Ceo Couple-Jayfer-Chapter 24 - 23: One Week Apart

Monday morning. 6 am. Airport.

Jay stood outside security, arms crossed, trying not to cry.

Keifer looked at her. "You’re doing that thing."

"What thing?"

"The thing where you pretend you’re not sad but your eyes are wet."

"I’m not sad."

"Liar."

"Shut up."

He almost-smiled. Pulled her close.

"One week," he murmured into her hair. "That’s nothing."

"A week is seven days. That’s one hundred and sixty-eight hours."

"You counted?"

"Obviously."

He kissed her forehead. "I’ll call every night."

"You better."

"Text every morning."

"Obviously."

"Send flowers."

"Keifer."

"Pictures. Voice notes. Whatever you want."

She looked up at him. "I just want you."

His heart cracked. "I know, baby. I want you too."

They kissed. Long. Deep. Ignoring the airport chaos around them.

Keizer yelled from nearby, "SAVE SOME FOR LATER!"

Serina pulled him back. "Let them have their moment."

Jasfer wiped his eyes. "My baby girl is in love."

Mama Reycee held his hand. "So in love."

Keiren tugged Jay’s dress. "Kuya’s girlfriend? Is Kuya leaving?"

Jay knelt down. "Yeah, baby. For a week."

"Oh." Keiren thought. "Can I have his room while he’s gone?"

Jay laughed. "Ask your mom."

Keiren ran to Serina.

Keifer pulled Jay up. "I have to go."

"I know."

"One week."

"One week."

"Love you."

"Love you more."

He kissed her one last time. Then walked through security.

Jay watched until he disappeared.

Then let one tear fall.

Percy appeared beside her. "You okay?"

"No."

"Wanna get ice cream?"

"...Yes."

They left. The families followed. All emotional.

Day 1. Evening.

Jay’s phone buzzed.

Keifer: Landed. Hotel. Tired. Miss you.

Jay: Miss you too. Eat something.

Keifer: Not hungry.

Jay: KEIFER.

Keifer: Fine. Ordering now.

Jay: Send proof.

He sent a photo of room service menu.

She sent a photo of her dinner. Sad salad.

Keifer: That looks terrible.

Jay: I’m sad.

Keifer: Eat real food.

Jay: Make me.

Keifer: When I’m back. Promise.

She smiled. Saved it.

Day 2. Morning.

Jay woke up to flowers. Delivered to her office.

Red roses. Card said: Wish you were here. - K

She took a photo. Sent it to him.

Jay: You’re ridiculous.

Keifer: You’re welcome.

Jay: I love you.

Keifer: I love you too. 5 more days.

Jay: Don’t remind me.

At the Watson house, Keizer was losing it.

"He sent flowers! My son sent FLOWERS!"

Serina smiled. "He’s romantic when he wants to be."

Keigan filmed everything. "This is content for YEARS."

Keiren ran around with a toy plane. "Kuya’s on a plane! Kuya’s on a plane!"

Aries, visiting with Ella, shook his head. "They’re so dramatic."

Ella poked him. "You sent ME flowers last week."

"That’s different."

"How?"

"...Fine. We’re all dramatic."

Day 3. Night.

Video call.

Jay in bed. Hair messy. No makeup.

Keifer on screen. Tired. But smiling.

"You look terrible," he said.

"Thanks. Love you too."

"I mean it nicely."

"Sure."

He almost-smiled. "Miss you."

"Miss you more."

"Impossible."

"Maybe."

They talked for an hour. About nothing. About everything.

Before hanging up:

"Jay?"

"Yeah?"

"Three more days. Then I’m home."

"Hurry."

"Fast as I can."

"Love you."

"Love you too, baby."

Day 4. Evening.

Another delivery. This time to her house.

Chocolate. Her favorite. And a note: Eat this. Think of me. - K

Jay smiled so hard her face hurt.

Mama Reycee saw it. "Again? That boy."

Jay shrugged. "He’s extra."

"He’s IN LOVE."

"Yeah." Jay hugged the chocolates. "He is."

Day 5. Morning.

Keifer’s turn.

He woke up to voice notes. Seven of them.

He played them in order.

First: "Good morning, baby. Hope you slept well."

Second: "I miss you. Obviously."

Third: "Keiren asked about you today. Said his Kuya is ’on an adventure.’"

Fourth: "Your dad cried at breakfast. Just so you know."

Fifth: "Percy and Honey are disgustingly cute. Send help."

Sixth: "I love you. Come home."

Seventh: "PS. I wore your hoodie to sleep last night. Smells like you."

Keifer listened to all of them twice.

Then saved them.

Texted: You’re going to kill me with cute.

Jay: Good.

Keifer: 2 more days.

Jay: Counting.

Keifer: Always.

Day 6. Night.

Final night apart.

Video call. Both emotional.

"Tomorrow," Jay whispered.

"Tomorrow."

"I can’t wait."

"Me neither."

"What time’s your flight?"

"Early. Land at 3pm."

"I’ll be there."

"Good."

"Keifer?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

"I love you too, Jasper Jean. See you soon."

"See you soon."

They hung up.

Jay stared at the ceiling. Smiling.

Day 7. Airport. 3pm.

Jay arrived early. Of course.

Both families came. Of course.

Keizer held a sign: WELCOME HOME SON! WE MISSED YOU!

Jasfer held one too: JAYFER FOREVER!

Keiren had a small flag. Waving it wildly.

Percy had his phone out. "I’m filming the reunion."

Honey stood beside him. "Obviously."

Aries crossed his arms. "This is extra."

Ella grinned. "You love it."

"...Maybe."

Keigan had his camera ready. "Archives. Final Chapter."

Serina and Mama Reycee held hands. Waiting.

Jay stood at the front. Heart pounding.

Then she saw him.

Keifer walked through the gates. Tired. Suit wrinkled. Hair messy.

He saw her.

Stopped.

Then he ran.

Dropped his bag. Didn’t care. Just ran.

Jay ran too.

They met in the middle. He grabbed her. Lifted her. Spun her.

She wrapped her legs around him. Arms around his neck.

They kissed like no one was watching.

But everyone was watching.

Keizer sobbed. "MY BABY IS HOME."

Jasfer cried openly. "THEY’RE SO HAPPY."

Mama Reycee grabbed Serina. "LOOK AT THEM."

Serina nodded, tears streaming. "Perfect."

Percy was full-on weeping. "THIS IS CINEMA."

Honey hugged him. "I KNOW."

Aries wiped his eyes. "Fine. This is cute."

Ella kissed his cheek. "Told you."

Keigan zoomed in. "Got it. Got all of it."

Keiren waved his flag. "KUYA! KUYA’S GIRLFRIEND! HI!"

Jay and Keifer finally broke apart.

Foreheads together. Breathing hard.

"I missed you," he whispered.

"Missed you more."

"Told you. Impossible."

"Maybe." She kissed him again. Quick. "Welcome home, baby."

"Good to be home."

He set her down. Grabbed her hand.

They walked to the families together.

Keizer bear-hugged Keifer. "SON! DON’T LEAVE AGAIN!"

Keifer winced. "Dad. Breathing."

"FINE." Keizer let go. Hugged Jay. "Thank you for making him come back."

Jay laughed. "He came back for himself. Mostly."

"No. He came back for you."

Keifer didn’t deny it.

The car ride home was chaos.

Both families crammed into vehicles. Following each other. Honking. Waving.

Jay and Keifer in the back of his car. His arm around her. Her head on his shoulder.

"Tell me everything," she murmured.

"About the trip?"

"About you. What you did. What you ate. What you thought about."

"You."

"Besides me."

"Nothing else."

She smiled. "Corny."

"Shut up."

"Make me."

He kissed her. Long. Slow. Traffic honked behind them. Didn’t care.

When they pulled apart, she was glowing.

"I really missed you," she said quietly.

"I really missed you too."

"Don’t leave again."

"Can’t promise that. Business."

"Then take me with you."

He looked at her. Soft.

"Next time," he said. "Promise."

"Good."

"Good."

That night, both families gathered at the Watson house.

Welcome home party. Loud. Chaotic. Perfect.

Keifer sat on the couch. Jay in his lap. His arms around her.

Keiren climbed up beside them. "Kuya! Did you bring me something?"

Keifer reached into his bag. Pulled out a small toy plane.

Keiren’s eyes went wide. "FOR ME?"

"For you."

"BEST KUYA EVER!" He hugged Keifer tight. Then Jay. "BEST KUYA’S GIRLFRIEND EVER!"

Everyone laughed.

Percy leaned to Honey. "This is the life."

Honey nodded. "The best life."

Keizer gave a speech. Too long. Too loud. Too emotional.

Jasfer gave one too. Also too long. Also emotional.

Aries threatened Keifer one more time. "Just in case you forgot."

Keifer nodded. "Didn’t forget."

"Good."

Ella rolled her eyes. "Men."

Serina and Mama Reycee planned the next family gathering. Already.

Keigan edited his footage. "This is going viral."

Jay looked at Keifer. "Tired?"

"A little."

"Want to go home?"

He looked around. Chaos. Love. Family.

"I am home," he said.

She smiled. Kissed his cheek.

"Yeah. You are."

Later, after everyone left, they sat on the back porch.

Alone. Stars above.

"Hey," Jay said.

"Mm?"

"This week was terrible."

"I know."

"But also good."

"How?"

"Because I realized something."

He looked at her. "What?"

"That I don’t want to do life without you. Ever. Not a day. Not a week. Not anything."

He pulled her closer.

"You won’t have to."

"Promise?"

"Promise. From now on, business trips? You come. Or I don’t go."

"Keifer. You have to work."

"Then you come. Negotiable."

She laughed. "Bossy."

"Your bossy."

"Yeah." She kissed him. "My bossy."

They watched the stars.

One week apart. Forever to make up for it.

"Hey," she whispered.

"Yeah?"

"I love you, Keifer Watson."

"I love you too, Jasper Jean Mariano."

"Our kids are gonna hate traveling."

"Probably."

"Perfect."

"Perfect."

Home. Finally.