JAY-JAY POV
I was asleep, but someone was calling my name.
"Jay, wake up. We're here." Keifer's voice, low but gentle.
My eyes fluttered open, the city lights spilling through the car window.
"Already?" I murmured, still groggy.
"Well, you and Keth were asleep half the ride," he said with a faint smile.
I turned to see Keth, his head resting against my shoulder, his toy still clutched tight.
His little mouth opened as he stirred, blinking at the glow outside.
"Mama… we're here?" he asked, voice thick with sleep.
"Yes, bud. We're here."
Percy honked the horn lightly, impatient. "Come on, sis. Mama and Papa are waiting."
My chest tightened.
The words hit harder than I expected.
Mama and Papa.
Waiting.
I straightened, brushing Keth's hair back. "Alright. Let's go."
Keifer opened the door, stepping out first, his eyes scanning the street like he was bracing himself.
I followed, lifting Keth into my arms.
The air was colder here, sharper, filled with the hum of the city.
And as we stood on the sidewalk, bags in hand, I felt it — the weight of reunion pressing down, the questions waiting inside, the answers I wasn't sure I was ready to give.
But Keth's small hand squeezed mine, grounding me. "Mama, let's see Grandma and Grandpa."
I smiled, though my heart raced. "Yes, bud. Let's see them."
We went and knocked on the door.
A maid opened it, her eyes widening in surprise. "Miss Jay," she said, almost breathless.
"Hi," I replied softly, my voice carrying both nerves and warmth.
We stepped inside, the familiar scent of home wrapping around me like a blanket I hadn't felt in years.
The living room looked the same — polished floors, family photos lining the walls, the old sofa where I used to curl up after school.
Keth clung to my hand, his eyes wide as he took everything in. "Mama… it's big," he whispered.
Keifer walked just behind us, his presence steady but tense, like he was bracing for impact.
Percy dropped his bag with a thud, already comfortable, already at ease.
Then I heard it — footsteps. Mama's voice, warm and trembling. "Jay?"
I froze. My chest tightened.
She appeared in the doorway, Papa right behind her.
Their faces lit up with shock, then joy, then something heavier.
"Jay-Jay," Mama whispered, tears already spilling.
Papa's eyes softened, his voice low but steady. "You're home."
I swallowed hard, my throat burning. "Yes, Papa. I'm home."
Mama bent down, her eyes soft and shining. "And who are you, little one?" she asked, her voice trembling with joy.
"Keth," he said proudly, his small hand clutching mine.
Mama's gaze flicked up to me, then to Keifer, and she chuckled through her tears. "Jay, he has your eyes… but the rest is Keifer."
My cheeks burned. The words landed heavier than I expected. She saw it instantly — the resemblance, the truth I had carried alone for so long.
Papa stepped closer, his expression quieter, steadier. He studied Keth for a long moment, then looked at Keifer. "So this is your son."
Keifer's jaw tightened, but he nodded. "Yes, sir. He's ours."
The room fell into silence, thick with unspoken questions. Mama reached out, brushing Keth's hair back with trembling fingers. "He's beautiful," she whispered. "You did well, Jay. You did so well."
My throat tightened, tears threatening. "I tried, Mama. I tried."
Keifer's hand brushed mine, subtle but grounding. For once, I didn't pull away.
Papa's voice broke the silence, low but firm. "We'll talk. Later. For now… welcome home."
Keth beamed, oblivious to the tension, his innocence cutting through the heaviness. "Grandma, Grandpa… do you have cookies?"
Mama laughed, wiping her eyes. "Of course we do, sweetheart. Of course we do."
"What kind of cookies do you want?" Papa asked, lifting Keth easily into his arms.
"Chocolate chip cookie!" Keth said, his voice bright and certain.
I sighed, shaking my head. "You already had cookies in the car."
Keth pouted, his lips pushing out dramatically. "I want more."
Mama laughed, brushing his cheek with her hand. "Let him eat. We have a lot of spoiling to do."
Papa chuckled, bouncing Keth slightly. "That's right. Grandparents' job is spoiling. Parents' job is worrying."
I rolled my eyes, though a smile tugged at my lips. "Don't encourage him. He'll think cookies are a food group."
Keifer, leaning against the doorway, smirked. "He already does."
Keth giggled, proud of himself. "Cookies forever!" he declared, throwing his arms up like it was a battle cry.
Mama and Papa laughed, their joy filling the room, and for a moment the heaviness of the past melted away. It was just family again — laughter, warmth, and the kind of love that made the years apart feel smaller.
I exhaled, my chest loosening. Maybe this was what "home" was supposed to feel like.
It still surprises me, even now, how Mama Reycee took care of me as her own.
Even though it was only two months, I felt the motherly warmth from her —
the kind that wrapped around me like a blanket I didn't know I needed.
"Jay hon, do you want chocolate chip cookies too?" Mama asked, her voice soft, familiar, and full of love.
"Yes, please," I said, smiling despite the lump in my throat.
She chuckled, already moving toward the kitchen. "I knew you'd say that. Some things never change."
Papa settled into his chair, Keth perched happily on his lap, crumbs already on his shirt from the first cookie.
Keifer leaned against the wall, watching quietly, his expression unreadable but his eyes softer than usual.
For a moment, the living room felt timeless — like I was a child again, safe under Mama's care, but now with my own child beside me.
The past and present folding together in one warm, fragile moment.
I exhaled, letting myself sink into it.
Just for now, I didn't have to carry everything alone.
"Jay," Keifer called my name.
"What?" I asked, turning toward him.
"Uhh… Kerian and Keigan want to meet Keth. Is it fine if they come here?" he asked, his voice careful, almost hesitant.
Before I could even open my mouth, Mama spoke up from the sofa, her tone warm and certain. "Of course, Keifer. They're always welcomed."
I blinked, surprised at how quickly she answered. It was like she'd already decided — no hesitation, no questions. Just family.
Keth perked up instantly, his eyes wide. "Who's Kerian? Who's Keigan?"
"They're your uncles," Keifer explained, a small smile tugging at his lips. "My brothers."
Keth gasped, bouncing in Papa's lap. "More family?!"
Mama chuckled, brushing his hair back. "Yes, sweetheart. More family. And they'll be so happy to meet you."
I sat back, my chest tightening.
The circle was widening faster than I expected — Mama, Papa, now Keifer's brothers.
Part of me was nervous, but another part… another part felt lighter.
Maybe this was what Keth deserved: not secrets, not distance, but family.
Keifer caught my gaze, his eyes steady. "It'll be fine, Jay," he said quietly, almost like a promise.
I nodded, though my heart raced. "Yeah. Fine."