come on, be nice."
Kevin didn't even blink.
He turned to me, one hand still in his pocket like a tiny Keifer clone.
"I am being nice," he said calmly. "If I wasn't nice, I would've said he mixes like Kade."
Section E exploded.
Ci‑N fell off the couch.
Aries slapped his knee.
Kuya Angelo stared at Kevin, horrified.
"K‑Kade mixes badly?"
Kevin shrugged.
"He mixes like he's fighting the bowl."
Kade stomped into the kitchen, offended.
"I DO NOT!"
Kevin raised one eyebrow — the same exact way Keifer does when he's judging someone.
"Yes, you do."
Kade gasped dramatically.
"MA! Kevin is bullying me!"
I sighed, rubbing my forehead.
"Enough. Let's focus or we won't have anything for breakfast."
Kevin nodded like a tiny sous‑chef. Kuya Angelo tried to look useful. Section E tried to look innocent. None of them succeeded.
Then Keifer walked in.
Hands in his pockets.
Smirk on his face.
Voice dripping with confidence he absolutely did not earn.
"Need any help, wifey?"
The entire kitchen froze.
I turned slowly, glaring at Keifer like I was about to throw the frying pan at him.
"Call me your wife one more time," I said, voice low and dangerous, "and I will smack you."
Keifer didn't even flinch.
He just smiled.
That stupid, soft, I‑know-you-won't-really-kill-me smile.
Behind him, Section E collectively leaned back like they were watching a bomb about to go off.
Kevin tugged my shirt.
"Ma… Papa's gonna die?"
Keifer crouched down to Kevin's level, still smirking.
"No, buddy. Papa's immortal."
I raised the pan.
He stood up immediately.
"Okay—okay—maybe not immortal."
The room erupted in laughter.
Somehow — by a miracle, divine intervention, or pure stubbornness — we actually finished making breakfast.
"Keira, go call your Tita Mia," I said, handing her a plate.
Keira nodded and ran off.
Felix looked up from his coffee. "Who is Mia?"
"Jay's friend," Keifer answered before I could.
Ci‑N snapped his fingers. "Oh! The black‑haired one that was here before?"
I nodded. "Yeah."
Keifer leaned against the counter, smirking.
"She probably glared at you guys and muttered some curses."
Rory blinked. "How do you know, Keifer?"
I didn't even look up from the waffles.
"Because that's exactly what she did to Keifer."
The room exploded.
Ci‑N: "SHE CURSED AT YOU?!"
Percy: "BRO WHAT DID YOU DO?!"
Felix: "I KNEW SHE DIDN'T LIKE YOU—"
David: "Honestly, understandable."
Aries: "What did you say to her?"
Keifer threw his hands up.
"I didn't even do anything! She just walked in, saw me, and said 'oh hell no' under her breath."
I shrugged.
"She has good instincts."
Keifer gasped dramatically.
"Wow. Betrayed by my own wife."
I glared.
"Say wife again. I dare you."
He shut up immediately.
Section E screamed laughing, still recovering from the chaos.
Then Mia and Caleb walked in like they owned the place.
Mia scanned the room, unimpressed.
"What do you have for your guests?" she asked, rolling her eyes so hard they almost spun out of her skull.
"Mia," I warned.
"What?" she said, already annoyed.
"Stop rolling your eyes. They might fall."
She rolled them again — on purpose.
Section E choked.
Then she pointed at Aries.
"Is this your brother?"
I nodded. "That's Aries."
Mia squinted.
"Like the horoscope?"
I almost burst out laughing.
Aries blinked. "I— what?"
Before Mia could continue roasting people at random, Caleb stepped in like a tired firefighter trying to put out a house blaze.
"Mia, babe, I think your hormones are early," he said gently, placing a hand on her shoulder. Then he turned to the room with a polite, apologetic smile.
"Sorry, everyone. My wife is pregnant. Please try to understand."
The room went silent.
Then, one by one, everyone nodded like they were in a support group.
"We understand," Denzel said seriously.
"Of course you do," Mia shot back instantly.
"Mia," I warned, giving her the look.
She didn't even blink.
"What? I'm pregnant, not mute."
Caleb sighed like a man who had accepted his fate.
"She's been like this since yesterday."
Mia crossed her arms. "I'm allowed to have opinions."
Ci‑N whispered to Percy, "She's scarier than Jay."
Mia's head snapped toward him.
"I heard that."
Ci‑N jumped behind Percy like a coward.
Percy shoved him away. "Don't hide behind me, bro! She's pregnant, not a zombie!"
Mia narrowed her eyes. "Keep talking, Percy. I'll show you pregnant."
Caleb gently pulled her back.
"Babe… deep breaths. Remember what the doctor said."
Mia rolled her eyes. "The doctor said I'm hormonal, not violent."
Felix muttered, "Same thing."
Mia glared at him so hard he physically leaned back.
I pinched the bridge of my nose.
"Can we please eat before someone dies?"
Section E nodded like terrified schoolchildren.