Daughter of the Widower: The Single Daddy'S Daughter
#22 Thundering After Thunderbolt
The weight of my body. I refused to let the light in. Warm decks and comfortable backrests glue my eyelids.
The shaking I felt stopped. A light stomp from my backrest might be doing something. His hands hugged me and lifted me up. I could feel the movement on his sturdy shoulder accompanied by the sound of the car door being closed.
Has it reached home? “Mmm..,” I tried to open my eyes.
“Sstt,” elusannya touch my head warm, “Sleep again.” soft sound Rizki close my eyes again.
I don't know how long I slept on the way home. Swollen and heavy eyelids. I chose to close it even though I wasn't sleeping.
The door sounds open.
“Why's number, sir?” aunt's voice sounded panicked.
Can I feel Rizki bending her body sitting down, “Please bring P3K,” Rizki sound vibrating.
This papa fixed my position. I made him fall asleep leaning on one of his arms. The lights on the ceiling disturbed my eyes that were still closed. However, the soothing aroma of home keeps me from picking.
His hand was starting to get busy with my wrist still hurting. My throbbing face was also the target of her soft hands.
The calm was broken by the many sounds of approaching treads. Someone else might be approaching.
“Rizki.”
It's Hendra's voice, right? I didn't listen to Rizki's voice at all. Looks like he's still concerned about my bruises.
“Ki, I just want to help.”
“Diam.” Rizki.. angry? “You can't help at all.”
Thin breath in front of me and Rizki, “Police held him until now⏤”
“Then how did he bring Rasyi?!” A furious voice stomped his body, “Rasyi was injured for sure because of him..”.
The trembling at the tip of his finger moved to my cheek. I wonder how his face is right now. He sounded angry but scared at the same time.
“Yes, understand,” Hendra sounds holding back his emotions, “Makanya⏤”
“Stop taking care of my business,” Rizki is still angry.
“This is the problem! This is not the case if you want to cooperate with us from the beginning!!”
“You want to repeat your mother's death in someone else?!”
Huh huh?
“Rizki!” sari's voice came in.
“Do not talk!” I can feel cold in every vocabulary of Rizki.
Rizki's position changed as if being pulled forward as Hendra's shout grew louder, “You've gone too far!”
Rizki still replied, “I told you, you don't know anything!”
“It's my fault!!” another loud voice in between the debate.
Surprised, I opened my eyes. Turning a bit of an eyeball, I found Fares painstakingly holding back his tears. He seemed to have managed to break the tension until everything stopped to move.
“Sorry, uncle. If I keep more eyes on Rasyi..,” Fares is trying to wipe her tears, “Sorry...”.
At every curve of Fares' face showed his deep guilt. Sari could not see, directly hugged by the child just his puppet. Both Hendra and Rizki regained their composure. Hendra took a few steps back and released his hand which was already on Rizki's collar.
It's not very pleasant. Again, I can only chew on what I hear. But I also don't want to swallow it. I don't like this kind of atmosphere.
“Papa?” I sit on Rizki's lap.
Rizki looked surprised. His face is very wrinkled. He took a deep breath and stroked beside my head, “Papa woke up Rasyi, huh? Excuse me. Let's sleep in the room.”
Stop it for a moment at one point, “Uncle is not angry anyway. It's not Fares' fault,” his other hand stroked Fares' head gently.
Rizki continued her steps leaving behind those guests I knew well. Fucked up one by one their faces.
“They're going home,” little message Rizki he left to one of the aunts.
Aunty could only agree and step away to approach them. In between the slow steps of papa, I had met Fares' eyes. The flushed end of her eyes did not stop her gentle smile at me. A sweet and bitter look that should not be present in children. The turn of the stairs to the room separated our eyes.
Messed up. Me and my neighborhood, everything's fucked up. Where did the problem start? Ever since I was discovered by that ‘kakek’? No. Not since….
My hands clasped tightly until I could feel my nails. Slowly my mind dug back what I should have known a long time ago. This has been happening since I was born as Rasyiqa. It's been worrying me ever since my eyes opened.
Was that all this time?
Nah! Seconds and seconds I spent brainwashing to keep me safe in this house now and in the future. I never let my guard down!
Rizki dropped me off at the end of my bed. Looking at me on my knees, “Change first,” gently he helped me change my nightgown.
His wide eyes that always looked narrow. The great tremor of her hand in front of my swollen shoulders. Oh right, that rotten man held my shoulder to numbness.
“Bi! Auntie!” panic again hit Rizki, “Quick bring the same warm compress P3K earlier!”
Slowly she continued to take off my street clothes. Two bibi were flushed following Rizki's direction. The pain in my shoulder forced Rizki to soften her treatment. Before long, he finished by helping me put on a change of clothes.
I devoured his serious face. Breathing slowly trying to think clearly. Deep down my heart says hate.
All of this is Rizki's fault. The stupidity that bears all alone but even messes up all. He was angry with the person who wanted to help him. Thought he was innocent. I should be angry. His carelessness impacted me.
I just kept quiet and took my physical age as an excuse. Enough already!
“Papa. Om earlier..”
Rizki was silent for a moment. Slowly he approached and held my hand, “He why?”
I'm breath-taking. Letting out all hope that everything will be smooth until I dig into the roots, “He said that he was Rasyi's grandfather.”
He made it. It was not a startled reaction that swallowed a joke. Obviously he wasn't expecting this. The thing is, what would he say?
“Ahhah...” that deliberate thin laugh improved his expression, “Don't listen, they're just a fad.”
My mouth is tightly clenched. Is it that hard to just answer?
“Papa ever said right? Many evil goons.”
Stop, Rizki. Please. What are you hiding it for? They are already in front of us. Those people have reached me.
“Lying,” my frustration makes him jerk, “Papa liar.”
I looked at him sharply. He knows my burning eyes. His worries are very well hidden.
The man rested his feet before me, “Rasyi do not be afraid. They don't bother Rasyi anymore. We can take regular kayak walks.”
“No want!!”
My hands clenched again. He really meant it like that?! It's bad he's acting like this problem is nothing. This fool still wants to take me outside?! Is he crazy?!
Her face was really surprised, “Rasyi⏤”
I immediately lowered my body. A little run up to a shelf full of fairy tale books. If he's that stupid to realize, I have to remind him of his stupidity. I could have died at their hands. Just like this photo.
“Rasyi don't want this!” the fold of photo paper I threw at Rizki's feet between tears that I thought had been dripping.
He immediately took the fold and opened it. Convinced I knew the picture of the cruel mother, full of terrible blood. His eyes really described his surprise. The hand was clearly shaking violently despite still being strong squeezing what he saw.
This way he won't let me be a fool who doesn't know danger is coming right?⏤ahs…. How could I not have expected this to happen? The photo was finished he was torn into thousands of pieces.
