AN UNEXPECTED EVIL

CH-25

"Work is hard, life is long....", Harshvardhan was singing, being drunk. 

"Work is hard, life is long, let's end this life, let's get strong....", he continued singing. 

Fuck, Raj cursed in his mind.

He hated being stuck with his Dad. This was not similar to those earlier times in his childhood.

"Raj, I appreciate all the work you do everyday. You're so hardworking!", Harshvardhan said, still drunk. 

"Grab a drink, Raj!", Harshvardhan yelled, offering him the drink. 

Raj didn't drink, he was feeling awkward. 

"Let's dance Raj! I love you my son. You've always made me proud!", Harshvardhan cheered. He started to dance. Raj saw that Harshvardhan loved him, but Raj didn't. 

After ten minutes, Harshvardhan became tired of dancing. 

"I am thirsty, Raj.", he yelled. "Give me some water."

"Alright.", Raj replied. He poured the water from the jug into the glass. 

He handed the glass to Harshvardhan. He drank it, slowly, in a dramatic way, as if he was drinking wine. 

HARSHVARDHAN FELL TO THE FLOOR

"DAD!", Raj shouted, in fear.

He rushed towards Harshvardhan and sat on the floor. He was a doctor, so his mind worked faster than anyone else's mind does.

He lifted Harshvardhan to the chair, because Harshvardhan was not able to sit up straight by himself. 

Maybe Dad lost his balance, he thought.

"I want to sleep, goodbye.", Harshvardhan said with every inch of energy that was left inside him. He closed his eyes and didn't respond.

---------------------

"What's wrong with Dad?", Raj asked to the doctor as he got out of the room.

"I am so sorry. You're Dad is no more.", the doctor said, his head hung low. 

Preeti and Saavi were shook. Preeti just couldn't stop crying. Santosh was controlling her. Saavi was in tears too, but she was good at controlling emotions. 

"Raj, how did he die?", she asked him.

Raj looked puzzled. "Even I don't know.", he replied.

Saavi went running to the doctor.

"Why did he die?", she asked, catching her breath.

"I was going to talk about it to your brother Dr. Raj.", he replied.

He came to Raj. "Dr. Raj, I have something to tell you.", he said.

Raj was listening to him intently, like a student.

"Your Dad was poisoned.", he said, in a serious tone.

"What-", both Saavi and Raj's mouths were open in shock.

"Now, I'll leave it all to you.", he said and went away.

No one spoke anything. There were trillions of thoughts running in their mind. 

"Raj.... did you- did you- did you poison him?", Saavi asked, she was shaking.

"I just gave him water. I didn't poison him.", he said back, his voice trailed off.