Prejudice

40. Pre-planned

Two days ago....

When Jay landed in Chennai, it was early evening.

He boarded a cab and asked the driver to take him to the address given by him.

Mr. Gautam Agarwal was pleasantly surprised to see his younger son. He did not expect Jay and was seeing him for the first time after Diya's death.

Jay was pulled in a strong embrace, as soon as he stepped down the cab and he was surprised by the strength his father displayed. Any other time, Jay would have welcomed the warm hug and deep affection shown by his father. But now that he knew the reality, he only loathed his father. Not only for his own misery, but for Pranav's too.
Jay pretended to like the proximity while he was burning with rage inside.

Before Jay and his father could walk inside the house, a goods carrier was seen entering inside the gates.
Gautam Agarwal narrowed his eyes and looked at the goods carries and then at his son. Jay gave him a small smile and walked ahead to receive a large wooden box.

His father was more than surprised to see a wooden box of around six feet in height. Two men put the box from the carrier and Jay asked the house help to help them carry it in the house.

"What is this?" His father asked and Jay gave him a wide grin.

"It's for you, Dad." Jay simply replied.

He walked inside the living room, followed by his father, where the wooden box was now standing in the center of the room. Jay kept his bags down and walked around the wooden box once, before he stood in front of it and opened it from front.

His eyes slightly widened at the beauty that was standing inside.
Gautam Agarwal gasped and had his eyes wide as saucers.

A beautiful life size robot, looking like a handsome young man was standing there.

The makers had done an excellent job to make him look much like a human being. But he still had an evident features of being a machine.
Just like a human, he had a wheatish skin, made out of polished leather. His black eyes sparkled and a blazing hue of red and orange could be seen. He had a short height of around 5.5" and was dressed in smart casuals with black jeans and white half sleeves T-shirt and a sleeveless beige jacket.

"What is this?" Gautam Agarwal whispered in complete shock.

Jay looked back at his father and then at the robot.

"Hey, Alex." Jay exclaimed.

There was a weird buzz heard for a moment, as if the machine was booting up. Next moment, the robot's eyes glowed in gold and red, before it turned black.

"Hello Master. Alex at your service." The robot replied in a crisp and deep voice.

"Oh. It speaks?" His father asked surprised.

Jay turned around to look at him.
"Yes, Dad. This is Alex. He will be a good company for you."

Gautam Agarwal widened his eyes and looked at the robot from head to toe.
"Why? What's the need?" He asked.

"Trust me, it's needed, Dad. I have seen how alone you have been all these years. Now this, Alex will be there to talk to you and do everything for you, just with a single instruction."

Gautam Agarwal laughed out loud. The slight moisture in his eyes was evident of how happy he was that his son showed a concern for him.
Jay was again pulled in his strong embrace and Jay clenched his jaws in disgust.

Gautam Agarwal was exceptionally happy to see his son after a long time.
That night, it was a feast that was laid down on the table.

"How is Pranav?" His father asked and Jay chewed on his food for a moment, before looking at him.