Treat You Better

Chapter 30

Raghu shuffled into the living room using his crutches. He was in a good mood today. After days of being bedridden, the doctor had finally given him a green signal to start slowly walking with the help of crutches.He saw that Radhika was busy laying out the dishes she had painstakingly prepared, on the dining table.
He smiled at her and sat at the table. Paying no attention to him, she sat across him after serving him a portion of the breakfast she had cooked. She was finding it difficult to carry out her day to day tasks. She was easily exhausted and all she wanted to do was lie in the bed all day long.
Raghu cleared his throat to attract her attention but she ignored him and ate silently despite his cringe inducing attempts. Defeated, he finally said, 'Radhika, if you are not able to keep up with the household chores. We can hire a house help.',
'No thanks. I am very much capable of doing everything on my own. Anyway, I will only be here for few more days.'
'Why? Where are you going?', Raghu asked confused.
'Are you playing dumb? I promised your sister to stay here only until you are well enough to take care of yourself.'
Raghu appeared to be shocked and hurt but Radhika couldn't care less. The man sitting across her had caused way too much pain for a life time and now amount of puppy dog eyes could convince her to stay behind.
'What about the baby?', Raghu asked quickly recovering from the shock.
'You mean the baby you told me to kill.', Radhika uttered viciously causing Raghu to wince.
'I didn't know what I wanted.', Raghu said in a quiet voice.
'And now you do?', Radhika asked mockingly.
'I was in a bad place. I have put all that behind me now. I want us to have a fresh start.'
'Too late. You already had your chance. You never cared then. So now let me go.', Radhika said not quite looking into his eyes.
'I am not yet ready to give up on us. And there is something you should know. Revathy or someone posing as Revathy had been sending me letters and package with old photographs and love notes. All those times I ignored you, I was distracted by her and was pursuing the trail she knowingly left behind.But all those pursuits brought me to a dead end, driving me even more crazy. I had reached a heightened sense of madness on the night of our anniversary. I am sorry but I know that your sister's haunting memories is not a valid excuse for the way I have acted but please give me one more chance.', Raghu finished and held his breath, waiting for Radhika to say something.
Radhika looked shell shocked. He had expected her to sneer at him and turn away from him in disgust, but all he saw was a stupefied expression across her face. After a long pause, she said something incoherent.
'I got a package as well.'
'I am sorry what?, Raghu asked, his ears perking up.
'Last month, I received a package from Revathy.'
'Why didn't you tell me?', Raghu asked slightly vexed, his tone sharp.
'You didn't tell me either.', Radhika said in an equally sharp tone, before getting up from the chair and leaving.
Raghu didn't bother following her as he knew he was at a disadvantage here with his current disability.

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Yusuf walked into a dimly lit room. A man was sitting on a sturdy table placed in the middle of the room. He was fiddling with a chrome lighter and he held a long cigar between his teeth.
'Sir, I am here to collect the next  package for delivery.'
The man nodded and walked behind the desk and retrieved a small box like package from one of the drawers and tossed it at Yusuf.
'Make sure no one sees you. Leave it at her doorstep.'
'Can I see Razak Bhai today?', Yusuf asked eagerly.
'No. You will see when he deems you trustworthy enough. Now, go along and do your task.'
Placing the box in his brown satchel, Yusuf trotted out, seemingly disappointed.
Qasim shook his head behind Yusuf's back. The overeager ones were always the foolish ones. He knew he had to keep an eye on this one.
He typed out a text message on his mobile phone.
"The next delivery is on the way." Within seconds of hitting the send button, he received a message.
"Good."
He looked at the message and wondered when will he ever meet the faceless and feared crime lord, Razak.