Almahyras
Section 3

...Part 3: Difficult to Believe...

"If you ... are willing to accept the shortcomings of others?"

For a moment Alma thought, how could he be arrogant to the point of not accepting the flaws of others. While he himself can not be sure whether other people will also accept his shortcomings or not. Because Alma could not control the destiny that was supposed to happen.

"Available" replied Alma.

"Reason?" ask Umma Sarah, again.

Because I also have shortcomings.

Alma chuckled a little. Then look at Umma Sarah at a glance and then look straight ahead and say, "This is the context of accepting the lack of a partner turn on, Umma?"

Umma Sarah nodded. "Well .. you could say so."

"So why?" continue Umma Sarah.

"If it's about a couple. The reason is only one, because Alma loves him, Umma," replied Alma.

Loved her? Who indeed? Even today I can't really love someone.

Alma's footsteps slowed down in his gaze on the road to the cemetery which was fairly quiet there were only a few two-wheeled vehicles passing. There were not even children playing around in these streets - which still included the resident villages in the city.

"From here doesn't look like his burial place yet, son?" ask Umma Sarah.

Alma raised her right hand and her index finger pointed at a large green tree that grew so densely covered by a shabby white wall. "That guava tree is already visible, Umma. We'll be here soon" said Alma.

Walking for about two minutes Alma and Umma Sarah had arrived in front of the cemetery. And for the third time after five years had passed Alma finally returned to tread this land, he had long stopped visiting the resting place of his Father and Mother because the orphanage always moved him to another place so far from this cemetery.

"Ehm ... Umma," call Alma Iirih.

Umma Sarah glanced at Alma. Then switch back to staring at the two headstones written with the name: Mustofa bin Nur Hadi and Anggraini bint Abdul Aziz.

"This is your parents' second funeral?" ask Umma Sarah.

Alma nodded. Following with both knees coming down touching the ground - Alma did not squat down she preferred to rest her feet on the ground. For some reason, suddenly his eyes were heating up, a puddle of water had filled his eyes. "Dad, Mother, Alma is coming" said Alma.

"And this time .. Daddy and Mom's daughter came not alone anymore," continued Alma with a glance looking up at Umm Sarah with a little smile.

Umma Sarah followed by crouching beside Alma. At the touch of Alma's cheek with his left hand. Alma's tears had fallen in pain for years that she had been damning by herself spilling over and Umm Sarah rubbed Alma's face slowly erasing every trace of her foster child's grief, that was. "Almahyra is a very beautiful name" Umm Sarah said as she stared at the gravestone of Anggraini.

"Anggraini, you have given birth to a daughter who is so beautiful and graceful" continued Umm Sarah.

Aunt Maryam once said that Alma looked like Mom. Is it true, Ma'am what Aunt Maryam said?

Alma took a long breath. In his swab quickly tears were still left on his cheek and Alma's left hand followed to justify his paris syar'i veil that felt uncomfortable due to the afternoon breeze. Then Alma touched Umma Sarah's right hand and gripped her. "Umma Sarah her name is, Mom, Dad. And he became Alma's guardian in the new orphanage" said Alma.

"Thank you for giving birth to Almahyra. I will keep the new trust that Aunt Maryam has given me, and believe that my Anggraini will really take care of your only child" said Umma Sarah.

Alma plucked the weeds around her parents' funeral. Starting from the left, right, front and back-sense was cleared by Alma then she looked at Umma Sarah. "We pray 'a Umma?" ask Alma.

Umm Sarah nodded - both of them had raised their hands. After a few minutes passed at the end of the do'a by Umm Sarah. Alma's hand swiftly picked up the flowers she had bought after her pesantren-removed black wrap containing flowers and immediately sprinkled alternately with Umma Sarah.

"Umma thank you for taking me on a pilgrimage to Father and Mother's tomb. And sorry Umma had to bother going far," said Alma.

Umma Sarah laughed softly. "The angry umma. So why should Umma bother?"

"It has. Come home! Magrib hunt," continued Umma Sarah.

...🌺...

Orange light began to decorate the ceiling of the western horizon. The dim light did not dazzle the eye, as if it depicted a calmness to those who looked at it. Slowly the orange sky is disappearing replaced by a dark sky.

Alma did not attend the magrib prayer service. Because after taking a bath it turns out he got his first period this month. But Alma remained out fully clothed: black robe, maroon veil bergo syar'i and not forgetting black socks. Walk Alma to some of the rooms of his orphanage.

Alma stood in the doorway as she saw the two little sisters next to her room not coming out. Then Alma said by leaning her head against the door. "Why isn't this the same as mushola?"

Kirana and Inayah shook their heads.

"Why?"

Kirana looked up at Alma anxiously. While Inayah quietly sat on the edge of the bed with her hands twisted. "Sir Alma that ... This is sick again" Kirana said.

"illness?" Hearing that Alma was really worried as soon as she approached Inayah. And he said, "Where is sick?"

Inayah. Not saying anything.

"Kirana, why Inayah?" ask Alma.

"Sick, Brother Alma," replied Kirana.

Alma sighed softly. At almost Kirana rubbed slowly one of Kirana's chubby cheeks. With a knotty smile Alma looked at Kirana. "Yes. I know that Inayah is sick. So you want to ask me where the pain is? Did Inayah fall? Or why?" alma said slowly.

Kirana walked over to Inayah. And Kirana's right index finger poked Inayah's left arm which might make Inayah talk to Alma. "You said to Alma's sister, Nay," said Kirana.

"That's it I'm bleeding, '" said Inayah with a deep bow.

Alma approached Inayah again, he rested in his torso every face and body of Inayah. Starting from the hood of paris to see the neck Inayah, pick up a long skirt in Inayah to see the condition of the knees and legs of other parts. And the last long-sleeved shirt Inayah on the floor slowly then on the look of the arms and elbows Inayah in good condition.

"Nobody is bleeding. You guys lied to Brother?" alma said with a firm tone.

Kirana said suddenly, "Kirana's not lying, sister!"

"Where do you bleed?"

"That's me, sister," The voice was heard from Inayah instead of Kirana.

Again Alma sighed softly and then rubbed her face with both hands. Magrib's time will soon end, it will be endless if Alma continues to serve Kirana and Inayah. "Sister no longer want to mess with you guys. If you do not pray you will be in the same law Umm Sarah" said Alma.

"Kirana wants to pray, sister!" exciting Kirana.

Hearing Kirana Inayah's words remained unmoved.

"You want to be punished, Inayah?" ask Alma.

Inayah. "But Brother. That's me bleeding brother. What is my pain?"

"That's what Inayah? Speak clearly!"

Again Inayah looked down. Five seconds later Inayah said, "Make a pee. It's bleeding."

Astaghfirullah, it's menstruation? Is this already menstruating?

Alma walked up to Kirana and said, "Tell Salsa, Inayah is absent today. You went straight to mushola, huh?"

Kirana nodded in understanding. Kirana immediately ran towards the mushola. While Alma told Inayah to stay seated, and Alma rushed back to the room to pick up some pads for Inayah. Once in it was quite soon Alma returned to Kirana and Inayah's room.

"It hurts?" ask Alma.

Inayah.

"This adhesive is opened first, continue to paste here. If you have to wear a kayak usually. You understand?" ask Alma, again.

Inayah nodded in understanding.

"The adhesive targets are on the paste, not the adhesive that you use" said Alma.

Inayah nodded. "Yes, Brother."

After Alma had taught Inayah how to use pads properly. An eleven year old girl has become a girl. Alma remembered her first period when she had just entered Middle School, and just like Inayah had her reaction. Alma thought about whether she had a disease? But he never did anything that was not. What a memory once so shriveled in Alma's mind. When Anggraini first taught him do'a after menstruation and forbidden anything that should not be done.

"Immy!" mardiyah.

Alma looked for where the voice came from, in turn to look at Mardiyah who turned out to walk from the corner of the uphill park clearly made Mardiyah a little covered by guava trees. "Why is this not praying?" asked Mardiyah after right in front of Alma.

"Daddy got his first period" explained Alma.

Mardiyah only replied with oh ria only. Afterwards he left Alma alone again. For Alma this has become a normal thing for him, because he has only been here for two weeks. Mardiyah, Salsa and the others may not have known him too much - but somehow Alma felt that the women of her age in this Orphanage were very awkward towards her.

"Sister Alma!" exciting Kirana.

It was clearly a faint smile on Alma's face as Kirana approached her. "Have you finished praying?"

Kirana nodded. "It has. Where is this, brother?"

"Should have slept."

Kirana's eyes were wide. Did Kirana think how Inayah could sleep before the prayer? Then Kirana asked, "Kan has not prayed Isya. How did Inayah sleep?"

"Maybe about 5 days Inayah will be absent from prayer" said Alma.

"Why?"

Alma stood up to Kirana in a soft swab of Kirana's head covered by a veil. "Daddy has menstruation so you can not pray, fasting, and some other restrictions," explained Alma.

"So, if menstruation can not fast? Can't pray? What else, brother?"

Alma laughed a little. Kirana is a child, there are so many things she wants to know. "More details tomorrow if you finish praying ask Umm Sarah directly, yes?"

Kirana nodded. "Eh! Kirana forgot, Brother!"

"Forgot what?"

"Sister was called Umm Sarah in the office. Do not know what Kirana forgot, if not wrong inget Kak Alma was told to make tea first with Umma Sarah, continue in the anter to the office. You see, Kirana saw a guest, and the guest was two men the same woman, constantly-"

"Breathe, Kirana" said Alma with a small laugh.

Alma deliberately cut Kirana's words, because for five minutes even the little sister will not stop talking and keep remembering every thing that was said Umm Sarah and what she saw earlier.

"Sister Alma understood. So now, I'm going to Umma Sarah's office. You asked Inayah, if there's anything to tell Brother, yes?" alma.

Alma immediately went to the kitchen and served two cups of tea as well as a light snack for Umma Sarah's guests. And immediately Alma headed to the office which was only one dormitory away from the kitchen. When he reached the doorway Alma slightly lowered his head to say hello, "Assalamualaikum."

"Mosur."

When looking up Alma's gaze was immediately fixed on the sweet black man in a black shirt suit and black gray sheath was sitting beside Umm Salamah and just glanced at Alma.

She ... Jafars?

"Alma" said Umm Salamah with a smile since Alma stood in the doorway.

Alma replied to him with a wry smile. Alma's gaze was fixed on the wooden table covered in white cloth with a little lower body he put the tea and snack slowly. "Please, Ummi Salamah."

Then Alma's gaze turned to Umm Sarah. "Umma Sarah ... called me?" ask Alma.

Umma Sarah nodded. "You sit down for a second, okay?" Just drop Umma Sarah touched Alma's hand in a slow pull so that Alma followed sitting next to the empty wooden chair.

This opposite sitting position made Alma see so clearly the man-Jafar. The man he had just seen one day here who had expected that Alma would see him again at a fairly close distance.

"Umma wants to convey a message from Aunt Maryam" said Umma Sarah.

Trust from Aunt Maryam?

"Well what?" ask Alma.

Umma Sarah looked at Umma Salamah and then turned to look at Alma, again. Umma Sarah felt difficult to convey something. Finally, Umma Sarah said, "It's about your marriage."

"Then?" It came out of Alma's lips. He really doesn't care about marriage. Because to just like someone Alma men always think many times. So for the wedding? It was clear that thousands of times Alma had thought about making a decision.

"Then?" Umma Sarah parroted.

Alma nodded. "Alma had told him that the time at Umm Salamah's house, that Alma was not ready for marriage."

"But this is a direct mandate from your mother, son," said Umm Salamah.

At once Alma turned to Umm Salamah. This is a trust. But according to Alma, this kind of marriage is not worth accelerating for someone who has not been able to carry out trust. "Alma is getting married. But not now" replied Alma.

"Again Alma had not found a proper man" continued Alma.

Umma Sarah felt suddenly Alma turned indifferent when discussing marriage. Every trust must be lived as well as possible, and somehow Umma Sarah will try to persuade. "There it is" said Umma Sarah.

"Jafar" said Umm Salamah.

Then followed by the words of Umm Sarah, "He's the man your mother entrusted to marry you."

Even if he was mute, it was hard for me to believe that he could accept the flaws of others.

Because no matter how human you are, Jafar. Every human being wants to have a perfect partner.

"But, he's mute Umma." For the first time. Alma felt that he had truly become a man who had no conscience.

"Alma does not want to have a mute husband" continued Alma.

Note:

Slowly in as time goes by it will soon be revealed what so much Alma has kept secret.

Must be confused, right? The above says that Alma is willing to accept the shortcomings of others. But suddenly Alma said such cruel words to a Jafar to simply reject him.

And again, in the dialogue I use the word that is not standard and in the narrative I use the word raw, insya Allah yes (and tell if you find the raw, yes in the narrative?)

Oh yeah, this is the house plan that Alma lives in