The Blink is Dusk.
Unconfessed
Highways are crowded, cars and motorcycles go hand in hand. The horns and roar of the vehicle are non-stop. Hustle and bustle increased when some street buskers came with dangdut songs while dancing in front of the characters.
Salika came home from school, as usual she took an angkot. It was still close to Dehan. He often drove Dehan home. That day he stopped in front of a medicinal pharmacy.
"This is the fare change Dik." Said the driver gave fifteen thousand. The angkot driver said because he noticed Salika who was standing a bit dreamy.
"Oh, yes sir." Salika replied while taking the change. It was as if he was awakened from magic. Salika noticed that the angkot was walking back. Slowly, along with the cars that fill the highway.
"Good day, there's something you can help with, brother." Sapa Security's.
"I want to buy medicine sir." Answer Salika.
"May, but before wearing a mask, his sister." Security is friendly and polite. Salika took out the mask from her bag. He did have some masks, because at school still asked to wear a mask in the classroom. After putting on the mask, security opened the door. Salika went into the drug-buying room.
"Someone can help Brother." Ask the pharmacist, a young woman in a white-and-white uniform.
"This is Brother, my sister-in-law asked to be bought for a health test if the mothers want to get pregnant." Salika. The apothecary looked puzzled once, digesting Salika's words. How to test health remotely and buy the device in the medicine room.
"Sister-in-law, hot fever means." Ask pharmacist.
"No, sister, she's healthy. But she said she was about to get pregnant. So buy to know that." Salika.
"Oh, maybe Yun's test." Answer the apothecary friend who approached after finishing compiling the medicines on the table behind the pharmacist named Yuyun.
"Yes, sister, that's what it means" Salika replied with a smile.
"Oh a test to test positive what not." Word understands. Salika nodded slowly.
"There is a price of five thousand, a price of fifteen thousand, and a price of two five." Obviously apothecary Yuyun while showing the types and prices.
"Five thousand one, which is fifteen thousand one." Answer Salika. Pharmacists also teach how to use tesfek and Salika understand.
After that Salika gave the money and the pharmacist packed the testicles in a plastic bag. After which, the pharmacist thanked him, and Salika stepped out. A while he waited for the angkot to arrive, then he went up and went home. The next morning, Salika dipped the tesfek in her urine. He was shaking and surprised. According to the teachings of the pharmacist when the line two red. Positively pregnant. Not so sure, Salika did a second time. The result is the same two red lines show that she is positively pregnant. Salika was crying and scared.
All this time, Salika did not understand that she was pregnant. Salika's pregnancy was several months before her mother died. He does that every time he meets Dehan in a deserted place. Salika thinks that she's got a mag or a cold. But it turns out she was pregnant, now the pregnancy has stepped on eight months. Pregnancy she covered with a loose shirt and a long hijab. In addition, Salika's body was also contained and tall. So that the pregnancy is not visible and her posture does not change.
...*****...
Jum and Lam have not been out of contract for a week. They were so dizzy, because none of their job applications were accepted. The money they no longer have. Just a few tens of thousands and two kilos of rice. The internet package quota is up so they do not play the smartphone. The engine is also almost dry.
"How about we, food doesn't exist, cigarettes don't exist, internet packages don't have either. We're dead like it's gonna be the next few days." Said Jum, holding his cell phone.
"We sell cell phones." Advice Lam.
"When we sell our phones, how we communicate and live increases as if we were going to die." Answer Jum.
"Yes too, but how do we survive. Let's try the shop building." Advice Lam.
"It's too late to work so coolie." Jum. Then Jum yawned and fell asleep. Lam got up and sat on the terrace. As he sat he saw many Aramaic chickens roaming about.
"Cretti. Trakk. Trak." Riha closed the door and locked it. He was wearing an indomaret work shirt. As he stepped, he glanced at Jum. Then stepped on his motorcycle, and immediately went to Indomaret where he worked.
"Hehhh, stop looking for trouble in the family. Cheating, cheating. Keep going, just as you please." Uncle Yugus said loudly and was heard by Jum and Lam.
"You think I'm a little kid." Reply to Aunt Walah while crying.
"Mahhh." Uncle Yugus, he then wears his online motorcycle jacket. Then he left angry. His eyes glanced sharply at the left right. Then go push the motorcycle that ran out of gas. Areha was sitting at the door. He remembered that he had not yet fed the chicken. There are three mothers heading to the house of the rented mother, I don't know what they are doing. Reportedly the mother of the contract owner will hold a yasinan tomorrow night.
"Kruuu. The crewuuuu." Areha emerged from the house and scattered rice, rice and corn chicken food. He almost forgot to feed the chicken that morning.
Lam saw and heard the sound of more and more Aramaic chickens. Big and fat.
...*****...
Grandma came home from selling a traveling cake at five in the afternoon. Aram came home almost magrib. After dinner they gathered in the living room of their contract. Everyone collects their money.
"Areha got two hundred thousand this month." Areha said to explain the benefits of selling sweet potato chips and banana chips.
"Grandma raised a million for four months." Grandmother said.
"My money is seven hundred thousand." Said Aram. While Figan and Luran quietly pay attention, both hope to be given pocket money. Without waiting for long, the grandmother gave ten thousand dollars each to the snacks. Not playing happily the two, not how long they ran to the shop of the rented owner's mother.
"Aram, how about our grandmother's money to spend on Areha, Figan and Luran's school supplies. Your money to pay rent and the rest for one week's shopping. Areha's money to pay for electricity is one hundred and fifty thousand for this month. Fifty of his ribs were in the canister by Areha. Aram and Areha agreed.
...*****...
Tomorrow afternoon Grandma, Areha, Luran and Figan go to the market. While Aram has been away looking for used goods since morning.
"How's this backpack, Figan. You like it." Grandma asked, they were shopping for school supplies. Looks like various types of backpacks. Figan chose a backpack that he liked. After buying it, he wanted to wear it. By noon they finished and went home. All school supplies are complete. Just waiting for school admission when the new school year is only a month away. When they arrived at the rental, they saw a black Avanza car.
"Heiii, Loran, Figan." A boy appears from within Riha's contract. Riha's day it's a holiday. He takes off every five days. In Riha's contract, there is Yuzaka and his mother. They came to Riha's contract to make sure of her condition, so as to know Riha's place of contract. Because they are close family Riha in Palembang City.
"Riha, you cooked chicken soup and spicy kale vegetables this afternoon. Fish in the fry. Yuzaka, help your sister cook. I want to go to the rented owner's house." Said Yuzaka's mother.
"Who's going to go." Call mommy.
"Main." Answer Gapa forcefully.
"Where's Bik." Yuzaka's mother greeted the grandmother sitting on the soybean patio walking a few kilos meters from the market. The groceries he put on the terrace floor.
"From the market, Sister." Answer grandma.
"Shop what." Ask Yuzaka's mother and she sits near Grandma.
"For the school's grandchildren. Books, bags, assortment." Grandma replied, Areha smiled as she glanced at Yuzaka's mother. They told a long story. Yuzaka's mother told him she was Riha's father's sister's wife. He left Riha to the grandmother, and the grandmother gave birth. He also promised to watch over Riha. Uncle Yuro's wife and Bibik Walah came to join. Until the conversation gets more crowded. Deak and Uncle Yuro's son play in the yard.
After helping Riha cook, Yuzaka comes out and sits on the terrace. He noticed a lot of chickens running around. A young man stood on the rented porch and cracked his neck, then his mouth evaporated. Areha came out after arranging their school tool groceries.
"His name is Areha. Aramaic Brother." Ask Yuzaka. At the sight of Areha standing in the doorway. Areha nodded, and looked at Yuzaka for a while.
"Sister Yuzaka, yes." Ask Areha. Both of them were already familiar when they were in a contract for a long time. Yuzaka had come to Areha's contract several times when his father and mother were still alive. The two then talked. Areha recounts their way of life from the time her father died and they are asked to leave by their former landlord's mother. Until they live on the road. Yuzaka understood now.
"Where is Aram." Ask Yuzaka.
"Koyong looks for used goods every day. He came home before magrib usually. Sometimes it is also before the prayer of Ishaah." Answer Areha.
"Let's play yeah, brother every five days will be here." Yuzaka. Areha said, she also told me that they will be going to school again soon. The two forgot to eat and tell each other stories. Yuzaka secretly becomes happy to find Aram. But all that he didn't understand. Understand he's still a kid.
...*****...
Salika's struggle to meet with Dehan continues her efforts. He even went to Dehan's house several times. But Dehan dodges, asking his sister to say he's not home. Or he left quietly from the back door. So that Salika could not find him.
Eventually, Salika is able to meet Dehan at school while he is with some of his friends. Salika asks friends to give her and Dehan a minute. Dehan could no longer dodge when his friend allowed him to.
"Ok broo, you guys talk we play for a second. Do not shame the men. Solve the problem don't run away like a coward." Said one of them while patting Dehan on the shoulder. Dehan doesn't like it because he wants to stay with Salika. Because Dehan wanted to dump Salika.
"What do you mean, Dehan, you've always avoided me. After all this happened." Salika almost cried.
"I'm not avoiding, because this is my life and as I please. No one can forbid me from meeting anyone or rejecting anyone." Dehan.
"You're so mean, you don't have the slightest feeling. I'm so sorry to have to do with you." Salika.
"Yes, we don't have to be in touch anymore so you don't get tough." Answer Dehan.
"You speak as you please, my mother said. You're a bad man and you don't have any thoughts and feelings." Salika.
"If you've spoken, I'm leaving and it looks like we don't need to talk anymore." Dehan said he wanted to leave because he wanted to avoid Salika. He was also afraid that Wirasi would see them talking together. Because he confessed to Wirasi that he had broken up with Salika.
"Dehan, I'm pregnant. You're gonna have to take responsibility." Salika said while crying.
"Hey Salika, we did just a few times. Cook you pregnant. I'm not impregnating you, so don't you hold me accountable. From today don't you look for me again. We've broken up, and I've got a lover I love. Do not slander Me and accuse Me of impregnating you. You must love dating the same striped-nose om-om. Because of money and dirty lust. Remember, don't you try to see Me again and disturb Me again. I hate you and I'm sick of seeing your face." Dehan said furiously, then he left Salika alone behind the school building. Salika sat down and cried bitterly. This time he was so devastated and only realized how stupid he had been all along. Tricked and played by Dehan. He gave up his honor in exchange for seduction and the word love only. It is true that people say that courtship only draws closer to the abyss of adultery and its harm is borne by women themselves. In fact, many pregnant women are out of wedlock. Sometimes someone is killed by his lover who does not want to be responsible. Or give birth to her own child and then she throws it away.
That's like being discarded sweet. Dehan used to say that Salika's face was very beautiful and did not get tired of looking at her. Often also Salika face she peppered with savage. But now he's sick of seeing Salika's face. That was what Salika's mother had feared before. He already knew the nature of men like Dehan. Urgent and insolent. Now Salika really regretted everything. If he had taken his mother's advice. Of course this bad thing he did not meet. Mother is everything Salika said.
What he's doing now. His stomach is getting bigger. The movements of the baby in his stomach. Her weight's increasing. He can still hide it now. She covers it with a large hijab or loose-fitting clothing.
On returning home, Salika saw a large tire attached in front of the fence.
"Home for Sale, No Intermediaries. Then at the bottom is written the mobile number of the oldest sister Salika. Salika was completely pinched and was unable to do anything more. When he opened his mother's mending confectionery stall. Looks like it's starting to thin. While the capital he always spent every day. Waiting for the day he no longer had money. Then die of hunger by yourself.
"It's a punishment for my sins to my mother. Also the torment for me that has disappointed my mother." Salika said while crying lying in the room. Her tears washed down the pillow.
"Tutut." WhatsApp messages come in, Salika hopes from Dehan and he apologizes then will be responsible. But:
"Salika, how are you." Houri messages are signed in via WhatsApp. Salika smiled and she just understood that judging men is not from cool styles or slurping or slang terms. But men are kind and think of the future, like Houri. Simple and unpretentious youth.
"Good Houri. Thank goodness." Answer Salika.
"Said Sufo you're not feeling well anymore. You want, I'll take you to the midwife no." Houri.
"Oh, I'm now healed Houri. I wasn't feeling well a few days ago. Thank you for your attention to me." Answer Salika.
"It's usually Salika. We are friends, you do not hesitate if anyone wants to be helped. I'm sincere not because of anything." Houri.
"Yes Houri, I know. Earlier I apologized to you. Maybe I've made you sad, angry or disappointed." Reply Salika, a few tears Salika fell on her smartphone screen.
"There's nothing to forgive, Ka. If you've got it wrong, before you apologize I'm sorry." Reply Houri. Salika smiled receiving Houri's reply. Azaan salat isha, from the mosque.
"Thank you, Houri." Answer Salika. Houri likes Salika, but she doesn't want to date. He is not a graduate of the pesantren. But Houri respects women. Salika took the wrong path. He was also embarrassed by Houri. Now he felt unworthy of Houri anymore. Dai considers himself dirty and covered in sins.
"Salika let's pray isha. Yes, I went to the mosque first. Assalamualaikum." Last message from Houri.
"Yes, Waalakum greetings." Reply Salika. If Dehan were like Houri. Salika's heart said she wanted to pray. But can he still pray he thought. He committed a great sin. Salika prayed and repented, and sent prayers to her late father and mother.
