(Not) The Substitute

Eps 44 - Honesty

Arfan calls people to clean his house, while he prefers cooking because at home there is no food. But before that, Arfan took a shower and replaced the prayers left behind.

And true Arfan's guess, Elnaz laughed at him because Arfan went to the hospital without a mandatory bath first. Arfan even admitted he did not have time to wash his face because he was so panicked when he got news about his patients.

"When you can order, brother. Let brother Arfan not tired" said Elnaz who is currently sitting at the table while helping Arfan cut some vegetables and peel onions. Though Arfan had asked Elnaz to rest in the room alone, but the guilt of his wife was making him force himself to help Arfan and Arfan was finally let alone.

"It's better and healthier at home, baby" replied Arfan who is currently cooking the chicken menu.

"The black pepper made by Kak Arfan is delicious" said Elnaz later while handing the pieces of vegetables to Arfan. Currently Arfan wants to cook black pepper chicken and capcay sauce meatballs. Because according to Arfan, every day they have to eat a lot of protein and vegetables.

"Yes dong, which is the same as grandma's?" ask Arfan who started cooking his capcay.

"The same is delicious" replied Elnaz "And the recipe is the same"

Arfan immediately laughed at his wife's answer, Elnaz also laughed.

After Arfan finished cooking, he served her at the dinner table and the two ate together.

"Sister.." cried Elnaz while staring at Arfan who looks greedy eating his food.

"Yes, Honey?" Arfan responded so gently, making Elnaz smile warmly.

"Sorry El yes..." Arfan immediately looked up and looked at his wife gently but Arfan's answer made Elnaz frown.

"No.." he exclaimed and he went back to devouring his food in a relaxed manner.

"Why not?" elnaz asked, "His word was already apologized?"

"Yes, sister sorryin but after seeing her loss...." Arfan looked back at Elnaz ignorantly

"Lumayan, Honey. Not to mention the sister's phone, it might run out of two months of a doctor's salary. The flower vase was that expensive sister bought her" Elnaz looked at Arfan pouting, he didn't even eat his food and his cheeks bloated.

"Ah, couch too... The sofa was also very expensive, as her three months of sister's salary was used up to replace the item..." Arfan still continued and still enjoyed his meal leisurely. Elnaz was still faithfully hearing the long ravings of her husband.

"But it seems like brother will not buy another vase of flowers, to keep his scared wife Dr. Arfan was jealous again... Empf..."

Arfan glared perfectly when even his body was stiff when he felt the lips of Elnaz suddenly silenced his lips.

While Elnaz who was anxious and annoyed with the babble of her brother, without a second thought immediately leaned her body and silenced her husband's mouth with his mouth.

Elnaz withdrew and sat back in his chair after making Arfan speechless with wide-open eyes and slightly open lips.

"Sorry, El will apologize, dear.." said Elnaz and he could not hide the hue on his cheek when for the first time he called Arfan affectionately. Arfan was again stunned to hear the call that seemed to tickle his heart.

"Oohhh...." Arfan called out long with his round lips to form the letter O "Unforgivable" he continued which made Elnaz immediately strangled his lips.

"And already brother said, his losses could be three months salary. Most of the new brother knows this side of Elnaz, like a lioness who is disturbed" said Arfan while chuckling with amusement that makes Elnaz sigh heavily, he knows himself has been very outrageous.

"El doesn't know either, dear Arfan. But... It felt really claustrophobic, really sick, like someone hit thousands of stones into El's heart" he said honestly. Hearing that, Arfan could not hide his happy smile.

"Because you're a wife, El.." exclaimed Arfan "None of the wives is willing to leave her husband and go see another woman, what else is that woman her ex" lirih Arfan and Elnaz nodded in agreement.

"El's scared, brother. El was afraid that Arfan would leave El and return to Elsa's brother, because you had been together for 8 years. El even still remembers when Brother Arfan told El that Brother Elsa and Kak Arfan became lovers and at that time Kak Arfan was very happy and.... " Elnaz could not continue, the sound choked in his throat and thought of Arfan and Elsa's past so happy that Elnaz's eyes were hot and his heart was back on the crowded porch.

While Arfan began to understand what made Elnaz continue to doubt him even so angry as before.

Arfan stood up, he approached Elnaz and knelt before his wife.

"Say, El... Tell me what's stuck in your heart, what makes you feel uncomfortable and scared." - cf. Arfan who saw Elnaz who was dripping with tears and he bit his lips, trying to hold back his sobs.

"Come, Honey. Speak." persuaded Arfan "It's time we behave like husband and wife, and our openness is very important. Don't keep anything in your heart about our marriage, Elnaz. What else to cause such misunderstanding" pinta Arfan again.

Elnaz took a deep breath as she looked at her husband.

"El is very afraid if.if Kak Arfan returns to Brother Elsa, El is afraid that brother Arfan can not forget Brother Elsa. El saw how your relationship so far, you are very romantic in front of anyone. 8 years, brother. 8 years is not a short time, you pass many things together. Maybe you have too.... Already did.." Elnaz's voice choked back in his throat.

"Do what, El?" urged Arfan and Elnaz to shake his head, he knew he should not ask such a question and it was a disgrace. In fact, he was also taught by his teacher so as not to ask his partner's past what else opened his disgrace.

"What, Elnaz?" Arfan again urged "You think big brother and Elsa are doing this...." Elnaz just looked down and his tears were getting louder.

Understanding where Elnaz was talking, Arfan looked at Elnaz with a pus. He flanked Elnaz's chin and forced Elnaz to look at him.

"Elnaz my wife, listen to your husband's honest confession..." Arfan said firmly "I used to love Elsa and that was it..." Arfan pressed the word first for Elnaz to understand.

"And yes, I used to treat her romantically everywhere because she was my lover and it used to be..."

"8 years we were in a relationship, sister never even kissed her lips even for one second..."

The pupils of Elnaz's eyes immediately enlarged hearing Arfan's words that said so firmly with a gaze that was still straight staring right in the eyes of Elnaz. As if to convey that word to the bottom of Elnaz's heart.

"Then how could you do more than that, El? And you know why you didn't do something like that? Because sister respects Elsa and our family.." Elnaz was still dumbfounded and trying to digest every word her husband said.

" And all that was, Elnaz. But now, later and until anytime. There will only be my wife, my halal lover, the first and last person I kiss her lips and kiss my lips. The first and last person I touched every inch of his body and I let him touch every inch of my body with love. And I will treat her very sweetly and romantically in front of anyone, anywhere and anytime because I love my wife so much. "

The tears of Elnaz came back to hear the meaning of her husband, but her tears now are not tears of heart but tears of heart. Elnaz and Arfan still locked their gazes together and Arfan gently kissed Elnaz's hand.

"Trust your husband, Elnaz. Because you must know your husband very well, right? Which even grew up with you..." Elnaz immediately nodded and he dropped himself in Arfan's arms, Arfan immediately caught his wife's body and hugged her tightly.

Elnaz wept in Arfan's arms, even without feeling Arfan also shed tears. Tears are happy and haru because Elnaz trusts her.