The Grocery Girl

Monday Night.

Mira

I peered up at the time. 9:55 pm. I managed to finish the entire checklist and had a few customers here and there buzzing around the shop. Till it was desolated. I decided to slip into the warehouse again, when I received a text.

It was from Prem.

"Hey I'm heading to your store. We need to talk."

Shit!

"I've closed up. Heading home now. I won't be able to meet you. Have a hectic week ahead. As you know."

"Closed? Then why is your sign and shop still open?"

There was a faint knock on the window, as I saw Prem under the dim light. My mobile fell out of my hands clumsily. I picked it up, trying to be normal. What if Rocco appears out of nowhere? He won't be too happy. But what the hell was Prem doing here without informing me any earlier?

I crossed my arms across my chest, as he entered the store looking daper as usual.

"After being a complete asshole to me on Saturday Night. You think I would open my doors to you."

Prem winced, looking at me with concern. His hands were dug into his pockets, as the armour of his swagger and confidence were thrown off. It was an unusual sight.

"Yeah. About that. I'm sorry for raising my voice at you."

Oh. It wasn't the tone. It was the words.

"Are you? Or your just saying that to extract information from me? How convenient for you to come around the exact same time I was cornered by your beloved gangster?"

Maybe I spoke too soon.

"You came by on Sunday. I didn't get to meet you."

"I come to your place every Sunday. What made that Sunday special that you missed me?"

I was playing the woman scorned role very well.

"Geezh, Mira. Have you always been this stubborn?"

"Have you always been this insensitive?"

"Anyway, I need to search your store."

My mouth curved into a mocking smirk.

"Do you have a warrant on you, Inspector Kumar?"

Prem's face almost fell.

"Were family Mira. I don't need a warrant."

"Well your dead to me now."

Prem's face went from calm to flaming rage. He sauntered towards me like a untamed bull as he backed me against one of the aisles. His brown eyes bored holes right into me as I couldn't avert his gaze. In another universe, I would have swooned and swooped in to kiss him like people did in the movies. But I was inclined to give him a whooping instead.

"And I wouldn't want you to be dead when that beloved gangster of mine puts a bullet through you."

"That's sweet Prem. But he's not here, No wonder you haven't caught him yet."

I spat when Prem raised his right fist and punched right through the packets on the side. A group of Garam Masala packets fell to the ground, as I knelt down to the floor to pick them up.

"If your done taking your incompetence out on my store. Could you please leave? According to my shift, I should be home by now."

"Fuck your store!"

Prem rushed to the back, as my heart began to race. No No No. If Prem knew I was withholding information from him or hosting his enemy. I could imagine graver consequences. He might even arrest me as an accomplice considering the heat in our arguments. I dropped the packets pursuing him through the corridor. The door was left ajar, as I silently prayed to the Gods that nothing would happen.