Second Chance (Vol.1) Squandered

86: Bittersweet Coffee

Zoya was leaning on the door frame lost....

Zoya had requested for 2 large mugs of coffee and one mug of warm milk with turmeric. She hesitated then felt sorry for Aditya and requested a teaspoon of honey to be added to the turmeric milk as well. She hoped ingesting honey was not bad for the healing tattoo. Without Ammi and internet she felt helpless.

Then with nothing to do but wait, Zoya was standing and staring out of the kitchen back door at nothing in particular just...
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Rewinding back the last 10-20 minutes...

The locals whose trade involved the hotels and resorts more or less knew each other. So when the taxi driver had rushed to meet the watchman Arjun Adi and Zoya shouldn't have been surprised and they were not because they were fast asleep.

While Arshad woke them up, Soddiji and the watchman presumably finished catching up on local news updates: facts and gossip.

Still sleepy they slowly tumbled out of the car and stretched. Arjun bent this ways and that. He had slouched in his sleep and was now aching all over. Zoya playfully rubbed his lower back and then thumped his shoulder.

Soddiji had hurried back to Arjun, peeled out ten 500₹ notes from a wad and given it to Arjun.

Soddiji: Chotti madamji paid for changing the seat covers ji. But no damage. I do not need to replace them. Just pay my fare ₹____ ji. Thank you ji.

Arjun was still too bleary eyed and just held the notes out to Zoya while Adi paid Soddiji and rounded it with a tip so generous that Soddiji refused to accept.

Adi: This is for your (sounding drunk having just woken up from deep slumber) excellent driving cum... (long pause, stifled yawn) readily willingly driving 3...

Arjun, just coming to his senses, wondered if Bhai had used the Hindi kum or the English cum...

Adi: (giving up and abruptly ending it with) your honesty... This is for your honesty...

Soddiji: Nahin ji! How can I cheat Kapur Saab's and Rathore Saab's personal guests! You are not tourists. I did not know... Please sirji no...

But Adi had played deaf and packed him off. Then Adi had proceeded to properly scold and whack (more sound than force) the 3 kids still out in the hot sun; though under the canopy of the trees around the car park it was cooler.

Arshad: After you Zoya.

Zoya was enjoying watching Aditya and Arjun hassle the kids but she had walked away with Arshad. At the main door she had sneaked a look back down the long paved path but there was no sign of Aditya or Arjun returning to their room.

On the second floor, she had politely escaped to her room under the pretext of putting the notes in Noor's bag. She had kept an ear out for the 2 boys but hadn't heard anything. How much time does it take to send 3 tiny tots home! She gave them another 3 5 7 9 minutes. Then she lost it.