JAY JAY POV
After everything finally cooled down, the house felt quiet for the first time in hours.
Kaya was asleep between us, tiny chest rising and falling, her little hand curled into a fist.
Everyone had left to give us space.
The kids were asleep in their room — only because Keifer promised them ice cream tomorrow.
Otherwise, they would've glued themselves to my side.
Keifer slid onto the bed next to me, careful not to wake Kaya.
He lay on his side, facing us, his hair messy, his eyes tired but soft.
He reached out and gently touched Kaya's cheek with the back of his finger.
"She is perfect, Jay," he whispered.
Then he leaned in and kissed my forehead — slow, warm, full of everything he couldn't say out loud.
"We did good."
I smiled, still watching Kaya's tiny chest rise and fall between us.
Keifer brushed a thumb over her cheek, eyes soft in a way he only ever showed when he was overwhelmed.
"I can already tell she's gonna be a heart‑throbber," he murmured. "All our kids are gonna be… especially our girls."
I chuckled, leaning my head against his shoulder.
"Of course you'd say that," I teased. "You think everyone in this house is a heart‑throb."
He shrugged, not even denying it.
"Well, I mean… look at them," he said, gesturing vaguely toward the hallway where the kids were sleeping. "Kevin with his serious face, Kade with his puppy eyes, Keira with her sass… and now Kaya with those hazel eyes? We're doomed."
I laughed softly.
Kaya made a tiny noise in her sleep and curled closer to me, her little hand brushing Keifer's arm.
He melted instantly.
"See?" he whispered. "She already knows she's cute."
I nudged him gently.
"She's one hour old."
"Exactly," he said proudly. "Starting early."
I rolled my eyes, but my heart was full.
Keifer shifted closer, wrapping an arm around my shoulders while keeping his other hand resting protectively near Kaya.
"We did good, Jay," he whispered again, softer this time. "Really good."
"Keifer… what about Yuri?" I asked quietly.
He didn't even hesitate.
"I took care of him. He won't bother us anymore."
I smiled — small, tired, relieved.
And right on cue, Kaya started crying.
Loud.
I picked her up immediately, rocking her gently.
"Hey, hey… what happened, Kaya? You just had milk," I whispered, bouncing her a little.
Nope.
Nothing.
She kept crying, face scrunched up like she was offended by the air.
I tried patting her back.
I tried humming.
I tried swaying.
Still crying.
Keifer sat up beside me, holding out his hands.
"Let me."
I handed her over.
And the SECOND she touched his arms—
She stopped crying.
Not only that…
She LAUGHED.
A full tiny giggle.
I stared at her.
Then at him.
"You're kidding me," I said, deadpan.
Keifer smirked like he just won a competition.
"What can I say," he whispered, kissing her forehead. "She's a daddy's girl."
Kaya giggled again, grabbing his shirt with her tiny hand like she agreed.
I crossed my arms.
"Wow. Betrayed by my own daughter."
Keifer chuckled, leaning closer to me with Kaya still in his arms.
"Don't worry," he said softly. "She loves you too. She just… likes me more."
I smacked his arm lightly.
"Shut up."
He grinned, leaning his forehead against mine.
And between us, Kaya giggled again —
like she was already joining in on the teasing.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
14 years later
KEIFER POV
A lot has changed since Kaya came into our lives.
And of course, since the rest of the kids grew up.
We were happy.
Really happy.
The kind of happy that makes you forget how dark life used to be.
Five kids.
After Kaya, we had another baby — a boy. His name is Keth. Kaya was six when he was born
The older three — Keira, Kade, and Kevin — are eighteen now.
Eighteen.
Going to HVIS.
God help me.
I already know the trouble they're getting into.
Especially Kade.
That boy comes home with bruises like it's a hobby.
But the funniest part?
The fights always start because Keira meddles.
She opens her mouth, someone gets offended, and suddenly Kade is throwing hands and Kevin is dragging him away.
It's like watching Jay's personality split into three different teenagers.
And every time Keira comes home with a bruise, I swear my heart stops.
But the day I saw that huge bruise on her leg…
I almost cried.
Not because she was hurt —
but because she looked so much like Jay in that moment.
Stubborn.
Brave.
Too soft for her own good.
Too willing to protect everyone else.
I sat on the couch that night, staring at her while she ate ice cream like nothing happened, and all I could think was:
My babies aren't babies anymore.
And somehow…
that hurt more than anything.
"MAMA!" Keth yelled from the hallway.
Jay looked up immediately.
"What is it, baby?"
Keth stomped into the living room with the most dramatic pout I've ever seen.
"Mama, Papa ate my ice‑cream more."
I swear my soul left my body.
Jay's head snapped toward me so fast I thought she'd break her neck.
"MARK KEIFER WATSON! Why would you eat your son's ice‑cream?!"
"I—Jay—promise—I didn't eat it!" I said, hands up like I was being arrested.
Then Kade walked in, arms crossed.
"Ma, Papa ate mine too."
I tapped his forehead lightly.
"You're gonna make me sleep on the couch."
Kade shrugged.
"But ice‑cream is more important, Papa. Right, Keth?"
Keth nodded seriously like they were signing a contract.
I groaned.
"Kade, bud, please tell your mother I didn't eat your ice‑cream."
Kade smirked.
"We will… but we need chocolate, ice‑cream, and chips."
"Kade, you're eighteen."
"So what? I'm still a baby."
"Baby son, you're an adult."
Kade gasped dramatically and hugged Jay.
"Mama, look! Papa is calling me old!"
Jay glared at me.
"Keifer. He is still my baby."
I threw my hands up.
"What about me? I'm your first baby."
Jay turned red instantly.
Before she could answer, Keira walked in wearing her tennis outfit, hair messy, racket still in hand.
"Ewww, Papa, you're flirting again."
I ignored her and immediately checked her hands, arms, and face.
No cuts.
No bruises.
No swollen knuckles.
"Thank God," I whispered, kissing her forehead. "No bruises."
Keira rolled her eyes but leaned into the kiss anyway.
"Papa, I'm fine. I just played tennis, not fought someone."
"Yeah, well," I muttered, "with you three, I never know."
Kevin walked in behind her, calm as always.
"Papa, Kade started the ice‑cream drama again."
"I DID NOT!" Kade yelled from Jay's lap.
Jay sighed.
"My children… all of you are grown but still act like toddlers."
I pointed at her.
"YOU raised them."
She pointed back.
"YOU helped."
We both laughed.
And Kaya, sitting on the couch with her tablet, looked up and said:
"Papa definitely ate the ice‑cream."
I stared at her.
"KAYA!"
She giggled.
Kade's phone rang.
Before he could even look at it, Kaya smirked from the couch.
"I think someone's girlfriend is calling."
Kade flicked her forehead lightly.
"Monkey, act like you're fourteen."
Kaya stuck her tongue out at him.
Kade answered, suddenly all soft.
"Hi, Jane."
I smiled as he walked out of the room, pretending he wasn't blushing.
Then—
right on cue—
Kevin's phone rang.
Keth pointed at him dramatically.
"There's another one."
Kevin froze like he'd been caught committing a crime.
He slowly lifted his phone.
"Hey… Jasmine," he said, voice suddenly soft, walking out of the room like he was sneaking out of a crime scene.
Kevin and Kade came into the room
Keira's smile turned mischievous.
"Papa… I think you're gonna be a grandpa soon."
Jay's soul left her body.
"WHAT?!"
Keira shrugged casually.
"I don't know, Mama… I think Kuya Kevin got Jasmine pregnant."
"KEVIN!" I yelled.
Kevin poked his head back into the room like a terrified meerkat.
"Papa, she is lying! We didn't even do that yet!"
Jay's eyes widened.
"YET?!"
Kevin's face went pale.
"MAMA, NO— I MEAN— NOT YET— I MEAN— NEVER— I MEAN— I DON'T KNOW WHAT I MEAN—"
Keira burst out laughing, mocking Kevin's panic.
"I MEAN—NOT YET!" she said, copying his voice.
Kevin chased her immediately.
"You monkey! Tell them I didn't do anything!"
Keira ran straight behind me, using me as a human shield.
"Papa!" she squealed, hiding behind my back.
"KEIRA!" Kevin yelled, trying to grab her while I stood there laughing like an idiot.
"What? I'm not wrong," Keira said, peeking from behind me.
"SHUT UP!" Kevin snapped.
Keira smirked.
"Come on, Kuya… I saw you and Jasmine coming out of the music room."
Kevin's face turned red instantly.
"We didn't do anything!"
"Sure you didn't," Keira said sweetly. "Then what about the hickeys?"
"KEIRA!" Kevin screamed, voice cracking.
Before I could even process that, Keira turned to Kade.
"Come on, Kuya Kade, tell them about your whole make‑out session with Jane. Poor girl's lips were swallowed."
Kade's jaw dropped.
"Oh my God, at this rate we're doomed," Jay muttered, rubbing her temples.
"You donkey! What did I do?!" Kade yelled at Keira.
Keira shrugged.
"Sorry. Just saying the facts."
Kade glared.
"Look, Keira, you're lucky I haven't talked about your boyfriend."
I froze.
Jay froze.
Even Kaya froze.
"BOYFRIEND?!" I yelled so loud the windows shook.
The living room was a battlefield.
Not the dangerous kind —
the Watson kind.
Keira hiding behind Jay.
Kevin yelling like he just discovered betrayal.
Kade exposing secrets like it was his full‑time job.
Kaya and Keth providing commentary like sports announcers.
And me?
I was standing in the middle of it all, wondering when my babies grew up…
and why they were suddenly kissing people.
Jay stepped closer, calm as ever.
"She told me two months ago," she said softly. "I met Kai. He's a nice kid."
Kevin's jaw dropped.
"Wait—Kai? The Kai in our section? Keira PUNCHED him once!"
Kade shrugged.
"She punched him because he called her cute."
Keira groaned into her hands.
I stared at my daughter —
my little girl who used to cling to my leg,
who used to cry when she scraped her knee,
who used to sleep on my chest…
Now she was kissing boys behind the gym.
My heart cracked.
Jay touched my arm gently.
"Keifer… breathe."
But I couldn't.
Not when my sons were planning Kai's funeral.
Not when Keira was turning red.
Not when Kaya whispered,
"This is better than Netflix."
Not when Keth nodded like a wise old man.
And definitely not when Jay admitted she knew.
I looked at my family —
loud, chaotic, dramatic, ridiculous —
and felt something warm settle in my chest.
They were growing up.
All of them.
Too fast.
I swallowed hard.
"I'm meeting him," I said finally.
The room froze.
Keira's soul left her body.
Jay sighed.
The boys smirked.
Kaya whispered,
"Season four is gonna be crazy."
And just like that…
The Watson household erupted again.
But somewhere under all the noise,
all the teasing,
all the chaos…
I felt it.
That same feeling I had the day Kaya was born.
My family was safe.
My family was whole.
My family was mine.
And whatever came next —
boyfriends, girlfriends, drama, heartbreak —
we'd face it together.
End of Chapter.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
💫
📝 AUTHOR NOTE — END OF BOOK 🤍✨
This is officially the end of the book 🌙💫
I hope you guys truly enjoyed reading this story, because I loved writing every part of it 🤍📚✨
Even though I was late with some updates 😭⏳, we still made it here — to the final chapter — together 🌿🤍
Thank you for your patience, your support, your comments, your votes, and your love for this book 🌟💬💗
I'm so grateful for every single one of you who stayed with me until the end ✨🌙🤍