Chapter 60: chapter 60

MADHAVI wake up with a smile on my face. I was having some good dreams about me and Sruthi spending some quality time. It was too good of a time to be real. I open my eyes to find my arms folded on my chest. The pillow wall I put between us yesterday is still intact. Was it too much to wish that either of us were sleepers who moved in sleep?I get up and glance at the other side of the pillow wall to find Sruthi fast asleep. Her hair falls on her face, before I think could twice, my hand reaches out to brush it away. With a stretch, I get up from the bed and tip-toe out of the room. After a quick shower, I exit my room with a new mission. I am going to make food for Sruthi. That is going to be a very difficult task because I have never held a knife to cut vegetables. My mind is blank as I enter the kitchen. I have no idea where to start or what to do. I don't even know what things are placed where. I tie an apron around me and circle the whole kitchen taking stock of things. I come to this room at least once a day but it is only now that I am looking around it carefully. I open all cabinets and drawers to see where things are. I open the fridge to find it empty except for a few noodle packets. I had no idea that we were out of groceries. I glance at the clock to find it seven in the morning. I can go grocery shopping now and delay the breakfast for Sruthi or I can order takeout but the doctor has strictly advised against out food. Of course, noodles are not that healthy either but at least it is something cooked in the house.Cut the bullshit, Madhav! You want to impress Sruthi with your cooking, don't you? Isn't that why you are making these flimsy excuses?Maybe yes. I have no idea of romance and love. I didn’t exactly grow up in a family filled with love. I have heard a man tell me once when I was on a mission about how he impressed his wife with his cooking skills. So, I am going to try it. How tough is it going to be?I take the noodles packet out of the fridge and turn it backwards for instructions on how to cook. I read the instructions before I could get the hang of it. I smile to myself. The instructions are pretty easy. All I had to do is boil the appropriate amount of water for the noodles before adding it and the tastemaker. Then stir frequently until all the water evaporates. It is pretty easy than I thought. I open the cabinet containing the vessels and utensils for cooking. I frown at the different shapes and sizes of them. I have no idea what to use for cooking noodles. Should it be the frying pan or pressure cooker?I take a wild guess and chose the frying pan. I rummage through the kitchen cabinets for a few minutes before coming across what I need. A measuring jug. I measure the exact amount of water given in the instructions and pour it into the pan. Then I turn on the electric stove and set the mode to cooking noodles. I wait for the bubbles to appear on the water. When I see the stream coming off, I break the noodles exactly as instructed in the instructions and slowly drop them into the water. I flinch when a drop of water splashes on me. I watch the noodles sink in the water. I tear open the tastemaker and pour it in. Then using a spatula, I mix the tastemaker with the noodles. I place the spatula on a plate near the stove and close the boiling noodles with a lid. According to the instructions, I should stir the noodles every few seconds. I count numbers in my head when my phone rings somewhere. I recognize the ringtone and run in the direction of the phone to find it in my room. “How is my sister?” is the first thing Vikram asks as soon as I pick up the call.“You saw her less than fifteen hours ago. She is still the same, recovering.”“Did anything suspicious happen after I left?”“Nope, nothing.” “Hmm, that is good to know. I want you to know that Vishnu has been sentenced to life imprisonment for what he committed.”“Oh!” I say distracted for a moment. I wanted to kill that bastard for what he did to Sruthi but fortunate for him, he was caught by the police. I can’t interfere when the police are involved. I am an assassin off-records and for the safety of Sruthi, I wish to stay like that. I don’t want anyone figuring out that I am the Deathwhispherer. The crucial thing for me now is to keep Sruthi safe. After what happened with Vishnu, I am not ready to trust anyone. That is one of the reasons I didn’t hire a temporary cook until Jaya Ma’s return. I would rather learn cooking than let other killers sneak into my house under the pretence of being a cook. I have disguised as someone else and entered houses to take a life. So, there is no guarantee that it wouldn’t happen to Sruthi.“What about the investigations on him?” I ask.“My spies are on it. They will have some information in a day or two. I will let you know once I get the info.”“Yeah, sure,” I say hanging up the call. I place my phone on the bed and run a hand through my hair. I still don’t believe Vishnu’s bullshit of that drug lord I killed being his brother. But, a small part of me, a very minute one says that it is possible. It is easy to hide your relationship with someone in this country. If you don’t want the world to know that a person is related to you, then it can be done in minutes. I of all people know that very well. Vishnu’s brother could have used the same means I used to erase the relationship between me my and mother to protect his brother. I can’t be sure of anything at this moment. There are too many loopholes and Vishnu’s story of his beloved brother doesn’t fill any of that. This is something—My phone rings again. The caller screen shows 'PM'. Taking a deep breath, I attend the call. I am sure the man is calling me because of his wife. "Hello, sir," I greet in respect."Hello, Madhav," the man asks in his commanding voice."I am good. How about you and Madame. Do you perhaps need me to come to your house for new jewels?"He laughs, "Ahh! No, I didn't call you for that. My wife and son would be visiting you and Sruthi today. I heard what happened to her and I am sorry for it. I guess, the Ariyians are not invincible as we all still believe," I flinch at his indirect way of calling my wife a coward, "Anyways, make sure to stay at home today. My wife and son will drop by in the evening if it is not too much of an inconvenience.""No, sir. It is our pleasure to have them here," I say and he hangs up with take care. I massage the side of my temple and exhale loudly. As much as I hate having Vinod in my sight, I know he is a very good friend of Sruthi. So, for the sake of her I will have to tolerate that man's presence.My thoughts are put to an abrupt stop when I remember the noodles. I run out of my room and at the same time, I hear the loud sound of a lid falling. I enter the kitchen to find it filled with smoke and a burnt smell. Dammit! I forgot about the noodles. I quickly turn off the electric stove and open the windows of the kitchen to let out all the smoke. “What caught fire?” I hear Sruthi’s voice from outside the kitchen. I wish the floor would just open up and swallow me whole. Why should she be awake now of all time?❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥