The tension in the room was so high that the sound of a dropping needle would be heard as to how tense and quiet the whole place was.
"I know everything about Grass Brown and all plans you have put forward to get me a place and a car for my education but I kindly would want to refuse it."
"Why so, son? We've worked hard to get you all of these." Aayesha, Justin's mother finally put her word in the matter.
"I was getting to it, mom." Sighs, "you see, I like it with you, my family. All of you here, my cousins Dhamini, Shreya, and Karan even my crazy aunt. But when it comes to studies, one should be focused and should study hard. And that's why I've decided that I'll be going to America and that is this Monday."
"What the hell?" Raichand, his father shot up in an impeccable astonishment. Everybody's face was priceless even that of the calm grandfather, as long as that person was in the room then they were granted astonishment at Hollywood's HD quality.
"Don't panic all of you! You have to be all ears to listen carefully to what I'm gonna tell you, duh!" It was then that the whole freak-out situation calmed down. Even though, they needed to calm down to understand his excuses either way.
"It is like this. I know there is great competition between the families around Karanpur. Every family is rubbing of the success of studies that their members have got. So far, the top of the rank family is the Bajva family which has their daughter studying at Delhi National University and holds a degree in Agricultural Science. We are the second and that's because of the history of having educated in-laws and the most educated lawyer in the town. So far, I hope am correct?"
"Correct as a holy book." Grandpa agreed with him. He was happy that his grandson could keep important information about the whole family business thing and in the long term, he envisioned him as a wonderful heir shortly.
"Wait! What are you getting at? I don't understand anything!" Raichand exclaimed.
"I was getting there. What I meant is, what if we beat all of them by someone of our own and be proud that we did it and not depend on other people to do it for us? Isn't it marvelous?" Justin urged to make it seem as legit as it sounds.
"I can't argue with that." Aayesha agreed.
"That's genius. I knew you had been smart as those marks you are returning in your exams." Shania said from around the pillar she was eavesdropping from.
"For God's sake, what are you doing Shania?" Grandma said frustrated.
"Granny! Let it be. You have to learn to keep up with her. She needs to be involved in every family matter so she can stop being a prick and turn out useful." Justin defended his aunt.
"Thank you for acknowledging my problem but the truth hurts, find a nicer way to represent it," Shania said with bitterness.
"I'm sorry but glad that you approved of the truth. Your decency is much appreciated in this family and if you can keep quiet for the rest of the meeting that would be more than wonderful."
Shania fidgeted with her fingers as she sat down at the chair she had left earlier. Justin clapped to get back the attention after that entrance.
"So, as I was saying, allowing me to go to America will increase your score as the family which has the most educated member. No education in this world can beat that of America except for the one from America itself. It is a lifetime guarantee if we become able to use well this opportunity. So, what'd ya say?" He looked at the people available and noticed his aunt, "Not aunt Shania."
A deep silence was all that he received from the people who were there. And in proper thinking, he had come to realize that his father and grandfather haven't spoken in most of the conversation since he rejected their choice. But that wasn't for long as no sooner than he had realized that as his grandfather spoke, AT LAST.
"Why are you so confident that you can study in America?" Grandpa asked.
"Because I get good grades and I can speak English as well as them."
"You haven't answered my question, Justin. There are a lot of people who go to the states and aren't able to be enrolled. Some even have family members in their schools but still, they are not good enough. I want to know your bait in this whole situation." Grandpa made his question clearer so he wouldn't be receiving waste time answers.
"I ... aah ... Okay, fine. I happen to have a friend there and his father is a senator, long story short, he had seen my results from his son and he is like 'I am the kind of person they need at their schools' and so he sent me an invitation to be there for interviews and get to study since the time of opening universities is almost close and that's why I'd chose this Monday because I'll be able to do the exams on Friday and secure that post and ... make you proud obvious."
"Why all these and you didn't even involve us? Are we not worth being asked for advice?" Grandpa inquired for another time with a blow on the crotch inquiry.
Justin had to think fast because even if his family wasn't an educated one still they had brains. It was enough reason to understand why Justin was a nerd.
"I wanted to surprise you. I didn't know you had gone this far. And... And I was establishing connections with outside parties to see if they could work out. You know like on later days when we want to have partners and expand our business."
"Okay, color me impressed. My son, you are a genius!!! I think we should allow him, father, mother." Raichand said with a lot of sincerity. Only if he could have known the real motive behind his son's persistence, he could have asked a lot of whys and hows.
"It will be dumb not to allow him. He has proved that he can do the impossible and think far from what you could. It's not like shaming you but just telling the truth." Shania said.
"We know that dumb girl. And it wasn't like we were going to refuse the idea or anything, we just wanted to show him and plant it in him that, we are of concern in anything that is about his life." He said with bitterness addressing it to Shania who just bile commented on the matter.
Turning back to Justin, "You still reside in our house and so you have to follow our orders and take us for your elders. If you have your orders and you think like you want to have your own rules, then go find your own home. I expect your mom to tell some manners to you."
Justin felt like they were warning him about any stupidity that he might do, which will cost his shelter and his family as well. He had never wanted for it to reach that far, but it was clear that they gave no shit to a person when it concerns the family or more specifically, their reputation. He knew that was to be expected as far as his family was concerned. He didn't expect less but he got less. Well, that was a relief on his side.
And like that, the meeting was dismissed and everyone just went about their normal routines. Justin felt a relief washing over his body after a very devastating moment he'd had. He had never thought that they would take it this easy. He even slapped himself on the thought of how the whole thing had gone.
***SUNDAY NIGHT***
"Justin baby, have you considered what I told you?!" Aayesha asked her son.
"Mom! It'll be fine. I won't have a second thought about it. And may Ganapati Bappa be with me." He said while stuffing his bag with new clothes that he got from the mall that afternoon.
"Hail Lord Ganesha! Do you remember what I said before?" Aayesha asked again.
"No cigarettes. No intimate relationships until I finish my studies. No drinking. Never disobey God. And... Is there anything I'm missing?!" He threw a challenging look at his mom just to piss her off.
"Duffer! Study hard and keep good relationships with people. That's what you are forgetting. And if you forget it again-" She smacked him at the back of his head.
"I know mom. I was just messing with you." He turned to her with a grinning face as he moved out of reach.
"Stupid, come here." She motioned for him to where she sat on the bed. She hugged him and spanked him when he laid onto her like a baby. He giggled and his mother warned her again for the millionth time. "Don't do that!"
"But I need a young brother or a sister maybe!" He whined.
She took her hands off of him when he said that. She seemed to have a change of expression. Justin didn't know why but his mother would get like that whenever he spoke of them, his parents, about having another baby.
"Mom, what's wrong?" He asked in a calm puzzled voice.
"Justin, you've grown up my son, isn't it right?!" She asked and Justin nodded to let her continue with what she was about to say.
"I beg you, my son, please, keep this a secret the way I've done it for the last 13 years, will you?" She said those words while holding her son's hands. It seemed more of a sacred oath or a very serious promise to him than a secret.
"Mom! You're freaking me out!" Justin tried to keep his cool but it seemed a little bit frightening.
"Don't be. From now on, you are going to see a lot of things which are weird, strange or whatever they might be. I'm letting you go with an open heart because it's about time you explore the world. You see what is out there and you become strong and capable of surviving in a world full of fake people. If you keep getting frightened and freaking out and being afraid, it will all go in vain. All the hard work, all the risks you took, and all the progress you made.
"I need you to be certain and believe in your choices. So even if you get it wrong, you won't be giving other people burdens of blames, but rather, you would look out for yourself and see where you got it wrong and find ways of making it right. So tell me, will you?!" She said that with confidence, emotions, and love flowing all over her words.
Justin understood all of it very well and got confused at what the last question meant. Was she talking about knowing the world thing that she just spoke of? Or the secret which she had asked him to keep? It was confusing to know what should he answer, but since he understood her and she had got him more confident than ever, he decided to beat both of them with a single stick.
"I will."
"Since you were 2, we have been trying to get another child with no luck." She paused to give a clear look at his son. "For almost a year, I and your father had sex almost every day just to have another child, but I never got pregnant and we never got one. He even started calling me barren and would beat me up on several occasions. He cheated on me with some other two women to prove to me that he could impregnate a woman, and when I spoke to him about it, he threatened to divorce me." She had tears coming out of her eyes at this point but she never glanced away nor rub them off.
"You know what divorce means to a Hindi woman, so I did nothing. He stopped beating me and there I thought we were finally coming back together, little did I know, he was planning to tell his family that I had problems with delivering children so he could marry again. Then Anand came like an angel. He asked him about us having other children apart from you as he and Shania were planning for another baby after Dhamini. And what he said was 'That stupid woman can't bear any child anymore.'
"How had I come to know of that? I was there at a certain corner eavesdropping on what they were saying when I heard my name mentioned. Anand asked him if we had done any medical at that time, and cockily Raichand answered, 'I function so well. Women around here praise me for that.' I was shattered a little bit but then Anand said things I would always thank him for and I would always respect him for.
"'Those prostitutes you are having a good time with are not your life. They are not part of you. You wanna know who is? Aayesha is. If anything, you should discuss it with her and see what you are going to do about that thing. And on another side, even if they praise you or say anything to you, it is normal as they only want you. Even if I had been a woman, I could have done the same. I would never pass up a chance of being intimate with you. Don't get me wrong but you are one fine-looking man for any woman to dream of and even some men in our current world. Just think how hurt she might get when she gets to hear about your ways out there. Do you know how to hurt?'" Aayesha looked hurt upon saying those words but Justin didn't miss the longing in her eyes.
"'She knows.' Your father answered him in an ashamed tone. And then he said, 'Holy seven hells Raichand, what's up with you? It might not be my place to speak of your relationship but take this as advice, apologize to her, and make sure she is certain of your honesty. And about the baby thing, the hospital in the Town Centre might help you with that. Don't ever mess this up more.'" Aayesha sighed after that.
"How do I remember everything by heart? That was the conversation that changed my life, Justin. He apologized to me on the night of the very same day. And even took me to the hospital the other day for a checkup, and that's when we got to find out that I was clean but your dad is the one who has problems. He was shattered of course, but I chose to remain on his side for all the time that he needed me and for whatever scenario that I might be able to help. I couldn't out of danger of being accused and beaten for something that wasn't my mistake in the first place, leave him or shame him. I stayed with him and we made sure that we raise you the best we could, together. You are our everything and I live with a status of being barren to save your father from the shame of being less a man and give him the praises of a true lover. That's why I can't bear another child anymore. For the rest of my life."
Justin was crying as well when she finished what she had to say. He hugged her as if his life depended on her. And it sure did. He nearly gave a second thought about going to America but then it rang to him that the decision was him and if he ever turns back to what he has come to decide then it was going to be the Solanki family and not him anymore.
"Mom! I'm very sorry. I-" He was cut off by the opening of the door. He was upset as in walked his aunt Shania, but he also was grateful as he didn't know what to say next.
"Justin, your father- oops! I should've knocked. But you're my son. Raichand says- wait! You two were crying! That's unbelievable. Two crybabies! Justin, you are needed in your grandfather's office." She rambled and went out.
Justin took the veil of his mother's saree and dried the tears from her while she rubbed his with her hands. They then step-by-step went to grandpa's office.
"Ooh, you came," Grandpa announced.
Sending a single glance from where he was sitting, Raichand noticed watery eyes from both Aayesha and Justin. "Were you two crying?"
"No, it's just ..." Justin tried to answer his father but nothing came out.
"Yes, we were. How do you expect it to be easy for me when my only child is leaving to a place far away from here? And he couldn't bear seeing his mother crying for him and his safe journey to a mysterious land. So yes, we cried a lot." Aayesha replied hugging her son again.
A certain feeling passed in Raichand's eyes but he let it stay away from him so as he won't be carried away with the moment. But Justin saw that and it all became clearer to him.
"I understand it, my dear. And I had hoped that you two would make a lot of children together but that was just a hope. I couldn't do it myself so I can't burden my son with my failures." Grandpa said in a very caring voice which seemed to have a lot of emotions.
Justin knew the family was marvelous with dramas and to prevent another drama from coming up, he had to speak. He was the only person who seemed not lost in thoughts.
"I heard I am called here," Justin said and that's when everybody got back to the moment. His mother even released a silent deep breath beside him.
"Ooh yes, come on, take a sit both of you." Raichand offered them as both, he and his father, left the head table to go sit with them on the cushions.
"So, we were discussing you know, your trip tomorrow. If you succeed, and we pray for that, you might not be able to visit us for at least a year to go about your studies and other things. And thus, we have decided to give this little packet to you as our token of love, appreciation, and care." Grandpa said as he handed Justin a khaki A4 envelope which seemed to be large from what was inside it.
"Can I open it, like right here right now?" Justin asked with eyes filled with uncertainty.
"Open it later." His father told him but his grandpa had a mind of his own. "No, Raichand. Let him open it, it is his."
Justin opened the package and horror filled his and his mother's eyes. It was money. And for God's sake, they were a hundred US dollar bills.
"Ooh my God! Ooh my God! This is -" Justin failed to finish his sentence.
"Yes, that money is yours," Raichand said with pride in his eyes.
"Justin-" Aayesha tried to speak but she was cut off by Justin.
"Mom-" He couldn't speak and then he turned to his grandpa. "How many crores?"
"Boy, we don't do Hindi things. We are Americans now, and that is 200,000 US dollars." His grandfather grinned and made everyone in the room laugh except for Justin who nearly dropped the money.
"Grandpa! Dad! That's a big amount of money. I'm not taking this. You might need, not you might, you need it to run the business. This much money and I have my whole life settled in front of me, I'm not having it." Justin opposed.
"Yes, you are going to have that money. That money is yours." Raichand insisted.
"How much is it, Justin?!" Aayesha asked her son.
"Mom! It's more than 40 crores." He answered her and waited for the facial expression she was going to make and as expected, she was like she was seeing a horror movie for the very first time. "See!" Justin said motioning for his family to look at his mother and see what she has made of her face.
"What of her?" Raichand asked.
"Dad! It's a lot of money. I have my whole education paid for if I pass my exams which I will. I'm staying at a place where I don't have to pay rent or buy my food. I get money every month to support my life at the University. What is the need for all this money?" Justin argued again.
"Justin, don't be stubborn. You did all that for yourself and none of us contributed to it. Then there we are trying to do one thing for you, you reject that!" Raichand made a face that screamed 'boy are you serious?'
"Even though dad, it's a lot of money. Grandpa can't you see this. This is harassment." Justin turned to his grandfather for help.
"It is not a lot if you look at our status and everything. And also, we believe in you and that's why we are giving you all this money. You've been nothing other than an angel to all of us. What more could we ask of you?!" Raichand cooed at his son.
"Raichand, it's enough." And just then Justin felt a chill of relief washing over him though it didn't last long. "He has proved that he is more than capable of using that money. He has passed the test and that is with the truth. It is all his. Whether he throws it away or makes better use of it, nobody cares."
"Seriously grandpa! I thought you would help me and then you dip me into more trouble! How unbelievable!" Justin turned to his mom who only made an I don't know look with her hands.
"You have to believe it from now on. And your grandma is waiting for you in our room. You have to say goodbye before she goes to bed. She won't be able to see you tomorrow, you know how she respects the Monday morning prayer." Grandpa said as Justin got up and turned to go but stopped at the door and turned to look at all three of them.
"Thank you all of you. You've been nothing rather than angels in my whole life. Yes, you are the angels, I'm just a normal child being blessed with a family like this one." He then stormed off to his room. He made sure to put the money in his suitcase before going to granny.
He found her already asleep at that time. He wanted to go but something inside him told him that, that might be his last chance to see his grandma and so, he woke her up. She wasn't pissed off like all other times when she was woken up, rather she was happy for her grandson for making sure he didn't leave without saying goodbye.
They spoke a lot about different things such as when Justin was young and some others. She even told him about her crush when she got matured. He seemed so marvelous and flawless from granny's story. He was named Aryan. Justin made a quick note of having that name for his future son. And after they both got tired, she hugged him goodbye and went back to sleep.
He couldn't sleep at that time and tried very hard but kept failing on each attempt. He then got up and went to the kitchen to find anything that could keep him full for him to be able to sleep. He didn't want to oversleep or fall asleep on the plane. He found chai and halva, and as he was taking a plate to serve himself, he heard a voice from behind him.
"Is it hunger or nervousness?" Dhamini asked.
"It's both. Thank you for asking." He answered with a playful smile.
"You know I can keep you company if you had wanted to." She offered.
"I would like it so much but I won't have answers for my dad and aunt when they see us at this hour talking." He explained to her in a friendly manner.
"Fuck them, let's go to the garden," Dhamini said while approaching Justin to help him with the halva and take her cup of tea.
"Dhamy, you cussed!" Justin was astonished.
"You do it most of the time. What is the difference between me and you?" She challenged as she grabbed the whole hotpot which had halva and started to the garden.
He followed her there and they had talked a lot of different stupid things and when it was late, like very late, everybody retired to their bedrooms. He then fell asleep soon after he touched the soft mattress of his bed.
¶
Justin expected the night to be longer but to his disappointment, the night was so short and at 5 am, Karan went over to his room to wake him up.
"What now Karan? I just slept!" Justin groaned.
"You just slept, huh?" Karan asked him removing the sheets off of him.
"Karan! Stop it please!" Justin shouted at him.
"Aunt! Justin doesn't want to wake up!" Karan shouted to make Justin shoot up and look him dead in the eye. "Well, just like I thought."
Karan then went outside leaving a scowling Justin sitting on the bed with his puffed eyes.
"Why the fuck would he wake me up this early? It's still dark outside." Justin said with anger before he checked his bedside table where his clock sat. It said 5:26 am and Justin thought he was dreaming.
He slapped his face to see if he was awake or if it was just a dream at 2 or 3 am, and as hurting as the slap was, he was also awake.
"You're gonna hurt yourself if you keep being a jerk." Shreya who was at his coach spoke.
"Shreya! You! What are you doing here?" Justin was surprised to see Shreya there.
"Well, I'm trying not to fume over the fact that they had to wake us up early just to see you off."
Justin wasn't believing what he was seeing and hearing that morning. He nearly thought it was a freaky Friday but instead of switching bodies, the personalities were altered.
"You didn't want to see me off." It sounded more like a statement of realization than a question that he intended to ask.
"Nobody wants. They're just making it less obvious than I."
Well, he had thought that they wouldn't be ready to have him gone but he didn't think that they would play hard to shake.
"Can you wait for me outside? I need to get changed and take a shower." Justin then said after a minute of silence between them.
"Dhamini said you shouldn't take a shower first. It is for your good." Shreya said as she left the room.
His family was known to be super crazy and extremely unpredictable and so he chose to take Dhamini's advice for that morning.
He went over to his bathroom and brushed his teeth only before he got back to his room and put on clothes that he had planned to leave behind. He didn't know what to expect and time was running out so, he decided to go out either way.
As soon as he stepped out of his room, he first found Shania pacing back and forth.
"Good morning aunt!"
"Morning Justin. How was the sleep? Did you sleep okay?"
"Yeeesss, I surely did." Justin had observed that Shania was indeed acting weird. "What are you doing here?"
"Who? I?" Shania acted like she didn't know what Justin was talking about but she knew what it was about.
"Yes, you. Why are you standing outside my room and acting all weird?"
"I don't even know why. I just feel like I need to be here."
He didn't want to engage in her games as he only had an hour before the check-in at the airport. He needed to be at the airport at 7 since their flight was leaving at 7:30.
"Okay then, I'll let you be as I go through my other businesses."
Justin left Shania standing there but he didn't get far before he heard Dhamini laugh.
"Next time try to be a more convincing mom," Dhamini told Shania as she appeared from the corner she was at.
"And you have to pass more next time so that you can go to America as well," Shania said as she went away leaving the two of them alone.
"What was she up to?" Justin asked Dhamini when she got closer to him.
"Something not good." She hugged him. "So, you slept well?"
"I feel like I didn't sleep at all."
"Well, you slept for two hours only, and for a heavy sleeper like you, two hours of sleep are too little or not at all."
"Don't fret me. You look beat yourself." Justin defended himself.
"That's because I didn't sleep at all."
"Why not?"
"Where am I going to sleep early? And by the way, I wasn't feeling sleepy the whole night."
"That's good for you. And I forgot to ask you yesterday."
"What had you forgotten?" Dhamini inquired.
"It's about your studies."
"What's about them?"
"Don't act dumb now. Where are you going for uni, will you stay here or with the Singhs, and anything of that sort."
"I'm going to Grass Brown, thanks to Justin who is going to America." Dhamini batted her eyelashes like the drama queen she was. "I think I'll be staying here since it's closer to the university than at the Singhs and luckily enough, they agreed to share the cost now that you won't be their burden anymore."
"Did they say that?" Justin asked not believing what Dhamini had said.
"That's what Grandma told me." Dhamini raised her hands as a sign to be excused.
Justin didn't say another word and just followed her to the living room where everybody was at. They were all occupied with things they were doing except for his grandfather who was sitting at the dining table reading his magazine.
Justin went to sit beside him and greeted him. "Namaste Pappu!"
"Namaste Justin. How are you?"
"Good. How about you?" Soon after he said that did he realize that he was sitting on top of hot oil. "Aah, what is this?"
"Justin, what happened?" Aayesha went running to his son.
"Somebody put hot oil on this chair," Justin whined as he got up to look at his backside which was all wet with oil.
Everybody was laughing at him. Even his father who was coming from outside the house was laughing as well.
"Just great!" He exclaimed as he went back upstairs to his room to change his clothes. He sent a thank you look at Dhamini on his way up.
He didn't take much time as he wasn't convinced that they would stop there for him to take a shower and wear the clothes he had planned to travel with.
The table was set when he got back to the dining room and everybody was already seated except for him who had just arrived.
"Welcome back." Raichand welcomed Justin.
He was about to sit but he decided to cross-check if there was anything on the chair before he sat his butt on it. Lucky enough, there was none for that time.
"So, how do you feel?"
"Agitated. Nervous. And every type of feeling that you can think of."
"Justin, what was that about?" Aayesha asked him after he answered his father harshly.
"He laughed at me when I sat on that hot oil and then he is asking me how do I feel? I feel shitty." Justin pouted and served himself his share.
"Even though you have to remember that he is your father. You shouldn't talk to him like that."
"And not just him, you shouldn't speak to anyone like that. That's just disrespectful." Shania added to where Aayesha had left off.
"Okay, fine I get it," Justin said looking at both of them. "Sorry, dad for talking to you like that."
"I have already forgiven you. And I'm sorry for putting hot oil on the seat."
Justin's look was priceless. Everybody erupted into a burst of laughter after that incident. Even Aayesha herself couldn't prevent herself from laughing at that.
They then gave their last words to him throughout the early breakfast they had and then allowed him to go and get ready for his trip.
He didn't take much time as he was pretty clean except for the hot oil that he'd sit on, rather than that, he was clean for most of him.
"Justin! Hurry your ass up or we're gonna get late." Dhamini banged at his door when he was seeing goodbye in his room.
"You are a tad too harsh for this early morning," Justin spoke from inside his room as he picked up his bags.
"I need to get over this so that I can sleep. Continue to slack and I'm gonna kick your ass." Dhamini warned him through the closed door.
"What's up with you and ass today? You seem weird." Justin asked her as he stepped out of his room with his bags in his hands and the backpack on his back.
Dhamini didn't answer him. She just looked at him for a few seconds before she went away.
"Hey! I thought you were gonna help!" Justin exclaimed.
"Tell your ass to do that," Dhamini answered her voice fading away.
He had no other way out than to carry his luggage downstairs where everybody was waiting for him.
"Dhamini, why didn't you assist Justin with his bags?" Shania asked her daughter.
"He said he could manage. Why would I bother?" Dhamini answered her mom making everybody turn at Justin.
Justin didn't know what to say and adding to the weight of those bags, he wasn't intending on saying anything but then, he saw the warning look of Dhamini and decided to play along.
"Yeah. She looked beat and that's why I offered her to lead the way and I'll lead the luggage." He faked a smile to support his claim.
He didn't have to do that but since it was Dhamini the unpredictable, he had no choice. He then kept silent for the whole drive to the airport since he had nothing to contribute to the conversation that focused on how tough he was acting when he was just a softie. It was really embarrassing and so invasive of his privacy as they even pulled his trousers to see what he was wearing beneath that might have boosted his confidence.
"So, this is it?" Aayesha asked Justin when they reached the airport.
"I guess so."
"Will you come back to visit often?" Shania who had tears asked him.
"I can't tell for now. I need to reach there to be able to know the possibilities."
Karan hugged him goodbye and stormed back to their car. Shreya then did the same and whispered at Justin to remain safe and alive.
Everybody present had a chance of saying their goodbyes to him until he was left with his father, grandfather, mother, and Dhamini.
"I'll probably just cry if I remain here. May God bless you on your journey and help you on each second of that."
"Thank you ma. I wish you well." Justin hugged his mother for the last time before they wept and Aayesha backed off.
"Goodbye, mom." Justin waved at his mom who ran off to the car.
"I don't have anything to add. I just wish you a safe journey." Grandpa said shaking Justin's hand and leaving.
Raichand followed by hugging him and not saying anything. He was scared of what he was seeing and he was having a lot of emotions running through him. He didn't know why but he just felt his eyes getting moist and tears started to fall.
"We will meet soon."
Raichand then left leaving Dhamini and Justin alone.
"They might leave me if I keep standing here with you."
"I know right. I hope to see you soon Cuzzo. Break a leg for Grass Brown."
"Sure will. And maybe we could be pen pals. You will write first so I can get your address." Dhamini proposed.
"I would love that. Take care."
"You too, ass."
They started to laugh after Dhamini said that but since they had no time to spare for that, they did their Cuzzo handshake and parted ways.
That was the last time that Justin got to see his family and spend some wonderful times together. Things were gonna change. HE WAS GONNA CHANGE.
¶
America.
The United States of America.
Like the way Justin had imagined, America turned out to be as his expectations. Elegant, marvelous and so calling. The airport itself was something to breathe for.
JUSTIN RAICHAND SOLANKI.
He saw a police officer flashing his name. He got suspicious all of a sudden but he remembered that Julian's father was supposed to be the senator and thus it was understandable. But still, he never thought a police officer would be there to pick him up, but what else to expect when it was pretty clear that Julian was a rich kid.
"That's me." Justin waved at the police officer.
Yap! Movies do come true. That's what Justin had thought. He knew they were rich but was there really a need of sending a police officer or worthy calling him, their security to pick him up. That was dramatic AF.
"Welcome, sir!" The police greeted him.
"No need for formalities. You can call me Justin."
"My boss won't let me see the next daylight if he gets to hear I am on the first name basis with a client." The police said while taking Justin's luggage to their ride.
It was a minivan. A Honda Odyssey. He had been dreaming of that car since he saw the magazine at his grandpa's office but on that day, Justin was gonna ride it.
"Where is Julian?!" Justin asked after being cooped up in the back of the minivan.
"Julian?!"
Why was the security shocked when Justin asked him about Julian?