Chapter One Hundred Twenty Six: The Period That Broke Mithun (Extended Edition)
The morning after jewelry shopping, the mansion was peaceful.
Too peaceful.
Shreya woke up in Mithun's arms, stretched, and immediately felt it.
Cramps.
Bad cramps.
The worst cramps.
She groaned.
Mithun opened his eyes. "You okay?"
"Period."
"Ah." He sat up. "What do you need?"
"Everything. Nothing. I don't know."
He kissed her forehead. "I'll get you tea."
---
He returned ten minutes later with tea, a heating pad, and painkillers.
Shreya was still in bed.
Curled up.
Miserable.
"Here." He set everything beside her. "Tea. Heating pad. Medicine."
She looked at him.
Tears filled her eyes.
"Why are you so good to me?"
He blinked. "Because I love you?"
"BUT WHY?"
"That's... what love is?"
She started crying.
Not fake crying.
Real crying.
Full-on sobbing.
---
Mithun's eyes widened. "Shreya? What's wrong?"
"NOTHING!"
"Then why are you crying?"
"BECAUSE YOU'RE NICE!"
"I'm... sorry?"
"DON'T APOLOGIZE FOR BEING NICE!"
"I'm not apologizing, I'm just—"
"JUST WHAT?"
He paused. Chose his words carefully.
"I'm just trying to help."
"BUT YOU'RE HELPING TOO MUCH!"
"How can I help too much?"
"I DON'T KNOW! BUT YOU ARE!"
---
He sat on the bed.
Reached for her hand.
She let him take it.
"Shreya. I love you. I want to take care of you. That's all."
She sniffled. "I know."
"Is that okay?"
"...Yes."
"Good."
---
She cried for another ten minutes.
Then stopped.
Abruptly.
"I'm hungry."
Mithun blinked. "Okay. What do you want?"
"Pancakes."
"Pancakes."
"With strawberries."
"Strawberries."
"And whipped cream."
"Whipped cream."
"And chocolate chips."
"Chocolate chips."
She looked at him. "You're not writing this down."
"I'm remembering."
"What if you forget?"
"I won't forget."
"BUT WHAT IF YOU DO?"
Her eyes filled with tears again.
---
Mithun stood. "I'll go make pancakes. Right now. With strawberries, whipped cream, and chocolate chips."
"And syrup?"
"And syrup."
"And extra butter?"
"And extra butter."
She smiled through her tears. "Okay."
He kissed her forehead. "I'll be right back."
---
He made it to the kitchen.
Started cooking.
Akshi wandered in. "What are you making?"
"Pancakes. For Shreya. Period."
Akshi nodded knowingly. "Ah. Good luck."
"Thanks."
Chethan appeared. "Mithun's cooking? This I have to see."
"I cook."
"You burn water."
"That was one time."
"It was three times."
"NOT HELPING."
---
Percy bounced in. "I HEARD COOKING! IS THERE FOOD?"
Honey followed. "Percy, it's 9 AM."
"BREAKFAST TIME!"
Mithun ignored them all.
Focused on the pancakes.
Perfect golden brown.
Strawberries sliced.
Whipped cream ready.
Chocolate chips sprinkled.
Syrup warmed.
Extra butter melting.
---
He plated it beautifully.
Carried it upstairs.
The kitchen watched him go.
Percy wiped a tear. "He's so romantic."
Honey patted his back. "Babe, calm down."
"I CAN'T! LOVE IS BEAUTIFUL!"
---
Mithun entered the room.
Shreya was still in bed.
Waiting.
He set the tray in front of her.
Her eyes filled with tears again.
"It's beautiful."
"It's pancakes."
"BEAUTIFUL PANCAKES."
She ate.
Cried.
Ate more.
Cried more.
Mithun sat beside her, patient.
---
When she finished, she looked at him.
"I'm sorry I'm so emotional."
"Don't be sorry."
"I yelled at you."
"You didn't yell."
"I cried a lot."
"You're allowed."
"I love you."
"I love you too."
"Even when I'm like this?"
"Especially when you're like this."
---
She pulled him into a hug.
He held her.
"Thank you," she whispered.
"For what?"
"For taking care of me. For not running away. For being you."
"Always."
---
That afternoon, the mood swings continued.
One moment she was laughing.
The next she was crying.
Then she was angry.
Then she was laughing again.
Mithun handled it all with calm patience.
---
At lunch, Shreya looked at her plate.
Started crying.
"The food is too pretty."
Mithun blinked. "Too pretty?"
"I can't eat it. It's too beautiful."
"It's rice and vegetables."
"BEAUTIFUL RICE AND VEGETABLES."
He gently pushed the plate toward her. "Just try a bite."
She took a bite.
Cried harder.
"It's delicious."
"I'm glad."
"NOW I'M SAD IT'S DELICIOUS!"
"Why?"
"BECAUSE I'LL FINISH IT AND IT WILL BE GONE!"
---
Percy watched from across the table. "Is she okay?"
Jay nodded knowingly. "Pregnancy hormones are gone. Period hormones are here."
"This is intense."
"You have no idea."
Honey patted his arm. "Just wait until it's your turn."
"My turn for what?"
"Dealing with me on my period."
He paled. "Oh no."
"OH YES."
---
After lunch, Shreya wanted to watch a movie.
A romantic one.
Mithun agreed.
They started watching.
Ten minutes in, she was sobbing.
"WHY IS IT SO SAD?"
"It's a comedy."
"THEN WHY AM I CRYING?"
"I don't know."
"THIS IS SO UNFAIR!"
---
He held her.
Let her cry.
When the movie ended, she looked at him.
"I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"For being a mess."
"You're not a mess. You're human."
"I love you."
"I love you too."
---
By evening, she was exhausted.
Curled against Mithun.
Asleep.
He stayed there.
Didn't move.
Didn't complain.
Just held her.
---
Jay found them like that.
Smiled.
"Good man," she whispered.
Keifer appeared beside her. "The best."
"Our family."
"The best family."
---
Percy crept up behind them. "Is she okay?"
Jay nodded. "She's fine. Just tired."
"Should we be quiet?"
"That would be nice."
He nodded solemnly. Walked away on tiptoe.
Immediately tripped over a chair.
Mithun didn't even stir.
---
That night, Shreya woke up.
Mithun was still there.
Still holding her.
"Hey," she whispered.
"Hey."
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"For today. For everything. For not giving up on me."
"Never."
"I love you."
"I love you too."
She kissed him softly.
He kissed her back.
The cramps were still there.
But somehow, with him beside her—
They didn't feel so bad.
---
End of Chapter One Hundred Twenty Six