A Ghost To Mak

Gifts

As Ashar Paul and Mak arrive home. Mak Nur who was wearing a songket looked overwhelmed as he came down from the bonfire. With a slightly trembling step the middle-aged woman entered the house, while Paul put his beloved motorbike in the side garage.

Immediately Mak Nur sat leaning against the wooden chair, his legs felt a little pained. At the age that is no longer young, must sit in the boncery that the position of the motorcycle seat is so high. He was overwhelmed with his own body weight.

"Why can't you be sure it's the same Laila. Brother's astonished." Paul came in and sat down next to the Mother.

"Why didn't you tell me that girl was him?" Mak Nur asked back.

"I mean Mak?" paul is confused.

"Abi Anwar is ustadz often teaching naji in the mosque that Mak and the mothers around here come." Mak Nur closed his eyes, his face looking tired.

"Then?" Paul seemed confused by the words of the half-measure Mak.

"The daughter of Abi Anwar has become the discussion of study mothers. Some even came to propose, but refused. Be thankful, your proposal was accepted." Mak Nur opened his eyes, got up and went into the room.

Paul leaned his back against the chair, a happy hue implied on Paul's face, imagining the happy day he would have with Laila. The man pressed hard on his left chest, the pounding there grew louder.

"Assalamu'alaikum ...."

The door was knocked, the voice of a woman could be heard greeting.

"Getishalight." Paul stood up and opened the door. His slightly narrowed eyes looked wide when he saw who was coming, "Fitri?" said slowly.

Ayu-faced girl, with a perfectly pointed nose. White skin is also a typical facial line of Acehnese descent. Paul looked at the girl in front of him, it was unusual for him to come to see you in the time leading up to Magrib.

"What's up, Fit?" paul asked without letting the girl in.

Fitri handed Paul a parcel, "this is for, Mom. It just so happened that my father had just come home from Umrah" said Fitri.

Fitri's father once came to ask for ta'aruf twice, but Paul refused. I don't know why the man rejected Fitri whose beauty is almost the same as the singer from the country of Malaysia's neighbor. Not even a few of his friends said stupid, because they refused the proposal of Fitri's parents. A prominent oil businessman in the city of Sidfuan.

Under the pretext that household happiness is not judged by property, Paul rejects all proposals that come to him.

Paul received the parcel, "thank you, Fit. If there is nothing else, you can go home. I'm sorry, I want Magrib, it's not good to see you." The girl nodded her head, after saying her greeting, she passed from Paul's house.

"Who's coming, Bang?" mak asked, when he saw Paul closing the door. He handed the white cloth to Mak.

"Bring a shower, Mom!" Paul passed away leaving the Mak sitting back in the middle room, opening the package.

After Magrib's prayer, Paul and the Mak sat side by side in the living room watching a reality show on television. Accompanied by typical snacks of the middle east giving Fitri. Occasionally the man in glasses laughed out loud as he watched the funny behavior of the artists on TV.

"Abang regretted not rejecting Fitri's father's proposal the other day?" ask Mak. Paul's laughter came to a halt, his eyes staring at the face of the old woman next to him.

"Do you mean that?"

"Not just asking. Mak just don't want, regrets that will arise later will hurt the hearts of people's children."

"Mr ...." Paul touched Mak's hand, "the branch was convinced by this choice. Love and happiness are not always measured by treasure or likeness, but by fear."

Mak Nur touches Paul's hand in his lap, believing that his only son is an adult. Being able to sail the household ark, also being a good priest.

Paul leaned his back on the chair, his mind ringing with Mak's words. But his heart was already imprinted on Laila's name, and the shadow of the girl was always present in his dreams. Although Laila was not as beautiful as the girls who had come, but from first glance, Paul's heart really only wanted Laila who would become an angel in the palace of his heart.

**

"How about yesterday, Bang?" tanya Ridwan, one of Paul's employees at the store.

"Alhamdulillah, smoothly." Paul smiled happily, both hands raised cardboard shoes to be laid out on a shelf in front of the store.

"Congratulations, huh, Bang?" The fat man reached out to greet the boss. The gesture was greeted by Paul, "thank you." Both of them smiled and then drifted away with the rush to open the store.

"Assalamu'alaikum, Bang. Why did you close the shop yesterday? Is my brother sick?" Naurak, the girl selling chicken soto across the street from the store, suddenly appears. Paul who was sweeping inside walked over.

"Waalaikumsalam, I'm healthy" said Paul. Although not always talk much, but his friendly attitude makes him liked by the people around him. Even many women who misinterpret their good attitude.

"Why did you close the shop? Where's brother going?" ask Naurak again.

"Abang Paul has asked for girls, you know!" ridwan from inside. The sweet black man seemed to be listening to Paul and Naurak talk.

The face of the shoulder-haired girl looked pouted, visible from her slightly reddened lips. Striking his feet, Naurak passed from before Paul.

**

"Subhanallah, finally there is also a prince who managed to melt our ice princess." ledek Abdul, one of the teachers. Laila lowered her face, blushing with the temptation she threw.

"Just pray, hopefully given smoothness."

"Amale ...." Some of the fellow teachers who were still in the room guaranteed.

Laila left the teacher's room, about to go home because her teaching hours were over. His hands were busy tidying up the slightly messy workbench, glancing at his phone which in a silent tone seemed to light up. Ten miscall is also a dozen chat from an unknown number.

[Assalamu'alaikum, sorry who is this?] Laila sent a message on the number. Before long the phone vibrated again, the number called.

''Assalamualaikum." There was a voice of a man across the phone.

"Vaalaikumsalam. Sorry, who is this?" Laila leaned her back on the chair.

"Here, Brother."

"Paul ....?" The fellow teacher who was still in the room looked at Laila who was almost shouting. He stood up and left the room, "sorry, you know who my cell phone number is from?" laila asked a little confused. He never gave his cell phone number to the man.

"Abang will do anything to get information about you."

"Ish, that's not it. Excuse me. I'm still at school. It will be connected again. Assalamu'alaikum." Laila was about to press the red button on her phone, but stopped when the man prevented her.

"I'm sorry, if you're disturbing. Brother just wanted to say, if you sent a gift home. Don't forget to open it, yeah. Assalamu'alaikum." Without waiting for Laila to answer the greetings, the phone connection was cut off.

Laila clasped the phone tightly in her hand, her left hand pressing hard on her left chest, feeling a loud thump there. This is the first time he has fallen in love. Falling in love with a man who soon becomes his girlfriend. God willing.