Now We Got Bad Blood

Chapter One - The Jar of Honey

Monami didn't see it first, sitting between the stack of files and her laptop. It might have been there for hours- or longer- just waiting, while Monami spent another day treating patients at Mahajan Clinic.

There were no more patients left for the night. Monami picked up the jar, locked up her cabin and went outside in the corridor. She spotted Koel at the reception who was keeping all the files away while humming absent-mindedly. Everyone else had left, and Monami's uncle Prakash- manager not-so-extraordinaire- had stayed home with a hangover.

The white-tiled floor was clean and the distinct smell of antiseptic hung in the air, with undertones of the fragrant disinfectants. The couches, and the floral chairs were in their proper positions, flanked by the occasional rubber plant and magazine racks. The lights were dimmed and the window blinds were shut down. The digital clock beside the LED TV on the wall displayed the time- 9:45p.m.

Monami walked up to the reception, trying hard not to listen to Koel as she continued to destroy Taylor Swift with her off-key singing.

"I think I'm getting better, Mona"' Koel said as she absolutely murdered the song. The only thing she got right was the faint American accent, but that's only because she lived in Chicago for five years.

"Wow, Ko,"Monami lied as she studied the jar of honey in her hand for the first time.

The jar was small and rounded. Inside, honey swayed lazily as she tilted it back and forth. A checked square of cloth covered the lid and, instead of a label, a thin velvet ribbon encircled the middle, finishing in an elaborate bow. It was black.

"Ghar ka bana hua hain kya? Ajeeb hain", Monami pondered. She didn't know anybody in Vaishali Nagar who made their own honey and she knew almost everyone in Vaishali Nagar- a little pocket in Bandra, Mumbai, where everybody knows everybody else's business, where nobody forgives and nobody forgets. Monami knew all about that. After what happened with her father, she became infamy's child, and infamy has a way of sticking to oneself like a big red warning on the forehead.

Koel hit the last note of her song with ear-splitting enthusiasm, then skipped behind the reception counter.
"Chale ab?"

'Yeh kahaan se aaya hain?" Monami asked as the jar of honey sat on her outstretched palm.

Koel shrugged. 'Pata nahin. Yeh mere aane se pehle hi idhar tha. Tere room mein jab files dene gayi thi tab dekhi thi. Utna dhyaan nahi diya."

Monami peered through the jar. It made everything look distorted. As she turned around while still peering through it, a certain curly headed man suddenly floated in her vision.

"Ahhhhhhh!!'' Monami shrieked in fright, clutching at her chest.

"Sid! Kutte! Kamine! You mad or what?! Aise achanak samne se kon aata ha??" Monami hit her best friend on the shoulder as the man yelped in pain. "Dara diya tha tune mujhe bro."

"Broo!!! Aise jungli billi mat bana kar. Tu moti billi hi thik hain," Sid said while rubbing his shoulder where Monami had just hit.

"Ab bata tu yahan kya kar raha hai? Aj teri koi party nahi hain kya?" Monami asked.

"Well tujhe aur is chudail ko aj ghar laut te wakt company dene ke liye socha tha, so here I am", Sid replied while spreading his arms wide, almost in SRK style.

"Oye, chudail kisse keh raha hai tu?!" Koel spoke out indignantly.

'Tujhe hi to keh raha hoon..har 6 mahine new highlights karke aa jati hain..is red colour mein pura ka pura chudail lag rahi hain tu' Sid said, poking out his tongue like a little child.

'Teri to!! Tu ruukk!! Mujhe chudail keh raha hai!! Aaja tujhe aaj main apni chudailgiri ka demo dikhati hoon!!"

As Koel proceeded to take her heels out, Sid hid behind Monami. Monami splayed her hands out and stopped Koel.