Bound by Blood: A Tale of Mafia and Medicine

16.

Soyra arrived at Radhika's residence after a while. As she exited the car and approached the gate, she noticed two bodyguards walking in front of her, two beside her, and two behind her. Kabir stood diagonally within the formation they created. She paused, causing everyone to halt as well. When she resumed walking, they followed suit. Being frustrated she gave a bombastic side-eye to Kabir. 

"Sir has given his order, ma'am" He spoke.

"Tum, tumhare sir, aur tumhare sir ke orders, teeno jaake fugdi khelo, aur mujhe jane do" 

"Sorry ma'am, we can't"

"Abe gaadi tak theek tha ab ghar me thodi ghus sakte hai, ek kaam karo, tum chalo, ye logo ko bahar rehne do."

"Ok mam"

As Kabir and Soyra approached, the remaining six bodyguards positioned themselves in a horizontal line at the gate. While Soyra rang the doorbell, waiting for her friend to open the door. 

"Soyraaaaaaa!!!!"

Radhika swiftly opened the door, clearly intoxicated. She widened her eyes at Soyra and engulfed her in a tight hug, struggling to maintain her balance. Soyra caught her, detecting the scent of alcohol, and she frowned at her choice to drink at such an early hour in the morning.  Observing Radhika clinging tightly to her, Kabir promptly intervened, pulling Radhika away from the embrace, while Soyra straightened herself, with a look of disgust at her friend. 

"Ayee kaun hai re" 

Her speech stumbled, a clear sign of her extreme drunkenness. She spun around, locked eyes with the man who held her and widened her eyes in astonishment again.

"Chya maila, ye toh chikna hai re" Kabir felt embarrassed as Radhika slumped on him, and his gaze turned vulnerable as he looked at Soyra. 

"Offo pagal ladki, chal andar"

Disapprovingly, Soyra shook her head at Radhika's behaviour and gently pulled her away from Kabir, leading her inside. She carefully settled her friend on the sofa and sat beside her, providing firm support as Radhika struggled to regain composure. 

"Ek thappad lagaungi mai tujhe Radhika, Ye kya hai subhe subhe?" 

Soyra shook her, expecting an answer from her, meanwhile, Radhika paid no attention to her question as she was not in a state of awareness. She just kept making faces at her friend and started laughing at her response. 

"Aise nahi, tujhe barabar karti hu mai abhi ruk, yahi baith, agar yaha se hili toh teri jaan le lungi mai"

 Soyra warned her friend, making her completely still at her place. Swiftly, she pressed her finger against her lips, signalling silence, and fixed her gaze on Kabir, who remained motionless by the door, deliberately avoiding eye contact with Radhika.

Soyra entered the kitchen and prepared a ginger-lemon drink for her friend. Returning with the glass, she handed it to Radhika who held it in one hand while the other covered her lips. Soyra gestured for her to drink it, but Radhika made strange, pleading expressions. However, a stern look from Soyra compelled her to take a big sip. Instantly disgusted, Radhika spat the entire drink onto Soyra's clothes.

"Chiiii kitna ganda hai ye" 

Radhika cried, and her eyes fell on the Soyra's wet clothes. After realising what she had done, she began to laugh at her. 

"RADHA YAAR" Soyra whined and stepped back, holding the front of her kurta and started dusting the front.

"Kya hogaya hai tujhe subhe subhe???? Ek toh kapde nahi hai mere paas, itna sab kuch hogaya tujhe batane aayi hu tu hai ki sunne ki halat me he nahi hai...."