Chapter 9

Raymond sipped the chamomile tea that Hazel prepared for him slowly, along with toast, scrambled eggs, and carrots bacon, giving off a scent that should have whetted his appetite. Instead, he just stared at his plate with a spiritless look and took another sip of tea until there was little left.

‘Is my cooking not good?’

Raymond shook his head.

‘Sorry. It must not be as delicious as yours…’

‘That's not the problem…’

The woman no longer responded. He looked at Hazel, busy enjoying her breakfast with her calm face.

‘Don't take your medicine after drinking the tea. Not good.’

Raymond nodded. Deep in his heart, he did not intend to take the pain reliever. It was better if he just let the pain remain, to remind him of the reason that had brought him to this city.

‘Oops. I nearly forgot to tell you,’ Hazel wiped her lips, sipping the water from the glass on the left side of her plate. ‘You don't need to go to the cafe today. I told Edward that you need to take the day off.'

Edward? Ah, he forgot the name of his stern-faced cafe manager.

‘No. I can—’Raymond stopped quickly after he realized Hazel was glaring at him. ‘Fine. I’m not going anywhere. Give me the plates. I’ll wash the dishes.’

‘Great. If there's anything, call me. Understand?’

As soon as the woman went out of the apartment, he breathed a sigh of relief. He did not think that Hazel was the kind of nurse who was so fierce, that his breath was gasping with fear. Inside, he felt relieved because his girlfriend did not ask the reason behind his anxiety attacks earlier. But it felt like he was like a loser, letting an eighteen years old woman worry about him—a twenty-six years old man who just showed his weakness in front of that woman. He glanced at the breakfast menu. Actually, he lost his appetite after seeing flashbacks of memories that he did not want to remember. But he did not want to make Hazel sad, who already tried her best to prepare the breakfast that was usually his job. Reluctantly, he ate it.

Not bad. The doneness of the fried eggs was just right, according to his taste. Then this carrot bacon, it looked pitiful from the appearance, but as soon as his tongue touched this bacon, his appetite suddenly returned. The combination of spices with the texture of the carrots was perfect. When did Hazel make it? As far as he knows, the carrot bacon must be soaked with spices for half an hour so that it would be completely absorbed, then grilled it in the oven for fifteen minutes. But he did not see Hazel doing it earlier. The woman just put the bacon in the oven, then served it along with the scrambled eggs and bread that just came out of the toaster. Could it be that she used another recipe?

His phone rang, stopping his breakfast. He got up from his chair, looking for his smartphone which turned out to be tucked in between the sofa chairs, seemingly falling when he fell asleep last night. He looked at the number calling him, raised an eyebrow in confusion. On the contact list for the smartphone he had just bought after he arrived in town, he only had his coworkers at the cafe, Hazel, Amanda and her friends in his contact list. While remaining alert, he picked up the call.

‘Finally, you picked up my call!’

He felt relieved as soon as he recognized the owner of the voice that called him. ‘As usual, full of surprises, eh? How did you know my number?’

‘Did you forget that I have lots of ways to contact my little brother?’

Raymond imagined Martha winking when she said that. It was the usual thing that the woman did whenever he referred to him as 'little brother'. He laughed, then grimaced because the gunshot wound was still painful, making Martha worried with his condition.

‘I'm fine,’ he said as he walked back to the dining room, enjoying his interrupted breakfast. ‘So, anything to talk about?’

‘Really? I’m worried, you know? You’re the type that ignores your own body. Your injury was quite bad, from what I saw yesterday. Have you taken pain relievers?’

‘I was in the middle of eating my breakfast when you called me.’

‘Ray. Try to call me Sis. Like when you used to call me before,’ Martha was laughing as she said it. ‘Pretty please? With a cherry on top? You were cute at that time.’

‘Stop teasing me. I can feel the pain again thanks to you.’

‘Hmm, you’re boring,’

‘Call me whatever you want. I don’t care,’ Raymond sighed softly, finished his breakfast and then pushed the plate away from him while placing his hand on the table. ‘That thing was already over, Martha. If you don't speak your matters, I'll hang up the phone now. Three, two, one—’

‘Okay, okay. I'm talking now,’ said Martha. ‘We need to talk, but not on the phone. Are you free this afternoon?’

He vaguely considered Martha's offer for a moment, then nodded firmly. ‘No problem. Where?’

‘I'll text you. See you later.’

He hung up the phone, then got up from his seat. Put the dishes and the rest of the utensils Hazel used for cooking in the dishwasher.

***

Raymond's eyes are twitching. No, it was not because of the gunshot wound. The cause of his eyes twitching was seeing a thirty years old woman who was sitting in front of him at a coffee shop near Sunflower Road—the name of the street near the apartment he lived in—enjoying her parfait that actually was a portion for two people. He looked at the menu board hanging above the counter.

Extra-large menu available

No wonder this woman invited him to hold a meeting at this coffee shop. Given her huge appetite, it was clear that this coffee shop provides something that could satisfy Martha's appetite that was not in tune with her thin figure. Destiny was really cruel. He had to control his calorie intake carefully so that his body weight was stable because he gets fat very easily, yet this woman lightly violated the code of conduct for people like him. Just seeing his friend eat her parfait has taken away his appetite. Without realizing it, Raymond kept stirring his iced cappuccino and made the croissant he ordered not as warm as when it was served.

‘Already finished?’ Raymond asked as he propped his head with his other hand resting on the table. Actually, he was a little annoyed because as he remembered it, he had come to this place not to see his friend eating, but listening to what Martha tried to tell him on the phone. ‘I don't want to look like I'm dating someone like you, Martha.’

‘You are such a melancholy person,’ Martha pointed her spoon at Raymond with her mouth full of ice cream, then swallowed it in seconds. ‘Do you really hate this most beautiful woman in front of you?’

‘Beautiful your ass! Look at yourself! Eating like a hippopotamus!’

‘Uh-oh. It’s a different type of elegance, Raymond. I’m calling it my 'natural beauty'.’

‘I'd better get out of here now than listen to your bullshit, Martha.’

‘Please don’t! I’m just joking!’ Martha immediately held his hand as he pretended to get up from her seat. Actually, he had no intention of doing it. How could he leave Martha empty-handed? He turned around, satisfied when he saw Martha finally started getting serious.

‘Give me one more to eat my parfait, and we will go back to the business. Okay?’

Raymond nodded and returned to his seat. Then, after swallowing a spoonful of ice cream and now the bowl was empty, Martha burping loudly in front of him.

‘Oh. 'Natural beauty' eh?’ he said sarcastically as Martha closed her mouth after burping that loud. It was not elegance and sexy—the impression that Martha always showed in public.

‘This is different.’

‘Like I care,’ Raymond rolled his eyes then leaned toward Martha. ‘So, what do you want to say?’

‘Here it is. I just found out the background of the people that you attacked yesterday. What surprised me was that these people were a mafia organization that had just arrived in this city a few months ago. And to be honest, their existence has intrigued me ever since I got the information about them, but I don't have a chance to know them in person until yesterday.’

‘You mean, they just arrived in this town?’

Martha nodded. ‘Because in the five years I've been here, I never heard of their existence. According to the information I managed to obtain, they arrived here shortly after you, Raymond.’

Totally unexpected, Raymond muttered to himself. Then he looked back at Martha. ‘Who is their boss' name?’

‘Simon. Simon Clive. They should be operating in the UK, but somehow they are here. I dunno their motives, though.’

Simon Clive? That name matched with what he heard from the mouth of the woman who attacked him yesterday. What were their motives for targeting Amanda? Did they know she was Arnold’s little sister and intended to kill her, too?

‘Luckily I managed to take care of everything you did. You have never changed before. Always can't stop yourself from killing people. Even though you are a cop! Police! A detective—whatever people called you! Which should uphold justice.’

‘Former,’ Raymond corrected, taking a sip of his cappuccino. ‘The ones I kill are always lecherous people. Ordinary laws can’t reach people like those jerks. And again, I didn't kill them yesterday. Just giving pain that equivalent to death.’

‘It's the same, Raymond! You don't obey the rule!’

‘Since when do you care about the rule?’

‘Oh, right. That’s true,’ Martha laughed. ‘Obeying those rules isn't really me. Well, I took care of everything anyway, but their disappearance will surely raise their suspicions sooner or later.’

‘I know. Don’t try lecturing me,’ Raymond looked out the window. It started raining heavily. Looks like he will be stuck here for a long time. ‘How much should I pay you for your services yesterday?’

‘You don’t need to. Think of it as a free service. Counting in return for giving me some good quality donors.’

Raymond forgot that he was not only dealing with one of the well-known informants back in Morozov but also an organ seller on the black market. On second thought, how could he meet someone as dark as Martha? A seductive type woman who can easily make people interested in approaching her with her charm. He could say this woman was very dangerous, like a black widow. But it was all thanks to this woman who saved him when his parents left him, considering him to be her younger brother. And maybe, that also made him never feel afraid or wary of Martha.

‘Haha. Why wasn't I surprised with that?’ He laughed sarcastically.

‘This is why I really like you, Raymond,’ Martha gently rubbed Raymond's cheek. ‘Only my little brother understands me very well.’

‘Yes, yes. You always say that until my ears hurt.’

‘My brother is still not used to receiving compliments,’ Martha smiled softly at him as she took her hand away from Raymond, eating her parfait again. ‘By the way, when will you introduce Hazel to me?’

‘Over my dead body.’

‘Why lil’ brother? Sis wants to know your love life, that’s all.'

‘Only in this situation, you called yourself ‘Sis,'

‘But it’s the truth, right? Even though we’re not related by blood.’

‘What are you planning with Hazel? She’s still innocent, you know!’

‘Too strict with your lover, huh?’

‘You already know I’m dating someone. Wow.’

‘Just guessing. Eh, it's true.’

Raymond clicked his tongue, annoyed that he realized he had fallen into Martha's trap by telling him the fact that he was already dating Hazel. He drank his drink until none left. ‘I’ll pay the bill.’

'No need, I’ll pay it. I invited you here, remember? Hm, you don’t eat your croissant, right?’

Raymond glanced at the croissant, then shook his head lightly. ‘You can take it. I haven't touched it yet.’

‘How kind of you!’ This woman's hand immediately grabbed Raymond's plate and ate the croissant, as if the now-finished parfait was not enough to satisfy her hunger. 'If Arnold was still around, he must be happy with you, Ray.’

Raymond was surprised. Martha's expression turned sad. Hearing Arnold's name, his hands trembled again. In his heart, guilt came back. He knew that Martha actually liked Arnold even though this woman never said it in front of him. The thoughts and principles of those two who dislike commitment were very similar. When Martha lived in Morozov, he often found Martha and Arnold dating until he thought they were a lover.

‘Sorry. It’s all my fault, could not protect Arnold…’

Martha shook her head. ‘No. Don’t feel like that. I know, after Arnold's death, you continued to lock yourself up in your apartment. Consult and undergo counselling therapy with your counsellor to treat your PTSD symptoms. Stop blaming yourself. It's mostly my fault, too. I left without telling or saying goodbye to all of you. Could not accompany you when Arnold died. It must be difficult for you.’

Raymond could feel his body starting to shiver. Flashbacks of Arnold's death came back to his mind. ‘My fault, Martha… It's all my fault. If… if…only I came earlier, maybe—’

Martha immediately left her croissant, hugged Raymond's body before he could continue his words. ‘I told you, right? Stop blaming yourself, Ray. You're not weak. You are strong. That's the Raymond Cooper I know.’

Raymond raised his hand, hesitating to return Martha's warm embrace. He did not think he deserves this. Because of him, Martha would not be able to meet her crush. Because of him, Amanda would never be able to see her older brother. Because of him…

Unconsciously, tears were flowing. Shedding all the feelings he had been harbouring to Martha. Raymond buried his face on Martha's shoulder, crying without noticing the people inside the coffee shop giving him a strange look. Martha's hand stroked Raymond's hair, leaving her shoulders wet with his tears.

***