ROOM 7
Chapter Seventy-One: The Day Before
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The apartment smelled like coffee and flowers.
Twenty-four hours before the wedding, Jay woke up alone in bed. Keifer's side was empty. The sheets were cold. She sat up, rubbed her eyes, listened. Water running in the bathroom. The clink of a mug in the kitchen. He was here. He hadn't left. He would never leave.
She smiled. Got up. Walked to the kitchen.
He was standing at the counter, pouring coffee into two cups. Black. No sugar. The way they both liked it. He didn't turn when she walked in. He didn't need to. He knew her footsteps.
"You're up early," he said.
She leaned against the doorframe. "You're up earlier."
He handed her a cup. "Couldn't sleep."
She took it. Their fingers brushed. "Nervous?"
He looked at her. His eyes were tired. His face was soft. "Terrified."
She smiled. "Good."
He raised an eyebrow. "Good?"
She walked to him. Kissed his cheek. "Me too."
He pulled her into his arms. His face was in her hair. His voice was low. "We're getting married tomorrow."
She closed her eyes. "We're getting married tomorrow."
He held her tighter. She held him back. The coffee grew cold. The city woke up. The sun rose over Manila.
They didn't move.
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Part One: The Flowers
The florist arrived at 9 AM.
She was small. Loud. Her hands were stained with green. She carried boxes of flowers—white roses, white lilies, white orchids. Jay had chosen white. Simple. Clean. The same white as her grandmother's dress.
The florist spread the flowers across the kitchen table. "The bouquet," she said, holding up a bundle. "White roses. Baby's breath. Ribbon from your grandmother's wedding."
Jay touched the ribbon. Old. Yellowed. Frayed at the edges.
"She saved it," Jay whispered.
The florist nodded. "For you."
Keifer stood in the doorway. Watched. Didn't interrupt.
Jay held the bouquet. The ribbon wrapped around her fingers. The roses brushed her chin.
"It's perfect," she said.
The florist smiled. Packed the flowers back in their boxes. Left.
Keifer walked to Jay. Took her hand. "You're crying."
She touched her cheek. Her fingers came away wet. "I'm not crying."
"You're crying."
She grabbed a napkin from the counter. Threw it at him. He caught it.
"You have a catching problem," she said.
"You have a throwing problem."
"I have a Keifer problem."
He tucked the napkin into his pocket. "The worst kind."
He kissed her forehead. She closed her eyes. The flowers were on the table. The ribbon was around her fingers. Tomorrow, she would carry them down the aisle.
Tomorrow.
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Part Two: The Vows
They sat on the couch after the florist left. The shark was between them. Bruce was on Keifer's lap.
"Have you written your vows?" she asked.
He looked at the ceiling. "Yes."
"Can I read them?"
"No."
She hit his arm. "Why not?"
He caught her hand. Kissed her knuckles. "Because you'll cry."
She stared at him. "I won't cry."
"You'll cry."
"I never cry."
He raised an eyebrow. "You cried at the hospital. You cried at the shelter. You cried this morning."
She pulled her hand free. "Those were different."
"How?"
She crossed her arms. "Those were sad cries. Wedding cries are happy."
He smiled. "You'll still cry."
She grabbed a pillow. Hit him with it. He caught it.
"You have a catching problem," she said.
"You have a hitting problem."
"I have a Keifer problem."
He tucked the pillow under his arm. "The worst kind."
He pulled her close. Her head went on his chest. His hand went into her hair.
"I love you," she said.
He kissed her hair. "I love you too."
They sat on the couch. The shark was between them. The city hummed outside. Tomorrow, they would say vows. Tomorrow, they would become husband and wife.
Today, they sat. Held each other. Breathed.
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Part Three: The Dinner
Lyra and Alex came over at 7 PM. They brought pancit. Lumpia. Leche flan. Alex carried the drinks. Lyra carried the cake.
"You didn't have to bring food," Jay said.
Lyra set the cake on the table. "It's the night before your wedding. You're not cooking."
Ash and David arrived next. Then Mica and Calix. Then Care and Cole. Then Freya and Erdix. Then Felix. Then Ci N and Rakki.
The apartment was full. Sixteen people. Sixteen plates. Sixteen chairs squeezed around a table that was too small.
Yuri was not there. He would never be there again.
Emma came last. Clara in her arms. The baby was awake, eyes wide, tiny fists waving.
"She wanted to see her Aunt Jay," Emma said.
Jay took Clara. Held her. The baby grabbed her finger. Held on.
"Tomorrow," Jay whispered. "Aunt Jay is getting married."
Clara gurgled. Jay laughed. Keifer watched from across the room. His heart was full.
They ate. They talked. They laughed. The night before the wedding. The last night of being single. The first night of forever.
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Part Four: The Night
The guests left at midnight.
Jay stood at the door, saying goodbye. Lyra hugged her. Alex shook Keifer's hand. Ash cried. David patted Keifer's shoulder. Mica kissed Jay's cheek. Calix nodded. Care hugged her. Cole smiled. Freya took photos. Erdix filmed. Felix sketched. Ci N wrote something in his notebook. Rakki kissed Jay's forehead.
Emma was last. Clara was asleep.
"Tomorrow," Emma said.
Jay touched the baby's cheek. "Tomorrow."
Emma walked out. The door closed.
The apartment was quiet. Jay leaned against the door. Keifer leaned against the wall.
"Everyone's gone," she said.
He walked to her. "Everyone's gone."
She looked at his face. At his eyes. At the man she would marry tomorrow.
"I'm scared," she said.
He touched her face. "Of what?"
She covered his hand with hers. "Of being this happy."
He pulled her into his arms. His face was in her hair. His voice was low.
"You deserve to be happy."
She held him. "So do you."
They stood in the doorway. The apartment was dark. The city was bright. Tomorrow, they would say vows. Tomorrow, they would become husband and wife.
Tonight, they held each other. Breathed. Waited.
"Keifer."
"Yeah."
"September twenty-third."
He kissed her forehead. "September twenty-third."
She closed her eyes. His heartbeat was under her ear. His hand was in her hair.
Tomorrow.
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End of Chapter Seventy-One