Once Upon A Song

CHAPTER 3

"I'm damned!" I say as I gently throw the reports on the couch. 

"What is it?" Aunt Tiara casually asks as she scrolls through new Netflix shows.

"His reports say he died of Lung failure. What the heck!" I say pulling my hands towards my face.

"Can't you ask that old lady?" She says.

Karane's mother was barely in her mid-fifties and I wondered how could she be considered old. Moving my mind towards the main problem, I say in a non-nonsense tone, "Good Idea!  I am going to her house."

"It's late and it's raining hard. Come On! Make a call." She says looking up.

I shake my head as I pull over my coat.

"At least take an umbrella." I can hear the faint shout of my aunt.

As soon as I move out of the front porch, the rain comes hard on my back. I rush towards my car and turn on the ignition. Karane's house was past the Keventers and among a forest of Eucalyptus trees.

The rain comes down on my range rover as if trying to penetrate through the roof. It was continuously lightening and thunder shook the sky as my car rolled in the forest; a perfect weather for an adventurous  night.

And that's what I got: adventure. The last thing I wanted, my car stopping midway.

"Oh Boy!" I mutter under my breath as I try to turn the ignition on. But all I get is bad luck. I get out of the door and......to my pleasant dismay I have achieved a flat tyre. And as a plus point I don't even have an extra one.

With no other away I sit back and turn on the radio and soon find myself slowly grooving on 'Call you Mine'.

There were hardly any cars on the street and so, it was a bit of surprise when a car stopps a few steps in front of me. It was a black Porsche.

"Oh man! Someone making out, again." I think. And that's when someone gets out of the car. 

This man is dressed in a black overcoat with a black hat and..he is approaching my car. I grip the pocket knife that is in my back pocket. I look at him thinking how would I strike him if he decides to murder me. He comes to the window of the passenger seat and leans down.

"Want a ride?" He says. His eyes were not visible under his hat.

My grip around the knife tightens.

"No! I am not a hitchhiker. And I wasn't hitchhiking either." I say, leaning away.

"Oh come on! I'll not kill you if that's what you're thinking and moreover I have instant coffee." He said leaning down and placing his head on the windowsill. 

"Oh god, he has instant coffee, he likes coffee and therefore he is a good person." I think.

"Oh Shut Up!" My conscience says. "Instant coffee is not enough to tempt me towards a random person." I fight back.

"What do you think, you are gonna tempt me with instant coffee, do you think I'm a fool?" I say bringing up my knife.

"Oh Oh Oh! You made me afraid. I fear you, Lady." He says with a smirk.

"If I would have wanted to kill you, I would have done that already...on this lonely road." He continues and whistles the tone of "My heart will go on". That was enough.

I smile.

"Where to young lady?" He says, opening my side of the door.

"Welston House, Downing Street, Southern L.A." I say taking his hand.

I was drenched in the rain as soon as I get out.

"Would you like instant coffee? Or hot chocolate?" He asks taking his hat off when we sit in his car.

God! He was everything I would fall for. He pushed back his hair as he looked at me.

"What?" He says suddenly.

"What 'What?'? I say looking at him directly in his eyes.

"Instant coffee, hot chocolate??" He says with both the cans in his hands.

"Oh..Yeah..Ummm Instant Coffee." I say.

He smiles and hands it over.

"What about you?" I say staring at the can.

"I'll have something else." He says lighting his cigar and putting his hat.

"Are you Sherlock Holmes?" I say.

"Oh noo! But I am a big fan." He says with a laugh.

I didn't get to know your name, lady? " He says giving his signature smirk.

"Ada, Ada Aberol. What about yours?" I say.

" Devon Kale" He says.

Rest of the ride is quiet except for the country music playing.

After an hour's drive we finally reach my destination.

"Sorry, I can't invite you in. It's not my house actually." I say getting out.

"No problem I'll get in myself." He says getting out and knocking at the front door.
I look at him with surprise.

I catch up with him until Karane's mother opens the door.

"Oh Ada, you're here, I was waiting for your call. Come in." She exclaims.

"Ma'am, I-"

"Who is he?" She questions.

"Umm...My...my Intern." I say stammering a bit.

Devon looks at me as if asking, "When did I sign up for that?"

Ignoring him I continue .
" Ma'am, I had to talk about Karane. "

"Oh yes continue." She says smiling mere than often. She didn't seem the distraught person I had met two days back.

"Yeah soo, Karane's death report says-"

"Death, death report...what the hell are you saying? Karane's not dead. He's alive." The shock penetrating through her eyes as she collapsed in front of me.