CHAPTER - 16 Dina meets her grandmother

Millie could not believe what she had just heard. She was already having a headache after hearing that Dina had a medical condition. Now her granddaughter goes regularly to the police station after hitting some random guys? Biting? Punching? Does that mean, she is a criminal? Is she a gangster? She looked at Dina in astonishment. 

The mother and daughter duo ignored the bewildered Millie and were still arguing with each other about the ID card issue.

"You never had any ID card. When the police asked for your ID card, you had always given Mike's phone number. You never showed your ID even once to them. Mike somehow managed and gave money to each and everyone to keep their mouth shut about that matter.” Kara informed her.

As Dina was still looking unconvinced, Kara raised her voice and said, 

“You could never show them your ID card as you did not have one with you. Moreover, you became a regular offender, so they just got used to you and started to call Mike directly from then on!" Kara tried to explain it to her.

"No, Stop. I don't believe you. You are lying to me. I have an ID card with me. Look here." Dina shouted and opened her bag to take out her ID card.

Kara couldn’t bear to see her frightened face. She closed her eyes and sat on the sofa with a heavy heart. Dina pulled out her fake ID card and showed it to Kara. The one that she had asked Mike to make when she decided to drink alcohol to stop seeing those ghostly beings. Kara opened her eyes and looked at Dina with compassion.

"Dina, this ID card of yours is fake. You do know that, right? You had asked Mike to get you one when you were just fifteen years old as they don’t allow minors to buy alcohol. Isn’t this the same card that you always used to enter the bar? Listen to me, Dina, if you go with them, then they will give you a proper identity. They will take care of you very well. I can go to Emma and live the rest of my life happily with her." Kara tried to convince Dina.

Millie could not believe what was happening! Her granddaughter is also a drunkard from the age of fifteen? How many issues does this girl actually have? Is there no end to the list? She almost got a heart attack when she heard Dina uses a fake id card to go to nightclubs.

"No! No! NO! I am not going anywhere. If you want to go, then you go… No-no, that is also not right. I will come with you wherever you are going! Why do you have to push me away just to be with Emma? Emma always loved me, didn’t she? Doesn't mom and Emma not like me anymore? Did Emma leave us because of me? Am I the reason why we are living separately?" Dina started to wail while squatting on the floor.

As Millie could not see her granddaughter wailing, she came near her to comfort her. She had just lifted her hand and placed it on Dina’s head. Dina reacted wildly. She pushed her hand away and shouted.

"You! It’s all because of you. Do not come near me or I will ask the man standing next to you to haunt you forever," Dina cursed at Millie.

"Dina! Stop it! Did I raise you until now to behave in such a rude way? How can you talk so disrespectfully to an elder? Where are your manners that I taught you?" Kara scolded Dina.

Dina immediately smiled and said, "See, mom! I know you will never let me go away. Look at your angry face. I know you care about me the most in this world. And I am always your priority. So, what is this all about? Tell me the truth. Are you all trying to make fun of me? Or is it some kind of prank? I know it must be Mike's idea. It’s his plan, right? But didn't I already quit drinking alcohol recently? So what are guys acting for?"

Dina hugged Kara and asked her. Kara could not believe how Dina came to such an absurd conclusion. 

‘Why does she even think that it’s all a prank? Didn't I scold her just now? The kids who get scolded by parents always get angry and either they fight back with them or leave home? But why is she still sticking to me? How can I make her leave without breaking her heart?’ Kara wondered.

Dina wiped her tears and stood up. Then she called out Mike's name loudly. Once he came in front of her, she decided to punch him so hard that he would never forget this moment.

"Mike, Mike… You better come out right now! Or else I will mess up the project work that you had worked on for almost a month now and begged me to finish. Mike, I order you to come out of your hiding; Right now!" She shouted.

Mike immediately rushed inside the door with his sweat covered body. He had just finished doing his work out and was about to take a bath. Good thing, she had summoned him before that, or else he would have faced the wrath of Kara. As he would have traveled to Dina’s house in his birth suit.

"What happened? What's the matter? Why did you summon… I mean why did you call me? Is there any problem?” Mike asked them while wiping the sweat from his forehead.

“Problem? You are asking me, ‘Is there any problem’?” Dina screamed and pounced on him.

“Dina, let’s talk civilly and clear our misunderstandings. I really don’t understand what’s going on! Also, I can’t resolve the problem unless I know what is the problem that happened before I came here,” Mike said and wiggled away from her grip.

Looking at Dina’s terrorized face, he decided to be safe. So, he stood behind Kara and asked cautiously.

“Now tell me without hitting me. What happened?” Mike inquired.

“I… I… Mom… Mom…” Dina stuttered as she could not bring herself to say what happened.

The pressure around her was too much and she felt suffocated. Her eyes turned blurry and she couldn’t see the person in front of her clearly. Her head spun around and she started to sway from side to side.

Millie wondered if her granddaughter was drunk? It was not even dark yet but she had already started to drink alcohol. Instantly, she looked at the glass Dina brought to her earlier. As she was stressed to even think about anything at that time, she did not touch the glass yet.

It sat on the coffee table. The content inside the glass did look like water but she had some doubts. She moved her hands towards the glass and lifted it. She smelled it and found that it was not alcohol. She breathed a sigh of relief.

Looking at Millie’s actions, Kara felt hurt. But she did not say anything. Instead, she looked down and thought,

‘What did I do? How are we going to come out of this situation? She could not believe that she revealed everything in front of Dina’s grandmother. She had spoilt her daughter’s first impression.’

“Dina, Listen to me. Calm down first. What are you trying to do?” Mike shouted and ran around the living room.

Dina chased him with a knife that she picked from the kitchen. 

“It’s all because of you. You told my mom that last month I spent a night out in a hotel. Didn’t you? I can’t think of any other reason why my mom wants to send me away.” She screamed and ran behind him.

“You what? Did you go to a hotel? With whom?” Mike put a sudden break and stopped in the middle of the living room.

“Don’t try to act innocent in front of me. I know it’s you who told my mother,” Dina raised the knife and tried to stab him.

 “Dina, listen to me. I did not say anything to anyone. It’s you who disclosed it right now…” Mike said and held her hands tightly.

“If you did not say it, then who did? Why is my mom trying to send me away with this old lady?” Dina asked and pointed her hand at Millie.

Mike looked at the old lady who was sitting on the sofa with elegance. He twisted his eyebrows. He knew who she was and why she came here.

“Dina listens to me, no one can take you away. I will speak with Kara and make her understand.” Mike assured her.

“Will you? You tell my mom that I will be obedient from now on and not touch alcohol throughout my life. Please… Please… Please…” Dina begged while holding his hands.

The knife slipped down from her hands and missed Mike’s feet by an inch. He lifted the leg in a hurry to avoid the sharp object from piercing his feet.

“I will. I will. Don’t worry…” Mike started to speak and moved backward slowly.