Three weeks after the investor meeting.
Jay was exhausted.
Not the normal tired. The bone-deep, can't-think-straight, running-on-empty exhausted.
She woke early. Worked late. Answered emails during meals. Took calls in the bathroom.
Keifer watched. Worried. Silent.
Until he wasn't.
It started with dinner.
Jay at the table. Laptop open. Phone in one hand. Fork in the other. Not eating.
Keifer: "Jay."
Jay: "One sec. Just need to finish this email."
Keifer: "You've been saying that for an hour."
Jay: "It's important."
Keifer: "So is eating."
Jay: "I'll eat in a minute."
She didn't.
He watched her push food around her plate. Take a call during dinner. Miss half her water.
Keifer: "You need to rest."
Jay: "I'll rest after this merger."
Keifer: "There's always another merger."
Jay: "That's how business works."
Keifer: "That's not how pregnancy works."
Jay: "Keifer."
Keifer: "Jay."
Jay: "I know what I'm doing."
Keifer: "Do you?"
The week got worse.
Jay fell asleep at her desk. Twice.
She forgot a doctor's appointment. The first one she'd ever missed.
She snapped at Mica on the phone. Apologized immediately. But Keifer heard.
Keifer: "You're burning out."
Jay: "I'm fine."
Keifer: "You're not fine."
Jay: "I'm PREGNANT. Not broken."
Keifer: "I never said you were broken."
Jay: "You're treating me like I am."
Keifer: "I'm treating you like I love you."
Friday night. The breaking point.
Jay came home at 10 PM. Exhausted. Pale. Dark circles under her eyes.
Keifer was waiting in the living room. Arms crossed.
Keifer: "Where were you?"
Jay: "Work."
Keifer: "It's 10 PM."
Jay: "I know what time it is."
Keifer: "You were supposed to be home at 6."
Jay: "Things came up."
Keifer: "Things always come up."
Jay: "That's not fair."
Keifer: "What's not fair is you killing yourself while carrying our baby."
Jay froze.
Keifer: "You haven't eaten properly in weeks. You've missed appointments. You're sleeping four hours a night. You're going to crash, Jay. And I can't watch that."
Jay: "So don't watch."
Keifer: "What?"
Jay: "If you don't like it, don't watch."
Keifer: "That's not what I meant."
Jay: "That's what you said."
Keifer: "You're twisting my words."
Jay: "You're treating me like a child."
Keifer: "I'm treating you like my WIFE. Who I love. Who I'm SCARED for."
Jay: "I don't need you to be scared for me."
Keifer: "Too bad. Because I am."
Jay: "I'm fine."
Keifer: "YOU'RE NOT FINE!"
He shouted. The room went silent.
Jay flinched.
Keifer saw it. Her face. Her eyes. Scared.
Not of him. But of the fight. Of the words. Of everything breaking.
Keifer: "Jay—"
Jay: "Don't."
Keifer: "I didn't mean to—"
Jay: "You shouted at me."
Keifer: "Because I'm WORRIED."
Jay: "I'm doing what I have to do."
Keifer: "You're doing too much. And you won't let me help."
Jay: "I don't need help."
Keifer: "EVERYONE NEEDS HELP!"
He stepped closer. She stepped back.
Keifer: "Jay."
Jay: "Stay back."
Keifer: "I'm not going to hurt you."
Jay: "You shouted."
Keifer: "Because I love you."
Jay: "That's not how love sounds."
Keifer's heart broke.
He looked at her. His wife. His pregnant wife. Backing away from him.
Keifer: "I'm sorry."
Jay: "I'm sorry too."
Keifer: "I'm so sorry."
Jay: "Me too."
They stood there. Distance between them. Words hanging.
Then—
Keifer raised his hand. Not at her. Beside her.
His fist hit the wall.
Not hard enough to break. Hard enough to hurt.
Jay flinched again.
Then—
He pulled her into his arms. Held her tight. Shaking.
Keifer: "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
Jay: "Keifer—"
Keifer: "I shouldn't have shouted. I shouldn't have scared you. I'm sorry."
Jay: "I'm sorry too."
Keifer: "You have nothing to be sorry for."
Jay: "I've been pushing you away."
Keifer: "I've been pushing you too hard."
Jay: "You were right."
Keifer: "I don't want to be right. I want you to be okay."
She cried into his chest. He held her. Rocked her.
Keifer: "I love you."
Jay: "I love you too."
Keifer: "I'm scared of losing you."
Jay: "You're not going to lose me."
Keifer: "You're running yourself into the ground."
Jay: "I know."
Keifer: "Promise me you'll slow down."
Jay: "I promise."
Keifer: "Promise me you'll let me help."
Jay: "I promise."
Keifer: "Promise me you'll eat."
Jay: "I promise."
Keifer: "Tss."
Jay: "OUR thing."
Keifer: "OUR thing."
She laughed through her tears.
They sat on the couch. Her head on his chest. His hand on her stomach.
Jay: "I'm sorry I scared you."
Keifer: "I'm sorry I shouted."
Jay: "I'm sorry I pushed you away."
Keifer: "I'm sorry I almost punched a wall."
Jay: "You almost punched a wall?"
Keifer: "I was frustrated."
Jay: "At me?"
Keifer: "At myself. For not knowing how to help you."
Jay: "You help me just by being here."
Keifer: "That's not enough."
Jay: "It's everything."
They talked. Really talked.
Jay admitted she was scared of falling behind. Of letting people down. Of not being enough.
Keifer admitted he was scared of losing her. Of the baby. Of being helpless.
They held each other. Cried together. Promised to do better.
Keifer: "No more fighting."
Jay: "No more fighting."
Keifer: "We talk. We listen. We help."
Jay: "Together."
Keifer: "Always."
The next morning.
Jay slept in. Keifer made breakfast. Called her office. Canceled her meetings.
Jay woke to pancakes. Coffee (decaf). Flowers on the tray.
Jay: "What's this?"
Keifer: "I love you."
Jay: "You already said that."
Keifer: "I'm saying it again."
Jay: "Tss."
Keifer: "OUR thing."
Jay: "OUR thing."
She ate. He watched. Happy.
The doorbell rang.
Section E. Of course.
Ci-n: "SISTER JAY! YOU LOOK RESTED!"
Rakki: "Ci-n, inside voice."
Ci-n: "THIS IS MY INSIDE VOICE!"
Percy: "I HEARD ABOUT THE FIGHT! DOCUMENTING THE MAKEOUT—MAKEUP!"
Honey: "He's been practicing that line."
Percy: "IT'S A GOOD LINE!"
Mica: "Are you okay?"
Jay: "I'm okay."
Calix: "Really okay?"
Jay: "Really okay."
Freya: "Good. Because you were looking rough."
Edrix: "She's glowing now."
Freya: "Shut up."
Edrix: "Never."
Rory: "Probability of continued marital harmony: 98%."
Drew: "I'm taking bets on who apologizes first next time."
David: "Both. At the same time. 500."
Drew: "Safe bet."
Eren arrived with Kevin the Twentieth. "Kevin says fighting is bad. Makeup is good."
Josh nodded. Firmly.
Baster hummed a "reconciliation" melody.
Aries and Ella came.
Aries: "Heard you two fought."
Jay: "We made up."
Aries: "Good."
Ella: "Couples fight. It happens."
Aries: "We don't fight."
Ella: "We bicker."
Aries: "That's different."
Ella: "Same thing?"
Aries: "Not the same thing."
Tita Gema brought soup. "FOR STRENGTH! FOR BABY! FOR MARRIAGE!"
Jasfer: "I brought music! For mood!"
Serina: "I brought calm."
Jay's grandma: "I BROUGHT ADVICE! FIGHTING IS NORMAL! MAKING UP IS BETTER!"
Yuri's grandma: "I BROUGHT MORE ADVICE! DON'T GO TO BED ANGRY!"
Jay's grandma: "THAT'S GOOD ADVICE!"
Yuri's grandma: "I HAVE GOOD ADVICE!"
Jay's grandma: "SOMETIMES!"
Yuri's grandma: "ALWAYS!"
They argued. Happily.
Grazel Jay ran in. Flower basket ready.
Grazel Jay: "AUNTIE JAY! UNCLE KEIFER! I HEARD YOU WERE SAD!"
Jay: "We're not sad anymore, baby."
Grazel Jay: "GOOD! FLOWERS FOR HAPPY!"
She threw petals at them.
Keifer: "Thank you."
Grazel Jay: "NO MORE FIGHTING! ONLY FLOWERS!"
Denzel: "She's been practicing that line."
Grace: "For hours."
Grazel Jay: "WORTH IT!"
That night. Their room.
Jay's head on his chest. His hand on her stomach.
Jay: "I love you."
Keifer: "I love you too."
Jay: "Even when we fight?"
Keifer: "Especially when we make up."
Jay: "Tss."
Keifer: "OUR thing."
Jay: "OUR thing."
He kissed her. Hand on her stomach. Their baby. Their marriage. Their forever.