Reena Desai: Kill Lady

Chapter 26

I kept thinking about Khasim chacha's words. I didn't believe that any human being could change another person. One can only change themselves. He was so busy with work, that I rarely saw him. He had also begun hoarding the gold, blocking the entire black market for gold. Everyone was scared to ask him anything about it.

Fathima ma prodded my arm, and took the chopping board from under my hands.

"Where are you lost with a knife in hand?"

"I'm sorry, ma. I was just thinking about work," I lied.

"Sure, if you mean Rocky as your work," she said, cheekily.

I rolled my eyes, chopping another tomato.

"Reena, why are you denying him your love? I can tell from the way he looks at you, that he is in love with you," she said.

I sighed, "I don't know, ma. There's something stopping me."

"You don't believe that he can change," she said, shrewdly.

"I can see that he has changed a lot," I confessed.

"I am seeing you for the past three years. You were cold to everyone. I could tell that you hadn't had a happy life. You gradually started trusting Rocky, but he broke your heart. You were depressed for days. You never spoke to any of us. We tried to help you through it. You slowly started letting us in. You have done so much for the people here, since then. You realised that, there was more to life, than just hanging onto your past. Rocky hasn't understood that. Don't you think we should help him through it? Rocky won't let us in, but he'll definitely let you in," she advised, with the wisdom of her age.

I nodded, unable to shake off the truth.

"Give me that. You go get ready for work. I can manage just fine," she said, trying to grab the tomato.

"I'll cut this and go."

**********
Khasim chacha was wringing his hands again.

"What did he do now?", I asked him, resignedly.

"Beti, he found out the snitches. The ones who betrayed him to the CBI officers. He drove to Bangalore. I couldn't stop him," he said, anxiously.

"Why is he off to Bangalore again? He is seriously underestimating everyone," I groaned. It was an unspoken pact that none of us would leave KGF, until the CBI debacle was blown over.

At that moment, Mallamma came to me,
"Reena didi, there's a call for you from Mysore."

"You go, beti. I'll keep you updated," Khasim chacha reassured me.

I received the call and it increased my temper. Some idiot had interchanged two orders and now the clients were complaining. Sighing, I went to my office, to make amends to the client. I called up the Mysore branch again, to yell at the idiot. It was evening by the time I returned and Rocky wasn't back yet.

I played with the kids, as I waited for him, cloaking my anxiety with smiles. Suddenly, three choppers took off from KGF, and guards were rushing out. I feared the worst. That Rocky was somehow caught.

"Chacha, what happened?", I panicked, as I saw him walk towards me.

"Rocky was caught driving over the speed limit. They didn't know who he was and asked for his licence. The guards are taking it to him," he said. "Don't worry. He's fine," he added.

I facepalmed. This madman.

"Why is he so reckless, chacha?", I groaned.

He shook his head, resigned.