Serenity [Book 2]

Chapter 24: sweet mother nature

*Trigger warning; this chapter contains discussions of miscarriage, cheating and mental abuse - if you need to skip, please let me know and I will give you a quick overview without going into detail. Please stay safe, put yourself first. I love you all <33.*

Francesca's POV:

Nausea swirls in my gut, so much so that it has me stirring awake. When I finally regain more consciousness, I wince at the sudden discomfort in my lower belly. It has me holding my stomach and exhaling a shallow breath.

That is until my eyes widen in realization.

I was due on my period yesterday.

Oh, fuck.

I reach for my phone on the nightstand and I put on the flash, considering it's dark still, and I brace myself for the worse when I look under the covers. And to my utter surprise, Ethan's cream sheets are now covered in my period blood.

I lay back down and groan. I am so stupid.

Only I would forget about my period, only me.

Now, how the fuck do I fix this at four in the morning?

I don't even have any tampons or pads. I am so unorganised for someone who has been obsessed the last two weeks over her period coming.

Ethan couldn't care less about blood. He's actually very mature about periods, which is shocking, but I'm so embarrassed that this has happened. How am I supposed to wake this dude up, tell him I've ruined his sheets and then admit I am free bleeding it until I go home tomorrow? The latter is not a choice, but more so something I have to come to terms with.

I refuse to lay here any longer knowing that period blood is currently between my legs, however I am not ready to look him in the eye and tell him that it's there.

My eyes start to water and I exhale a shaky breath as my hormones get the better of me. It won't be the first time today, especially since I have therapy this afternoon.

"Darling?" Ethan turns around towards me, and I sniffle, trying to regain composure, but that just blows my whole cover. "Hey, you're okay, I'm here. Did you have a bad dream?"

"No." I wail, sounding pathetic. "I just hate myself."

"Francesca..." He sits up, lifting the covers with him and my eyes widen in panic, but thankfully my legs are still covered. "Tell me what happened."

"I'm crying." I whisper.

"Thanks for the obvious." He raises his brows. "C'mon, tell me, I'm here for you always, remember?"

"Um, I ruined your sheets, I forgot I was due on my period and I'm cramping, so my belly hurts. I guess I'm just embarrassed and my hormones are getting the best of me." I rub my hands over my face, exhaling a quick breath.

"Okay, lemme think a second." He puts up his index finger, as if he's silencing me. "Okay, go get a shower or a bath, I'll change the sheets and make you a hot water bottle."

"I haven't got any tampons or pads with me." I mutter.

"I'll ask Maria, I'm sure she has one of the two." He says, and I shake my head.

"I don't want you to wake her up." I whisper.

"Babe, I'll figure it out, I promise. Don't worry about anything other than getting in the bath or shower." He tells me, and I nod, incredibly thankful he's not immature in situations like these.

"Sorry I woke you up." I apologize, feeling the need to.

"It's okay, don't worry about me." He murmurs, stroking the pad of his thumb against my cheek.