A is for Ara
Homehouse
The hatred that I thought would explode the moment I saw her face, it turned out that I was wrong, the hatred that I had been feeling was not as great as I thought. Seeing the face of the man who was almost my husband sitting next to my own brother, it did not shake my mind too much. The more I saw them, the more I realized how scary they were. Makes me even more grateful not to have been involved with them for the past 5 years.
The once radiant face, now slowly showed tired scratches. The face that I thought would be filled with eternal happiness after the marriage did not show any emotion. I was foolish to always think my heart would never release them for the pain I felt. Today, after all my energy was drained, I finally realized one thing, hating them was the only reason I could survive to this point and the hate I felt for them kept me from feeling any emotions when I saw them.
“Aiba doesn't know if Brother Ara came home today.” The first sentence that opens the conversation at the dinner table. I replied to the statement my sister made with a nod, creating a more gripping silence. Compared to not knowing, I think stupidity is the answer to the sentence he just said.
Ceisya Laiba Azhar, my only sister who can do whatever she wants without caring about others. When Azhar and I were left with no choice in our future, Aiba had the right to choose whatever he wanted. He can become a writer like he always dreamed of without the need to beg. He could choose his education and his choice of education was the best option he chose, making him able to do everything he wanted. She was the only daughter in the Azhar family to wear a veil, was educated in Cairo's Al-Azhar, and understood the teachings of Islam better than her brothers, making abi very proud of her. He is abi and ummi's only hope for the afterlife.
“Kak Ara,” called him once again, making the atmosphere at the dining table again turn tense. At a time like this, they made me a villain.
I tidied the spoon and fork on the plate and focused my attention on the hesitating Aiba. Whatever he wanted to say, it would have nothing to do with Haaris or Lunna. He is a man who thinks only of himself and does not care much about the affairs of others. Even as news of my marriage annulment spread, she became the last person to know and she remained a fool with the pain I felt.
“Kak Ara will not marry?” the question made abi blush.
“You want to get married?” my reply doesn't want to be pleasantries.
“…”
“I don't care if you want to step on me.”
“Really?” he asked with a joyful tone that made abi and ummi look at me guiltily.
“You already have a candidate?” asked Kak Lunna trying to create a family atmosphere at the dining table.
“Kakak my level will visit home this week. He whom I always tell Ummi,” replies enthusiastically.
“Kak Ara really doesn't matter if Aiba steps over Brother?” ask again to make sure.
Again, just a nod I gave. I continued to eat the rest of my dessert. For the second time, Azhar gently stomped my feet, giving a sign to end dinner today. Seeing how serious he was, I knew he just didn't want any further conversations to hurt me.
“Abi, Ummi, Lunna and Haaris decided to do an IVF program. Initially we wanted to do it directly in London but Haaris forced to go home first asking for blessing directly to Abi and Ummi.”
“IVF? What is Kak?” tanya Aiba made the current atmosphere look very harmonious.
“Ah... In Vitro Fertilization or baby tube.”
“When will you do it, Darling?” ummi's reply.
“We have registered, just waiting for a call. On the 12th we will return to London,” Haaris replied as he occasionally stole a glance at me.
“Front week? Very quickly, can not register in a place near Indonesia only so that Ummi can accompany.”
“Haaris should still be in London for the next 2 years, Ummi. Lunna also preferred to be near Abi and Ummi but Lunna could not leave Haaris alone in London. He can't take care of himself. Lunna doesn't want to be a failed wife.”
The conversation I wanted to cut. I wanted to get out of the dining room as quickly as possible and cover my ears from their conversation. A person's heart is really scary but I think it's more frightening for God to be able to flip through a human heart. I still remember clearly like that incident just one day ago how ummi accompanied me, hugged me, and cried with me but now ummi is already on the other side. I can't blame ummi completely, either way ummi belongs to Kak Lunna.
“Kak Ara can accompany Ummi to visit Kak Lunna, right?”
I came back out of my mind as my name was called. I stared intently at Aiba who immediately lowered his gaze, like realizing his question was a sensitive topic. With all the religious knowledge he has, I just hope he can apply it well when it comes to his brother. I hope she can keep her tongue better so as not to let out a can that can kill others. I just wish he could think before he spoke instead of talking first and then think.
“I have no problem but will Brother Lunna be okay?” reply me before Azhar answers that question.
“Ara,” call abi with her firm tone.
“…”
“Don't want to answer Abi's call?” once again abi's resolute voice filled the dining room, leaving Aiba terrified.
“What's wrong with Ara's sentence? Ara simply answered the question Aiba had given her. Why did Abi just rebuke Ara? Not with Aiba?”
“Impard Aiba. Aiba did not intend to ask that sensitive question. Aiba's mouth moves faster than Aiba's. Forgive Aiba, Abi, Brother Ara,” Aiba said with tears dripping down.
The whimper that always managed to get him out of every problem. A whimper who always makes others his bad guy. The whimper is always a shield for every ignorance. And a whimper I hate so much.
“Ara, you shouldn't make Aiba cry. Aiba, take it easy, your question is a reasonable one. It is natural for a child to accompany his parents. Take it easy, Big Brother doesn't have any feelings about Ara and Haaris' past relationship. It's all over, it was 5 years ago. Everyone lives forward, no one lives by constantly remembering the past, isn't that so Ara?”
Ting..
Azhar smacked the spoon onto the table, making all the attention directed at her. As expected, he would react like this. I gently stomped her feet, making her look straight at me. I gave her the trinket, asking her very much not to say anything. When his mouth is open, the punishment will be given to him. I don't want him to take the punishment because of me.
“Sure, everyone has to live forward,” replied me with a gentle smile, making Kak Lunna slightly show anger in her eyes.
“Sorry to interrupt her dinner time, there are things I should discuss with Miss Ara.”
Finally my savior came. I looked at Aisya, my secretary, and gave her a sign to leave the dining room first. When I made sure his back was away, I looked at Abi, asking him for permission to leave this ruined dinner.
“What will you talk about with Aisya?” abi asked, not yet willing to let me go.
“Ara's transfer to central hospital. Files to take care of.”
“Go.”
I immediately walked out of the dining room, followed by an anxious look belonging to ummi. If Ummi were to take out a single sentence defending me, I would definitely not be someone this dark. I just need the person who gave birth to me to be by my side, calm me down, and take my side. Azhar was the only one of my family to side with me in a loud voice, the rest went with the flow.
“Nona,” call Aisya carefully when we get to the park.
Slowly I began to relax my grasp. I hate the fact that until now I was still a figure who could not express my emotions. I always pray that in the future, I can stand with all the feelings and emotions that surround me. I think it still takes time for my prayers to come out.
“Say,” said after 3 minutes managed to calm down again.
“The whereabouts of the woman is now unknown.”
“Kak Lunna, where did he go before returning to Indonesia?” my question is to make Aisya immediately open her cellphone and contact the person I have assigned to always follow Kak Lunna.
The night sky was getting darker, making me want to dive into the darkness of this world. The world that during my teenage years I thought was only limited to good and bad is now turning into a world full of deceptions. No, not a changed world but me.
I decided to sit on the park chair while observing Aisya who was still busy with her cellphone. A few seconds he held back his angry face and the next second he let out his upset face. He must have forgotten something important, something he shouldn't have forgotten.
“Nona, forgive me,” a direct greeting followed by a head hump.
“So I'll see him?” I guess, even though I already know the answer.
“I'm sorry for being teledor,” replied in a fearful tone.
“How old is the pregnancy of the woman?”
“4 weeks.”
“....”
“Nona, this is not what I thought, is it?”
“Kakak won't do that IVF program. Check back where they will do the IVF.” program
“Good, Miss.”
“Wait,” I said slowly, making Aisya stop her hand typing movements.
I forgot something important and shot straight to the core. I stood up from where I was sitting and made sure there was no one else but us in the park. I looked at Aisya who also made sure that only the two of us were in the park.
“Kak Lunna already knows about Haaris' relationship with Athina. This is Athina's second pregnancy. After this, no, when the program starts, then too Athina will disappear.”
“I will make sure always his existence so know the location where he is,
Miss.”
“No, don't do that, Athina who will come alone to this family. All you need to do once you know its current location is to take a sample of its body.”
“Means Miss?”
“Seeing Kak Lunna's character, she will easily handle Athina. Siri's wedding? Second marriage? It will not be a problem for the Azhar family as long as Kak Lunna gives permission, then all is done. It will be a problem, when the child that Kak Lunna gave birth to is not her child. The Azhar family is not a family that will easily give its wealth to those who are not descendants.”
“Nona will use the woman as a pawn in this plan?”
A pawn? I only thought of Athina getting into my plan but I never wanted to make her a pawn in my plan. A woman like her, who could easily betray, I could not make a joke for myself.
I just kept quiet while sitting back down. Aisya instantly knew the answer from my silence. He knew that I was only taking advantage of the current conditions and did not want to take any risks.
“Nona,” call Aisya once again in a cautious tone. Seeing how he hesitated, I think the matter he was about to address was a matter that should not require my approval but that he should still report it.
“Uncle of Doctor Ali sent an e-mail to Pintu Harapan, asking for funds for his wife's operation. I'm afraid if I agree to it right away then Doctor Ali will slowly know who you are.”
“What direction?”
“Cancer Intestine stage 3 and organ damage
in.”
“Luzzle.”
“But Miss..”.
“Play the money so that it is not the Door of Hope that gives it.”
“Good, Miss.”
“Kak Ara!!”
Azhar's screams left us both shocked. Aisya immediately tried to leave but I put up with it, I did not want to make Azhar suspicious if I was talking about something very important and secret with Aisya. His suspicions will only make him find out more about me as well as Aisya.
“And, do the Nurse Nisa transfer process, finish it within this week. Next week he must be in the central hospital,” I said to make Aisya was confused. He was still in the understanding stage, there was a moment where my serious and calm tone that suddenly made him confused because I felt that what I just said was not something that could help my plan.
“Do I bother you?” azhar asked awkwardly, awkwardly not because of hearing what I just said but awkwardly because of Aisya.
Aisya asked for permission to leave after making sure to do what I just said. At first glance, I saw how Azhar and Aisya looked, I can say it is not a good thing. A look full of hatred and pain. I think their past stories are still well preserved and close in their hearts.
“Why does Big Brother still trust him?” ask Azhar while putting the jacket on my shoulder.
“He was the only person who cursed Haaris five years ago.”
“Kak..”
“Azhar, she's the one Big Brother chose, she works for Big Brother. What happened between the two of you, finish it without involving me,” cut me.
“Nothing to finish,” reply quickly.
“Ummi and his parents, that's the only clue I can give,” replied as I walked into the house leaving Azhar speechless. The moment I gave you the clue, he knew exactly what was going on. His ego or his humanity will win, I don't know. Only he knows.
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