Coffee With Stranger

The Chowpatty

"Payal, let's meet at the pantry in the next five minutes. I want to talk to you about something."

I hung the phone and quickly started moving towards the pantry. I scanned through the entire pantry and picked up the corner table for us. So as no one could hear what we will be going to discuss.

"Two coffee please," I ordered to the guy while I was walking through the counter. I signed him at the corner table which I had selected for us and asked him to serve the coffee there.

I set on the table putting my one leg cross on the other. My anxious leg was constantly moving until I saw Payal coming towards me. I put down my leg and now my legs were jiggling as I was restless.

"What happened Isha? Why you looked so worried? Had police called you and told you something. Or they misbehave with you. You just tell me; I will not leave them this time. I know how to deal with those idiots."

"No Payal, it was not the police or anyone. It was about this." I leaned my hand towards her and opened the fist and showed the anonymous note.

"Again?" She asked me with a great surprise.

"Yes Payal, again. Again a coffee date for tomorrow evening. This person has made my life horrible. Why doesn't he come in front of me and show me his ugly face? What did he want from me? I am fed up contemplating about him."

"Don't worry Isha, we will figure this out like we did last time. I will come with you don't worry." Payal tried to pacify me.

"No, I will go alone. He is not showing up as I wasn't alone at the cafe. This time also he will not show up if you will be there with me. So I should go alone and find out the truth by myself."

"No way, I can't let you go alone; especially after the Vivan's incident, you should not take the risk. I will accompany you, but not be sitting beside you. I will sit on the other table far away from you. Keeping an eye on you and that bastard." Payal replied.

"I think I should inform the police about these notes. They will figure out something better for me, what say?"

"Are you dumb? Don't make that mistake. Police are already behind you thinking you killed him and on the top of it if you tell them about these notes, they will surely doubt you more and more." Payal said.

"Rather I would suggest you don't go on the coffee date. Just ignore this note."

 "No, I am not a coward, and I want to find the person who is behind all this. Now I also doubt that this has some linkage to Vivan's murder. What you say?" I asked her.

"Well I don't about the murder, but I think you should not go tomorrow. And if you still insist, I will come with you. I won't let you go alone." She replied.

"Ok, you can come, but we will not sit together. As last time that person didn't turn up. Maybe he had seen us sitting together. So this time we will not make the same mistake as we did last time."

After a lunch break, I messaged Siddharth.

Me: "Hi, how are you? What are you up to?"

Siddharth: "Nothing, just making a presentation on the project. You say, what are you doing?

Siddharth: "had your lunch?"

Me: "Ya just finished. So thought to talk to you for a while"

Siddharth: "That's a good idea. :)"

Siddharth: "So, are we meeting today evening? If your leg is fine, of course."

Me: "Ya, sure. I am better now."