Chapter 1: The Morning of Destiny
Chapter 1: The Morning of Destiny
The soft morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a gentle glow on Adivin's face as he lay in his bed. In his twenties, he slept soundly, the worries of the world far from his mind. But the persistent, insistent ring of his alarm clock shattered the tranquility. With a groan, Adivin reached out to silence the jarring sound.
Today was no ordinary day. Today marked a pivotal moment in Adivin's life. It was the day he would present his groundbreaking invention to the Home Minister, a meeting he had eagerly awaited for months.
Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he hurriedly got out of bed, his heart racing with excitement and anxiety. The weight of his invention and the expectations of his family and peers bore heavily upon him.
Descending the stairs, Adivin caught sight of his grandmother, a matriarch of wisdom with her reading glasses perched above her head, squinting at the morning newspaper. She sensed her grandson's presence and greeted him with affection.
"Dear, you woke up," she remarked, her voice tinged with warmth. "Can you help me find my glasses, please?"
Adivin couldn't help but smile at her. "Check your head, Ma," he playfully advised.
His grandmother returned his smile with a sheepish one of her own. "Oh, my dear, it's always like this. How do these glasses manage to wander off by themselves?"
Adivin shared a moment with her before bringing up the important meeting. "Ma, I have an important meeting with the minister today, remember? I've been working towards this for a month."
His grandmother nodded, though her interpretation was endearingly off the mark. "Yeah, yeah, your new toy, right?"
Adivin nodded, his smile masking a deeper conflict within him. He couldn't help but feel that his grandmother saw his work as mere child's play, a notion that contrasted sharply with his own unwavering commitment to pushing the boundaries of technology.
As he prepared to leave, Adivin took a moment to reassure his grandmother about her well-being. "I might be back late today, Ma. Don't wait up, and be sure to eat your meals on time. I've given instructions to the maid regarding your medicine, so don't worry about anything. Just rest easy, okay?"
His grandmother acquiesced, though not without some parting words of her own. "Alright, dear. But come back soon, and don't stay out late. And please, try not to eat too much outside food these days. What was it? Monas, mosas, mamosas...?"
Adivin corrected her with a chuckle. "Momos, Ma, momos."
"Ah, yes, those momos," she mused. "I just don't understand your generation. Why indulge in something unhealthy when you can enjoy spicy and tasty foods like samosas and kachoris? If you want something sweet, there are jalebis and kajookatris!"
Adivin tried to explain, "Ma, it's a matter of personal choice and taste. We can't impose our preferences on others."
His grandmother playfully teased him, "Oh, my little gabu is teaching me morals and worldly knowledge, huh?"
Adivin, a bit exasperated, retorted, "Ma, I'm 22 now. Can you please stop calling me gabu?"
She reminisced with a mischievous smile, "Is that so? I remember the same grown-up man once asking me how to impress his cute colleague, claiming he didn't have much 'expertise'."
Adivin was rendered speechless, a flush of embarrassment creeping up his cheeks.
"Ma, if you're done teasing me, may I go now?" he finally managed to say.
She chuckled. "Gabu, always say 'I am coming back soon,' alrighty?"
Adivin sighed, amused by her persistence. "Alright, alright, as the headquarters says, the soldier shall comply. I will be back soon."
His grandmother shooed him away like a persistent mosquito. As he left, Adivin couldn't help but think, "Ma and her antiques."
He arrived at the garage and climbed into his sleek Aston Martin Vantage, revving the engine to life. Today was a day of destiny, a day to prove his worth. But little did he know that this might be the last normal day in his life, for what awaited him at the Minister's office was far from ordinary.