Lailatulqadar (Song of Missing For Fathers)
Chapter 21

"Bentar Mbok call Madam Den Restu first," said the old woman as she walked to another room.

Laila was still looking at the family photo displayed on one of the walls in the house. The woman in the photo is likely to be her stepmother, apart from the photo there is also a wedding photo between the father and stepmother. If you look at the face of Syarif who is still young, Laila is sure if the photo was taken long ago. This means that the marriage between Sharif and the woman has been going on for a long time, and probably before the marriage between his father and mother Marni.

From there Laila came to the conclusion that the woman was his father's first wife while Marni his mother was his second wife. So it is appropriate that if Syarif never returned to the village, he would prefer his first wife. In addition because the woman first had Sharif, the economic situation was very much different when compared with the situation in the village that lived mediocre with Marni.

Two people appeared from inside the other room. One is Restu and the other is the beautiful woman in the family photo. The woman still looks beautiful and youthful, if seen from the photo and the original is not much different. It is fitting that Syarif his father prefers him because his appearance is very far compared to Marni.

Marni was beautiful only she did not have time to take care of herself, her daily life was spent to earn a living to support her two children. Until his body is thin and his face quickly looks old. Let alone to preen to buy skin care and other treatments, to eat alone he must work banging alone. In addition, the illness made Marni look much older than her age.

Dita who was standing beside Laila looked a bright smile when she saw the two people appear. Dita put on an innocent and polite face in front of Ambar and Restu.

"Well, this is Laila!" Restu introduces Laila to Ambar.

Instantly Dita's face pouted because it felt unthinkable by Restu. Why should Laila who was introduced by Restu to her mother, why not her? Dita grumbled in her heart.

"Oh this is the same textbook love you?" ambar asked while throwing a smile at Laila, and the girl replied to him even if she was a little forced.

Laila had to smile at the moment her heart was in turmoil. Certainly not an easy thing, especially what he is facing right now is his stepmother. They even shook hands with each other, although only briefly because Ambar did not want to linger in contact with the girl who looked dirty in his eyes.

"Then this one?" Ambar's view now turned to Dita.

"I'm Aunty." The girl stuck out her hands to greet the prospective in-laws she dreamed of.

"Tante Ambar," said the beautiful red-flamed woman.

"Oh, this is Auntie's order." Dita snatched the basket in front of Laila who was from earlier Laila who was carrying the basket.

But because he wanted to find face, Dita also pretended to be a diligent and good child in the presence of Ambar.

"Mbok please take this back!" tell Ambar to his assistant who is also behind him.

"Good Mistress." The old woman took a basket filled with notches and carried it inside to the kitchen.

"Please sit down and wait for the basket!" Restu let them sit.

Ambar smiled wryly as he saw the two girls dressed in sepals having to sit on his expensive sofa. Though the sofa he provides for special guests from among officials and people who are similar to him.

The teenagers will only dirty their sofas, Ambar thought. Especially the name Laila, from the way of dress alone looks hick. According to him, Dita is still mending when compared to the one whose name is Laila.

Dita looks more contemporary yes even though both dressed cheaply and seedy in the eyes of Ambar.

While Restu was even fun to invite Laila to chat and ignore Dita who was beside Laila. There was only the topic of Restu's conversation to invite Laila to chat, whether it was a matter of lessons or even talking about Qadar. Laila who was spoken to did not respond so much, she only answered as necessary.

"Assalamualaikum." immediately a voice heard someone say a greeting from the outer doorway.

Suddenly everyone who was there turned to the door and answered the call of greeting. Unexpectedly it turns out that who came was Sharif Laila's father. At first Syarif was not aware of Laila's whereabouts there, but after he saw one by one the people who were in the room then Syarif realized if one of them was Laila his daughter who came from the village, more precisely Marni's son his second wife.

Sharif's gaze with Laila also met and locked each other. How surprised Syarif saw the existence of the girl.Laila's eyes seemed to demand it and intimidate. There is a fear that Syarif feels, he is afraid Laila tells Ambar everything if in fact Laila is his daughter.

Judging from Syarif's body gesture, Laila could catch if her father was reluctant to reveal the truth. Even the look of the frightened face of the father was very clear.

It felt like Laila wanted to reveal what was in her heart, ask her father why he had left her family for so many years.

Laila's gaze seemed to demand an explanation from her father Sharif. After a long time he, his sister, and mother were abandoned and not given a living.

For years I have not met my father. Laila thought when given the opportunity to meet him again, Laila would find a better figure in her father but it turns out they were met under these circumstances. Where Laila seems to have to stop hoping to ask her father to regroup with her and Qadar.

"It just so happened that Dad came. Get to know them, Restu's friend who sells that shit, Dad!" restu said as he got up and pulled his father's arm to immediately enter the room and join them on the living room sofa.

"This is Laila, her sister Qadar whom I met yesterday at school. Do you remember?" Restu said enthusiastically.

'So he's my son Qadar?' inner Sharif.

"This one's called Dita he's Laila's cousin. It just so happened that Laila also Qadar lived in the house of his Uncle and Aunt because their mother died, while their father said he left and there was no clarity where he went. But I'm the same Laila is trying to find it" explained Restu at length.

'What? Marni is dead? So they now live with Handoko? It's only fitting that time Handoko was chasing when she saw me. Apparently because my two children were tipped to him.' The heart of Sharif grew increasingly anxious and anxious.

Dita first salami Syarif, unfortunately Dita does not recognize the figure of Sharif who is actually his Pakde. Because since the first Dita rarely want to be invited home by Handoko during school holidays or when Lebaran. Only Handoko often went home alone to visit Marni and her sister's children. While Mira and her two children Dita and Aldo are rarely invited by her. Even if he had met maybe when Dita was a child, of course, he would not remember the face of Sharif.

When Laila reached out to shake Father's hand, there was a raging feeling in her chest. Whether he should be happy to meet his father again, even now his father saw himself who had grown up. Or should Laila be sad because their current meeting is not the meeting between son and father as it should be.

Allah has heard the prayers of Laila and Qadar so that they may find their father. But apart from that, God also revealed the truth that happened to reveal the veil that Laila had never known about her father for years.

Laila felt that God was fair enough to bring her together in the way she is today. Until he has to give up here so that no one is hurt but him.

Laila tried not to shed a single tear as she kissed the back of her father's hand. Laila wants to show Sharif that Laila is a strong child despite having to live without him.

seriate,