Chapter One Hundred Thirty Seven: The Cravings That Broke Keifer
Three weeks had passed since Ella's twins were born. The mansion was filled with baby sounds now—coos and cries and the constant shuffle of new parents learning on the fly.
Aries had become a professional at diaper changes. Ella had mastered the art of feeding two babies at once. Akshi and Shreya were constantly fighting over who got to hold them next.
And Jay?
Jay was six and a half months pregnant and absolutely losing her mind.
---
It started at 3 AM.
Keifer woke to find the bed empty.
He sat up, alarmed. "Jay?"
No answer.
He found her in the kitchen.
Standing in front of the open refrigerator.
Wearing only his shirt.
Staring at the contents like they held the secrets of the universe.
"Jay? What are you doing?"
"The baby wants something."
"What does the baby want?"
She didn't answer. Just stared.
---
"I don't know yet," she whispered. "But it's in here somewhere."
Keifer wrapped a blanket around her. "Come back to bed. We'll find it in the morning."
"The baby won't wait until morning."
"The baby can wait."
She turned to him. Her eyes were wild. "The baby. Will not. Wait."
He stepped back. "Okay. Okay. Let's find what the baby wants."
They stood in front of the refrigerator for twenty minutes.
Pickles? No.
Ice cream? No.
Cheese? No.
---
Then Jay's eyes landed on the jar of olives.
She grabbed it. Opened it. Took a bite.
Paused.
"The baby wants olives with peanut butter."
Keifer blinked. "Olives. With peanut butter."
"Yes."
"That's... that's not a thing."
"The baby says it's a thing."
She spread peanut butter on an olive. Ate it.
Her eyes rolled back. "OH MY GOD."
"Good?"
"The baby is HAPPY."
She ate three more.
Keifer watched in horror and fascination.
---
The next morning, Jay came downstairs with her olive-peanut-butter creation on a plate.
Akshi stared. "What is that?"
"Breakfast."
"That's olives with peanut butter."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"The baby wants it."
Shreya looked at her plate. "Is it good?"
"The best thing I've ever eaten."
Mithun raised an eyebrow. "Statistically, pregnancy cravings are—"
"MIT HUN, DO NOT STATISTIC MY CRAVINGS."
He closed his mouth.
---
Percy arrived with Honey. He saw Jay's plate. "WHAT IS THAT MAGNIFICENT CREATION?"
"Olives with peanut butter."
"I NEED TO TRY!"
Honey grabbed him. "Percy, no."
"PERCY YES!"
He tried one.
His face went through seventeen expressions. "That's... that's..."
"Good?"
"THAT'S HORRIBLE!"
Jay shrugged. "More for me."
---
The cravings escalated.
At noon, Jay wanted ice cream with hot sauce.
Keifer made it. She ate the whole bowl.
At 3 PM, she wanted pickles wrapped in cheese.
Akshi made it. She ate the whole plate.
At 6 PM, she wanted chocolate-covered bacon.
Chethan cooked it. She ate the whole tray.
---
At 9 PM, Keifer found her in the kitchen again.
Staring at the cabinets.
"What is it now?"
"Something spicy. Something sweet. Something crunchy."
"Okay. Let's find it."
They searched for an hour.
Nothing worked.
Jay started crying.
---
"The baby doesn't know what it wants!"
"Shh. We'll find it."
"WHAT IF WE NEVER FIND IT?"
"We'll find it."
She cried harder.
Keifer held her.
---
Then her eyes landed on the bag of chips.
She grabbed it. Opened it. Ate one.
Paused.
"Dip."
"What kind of dip?"
"Something sweet. Something spicy. Something—"
He grabbed chocolate sauce. Hot sauce. Mixed them.
She dipped a chip.
Ate it.
Her face transformed.
"THIS IS IT. THIS IS THE THING."
---
She ate the whole bag.
Dipped in chocolate-hot-sauce mixture.
Keifer watched her.
"I love you," he said.
"I love you too." She dipped another chip. "Even when I'm crazy?"
"Especially when you're crazy."
"You think this is crazy? Wait until tomorrow."
He sighed. "What's tomorrow?"
"The baby wants tacos. For breakfast."
"It's not even—"
"The baby wants what the baby wants."
---
The next morning, Jay ate tacos for breakfast.
With chocolate sauce.
And pickles.
And olives with peanut butter on the side.
Akshi watched in awe. "She's a superhero."
Shreya nodded. "Pregnancy superhero."
Mithun observed quietly. "The human body is remarkable."
C.N. made a note. "Subject: Jay. Pregnancy cravings: Unconventional. Intensity: Maximum."
Rakii photographed her plate. "For the album. 'The Craving Chronicles.'"
---
Percy arrived with Honey. "WHAT ARE WE EATING TODAY?"
Jay held up her taco. "Breakfast."
"That's a taco."
"Yes."
"With chocolate sauce."
"Yes."
"And pickles."
"Yes."
Percy grabbed one. Took a bite.
His face went pale. "THAT'S DISGUSTING!"
Jay shrugged. "More for me."
---
Keifer sat beside her. "How are you feeling?"
"Full. Happy. Weird."
"Weird good or weird bad?"
"Weird good. The baby is dancing."
He put his hand on her belly.
Felt the movement.
"She's strong."
"She's stubborn."
"Like her mother."
She kissed his cheek. "Like her father."
---
That night, Jay curled against Keifer.
"What's tomorrow's craving?"
"I don't know yet. The baby hasn't decided."
"Should I be worried?"
"Always."
He laughed. "I love you."
"I love you too. Even when I eat weird things."
"Especially when you eat weird things."
She smiled. "Good."
The baby kicked.
She put her hand on her belly.
"Okay, baby. I'll eat more tacos tomorrow."
The baby kicked again.
"Approved."
---
End of Chapter One Hundred Thirty Seven