(Not) The Substitute

Eps 9 - I'm Alone

Both Elsa and Elnaz were similarly confined in her room, as well as not eating at all and could only endure the tightness in her chest.

But by late afternoon, Elnaz was no longer able to withstand his hunger. He took his cell phone and called his grandmother.

"Assalamualaikum, Grandma" said Elnaz after her grandmother answered her call. Her voice rang out and Elnaz tried to keep her grandmother from realizing it.

"Greetings waalaikum, ndok. What's up?" ask her grandma softly.

"El kangen Grandma's cooking. What are you cooking today?" elnaz asked trying to neutralize the turbulent feeling in his heart that caused his voice to tremble even more.

"Grandma cook fried fish, clear vegetables, there is tempe also, there are vegetable bakwan. Go home first, son, eat same grandma here" ask her grandmother enthusiastically. But Elnaz could not do it because he was also not ready if he had to meet his brother.

"Will grandma come home here? El was embarrassed if he had to leave the house, Grandma" said Elnaz and the clear circle slipped back dripping from the corner of his eye. Elnaz quickly erased her.

"Hem okay, ndok. Grandma's there now, oh yeah, Grandma's also there for fried bananas. Wanna?"

"You want" replied Elnaz enthusiastically who made his grandmother laugh "Oh yeah, El may ask no, Grandma?" asked Elnaz doubtfully.

"What, ndok?" ask the grandmother.

"Later if Aunt Yuni asks, just say the grandma cook mostly yes. Don't tell El to ask for it." great-grandson of Elnaz.

While the grandmother who was currently starting to prepare food to the bushel immediately fell silent. He smelled a bad scent at his eldest son's house. He was worried about Elnaz there.

"Alright" answered the grandmother but she was determined to find out for herself how they treated Elnaz there.

Grandma immediately prepared enough food for Elnaz, after which she went straight to her eldest son's house.

"Mom, what's wrong?" yuni exclamation who saw her mother came with a bushel.

"Mother cooks mostly, Yun. Coincidentally this is all Elnaz's favorite, so I brought it for Elnaz" replied her and Yuni who heard her nod in understanding while letting her mother in.

"Can you please call me Elnaz?" pinta the mother but Yuni instead glared annoyed.

"Elnaz is not a queen of times, ma'am. Cook yes I have to serve" he said and he also pulled a chair and sat there while opening the bushel carried by his mother. The mother just sighed heavily, she went by herself to pick up Elnaz to Arfan's room.

"Grandmother.." exclaimed Elnaz and he immediately rushed into the arms of his grandmother, like Elnaz could breathe when he saw and hugged his grandmother. While the grandmother, from the embrace of Elnaz alone he had realized his grandson was very tormented.

"Yes, grandma has arrived. Come eat.." exclaimed the grandmother and she took Elnaz's hand to the dining table.

At the dining table, Yuni also enjoyed her mother's cooking even though the dining table was already full of her own Yuni cuisine.

"Sit down, ndok.." Grandma danced a chair for Elnaz and served food lovingly, making Elnaz again feel a little warmth.

Elnaz ate very voraciously and it did not escape the sight of the grandmother "You are like a starving man. Slowly eat her" he said while rubbing Elnaz's head with affection.

While Yuni heard it snorting and it made Elnaz feel uncomfortable.

"Mistake himself who never wanted to go out to eat, so starve" ketus Yuni who immediately made Elnaz's breath choked and he even felt difficulty swallowing his food.

"What do you mean, Yun?" ask the grandmother.

"Mother must know that if Elnaz had not eaten, he would have ngadu. then his mother anterin this much food here. It's not my fault, Mom. It's one of her own that has always locked herself in her room since yesterday" said Yuni who thought Elnaz must have complained to her grandmother. And hearing that, of course, the grandmother was very surprised.

She knew her grandchildren very well, and Elnaz was not a disrespectful girl and did not know herself that way.

"Elnaz never complained anything to mother Yun. Precisely I just know from you that Elnaz has not eaten since yesterday" said the grandmother then he looked at Elnaz "Are you not eating since yesterday?" Elnaz was unable to answer, his tongue felt faint but his eyes were glassy.

From the outside, there was the voice of a woman who called out to Yuni and took Yuni away. Followed by the sound of a door that closed violently.

Grandma was eager to ask how the child and her daughter-in-law treated Elnaz, but the grandmother held her back until Elnaz finished her meal.

"Your lips are even dry, son. Do you also drink?" asked the grandmother while giving a glass of water to Elnaz. Elnaz only smiled faintly and gulped down the water, after which he resumed his meal. The grandmother kept watching him.

When he finished, Elnaz washed the dishes and cleaned the dining table.

"The fried banana makes it later tonight, now El is very full" he said after washing dishes.

"Sit here, honey" Grandma pulled Elnaz's hand and sat back in the chair "Annma's answer questions and don't lie, you know that Grandma can't be lied to" she said, nodding.

"Did Yuni and Adi treat you well?" Elnaz fell silent, he lowered his head and squeezed his shirt "El.." the granny insisted that made Elnaz look up.

"They're good" said Elnaz in a choked voice.

"Don't lie, El. This grandmother is your grandmother, and also the mother of your in-laws. Tell Grandma the truth" and Elnaz's tears are back flowing but Elnaz quickly wipes them out.

"No one thinks El's here, Grandma. No one wants to talk to Elnaz" he said in a choked voice in his throat "Elnaz is hungry, Elnaz knows El's position here. El has gone to the kitchen to help Aunt Yuni cook, but... But Aunt Yuni did not want to, even when El was just about to wash the chicken, she snatched her chicken without speaking... Hix... Hix... Grandma" Elnaz splashed into her grandmother's arms.

"El alone, Grandma. El's alone..."

"Sshhttt, Honey. You are not alone, you are never alone" said the gentle grandmother. He rubbed Elnaz's back with a fond "Grandmother here, God will also always be with you. You're never alone"

.........

Arfan met his psychiatrist friend. And his friend asked him what really happened, how could Arfan marry Elnaz and not Elsa.

What else is also not a secret among friends Arfan friends that Arfan is very dear and very pampering Elnaz. Considered Elnaz his own biological sister. Arfan introduces Elnaz to all of his friends as Arfan's beloved sister.

Arfan told me what was really going on, and he also asked for an opinion on what he should do.

"It's very difficult, Fan. What else your wife and ex are siblings, you are still cousins and neighbors again" said his friend named Liam.

"Let's go, it all just happened. I was confused" said Arfan frustrated.

"Be a man in charge, Fan. Do not be a coward by running away from this problem. You can face Elsa who has destroyed your feelings and your self-esteem, then why can't you face Elnaz who you have also destroyed his feelings even his self-esteem. You married her suddenly, without any talk before her"

"I don't know myself, Liam. Every time I see Elnaz, I feel helpless. I feel like I'm going awry, I'm embarrassed, I'm confused"

"Let's take Elnaz away from your family and especially your nyinyir neighbor. Fan, mother complex if you have gossiped will forget the land. It's Elnaz who's like the perpetrator but the victim of you and Elsa. And if you live in a new place, with a new atmosphere. Who knows, you could move on from Elsa and start a new relationship with Elnaz"

"Honestly, I don't think it's a matter of moving on from Elsa. I've even numb to her. But what I've always thought, is how can Elnaz and I live as husband and wife, Liam. Husband wife" press her.

"It can, you know... Have you bought a house in Jakarta? If you and Elnaz move there, you meet my friend there. She is also a psychiatrist who has been a marriage counselor for over 7 years. You can do marriage counseling"

Arfan was silent for a moment, thinking about the slightly interesting offer.

"Fan.." exclaimed Liam again because Arfan was silent "If you can be honest, Fan. You're lucky to marry Elnaz, she's the perfect girl to make a couple. I just put my real heart on her..."

"Hey.." exclaimed Arfan dislike that makes Liam chuckle. Arfan left Liam's room and returned to his own.

While Liam only shook his head while muttering

"You're jealous, Fan. Because you love Elnaz. In the presence of his love, a man can become very strong or very weak"