(Not) The Substitute

Eps 4 - The Substitute's Tears

The wedding went well, although there were a lot of irregularities because the bride was not Arfan's future wife, Elsa, but her sister. But the guests still hesitated to gossip more about them, they could only greet the bride and congratulate her on a new life.

Arfan only showed a thin smile that was almost invisible, while Elnaz kept his head down deeply. Holding back the tightness in his chest especially now that his head feels so dizzy, his vision starts to shaded. Elnaz wished he had never been born.

Now how should he face the world as a surrogate wife? People will talk about it.

After the show was over, Elnaz was confused where he should go. Do both parents come home or follow their husbands?

Husband? Imagining that word alone had made Elnaz's heart so tight.

Elnaz was still quietly pecking at his original spot, until a hand pulled his arm. Elnaz looked up and it was Arfan.

Arfan takes Elnaz to Arfan and Elsa's bridal chamber.

Upon entering the room, Elnaz's heart grew increasingly ill realizing his present status. And now what? Will his cousin ask for his rights and demand the duty of Elnaz?

While Arfan, the man did not open his mouth in the slightest. He went into the bathroom, cleaned himself up as fast as lightning, then put on his t-shirt and shorts.

Then he went out and saw Elnaz standing by the door. Arfan still did not speak, he took his pillow and threw it on the sofa. In his afterlife who also dropped down there.

Elnaz understood, Arfan would not ask for his rights.

With a gontai step Elnaz entered the bathroom. He opened his veil, turned on the shower and huddled under the shower still in full clothes, Elnaz sobbing even until his body trembled and shivered. Long enough he was under the shower and because he could not stand the cold bone piercing his bones, Elnaz immediately moved. And just remembered he did not have a change of clothes, Elnaz decided to wear a bathrobe. But he hesitated, he was ashamed of Arfan.

Elnaz remembered the dress he had previously worn and it turned out that the dress was in a dirty laundry basket, Elnaz took it and put it on.

Elnaz's lips trembled with tears and coldness, even his red lips were now slightly blue.

Elnaz came out of the bathroom feeling afraid, was was was, sad and all kinds of feelings that made him almost unable to breathe.

Elnaz looked at Arfan who had closed his eyes, whether he was really asleep or not. Elnaz did not know, and Elnaz crept up into the bed. Pulling the blanket and covering his entire body including his head, Elnaz came back crying there. But he tried not to speak. I don't know how long he cried, but he felt tired, his tears were dry. And in the end he fell asleep.

While Arfan, the man opened his eyes after Elnaz covered himself with a blanket. Arfan knew that his little sister was crying, a blanket that seemed to shake for sure because of Elnaz's trembling body. Even a little snuff was heard.

"It's stupid of you, Arfan. What have you done? Why sacrifice Elnaz?" he cursed himself.

But it's all gone, now Elnaz's wife.

Arfan held onto his chest which still felt so tight and painful after what Elsa did and now he even hurt Elnaz who didn't know anything. Her little sister, who is innocent and pure.

Arfan grabbed his hair in frustration, he himself was confused how could he take such a big decision?

.........

After the dawn adhan, Elnaz woke up and the room lights were still bright. He saw Arfan still sleeping on the couch.

Elnaz crawled down from his bed and then he came out of the so suffocating room.

And in front of his room, he runs into his mother Arfan "You sleep here?" ask her mother Arfan and she shows her dislike for Elnaz who is now her daughter-in-law.

"Yes" replied Elnaz in a very hoarse voice, surely because he cried last night.

Elnaz immediately left Yuni without waiting for her aunt to finish speaking.

Elnaz must go home soon, prepare for his final exam today.

Outside the hotel, Elnaz is confused as to how he got home. There was no taxi and he also had no money, his cell phone was in his bag and he had no idea where his bag was now.

At the end of his life, Elnaz decided to walk and even he half ran towards his house.

Thirty minutes more Elnaz ran and at the end he reached his house, Elnaz was about to knock on the door but suddenly the door was open.

"El.." exclaimed the grandmother as she wiped the sweat on Elnaz's forehead "You walk?"

"Yes, Grandma. El has no money and no taxis, El wants to pray at dawn first"

"O Allah, have you not prayed at dawn? Why don't you ask Arfan to drive you, son?"

"El go to the room first, Grandma" said Elnaz ignoring his grandmother's remarks.

He immediately took ablution, then continued with dawn prayers that had to be in qodho because it was noon.

After that, Elnaz immediately changed his clothes with his white ash ash uniform.

"El, are you going to school, son?" the grandmother asked and she brought a lunch box.

"Yes, Grandma. El had to get to school before 7" replied Elnaz and he tried to avoid his grandmother's gaze.

"Ndok.." the grandmother held onto Elnaz's shoulder and forced Elnaz to stare at him, the grandmother's heart was broken to see the puffy eyes of Elnaz "Forget this matter huh, Ndok. Focus first on your test, God is merciful, Ndok. He will surely pity you" she wrote and as soon as Elnaz's cry broke, he smashed his little body into the old grandmother's body. Elnaz was crying so much in the grandmother's arms.

While her grandmother's wrinkled hands gently stroked Elnaz's back.

After her cries subsided slightly, Elnaz immediately broke her embrace and wiped her tears violently.

"El go to school first huh, Grandma"

"Yes, bring this, provisions and pocket money" the grandmother stuffed a box of Elnaz's supplies and some money into her grandson's school bag.

Elnaz kissed the back of his grandmother's wrinkled hands and said his greetings before departing.

As he was about to leave, he met his mother.

"Elnaz, what are you doing here? You're supposed to be at your husband's house" and the mother's upset tone sounded, Elnaz's heart ached.

"It's still Elnaz's house" exclaimed the grandmother.

"But Elnaz is married, ma'am. She should have lived with her husband and all the necessities of her life on her husband's side, not ours anymore"

"Don't forget who got Elnaz married" said the grandmother, while Elnaz could not stem her tears.

"Come, Ndok. Grandma called the ojek" exclaimed the grandmother and pulled Elnaz out of the house.