My Programming Mind

Chapter Nine

Aayesha's look said it all that she didn't want Raichand to see what had happened. She despised the fact that her husband found other people's flaws and weaknesses way too early and that made him the person with the upper hand in any particular situation. And the man knew how to exploit another when he had an upper hand.

"Dhamini, how were your studies?" Raichand spoke to Dhamini after he reached down the stairs as if he had said nothing at all.

Dhamini moved forward to greet her uncle and then replied, "They were great and I've got great grades. Thanks to you for getting me quite a better education than any that I could get."

"Don't thank me, it was nothing." Raichand wasn't a huggy person but he did hug Dhamini after that and made Justin gasp in amazement.

"Nothing?! It was everything!" Dhamini protested.

"Well, after my only son died, that was all I could do to help people reach their goals." He said looking directly at Justin not even flinching or gazing away for even a second.

Justin was thunderstruck when he heard those words and he nearly lost it as he felt he was starting to hyperventilate and his legs felt jelly, but being the super boy he was, he took control of the situation and took a deep breath before he moved forward and went to touch his father's feet and that time, he didn't move away.

Justin was happy about that but his euphoria didn't last long as Raichand spoke again. "What is your friend doing down there? I don't think I have worn them wrong."

"Really dad! Is that it?" Justin didn't have the guts of waiting any longer. "Firstly, I'm dead. And then, I am not supposed to greet you or do anything to you just because I'm dead to you. Is that it?"

"Why are your friends here?" Raichand for another time ignored Justin and spoke to Dhamini.

"Fucking great. I knew all of this was way too good to be true." Justin was already angry.

"If you knew so, why did you bother coming all the way here?" It was Aayesha's time to speak.

"Because I want everything to be normal. To go back to the way they used to be."

"Can you bring back the dead?" Raichand asked Justin and he felt bad that it was because of him that his grandfather died. He had that guilty carried over his shoulders for a very long time and he thought by going back to Karanpur, things would be easy and he would make up for it but in turn, things just got worse.

"Well, I can't. but you can see that I'm trying here."

"Then there's nothing to try young man. Our son is dead and that's all. Chapter closed." Raichand said and made Justin more confused. He thought he was talking about his grandpa but all that was about him.

"I thought this was about grandpa? You were talking about me all this time?" He asked him with surprise all over his face.

"You are the one I'm speaking to here. And I didn't know about your grandfather, my condolences if he's dead." Raichand wasn't joking at all. Everything was so real.

"This is just fucked up."

"Dhamini, didn't you tell your friends about the rules in this house? We don't cuss in here." Raichand continued his ignoring streak at Justin.

"They know about that, it might have slipped." Dhamini took Justin's side as what she had promised on the flight to Karanpur.

"Maybe I can say something," Anna suggested but she didn't get to see the end of it as Dhamini cut her off. "Eey, say what? Keep your dirty mouth shut like the way your asshole is."