Jay's POV
I thought—thought—that after surviving energy-soup grandma, three-people-cooking apocalypse, and Section E screaming like background music, the house would finally calm down.
I was wrong.
Very wrong.
Chaos doesn't leave this family.
Chaos just takes a tea break and comes back louder.
THE RETURN OF CHAOS
It started small.
Too small.
Which is always suspicious.
Calix was arguing with Mica about whether the sofa was "aesthetic enough to nap on."
C In was trying to balance three spoons on his nose.
Erdix was explaining quantum physics to Felix, who was nodding like he understood and absolutely did not.
Eren was on a call saying, "No babe, I'm loyal—today."
Freya was laughing so hard she nearly fell off the chair.
Rakki was recording everything like this was a documentary titled "How Not to Live With Friends."
Grace was rocking baby Grazel Jay, who suddenly screamed—
Not cried.
SCREAMED.
Like she wanted to announce herself to the world.
Me: "Why does she sound like she's starting a revolution?"
Denzel: "She's my daughter."
Fair.
GRANDMA ROUND TWO
Then Grandma entered the hall.
Silence fell.
Every head snapped toward her.
She was holding a bowl.
A new bowl.
Grandma: "Relax. It's not energy drink."
Everyone exhaled.
Grandma: "It's dessert."
Everyone inhaled sharply again.
Angelo: "Mother… please say it's normal."
Grandma: "Very normal. Only five ingredients."
Me: "That's not reassuring."
Aries: "Does it glow?"
Grandma: "Only a little."
SCREAMS.
SECTION E BEING SECTION E
Calix whispered, "If we die, tell my gym trainer I tried."
Freya grabbed Mica's hand. "If we survive, we're eating only restaurant food forever."
C In raised his phone. "Smile, this is evidence."
Erdix leaned toward me. "Jay, if this works, you're legally allowed in the kitchen."
I laughed. "Don't push it."
Baby Grazel Jay slapped the table.
Everyone: "…She approves?"
LAUGHTER EVERYWHERE
Somehow, against logic and science, nothing exploded.
People laughed.
People teased.
People argued over who screamed the loudest five minutes ago.
I laughed too—like really laughed.
The kind where your stomach hurts and your eyes water.
For a moment, everything felt full.
Too full.
AND THEN… QUIET
It happened suddenly.
The laughter faded into background noise.
Not because anyone stopped talking.
But because my heart did.
My eyes drifted to the empty space beside me on the couch.
That's when it hit me.
Keifer should've been here.
He should've been rolling his eyes at Calix.
He should've pulled me closer when the noise got too much.
He should've called me wifey in that soft, teasing voice.
But he wasn't.
THE ACHE
My smile slipped before I could stop it.
Hubby…
I imagined him standing there—arms crossed, watching all this chaos like it was normal.
I could almost hear him say,
"You okay, wifey?"
My chest tightened.
I missed him so much it physically hurt.
Not the dramatic kind.
The quiet kind.
The kind where your throat burns and you don't even realize you stopped breathing.
HOLDING IT IN
I didn't cry.
Not yet.
I just sat there, surrounded by noise, laughter, love—
And felt the empty space where he belonged.
Please come back soon, I thought.
This chaos isn't complete without you.
I wiped my eyes quickly and laughed when Aries cracked another dumb joke.
Because that's what I do.
I survive chaos.
Even when my heart is missing half of itself.