There was a standstill in the hall for a moment. The silence was so loud that it almost became defeaning.
The entire family of Elaine jumped on their feet. Their eyes bulged at the sockets so hard that it felt like their eyes would pop out of their head.
This young man that had just walked in was someone whom they didn't think they would see in a month. How come he is here?
"Is that the deadbeat?" Baron whispered, hardly looking at any member of his family.
"Elaine's family surely know how to create a scene." Wirtz gritted his teeth.
Ever since what Archie cost his family, Wirtz has been looking for a way to lay claim of a scapegoat on whom he would exhaust all his rage.
"Why does he look quite different?" Archie muttered, snapping out of his own problems.
"Different?" The lady with him wondered.
"Yea. Like he's been spending on his skin lately." Archie added, nodding.
Jaai stood at the door for a moment. His gaze traversed every corner of the hall. He looked from one family to the other. He made sure that his gaze lasted longer on the area of Elaine's family.
There was utmost disbelief and discombobulation scattered across the faces of Elaine and her children. It would seem as though they were staring at a ghost.
Marcus wanted to say something but he was way too confounded to find the words. His head was entirely blank.
Elaine was the most flabbergasted. There were a lot of things playing in her head. The most significant worry she had was the question of, was she being fooled? Was the doctor really fooling her? The rage and confusion mingled and sent a shot of severe headache across her temples.
A soft smile curled into the corner of Jaai's lips and then he headed straight towards Old Mr Hullevard.
As he walked forward, advancing through the aisle towards the grand spot of the hall, there were chatters and insults flying around.
Jaai knew that they were all cussing actively and ceaselessly at him, but he really didn't care.
He dropped on his knees at the feet of Old Mr Hullevard,
"Grandfather. Forgive me for coming late." Jaai apologized, bowing to the very floor.
"Where do you think you are?!" The sudden loud voice of Wirtz startled a couple of people in the hall.
"How dare you come to the birthday party of my father whenever you liked?! You're not even really part of the family. It was just father that wanted you around! You good for nothing! How dare you insult the respect of my father by showing up here late? Do you want to tell me that you're busier than everyone of us here is?!!!!" Wirtz's voice echoed so hard that it bounced from one corner of the hall to the other.
"You should be kicked out right in this moment." Baron seconded.
"What a joke! You should at least respect the old man." Archie added.
In no time, despicable comments were being hurled at Jaai from every corner of the hall. Although the family members don't get along, but whenever Jaai was the point of interest, they all had a common goal.
For some reason that was best known to them, they always saw Jaai as a threat that must be eliminated at all cost.
Two years ago, there were rumors that were flying around that when the old man dies, Jaai might end up being the highest beneficiary of the families assets!
Based on these speculations, so many people have created a wall of deep hatred between themselves and Jaai. No matter what the young man does, they just wanted him to die!!!
When Old Mr Hullevard held up one of his hands, the comments died out slowly. There were still murmurs that lingered, but soon enough they disappeared.
"I'm not trying to make an excuse here, Grandfather but I have my reasons for coming late." Jaai explained.
After Jaai said these, he looked in the direction of Jada. Elaine saw how he was looking. Jada swallowed a lump. She needed a kind of support, so she gripped the edge of the table.
Her legs were shaking! What if Jaai spills the beans? What if he tells the entire family that she's cheating?!!! What would happen then?
There has been countless occasions when her uncles have indirectly accused her mother of killing her husband over cheating allegations. In fact, some of them have jokingly teased Jada that she better stay loyal to the deadbeat else her mother might have a plan in mind.
Although Elaine had fought her brothers relentlessly when she heard what they said to her daughter! Yet rumors are very dangerous louts.
"Why did you come late?" Archie blarred out of nowhere. "The least you can do to make up for your disrespect is giving a good reason not to be punished. So why?!"
Baron was spewing a hate speech at Archie. If there was anyone who should speak, should it be Archie? Yet Archie didn't care. He's regained his lost ego.
"That's right! Tell us!" People were beginning to second Archie's suggestion.
"Where is the gift you even talked about?!!!" Someone yelled.
"That's true. I can't see any gift. He walked in here with free hands!"
"Or could there be a gift outside the hall? Just like Baron and his family did?"
"I doubt it. Elaine's family is going through financial crisis at the moment. In fact I heard that her daughter might be seeing someone else in order to get more money."
"Hey! Hey! You better watch what you say."
"Whatever! All I know is that this deadbeat does not have anything to show for. Did you forget the gift that the entire family brought? A simple ring!"
The caregiver waved at the people and there was peace and quiet again. Then she turned to Jaai.
"Where is the gift that you brought?!" The caregiver asked Jaai.
Although the caregiver was supposed to be neutral in all of this, just like she did to the other families. But in the case of Jaai, she didn't care about her facial expressions. In fact, she hated him more than everyone else.
Jaai slowly dipped his hand in his pocket. All the eyes haunted him. It was obvious that they couldn't wait to mock him.
He brought out a small olden bottle. The bottle was made of ceramics. The body was coated with ancient paintings. Its cover looked like a cut-out tube.
He walked towards the old man but the caregiver walked into his way to stop him.
"What is this?" The caregiver snatched the bottle from him. She had a generous amount of disgust seeped in her face.
"Is this a joke or what?" Baron smacked the table. "Where did you get that rubbish from? From the roadside? Did you collect it from a madman?"
"Have you come to poison our father?!" Archie bellowed.
Wirtz felt irked when he heard Archie calling the old man, 'father'.
"Take that shit back!!!" Another person yelled.
In no time, everything has almost turned into a chaos.
"In fact, I'm coming to smash that useless thing on the floor!" Baron stomped off his seat. "I'll break all your teeth! How dare you try to insult grandpa with such garbage!"
All the members of the extended family were actively behind Baron. It must be so much pleasure going for the neck of a helpless youth.
"Let me see." The old man said out of the blue.
It would seem as though a basin of cold water was poured on everyone.
Silence quickly eclipsed the lousy rays of madness.
"Bring it here." The old man called.
Jaai quickly hurried to the old man and handed the bottle to him. Without any other word, the old man opened the bottle and emptied the content, gulping it gluttonishly.
All jaws dropped to the floor as everyone gasped. There was a standstill. Everyone was expecting what would happen next.
There were unasked questions that were loud enough even for the deaf.
What did the old man just drink? Why did he drink it? What would happen after this?
At once, the old man got up on his feet. As soon as he got up, everyone jumped on their feet with the speed of lightning.
"Honey?" The caregiver ran to him.
He gently started to climb down his chair. When his offsprings saw this, they dropped their gazes, unable to look at him. What the hell was happening?!
"Stay." He waved at the caregiver who wanted to help him not to mind.
He climbed down his seat and walked straight to Jaai whose gaze has been dropped also. No one could dare raise their heads in this situation. It was out of deep respect and honor for the elderly.
The elderly folks were esteemed as gods in Crescent City.
The old man walked directly to Jaai and pulled him to his feet. He hugged Jaai warmly and pat him on the back.
"My son. How can I ever repay you?"