Sapno Ka Shaher

27. Initiatives

"Offo Shubhamji... mai kar lungi na..." Preeti whined, bending her legs and keeping one hand on her stomach. "Bass Mummyji ko boliye mai 5 minutes me aa rahi hu."

"5 minutes me aisa kaunsa jaadu honewala hai jo dard gayab ho jayega... Tum aaram karo, aaj mai chai banata hu." Shubham clicked his fingers after adjusting the pillows behind Preeti's back.

Before Preeti could counter more, Shubham disappeared from their bedroom. She sighed and leaned on the backrest of the bed. She utterly regretted drinking coffee at 10 o'clock last night on the insistence of Shubham. She found it so sweet when Shubham proposed to have a coffee at night and chatting in the balcony while it was raining. She chattered about the latest movies released in the month, i.e. 'Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi' and 'Chaahat'. Shubham wasn't a very keen person about movies but yesterday, he was listening to her with so much interest, adoring her when she was talking about Akshay Kumar and Shah Rukh Khan, the heroes of the films, very enthusiastically. He had also laughed hysterically when Preeti gossiped that Akshay Kumar and Raveena Tondon were having an affair.

But the coffee backfired on her as it induced her periods to come right by midnight. She couldn't sleep peacefully and has been suffering from cramps since this morning. Thankfully it was Sunday morning today and there was no rush in the kitchen for breakfast and Shubham's tiffin. She generally works quite efficiently in the kitchen even during the periods, but today the grimace on her face due to pain was observed by Shubham and he forced her to rest.

She clutched a pillow on her stomach, closing her eyes and relaxing.

"Preeti," Shubham's voice fell on her ears and she looked up expecting the morning tea she needed so badly.

"Yeh lo." Shubham extended a hot water-bag instead and she was surprised. He had never done such things for her in her periods since their marriage. Periods was always a taboo for them to talk about. She would only inform him about it and then he would maintain a subtle distance from her in those 4-5 days. It was never more than that. But today, it was different. He was genuinely taking efforts to make her feel better. Taking the water bag that was wrapped in a cloth, she kept it on her belly, sighing content after feeling good.

"Chai bann gayi?" She asked with hopeful eyes.

"Ummm... haann... matlab... nahi..." Shubham fumbled to find words. "Matlab bann jayegi."

Before she could say something, they heard Tanvi's voice approaching their bedroom. "Bhabhi aap...." She stopped herself from completing after seeing Preeti resting with a water bag on her stomach and Shubham standing beside her.

She processed the sight and formed an 'O' when she realized it. Her gaze then shifted to her brother and her stance changed again, keeping her hands on her waist, "Bhaiya, abhi kitchen me aap the?" she asked.

Preeti straightened and intervened before Shubham could speak something, "Kya kiya inhone?" She feared for her kitchen.

"Bhaiya yaar..." Tanvi sulked, "poore platform pe garam paani gira diya hai... aur chai ka samaan bhi aise faila kar rakha hai." Tanvi almost complained about her brother to her bhabhi.

"Haan toh chai banani hai toh samaan ikatthha karke rakha maine," Shubham defended himself.

"Shubhamji... aap rehne dijiye... mai banati hu..." Preeti tucked his hand.

"Nahi nahi... tum aaram karo... aaj ghar ki saari mahilaon ke liye chai mai banaunga..." Shubham grinned looking at Preeti and Tanvi one by one. "Aur tum logon ko toh chai banana aata bhi nahi hai... mai batata hu badhiya chai kaise banate hai..." He walked to Tanvi and took her outside along with him.

Preeti slapped her forehead thinking about the mess she would be greeted with soon.

About 15 minutes later, Preeti joined Tanvi on the dining table, who was also banished from entering the kitchen by Shubham. He assisted Dadi to bring her and called his mother too in the dining hall. When all the ladies were settled in the chairs, he rushed to the kitchen and came back with a tray in his hand, containing four cups of tea, four stacked saucers, a bowl of biscuits and two plates with bread and butter. He kept the tray in the center of the table as Preeti made space there.