The Tomb Next to the House
48. Single-minded

"Mom, the chicken is 2 kg," I told the mothers of chicken sellers cut subscriptions in the market.

"Eh, Miss Via, huh? How are you doing? It just so happens to meet here," said someone whose voice was so familiar.

I'm turning. "Oh, Sister Ningrum. Thank goodness, good news. How did you get here to buy it?"

Of course I'm surprised. Ms. Ningrum was my neighbor while still living in the village next door. For what he was shopping at the village market Prohibition, while in the village next door there was a market closer to the distance.

"Not intentionally passed. Since the kitchen needs are thinning, stop by." Ms. Ningrum showed her front teeth lined up.

"Oh that. Can dong."

"Consolidate to Al. The age of man no one knows. Everything has been outlined. Patient ones, Via." Ma'am Ningrum patted my shoulder then rubbed it slowly.

"Yes, Mother. How are you feeling like father? Long time no there." I switched the conversation so as not to continue to be fixated and sad to remember the death of Althaf which is still very deep in my mind.

"Well, you don't know?"

"You know what, Ma'am?"

"Two you're 'kan—"

"Here, Ma'am Via." The sound of the mother selling chicken cut paused our chatter.

I turned towards Ms. Sri, the chicken meat seller who had thrust a crackle bag. I handed over some money while receiving groceries.

"The money is right, ma'am," I told Sri.

"Sip, Ms Via," he replied.

"Who? Buy a lot of dangingnya. Make a week's supplies, huh?" tanya mbak Ningrum observed the crackle of chicken meat in my hand.

"What is this Miss Ningrum, anyway? There is still Raihan. He ate it a lot of tofu," I said as I chuckled softly.

The forehead of Mbak Ningrum seemed to be frowning in wonder. "Oh. You really don't know about your in-laws, Vi?"

"Why are they, Ma'am?"

"To be clear, you are visiting their home."

"What's wrong? They sick? Or what? Why not just stay here?" I insist on being curious.

"Mending you see for yourself. Yes, I did, yes, Via." Not even my question was answered, mbak Ningrum instead went first.

Rese not really, it makes me curious uh, continue to be hosted. Before actually leaving the place I still had time to hear the sound of Ningrum's voice.

What does he mean? When looking back for clarity, mbak Ningrum even disappeared mingle with other market visitors.

...----------------...

"Mas."

"What, Deck?"

"We're going to mom's house, yuk."

"Tumbent."

"This is the tumben. Now I never make me visit my mother." My eyes are squeaking looking at the look on Raihan's face that turned dark.

There was something he was hiding. Why is everyone so mysterious?

"Whenever go there. It's still busy. Go first, will you?" it was Raihan who made me even more suspicious of him.

"Eh, where are you going, Mas?" I asked, completely ignored by him who had come out of the door. Is Raihan avoiding me?

"Al's? You think papa's attitude has been weird lately, don't you?" I turned to where Althaf was sitting on the sofa while watching TV with Rada.

"What's so weird, Ma?" the reply did not take a look from the TV screen.

"I'm sure you're hiding something from Mama." I landed my buttocks on the sofa, stroking softly the cheek of Rada who was sound asleep right next to Althaf sitting. Very cute she is.

"According to Al, Mama is wrong."

"Eh? Mama was wrong what Al?" I don't understand what Al means.

"I'm sure Mama knows what you're supposed to fix."

That statement was getting ambiguous in my mind.

"Then don't be so convoluted, Al," sambarku.

"Mama must be sincere."

"Huh?"

A second later Al and Rada disappeared. Their loss was in sync with my brain which started to think hard.

"Ikhla ... What am I supposed to do?"