Justin

“MoooM, yelled Justin, I’m hungry, Can I get my breakfast. And don’t say that I have to eat scrambled eggs even today like any other day. I am fed up of those eggs and sandwich. Make something special Mom, after all I will be leaving to college in the next week end or so”. Justin’s Mom Kaira was busy in the kitchen. She just got a bit annoyed by her son screaming. She just barged into his room saying,” you lazy brat, what do you think of yourself, are you a prince of some kingdom to fulfil your orders. Look I will decide what you should eat and what not to.” “Now don’t yell at me, I have prepared your favourite cookies along with raspberry jam and off course your favourite pancake and creamy ravioli pasta.” She just moved out laughing aloud. “If you don’t hurry up then I will give everything to the neighbourhood to relish my breakfast.” Justin jumped out of his bed and hugged his mother.

“Oh, Mom, you’re so cool, you have read my mind, all my favourite dishes on the platter, Super”. He just ran to the bathroom to freshen up and relish his breakfast. Though Justin was relishing his mom’s delicacies his eyes said something else. Kaira could notice the change in her son’s mood. She just cajoled her son with a pat on his back,” What’s bothering you kid, why you so upset, anything wrong in my cooking are”? “Oh, no Mom”, Justin reacted “You are a perfect Chef and there can be no flaw in your cuisine”. “There is something else which is bothering me”.

“What is it my child, tell me, maybe I can be of some help”. “Mom, do I have to take up science as a career, because dad is scientist. But I’m not interested in science I just want to become a writer and etch my name in the field of literature .I don’t want to slog in a laboratory all my life like dad does. I rarely get to meet him”

“Justin, you should not talk like that about your dad, your dad is one among the best researchers who are on a war foot to find a cure for the prevailing pandemic”. 

“Finish your breakfast and sit next to me I will tell you about your father”. Justin was curious to know about his father’s past. He just finished his breakfast and sat next Kaira.

“My dad was a rich business man; he had a huge line of hotels and motels which was running very efficiently due to his hard work”. “You very well know that if father is a rich man then their kids are always spoilt and pampered”. “So was my case, I was completely pampered by my parents especially my dad who brought me up as a princess”

“I had everything with me so I didn’t know what hardship was.” “Your Dad’s parents were working in one of the hotels as waitress and supervisor”. “They were real good people and so was your dad, he was their only son”.

Gilbert was a very intellectual being, though his parents were poor, their only wealth was their son who was a child prodigy. Though he didn’t have proper education his love for science had made him a master in the field of science. His love for science was so much that he always wants to get engrossed in his research depriving the outer material world. He was always away from the outside world.

“This is your dad, he has come in a hard way, to reach his destination”, Kaira heaved a sigh. Though I always wanted a normal life, but I don’t regret marrying your dad, because he is the best husband any woman can dream of”.

“When you both are two different persons, how come you got together and decided to live as a family. Kaira smiled,” that’s a good question; actually everyone wondered how we got together”. “Mom, if my grandpa was so rich then why are you working as a chef in a restaurant Kaira interrupted,”I will tell you, have some patience.”

“Your dad was working a lab technician in my dad’s hospital. He was working to fund his research. One day it so happened that I made a visit to the hospital. I was just wandering here there; I just entered the lab where your dad was working. That was a restricted area I was allowed inside because I was the daughter of a big business tycoon who hailed numerous hotels and hospitals. Yes it was my dad’s hospital and I was free to move anywhere inside the hospital. Unknowingly I banged on to your dad who was working on his table. Some fluid spilled on my skin and lo I started screaming with pain, it was your dad who save me from that burning pain. He just applied some antidote and I was so relieved of pain. May be this triggered an emotional attachment between us. After a lot of commotion in my family we decided to get married against the elders wishes.

After your grandpa’s death, your uncle, that’s my elder brother he discarded me out of my dad’s property and now he is living like a king with all the money my dad had left him.” Kaira sighed a heavy breath. Justin could see tears in his mother eyes. He just wiped her tears and hugged her. “Mom, don’t worry I am here “. Kaira smiled at her son. She held his hand tight and “Yes I know you and your dad are with me, I don’t need anything else”. “You know kind what my dream was, I just wanted to become a flight lieutenant, but I couldn’t fulfil my dreams because I married your dad.

Justin was literally shocked to hear this,”Mom you wanted to become a pilot, that sounds so exciting. If you wanted to fly in air then why did you take up cooking as a profession? ““I became a chef to run the family, and help your dad in his research”. “Oh, Mom, you are simply great, you sacrificed everything for dad “. Justin was so proud of his mom.

“That’s not sacrifice my dear, that’s the essence of love and affection” replied Kaira. Just then the phone rang and Justin picked up the phone, his dad Gilbert was on the other side. He was coughing g continuously. “Justin”, his voice was very low he was breathless. “If I can’t survive fighting against the pandemic, then take care of your Mom, she is one great lady, and she left everything to help me out in my research. And one thing kid, just follow your dreams, don’t force yourself into an unwanted path.” As he was saying he couldn’t speak further, there was a long pause. “Mom”, screamed Justin. “Dad is sick he had just called and suddenly the phone got disconnected, I’m scared Mom there is something wrong with dad”. Kaira was weeping hard,”Child your dad is infected with pandemic, he was finding a cure for the deadly disease and he has succumbed to the infection. She was weeping hard and Justin fell down with a bang. After a few weeks Justin was sitting inside the science lab finishing his project work.