(Not) The Substitute

Eps 11 - My Choice

"I.." just as Arfan was speaking, he saw Elsa coming, walking quickly to him, and she fell in front of Arfan with tears in her eyes.

"Fan, I'm sorry... Please, give me another chance. I beg you.." whine Elsa by holding Arfan's two hands tightly "Secret Elnaz, dear. She's your sister, I'm your lover, right?" her shrewd.

Both of Elsa's parents approached them when they heard Elsa's crying voice.

Arfan looked at the two people who were now his in-laws "Fan, Elsa was right. You and Elnaz don't love each other, it's you and Elsa who love each other. It's okay if you divorce Elnaz and marry Elsa, because your marriage to Elnaz is just a mistake. A marriage without love will not be happy either, Fan. What else Elnaz married was his sister's fiancee" Malik said. He looked at Arfan expectantly.

Arfan pulled his hand apart from Elsa's, then he looked at his grandmother, clasped her wrinkled hand and kissed the back of her hand.

"I chose your legacy, Grandma. I promise to be a good husband to Elnaz, to love Elnaz with all my heart. Will support Elnaz in every step he wants in his life, and I don't want to choose your will. I'll be with Elnaz for as long as he's. And I just need a prayer of blessing, Grandma"

Arfan said firmly and confidently that made Elsa's heart more sick and tight, even he had trouble breathing. While both Elsa's parents can only grieve and regret their decision to support Elsa leaving that night, however, they could not force Arfan because they themselves were the legal marriage of Arfan and Elnaz.

As for Elnaz, he had been standing in the doorway ever since. Elnaz ventured out of Arfan's house to return to his house and retrieve his Qur'an. Elnaz himself did not know that Arfan went to his house and talked to his grandmother.

Elnaz is shocked to see Elsa pleading and moaning and in front of Arfan, and Elnaz already suspects Arfan will definitely return to Elsa because they have been in love for a long time. Never imagined at least Arfan will give an answer that is so striking in the heart of Elsa. And the same answer, it makes Elnaz feel acknowledged, loved. It turned out that his cousin's brother wasn't as bad as he thought. But what if all that was just because Arfan felt sorry for her?

What if Arfan would one day choose Elsa and leave Elnaz?

Elnaz smiled wryly at his own thoughts, he knew that his self was only considered a sister by Arfan and so was his self that considered Arfan only a brother.

"Elnaz???" exclaimed the grandmother who saw Elnaz standing in the doorway "Come here, dok" exclaimed and Elnaz too with a slow step and hesitated to approach the grandmother.

Arfan immediately pulled out Elnaz's hand and brought her to sit beside him.

"Now Elnaz my wife, and...." Arfan looked at his uncle at once his father-in-law "Elnaz did not marry his older brother's fiancee, Om. But I married the woman of my choice" she insisted, which made Elnaz fall apart as well as others, except for her grandmother.

He smiled happily, and immediately hugged his two grandchildren happily. Although Elnaz can only be silent because he does not understand what else is happening now.

"Thank God, now Grandma is calm and happy. Part, if the death picks up grandmother at this time, sincere grandmother" he said.

Elsa was still sitting in front of Arfan and she could only duck deeply and continue crying. Seeing that, Elnaz sagged down and he hugged his older brother.

"Sorry El, Brother." And she cried. Elsa received Elnaz's embrace even returning her embrace, the two sisters cried a mouthful of "Sorry" Elnaz said again and Elsa shook her head. He broke his embrace, forced his lips to smile and he wiped away his sister's tears.

"You must be able to accept this reality, all of you." exclaimed the grandmother as she stared at her children alternately "The reality now is that Elsa and Arfan are just a cousin and Arfan's sister-in-law Elsa. And now, it was Elnaz who became Arfan's partner. Appreciate that and don't blame Elnaz anymore, because even the mosquitoes know that Elnaz is innocent" said the grandmother, leaving Malik and Isan speechless.

"We should go home now" said Arfan, and he grabbed Elnaz's shoulder, helping Elnaz to his feet.

"I want to take the Qur'an" said Elnaz.

"Let me get it, is there anything else?" arfan asked softly and Elnaz only shook his head softly.

Arfan immediately rushed to Elnaz's room and picked up his Quran.

After that, they both went home. Elnaz kept turning and looked at his older brother who was still crying. He felt guilty, but Elnaz did not know what to do.

"Grandmother is proud of you, son" said the grandmother then hugged Elsa. Elsa's cry was increasingly broken in the arms of the grandmother "Ikhlas, ndok. Then God will replace it with a better one"

.........

Arriving at his house, Arfan saw his mother who was cooking. Instantly he recalled his grandmother's story that said Elnaz was starving in Arfan's house.

Arfan took Elnaz into their room.

"What do you want for breakfast this morning, El?" ask Arfan gently. Elnaz who found Arfan talking again with her felt uncomfortable. During these two days Arfan treated her so coldly, making her feel between there and nothing.

"Want breakfast outside?" asked Arfan again because Elnaz was silent.

Elnaz shook his head, he took a towel and a change of clothes and then he went into the bathroom.

While Arfan could only sigh heavily, he knew this would not be easy for his two. Although Arfan has confirmed that he will be a good husband and will love Elnaz wholeheartedly. But Arfan still doesn't know how to be a good husband to Elnaz, how to love Elnaz as a wife and not a sister?

And Elnaz, the girl came back crying in the bathroom. But this time he tried hard and tried to hold back his tears.

"All will surely have its way, Allah never put His servant in a dead end"