Chương 7: Chemistry Logic: Business Equation

Eugene is aware of the troubles his daughter creates wherever she goes, which he has practically experienced from her childhood. It was a surprise he got no complaints in these three years. So, he assumed his daughter had taken his warning seriously. Listening to the Principal whines, Eugene understood she had meticulously planned and successfully masked him. He turned to Clary with a look of amusement. "Did you really pop a laughing gas?''

''I remember..Clary came to the lab in search of Ammonium Nitrate." Warren said, and he, too, glanced at Clary mischievously. ''Is this the reason?''

''My friends wanted a demo to see if it works.'' Clary gave a sheepish smile to her dad and uncle. ''I didnot intend to use it on Principal, sir. He appeared just at the time I popped a balloon. I apologized to him 1000 times and never used it after that incident.''

Eugene nodded his head, giving a thumbs up to Clary, to which she threw a double thumbs-up gesture. He then addressed the Principal. ''See..my daughter accepted her mistake. She put down her pride and apologized to you thousand times. Problem solved. Did you call us here to discuss something that happened in the past?''

Lucifer: '' ''

Here he was, ranting in hopes that these two would reprimand her. Instead, they are supporting her. What kind of father and uncle are these two? ''I am not done yet! I have more complaints about your daughter, Mr Ainford brothers."

"We are listening." The brothers chimed.

The Principal continued without giving them a break. "Calling first-year students to her class during lunch breaks, hazing them...getting into fights with the students...goofing off the classes, roaming with her gang outside the college during class hours by bribing the security guard at the entrance gates...I get no less than one complaint from the professors every day. In my thirty years of academic service, I have never seen a trouble magnet like her. Recently, she hit a student on campus in front of all the students and ripped her hair. Her money-grubbing mother is on my head, demanding money for PRP treatment to cover her bald patches.'' With the work pressure at college, combined with Clary's stress, Lucifer speculated not a strand of hair would be left on his scalp by the time Clary graduates.

Listening to all these complaints, Clary was certain she had to pack her bags and leave for the donkey farm. How much grudge does bald baby have against me? But her father's following words stunned her.

"You are complaining like you hold a deep resentment against my daughter, Mr Large." Eugene's intimidating tone made the Principal's legs quiver. "What's wrong with roaming with friends? She maintains a good attendance percentage by being a thoughtful kid to sit for exams. Also, hazing is a part of Hellen university tradition. I am certain my daughter will not go overboard. Mind you, I have raised her with ethics and morals." Eugene added, proudness in his voice. He turned to Clary for confirmation. "Isn't it, daughter?"

"Yes, Papa!" Clary bobbed her head.

"See?"

The Principal gripped the mouse tightly, transferring his anger to the poor object. How thick-skinned can this daughter and father pair become? "Mr Ainford, I am talking about_"

Eugene ignored the Principal's words and continued. "Every college life brings fun and frolic. My daughter is just enjoying that phase. You must also acknowledge that she brought glory to this University by not only topping exams in all six semesters. The article she published on amphiphilic triblock copolymer brought worldwide recognition to your University.''

Lucifer can't deny the facts Eugene told. But still, the expectations of seeing her reprimanded by her father were something he was looking for. For the brothers to come this far despite their busy schedules, it seems she is their treasure.

''Our Clary only gets into fights if they hit her bottom line. You should have looked for the truth before you suspended her.'' Warren said, shifting comfortably on the chair. For some reason, he likes the comfort of it. He made a note to ask this pinto bean if he could take it home in exchange for another. ''I guess this ends our discussion. Next time, don't call us for these silly matters.''

Who asked you to come here, giant cucumbers, if you don't intend to listen to my rantings? Their mother was tolerable compared to them. Lucifer muttered in his head.

''My brother is right. Our time is very precious and above all,'' Eugene said and pointed his eyes at Clary. ''My daughter is very precious to me. By the way, a friendly reminder. Next time, it won't be laughing gas if you keep annoying her.''

Lucifer stiffened with the thread, feeling heavy in the stomach.

Standing in the corner, Clary smiled ear to ear, hearing her father's remarks. Eugene and Warren got up, ready to leave, but seems like the brothers remembered something. They snapped at the Principal at once.

"What's the brand of this chair?"

"Can I take the chair to my office?"

Eugene, and Warren turned, facing each other smiling mouth to mouth.

"Gene!" Warren grinned at his twin brother, who was a minute younger than him.

"Wazzy!" Eugene beamed at his elder brother.

"Our tastes haven't changed!" Eugene and Warren bumped their fists with huge grins. Except for their wives, the brothers silently mouthed.

Meanwhile, Lucifer scraped his bald head, unable to decode their conversations. The brothers ordered bald baby to pack the chair by evening for the assistant to pick up. They walked out, signalling Clary to follow them, leaving Lucifer speechless.

Did these people lose screws in their brains? Why do they need his belongings when they could practically buy a country with their wealth? Weirdoes! That's the only word running through Lucifer's head. The whole family seems oddballs. Legacy of mental must have been passed through the generations.

It's not proper etiquette to leave the office without bald baby's permission, Clary thought. So, she stood there, watching her dad and uncle go. Once they left, she studied her Principal's face, as blank as her fifth-grade math test paper. "Sir..." She softly called.

There was no response.

"Can I leave, Principal, sir? I will see my father and_"

"Get out!" He shouted. "Never bring your weird family to my office again."

Gulping hard, Clary slipped off, throwing one last pity look at him.

....

'Woah! You rocked in the principal room, old dudes!'' Clary patted her dad and uncle's shoulders proudly. They stood on the pathway in the college, lined with pine trees. Students peeked at them, hiding behind the trees.

Warren immediately knocked Clary's head. ''Do I look old?''

''You still call your father old if he sends you to the donkey's farm, dear daughter?'' Eugene asked, mirth dancing in his eyes. ''I phoned my friend on the way. The assistant post is still open."

Warren continued from here. "Squatting beside the donkey's right so that it doesn't kick you with its hind legs....milking from its udder must be adventurous."

''I will take my words back, daddy Gene and uncle Wazzy.'' Clary pleaded, pressing her palms together. ''What I meant was..age doesn't show how old you are, but how many years of fun you had. Think positively.'' Clary shifted to another topic immediately before they countered with the donkey's farm topic. ''How did you know about my suspension? Where is granny pie?''

''I sent her home. Just because I supported you today doesn't mean I am appeasing to continue.'' Eugene patted Clary's head. ''I have a meeting in another hour, baby. We will discuss how I learned about your suspension when you come home. Go to class now."

Clary held her father's arm, emotions swirling in her heart. ''Thank you, dad, for not throwing me to the donkey's farm. Clary always loves you.''

''Eugene loves Clary more.'' He smiled, patting her head. The thought of sending her away was just a way to scare her.

''And Warren loves Clary more..'' Warren butted.

''That's never gonna happen,'' Eugene countered. ''Only I love my daughter more.''

''Oh, come on, Gene. It's not your Chemistry 'logic' to prove.''

''And it's not your business 'equation' to solve, Wazzy.''

''Oh, stop it, dudes!" Clary interrupted. "You are behaving like kids in my college."

"You are saying we are kids?" Eugene pulled Clary's ear, and suddenly, a cotton dab fell off her ear. As Eugene's eyes shifted to the red blotch on the dab, Clary cursed at herself. Busted in her father's hands.

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