Murder Her!
Chapter 1
A young man, probably in his mid-20s, was sitting at his mother's bedside in the hospital. He held her hands in his. She had just fallen asleep. He reminisced the past few weeks.
He had thought that his mother was absolutely fine after she recovered from the chicken pox. He was wrong. Several weeks after recovery, his mother got fever and frequent headaches. When it prolonged for more than a week, he finally took her to the hospital. It was there that he got a shock. His mother had been diagnosed with encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain. She would have to stay in the hospital for treatment.
He had missed having his mother around the house. He missed her waking him up in the morning and giving him his orange juice. He missed her tying his tie in the morning because he never learned to do it himself and he was still a bachelor. He missed her scolding him and pestering him about marriage. He missed coming to the breakfast table and smelling the delicious aroma of her cooking. He missed her telling him to take care at work, while she handed him his lunch. He missed coming home to eat dinner with her and afterwards, talk about their day while watching some movie. He wanted her to get well as soon as possible.
It was not easy without her. He struggled to get up by himself in the morning. He never wore his tie to work. He never ate breakfast as he never got up early enough to cook it. He always ate take out for lunch or didn't eat at all. It was only at dinner time that he got a proper meal cooked by himself. Afterwards, he would visit her, feed her and put her to sleep, after which he would go home because the doctors didn't want him spending the night there.
He got up to leave when he noticed his mother's doctor at the doorway. Meera Singhania came from an affluent family. She was an excellent doctor, one of the best, and he had managed to get hold of her by using the money he had been saving to buy a motorbike. It was the least he could do for his ailing mother.
Meera ? Follow me. I have something to discuss with you.
He followed Meera to her office. She sat on the leather chair behind her desk and offered him one of the seats in front of the desk. He took the seat.
Meera ? Mr. Walia, I know that you are middle class. You have probably struggled to get this money to cure your mother or you have sacrificed something. Now listen, I know a way out. I can take care of your mother for free if you just do one thing for me. You must kill my little sister.
Mr. Walia ? Excuse me, Dr. Singhania, I am not struggling so much financially that I will kill someone to get an easy way out. I prefer to work and use my hard earned money to cure my mother. I reject your offer.
Meera expected this answer from him. She had researched on him thoroughly.
Jai Ram Walia. 25 years old. He had been working at her father's hotel for 7 years now. He had worked his way up. He started off as a mere waiter while he was still going to college. When he got his MBA at 23, he applied for assistant manager. Eventually, he became the manager. Her father appreciated the boy. He took care of the hotel all too well and was a very honest person, being a man of principles and values. But today, Meera would bring him down. She stopped him as he was about to leave from her office.
Meera ? Now Mr. Walia, I wouldn't leave so fast if I were you.
Jai sat down resignedly.
Meera ? That's good. Would you like anything to drink?
Jai ? No, thank you, Dr. Singhania.
Meera ? Now, I was kind of expecting you to decline my offer.
Jai ? Then why ask?
Meera ? Just to make sure.
Jai ? Well, you got my answer. Can I leave?
Meera ? What's the hurry?
Jai ? I have to leave for work early in the morning.
Meera ? That's if you still have the job, Mr. Walia.
Jai ? What do you mean?
Meera ? Well, Mr. Walia, you have just declined my offer. My father owns that hotel. I don't know. I may just influence his mind against you and have you fired.
Jai ? You wouldn't?
Meera ? Try me. And if I can't get you fired, then there is your mother who is under my care. I might just give her an overdose of the medicine.
Jai (standing up) ? Don't you dare!
Meera ? Sit down Mr. Walia!
Jai sat down with a menacing look on his face.
Meera ? Have you changed your mind?
Jai ? I need to think about it.
Meera ? Go home then. You can tell me tomorrow night. Good night Mr. Walia.
Jai did not reply. He got up and left quietly, already in a pensive mood. When Jai got home that night, he just sat in his bed, resting his head on the headboard. He sat like that until three in the morning, when he finally made his decision.
Mr And Mrs Parshuram
