Chapter 13: The Question
The Morning After
Jay woke slowly.
Sunlight streamed through the windows.
Keifer's arms were wrapped around her.
Everything was warm and perfect.
She stretched.
Smiled.
Pressed closer to him.
Last night had been...
Amazing.
Beautiful.
Intense.
They'd finally...
You know.
Fully.
Completely.
She blushed just thinking about it.
Keifer stirred.
Mumbled.
Pulled her tighter.
"Morning," he murmured, voice rough with sleep.
"Morning."
"Love you."
"Love you too."
He kissed her hair.
She smiled against his chest.
Perfect.
Everything was perfect.
---
Then Reality Hit
The door burst open.
Not just open.
BURST open.
With the force of a tiny hurricane.
"KUYA JAY!
KUYA KAI!
GOOD MORNING!"
Keiran.
Of course.
Five years old.
Dinosaur pajamas.
Wild hair.
Huge grin.
Jay and Keifer froze.
Tangled together.
Barely covered by the blanket.
Very obviously not dressed for visitors.
Keiran didn't notice.
Or didn't care.
He climbed onto the bed.
Bounced between them.
"WAKE UP!
It's morning!
Mamma says breakfast!
Peh stole all the bacon!
You have to come fast!"
Keifer groaned.
Pulled the blanket higher.
"Keiran.
Buddy.
Little monster.
We need a minute."
Keiran ignored him completely.
Turned to Jay.
Big brown eyes curious.
"Kuya Jay?
I have a question."
Jay's heart melted.
Despite the situation.
"Okay, Keiran.
What's your question?"
Keiran tilted his head.
Studied her carefully.
"Last night.
I heard noises.
From your room.
You were screaming.
Why were you screaming?
Were you scared?
Did Kuya Kai hurt you?"
---
The Silence
The room went absolutely silent.
Jay's face turned crimson.
Keifer's face turned crimson.
Even the walls seemed embarrassed.
Keiran waited.
Innocent.
Curious.
Genuinely concerned.
Jay opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Closed it.
Opened it again.
Still nothing.
Keifer cleared his throat.
"Keiran.
Buddy.
That's...
That's a private question."
Keiran frowned.
"Why?
I just want to know if Kuya Jay was okay.
I don't like when people scream.
It means they're hurt or scared.
Was she hurt?
Was she scared?"
Jay made a strangled sound.
Buried her face in the pillow.
Keifer ran a hand through his hair.
Trying to find words.
Any words.
The right words.
"Keiran.
Jay wasn't hurt.
She wasn't scared.
She was...
She was...
Happy."
Keiran considered this.
Head tilted.
"Happy people scream?
Peh screams when he watches sports.
Is it like that?"
Jay snorted into the pillow.
Keifer pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Something like that.
Yes.
Like sports.
Happy screaming."
Keiran nodded.
Satisfied.
"Oh.
Okay.
Good.
I was worried."
He bounced off the bed.
Ran to the door.
Paused.
"You guys coming to breakfast?
Mamma made pancakes.
With the little faces.
The happy faces."
Jay peeked out from the pillow.
"We'll be down soon, Keiran.
Promise."
Keiran grinned.
"Okay!
Hurry!
Before Peh eats all the faces!"
He ran off.
Shouting about pancakes.
Leaving chaos in his wake.
---
The Aftermath
Silence.
Again.
Jay slowly emerged from the pillow.
Face still red.
Eyes wide.
"Did that just happen?"
Keifer dropped his head back on the pillow.
Stared at the ceiling.
"My five-year-old brother just asked why you were screaming last night.
Because of sex.
He asked about sex.
At breakfast."
Jay groaned.
"Don't say the word.
Don't ever say the word again."
"It's not the word that's the problem.
It's the context.
The context is the problem."
They lay there.
Processing.
Mortified.
Also slightly hysterical.
Then Jay started laughing.
Quiet at first.
Then louder.
Then full-on, can't-breathe laughing.
Keifer stared at her.
"You're laughing?
You're actually laughing?"
She nodded.
Wiped tears.
Tried to speak.
"Your brother—
Five years old—
Asked why I was screaming—
Because we were—
And you said—
Happy screaming—
Like sports—
She dissolved again.
Keifer watched her for a second.
Then he started laughing too.
Couldn't help it.
The absurdity.
The embarrassment.
The love.
They laughed together.
Holding each other.
Hysterical.
Happy.
Mortified.
In love.
---
The Inevitable Conversation
After they calmed down, reality set in.
"We have to tell Mamma," Jay said.
"Before Keiran does."
Keifer groaned.
"She's going to die laughing.
Then kill us.
Then die laughing again."
"Maybe he'll forget?
He's five.
Five-year-olds forget things, right?"
They looked at each other.
Both remembering Keiran's elephant memory.
He remembered everything.
Especially things he shouldn't.
"We're doomed," Jay whispered.
Keifer kissed her forehead.
"Probably.
But at least we're doomed together."
She smiled.
"Together.
Always."
---
Downstairs
They dressed quickly.
Took deep breaths.
Walked downstairs hand in hand.
Bracing for impact.
The kitchen was chaos.
Normal chaos.
Pancake chaos.
Keiran was at the table.
Face covered in syrup.
Telling a very animated story to anyone who would listen.
"—and then Kuya Jay was screaming!
But Kuya Kai said she was happy!
Like Peh watching sports!
So it's okay!
Happy screaming is okay!"
Jay stopped dead.
Keifer stopped dead.
Mamma looked up from the stove.
One eyebrow raised.
Amused.
Very amused.
Percy choked on his orange juice.
Aries hid his smile behind his coffee.
Pappa's newspaper shook suspiciously.
Keigan looked up from his book, mildly interested.
Mamma spoke first.
"Happy screaming, hmm?
Like sports?
How interesting."
Keifer closed his eyes.
Jay buried her face in his shoulder.
Percy recovered first.
"Keiran, buddy.
Tell us more about this happy screaming.
When did it happen?
What time?"
Keiran thought hard.
"Night time.
Late.
After my bath.
I heard it from my room.
Kuya Jay was loud."
Jay made a sound.
Not quite human.
Keifer's face was the color of a tomato.
Mamma smiled.
Sweet.
Dangerous.
"Well.
Isn't that nice.
Happy screaming.
I'm glad everyone's having fun."
---
Breakfast Torture
They sat down to breakfast.
Somehow.
Forced to face the family.
Keiran continued his commentary.
Oblivious.
Innocent.
Deadly.
"Kuya Jay.
Were you happy screaming again tonight?
Can I listen again?
It's funny."
Jay choked on her pancake.
Keifer patted her back.
Glared at his little brother.
"Keiran.
We don't listen to people's private moments.
It's rude."
Keiran frowned.
"But you said she was happy.
Happy is good.
Why can't I listen to happy?"
Percy snorted.
"He's got a point, Keifer.
Happy is good.
Share the happy."
Aries kicked him under the table.
Percy yelped.
Grinned anyway.
Mamma intervened.
Smooth.
Professional.
"Keiran, darling.
Sometimes grown-ups make noises when they're happy.
But it's private.
Like when you're in the bath.
We don't watch you in the bath, right?"
Keiran considered this.
Nodded slowly.
"Right.
Private means no looking.
Or listening?"
"Exactly.
Private means no listening either."
Keiran nodded.
Satisfied.
"Okay.
I won't listen to Kuya Jay's happy screaming anymore.
Even if it's funny."
Jay let out a breath.
Keifer squeezed her hand under the table.
Mamma winked at them.
Crisis averted.
Sort of.
---
After Breakfast
Percy cornered them in the hallway.
Grinning like the Cheshire cat.
"So.
Happy screaming, huh?
Like sports?
That's what we're calling it now?"
Keifer glared.
"Percy.
Not now."
"Oh, definitely now.
This is the best day of my life.
My sister and my best friend.
Having happy screaming nights.
And my five-year-old brother is the witness.
Beautiful.
Poetic.
I'm writing a song about it."
Jay groaned.
"If you write a song, I'll kill you."
"You'll have to catch me first.
And after all that happy screaming, you're probably tired."
Keifer grabbed him by the shirt.
"Percy.
I swear to god—
Percy laughed.
Held up his hands.
"Okay, okay!
I'll behave.
Mostly.
No promises about Keiran, though.
That kid's a treasure."
He walked away.
Whistling.
Far too cheerful.
---
Keigan's Take
Keigan found them next.
Calm.
Serious.
Twelve going on forty.
"Kuya.
Kuya Jay.
I just want you to know.
I understand about the screaming.
It's biology.
I read about it."
Jay's face went red again.
Keifer stared at his brother.
"You read about it?
Where?
What exactly did you read?"
Keigan shrugged.
"The internet.
Also books.
I'm twelve, not stupid.
I know how babies are made."
Jay made a sound.
Keifer pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Keigan.
We're not making babies.
We're just—
We're—
Keigan held up a hand.
"Don't need details.
Really don't want details.
Just wanted you to know I'm not confused like Keiran."
He walked away.
Calm.
Collected.
Leaving chaos behind.
Jay looked at Keifer.
"Your family is insane."
"Our family.
And yes.
Completely insane."
---
Mamma's Wisdom
Mamma found them in the living room.
Hiding.
Trying to recover.
She sat beside them.
Took both their hands.
Smiled warmly.
"You know," she said gently,
"When you have children, this will happen.
They ask questions.
Embarrassing questions.
At the worst possible times."
Jay groaned.
"We're not even engaged yet."
"Irrelevant.
You're together.
You're in love.
Children will come.
And then you'll understand."
Keifer looked at his mother.
"Any advice?
For handling Keiran?"
Mamma laughed.
"Good luck.
That child is a force of nature.
But he asked because he cares.
He heard noise.
He worried.
He wanted to make sure Jay was okay."
Jay's heart softened.
"He was worried about me?"
"Of course.
He loves you.
You're his Kuya Jay.
His family.
He wanted to protect you."
Jay smiled.
Small.
Touched.
"That's actually sweet."
Mamma nodded.
"It is.
Embarrassing.
But sweet.
Welcome to parenthood."
Keifer choked.
"Mamma!
We're not parents!"
Mamma stood.
Patted his cheek.
"Not yet, dear.
Not yet."
She walked away.
Humming.
Leaving them shell-shocked.
---
Keiran Redemption
Later that afternoon, Keiran found Jay alone.
Reading in the living room.
He climbed onto her lap.
Snuggled close.
Quiet for once.
Jay hugged him.
Kissed his messy hair.
"Hey, little monster.
You okay?"
Keiran nodded.
Then looked up at her.
Big brown eyes serious.
"Kuya Jay?
I'm sorry.
For asking about the screaming.
Mamma said it was private.
I didn't mean to be rude."
Jay's heart melted completely.
"Oh, Keiran.
You weren't rude.
You were worried about me.
That's sweet.
That's what family does."
He frowned.
"But I embarrassed you.
Your face got red.
Like tomatoes.
Mamma said that means embarrassed."
Jay laughed.
"Yeah.
I was a little embarrassed.
But it's okay.
I'm not mad."
Keiran considered this.
Then nodded.
"Okay.
Good.
I don't like when you're mad.
You're my favorite Kuya."
Jay's eyes filled with tears.
"I am?"
"Uh huh.
Kuya Kai is cool.
Kuya Koya is smart.
Awi and Peh are funny.
But you're soft.
And you smell nice.
And you sing to me.
You're the best."
Jay hugged him tight.
Tears falling.
Happy tears.
"I love you, Keiran.
So much."
He hugged her back.
"I love you too, Kuya Jay.
Even if you scream happy at night."
Jay laughed.
Cried.
Laughed again.
This family.
This crazy, beautiful, impossible family.
Hers.
All hers.
---
Evening
Keifer found them like that.
Jay on the couch.
Keiran asleep in her lap.
Both peaceful.
He sat beside her.
Kissed her forehead.
Looked at his little brother.
"He okay?"
Jay nodded.
"He apologized.
Said he didn't mean to embarrass me.
Said I'm his favorite Kuya."
Keifer smiled.
Soft.
Tender.
"He's not wrong.
You are the best."
She leaned against him.
"I love this family.
Even when they embarrass me."
He kissed her hair.
"Good.
Because they're going to keep embarrassing you.
Forever."
She laughed.
Quiet.
Happy.
"I know.
I'm ready."
They sat together.
Keiran asleep.
The house quiet.
Love everywhere.
Perfect.
---
That Night
Jay and Keifer lay in bed.
Door locked.
Just in case.
Jay giggled.
"I can't believe today happened."
Keifer groaned.
"I can't believe my five-year-old brother heard us having sex."
"Happy screaming.
He called it happy screaming."
"Don't remind me."
She laughed.
Curled against him.
"I love your family.
I really do.
They're insane and embarrassing and wonderful."
He held her close.
"I love you.
Even when you cause happy screaming incidents."
She poked his chest.
"I didn't cause it alone.
You were involved."
He grinned.
Kissed her nose.
"True.
Worth it, though."
She smiled.
"Yeah.
Worth it."
They kissed.
Soft.
Sweet.
Tender.
Then a tiny voice from outside the door.
"KUYA JAY!
KUYA KAI!
NO MORE HAPPY SCREAMING TONIGHT!
I NEED SLEEP!
KEIGAN SAID TO TELL YOU!"
Keiran.
Of course.
Jay buried her face in Keifer's chest.
Shaking with laughter.
Keifer stared at the ceiling.
"GO TO BED, KEIRAN!"
"OKAY!
LOVE YOU!
NO HAPPY SCREAMING!"
Footsteps retreated.
Silence returned.
Jay looked up at Keifer.
Tears streaming from laughter.
"Your family,"
she gasped.
"Your beautiful, insane family."
He kissed her.
Laughing too.
"Love them.
Love you.
Even when they ruin the mood."
She smiled.
"Always."
"Always."
---
End of Chapter 13