Chapter 27: One Day Before
The Last Morning
Jay woke alone.
Not really alone.
Keifer's pillow still held his scent.
His side of the bed still warm.
But he was gone.
Tradition.
Mamma's rule.
No seeing the bride the day before the wedding.
Bad luck.
Jay smiled at the ceiling.
One more day.
Tomorrow she'd be his wife.
Her phone buzzed.
Keifer: Missing you already. This tradition is stupid.
She laughed.
Typed back.
Jay: One more day. Then forever.
Keifer: Counting every second.
Jay: Go away. You're not supposed to contact me.
Keifer: Never.
She grinned.
Tucked the phone away.
Time to face the day.
---
The Bridal Suite
Mamma had transformed her room.
Flowers everywhere.
Silk robes hanging.
Champagne chilling.
Spa supplies ready.
"Good morning, my beautiful bride!
Today is YOUR day!
Pampering!
Relaxation!
No stress!"
Jay looked around.
At the extravagance.
At the love.
At the care.
"Mamma...
This is too much."
Mamma waved a hand.
"Nonsense.
You deserve everything.
Now.
Bath?
Breakfast?
Both?"
Jay laughed.
"Both.
Definitely both."
---
Spa Morning
The next hours were bliss.
Hot bath with rose petals.
Facial that made her skin glow.
Massage that melted tension.
Hair treatment for her growing curls.
Manicure.
Pedicure.
Everything.
Mamma supervised.
Directed.
Loved.
Keiran appeared briefly.
Dinosaur in hand.
"Kuya Jay!
Tomorrow is the wedding!
Are you excited?
I'm excited!
Rex is excited!
His bow tie is ready!"
Jay kissed his forehead.
"I'm so excited, little monster.
Best day ever."
He nodded.
"I know!
Now rest!
You need beauty sleep!
Mamma said!"
He ran off.
Mission accomplished.
Keigan appeared next.
Holding a book.
"Kuya Jay.
I researched wedding eve traditions.
In some cultures, the bride fasts.
Don't do that.
Eat well.
Stay hydrated.
You need strength."
Jay pulled him into a hug.
"Thank you, Koya.
I'll eat.
I promise."
He nodded.
Satisfied.
Returned to his book.
Percy burst in an hour later.
"JAY!
Last day of freedom!
How do you feel?
Nervous?
Excited?
Regretting everything?"
Aries appeared behind him.
Grabbed his collar.
Pulled him back.
"Let her relax, Perce.
She's getting married tomorrow.
Not being interrogated."
Percy pouted.
"I'm being supportive!"
Aries dragged him away.
"You're being annoying.
Same thing."
Jay laughed.
Watched them go.
Her brothers.
Her chaos.
Her love.
---
Afternoon: The Letters
Mamma appeared with a box.
Letters.
Dozens of them.
"From the family.
For you.
To read before tomorrow."
Jay opened the first.
Dear Jay,
You came into our lives like a hurricane. Beautiful. Powerful. Life-changing. I watched my son come alive because of you. I watched my family grow because of you. I watched miracles happen because of you.
Tomorrow you become my daughter officially. But in my heart, you've been my daughter since the moment I saw you with Keifer. Since the moment I saw the way you looked at each other.
I love you, my daughter. Forever.
Mamma
Jay cried.
Beautiful tears.
Happy tears.
She opened the next.
Jay,
You're marrying my son. Thank you. For bringing him to life. For loving him. For fighting for him. For fighting for yourself.
Welcome to the family. Officially. Though you've been family for a long time.
Pappa
She laughed through tears.
Perfect.
Absolutely perfect.
---
From Keiran
DEAR KUYA JAY!
TOMORROW IS THE BEST DAY! YOU'RE GETTING MARRIED! TO KUYA KAI! AND I'M THE RING BEARER! AND REX HAS A BOW TIE! AND EVERYTHING IS PERFECT!
I LOVE YOU! YOU'RE MY FAVORITE KUYA! (DON'T TELL THE OTHERS!)
LOVE, KEIRAN
P.S. REX SAYS HE LOVES YOU TOO!
Jay laughed.
Cried.
Held the letter to her heart.
This family.
This beautiful, chaotic, perfect family.
---
From Keigan
Kuya Jay,
Statistically, weddings have a 50% success rate worldwide. But our family has a 100% success rate because we're not statistical. We're extraordinary.
You're extraordinary. You beat cancer. You fought through darkness. You chose love. You chose us.
I did research on wedding blessings. In ancient cultures, they would say: "May your love be like a volcano—powerful, lasting, and creating new life."
That's my blessing for you.
Love, Keigan
Jay stared at the letter.
Her little scientist.
Her little volcano expert.
Writing poetry without knowing it.
She cried harder.
Happy tears.
Grateful tears.
---
From Percy
JAY! JAY! JAY!
MY SISTER IS GETTING MARRIED! TO MY BEST FRIEND! THIS IS THE BEST THING EVER!
My speech is ready. It's EPIC. It has jokes AND tears AND embarrassing stories about Keifer. You're going to love it.
Thank you for being my sister. Thank you for putting up with my chaos. Thank you for loving me even when I'm annoying (which is always).
You're the best thing that ever happened to this family. Don't tell anyone I said that. I have a reputation.
LOVE YOU!
PERCY
P.S. I'M STILL WEARING PINEAPPLE SOCKS!
Jay laughed through tears.
Perfect Percy.
Never changing.
Always loving.
---
From Aries
Little sister,
I don't have words. That's not my thing. Percy gets the words. I get the actions.
But for this, I'll try.
I've been taking care of you since you were twelve. Since Mom died. Since it was just us three against the world. I've watched you grow. Watched you fight. Watched you survive.
And now I get to watch you love. Watch you be loved. Watch you build a future.
Keifer is good for you. I knew it before I knew it was him. I saw the way he looked at you. The way he never left. The way he fought for you.
He's my brother now. Not just best friend. Brother. And you're my sister. Forever.
I love you, Jay. Always have. Always will.
Aries
Jay held the letter.
Her serious brother.
Her protector.
Her rock.
Writing words he never said aloud.
But always meant.
She cried.
For all of it.
For them.
For her.
For love.
---
From Keifer
The last letter.
His handwriting.
Simple envelope.
Her name.
My Jay,
I'm not supposed to contact you today. Bad luck. Tradition. Whatever.
But I needed you to know. One day before forever.
I remember the first time I saw you. In my office. Scared but brave. Messy bun. Secondhand clothes. Eyes that held the whole universe.
I remember the first time I held you. The first time I kissed you. The first time I knew—really knew—that you were the one.
I remember sitting by your hospital bed. Watching you fight. Watching you suffer. Watching you never give up. I fell in love with you a thousand times in those dark days.
And now? Now you're hours away from being my wife. My partner. My forever.
I can't wait, Jay. I can't wait to see you walk down that aisle. I can't wait to call you my wife. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life loving you.
See you at the altar.
Yours always,
Keifer
Jay held the letter.
Pressed it to her heart.
Cried and smiled and loved.
Tomorrow.
Tomorrow she married him.
Tomorrow forever began.
---
The Rehearsal
Late afternoon, they gathered at the garden.
The wedding garden.
Their garden.
Flowers everywhere.
Ribbons floating.
Chairs arranged.
Aisle waiting.
Mamma directed.
"Keiran, you walk first.
Drop petals.
Don't eat them."
Keiran nodded seriously.
"Petals.
Not food.
Got it."
He practiced.
Walking slowly.
Dropping petals.
Rex watching from the sidelines.
Keigan walked behind him.
Ring bearer assistant.
Holding the real rings.
Just in case.
Percy practiced his speech.
Loudly.
Dramatically.
To everyone's amusement.
Aries practiced walking Jay down the aisle.
Slow.
Steady.
Emotional.
Pappa stood at the altar.
Playing officiant.
Reading vows.
Making everyone cry.
And Jay?
Jay watched it all.
Her family.
Her chaos.
Her love.
Tomorrow it was real.
Tomorrow she married him.
---
The Dinner
Rehearsal dinner at the mansion.
Intimate.
Family only.
Perfect.
Mamma cooked everything.
Keiran's favorites.
Keigan's favorites.
Percy's favorites.
Jay's favorites.
Keifer's favorites.
Everyone ate.
Laughed.
Shared stories.
Cried a little.
Percy told embarrassing stories about Keifer.
Childhood accidents.
Teenage awkwardness.
Adult mishaps.
Keifer took it.
Smiled.
Held Jay's hand under the table.
Aries told stories about Jay.
Her first crush.
Her terrible cooking attempts.
Her fierce protectiveness.
Jay blushed.
Laughed.
Loved.
Keigan shared scientific facts about marriage.
Everyone listened.
Everyone learned.
Everyone loved him for it.
Keiran fell asleep in Jay's lap.
Rex clutched in his hand.
Flower crown askew.
Perfect.
Mamma cried.
Pappa held her hand.
Both watching their family.
Their growing, chaotic, beautiful family.
---
The Toast
After dinner, Pappa stood.
Raised his glass.
"To Jay and Keifer.
Tomorrow they become husband and wife.
Today they are already everything.
Love.
Family.
Forever."
Everyone raised their glasses.
"TO JAY AND KEIFER!"
Jay cried.
Couldn't help it.
Keifer kissed her tears.
"Happy tears?" he whispered.
She nodded.
"The happiest."
---
The Last Night
Later, they stood on the patio.
Stars overhead.
City lights in the distance.
Alone at last.
Jay leaned against Keifer.
His arms around her.
Her head on his shoulder.
"Tomorrow," she whispered.
"Tomorrow I marry you."
He kissed her hair.
"Tomorrow I make you my wife."
She smiled.
"Jay Watson.
I like it."
"Jay Watson.
I love it."
She turned in his arms.
Faced him.
Those storm-gray eyes soft in the starlight.
"I love you, Mark Keifer Watson.
More than anything.
More than life."
He cupped her face.
Gentle.
Reverent.
Loving.
"I love you too, Jasper Jean Mariano.
My soon-to-be wife.
My forever."
He kissed her.
Soft.
Sweet.
Full of promise.
Not the passionate kiss of lovers.
The tender kiss of soulmates.
The quiet kiss before forever.
---
The Separation
Mamma appeared.
Gently.
"Time to separate, you two.
Tradition.
Bad luck to see each other before the wedding."
Jay sighed.
Keifer groaned.
"One more night," he murmured.
"Then no more separations.
Ever."
She smiled.
"Promise?"
"Promise."
He kissed her forehead.
Walked away.
Looked back once.
Those storm-gray eyes.
Full of love.
Full of forever.
Jay watched him go.
Her almost-husband.
Her everything.
Tomorrow.
Tomorrow she married him.
---
The Bedtime
Jay lay in her room.
Alone.
But not lonely.
Keiran's dinosaur on her nightstand.
Rex's backup.
For luck.
Keigan's volcano book beside it.
For inspiration.
Percy's ridiculous note on her mirror.
TOMORROW! FINALLY! DON'T BE LATE!
Aries's steady presence in the next room.
Always watching.
Always protecting.
Mamma's soft humming down the hall.
Love in every note.
Pappa's quiet footsteps.
Strength in every step.
And Keifer.
Keifer in his room.
Counting seconds.
Waiting for tomorrow.
Jay touched her ring.
Her bracelet.
Her heart.
Tomorrow,
she thought.
Tomorrow forever begins.
She closed her eyes.
Slept peacefully.
Dreamed of walking down the aisle.
Of him waiting at the end.
Of forever starting.
---
End of Chapter 27