A LIFETIME BEHIND THE BARS OF PRISON

episode 21

What other trials are these? Why Arya's mother suddenly broke off the engagement, this is only the first time my daughter likes a man, after she steady make a choice, she must accept disappointment at the beginning of the step.

“Mother, what's up?” Halimah asked as I was stunned after reading Arya's mother's message.

“Munda.” Halimah repeated her call.

I looked at my daughter's face, I couldn't bear to tell her everything, but I had to be honest no matter what.

“Nak, Arya's mother broke off this engagement.”

Hearing my words, Halimah fell silent and immediately sat on the stall bench, her chest tight to hold back the news I said. In an instant, my daughter's cheerful face turned moody and mellow.

“What's the reason, Mother?” halimah asked quietly with a trembling voice.

I sat down beside Halimah, tightly clasping her hands, trying to calm her down.

“Mother does not know, later will Mommy ask Arya,” said I cirih.

“No need Mother, do not ask the reason, I am okay, this problem we do not need to discuss. I change clothes first.” 

Halimah got up from her seat and stepped into the house, although she tried hard, but I knew her heart was very wounded, it was not able to see my daughter in disappointment, medicine was hard to find.

I was sitting pensively in the stall, repeatedly I read the message sent by Arya's mother, but I did not misread, this engagement was decided by the side for no apparent reason.

“Bu Rina, one kilo of sugar. Bu ... Bu Rina.”

I was shocked to hear Bu Arun's voice calling to disperse my daydream.

“Eh, Ms Arun, what's up Bu?” many confused.

“Mother daydreaming? What's the problem, Ma?” Ms. Arun sat beside me.

I took a deep breath, it felt hard to tell all this, not because I kept the problem, but could not feel like telling me this bad news, my heart was very sore to see Halimah disappointed.

“If you don't want a story, it's okay, but remember Mom, bearing your own burden will feel very heavy.”

I looked at Bu Arun after he said, with tears in my eyes, I told him about the unilateral breakup of Halimah's engagement.

“Astagfirullah’alazimm, I have to ask Ms. Arya the reason for the breakup of this engagement,” said Bu Arun.

“I want it to be, too, but Halimah forbids me from asking, I don't understand why she's acting that way, Ms. Arun.”

“Try me to ask Halimah the reason why it should be silenced, I am sure Halimah must have the right reason, Ms. Rina.”

Ms. Arun was right, otherwise asking would be curious, but in any case, I should appreciate my daughter's feelings.

“Iya Ma'am,” I replied.

“Or wait for Arya to see Mom talk about all this,” said Bu Arun again.

I nodded my head in response, but it seemed that for now Halimah could not be spoken to, I waited until she calmed down first.

It was getting late in the afternoon, I was still sitting still thinking about the message from Arya's mother earlier.

“Mother, almost magrib, why not close yet?” Suddenly Anisa approached me.

“Oh, Yes, let's help Mother close the stall, Nak.”

Anisa and I closed the shop, and then we went into the house and closed the door. In the house I saw Halimah reading the Qur’an in her room, she seemed to seek peace of heart with the verses of Allah SWT. I just looked at him behind the door.

“Sister Rani, help me make schoolwork later, yes?” anisa said to Rani.

“Iya Deck, but pray magrib first,” replied Rani.

They went straight to the bathroom which was located near the kitchen, while Halimah was busy cooking.

“Wah delicious, nih, later if Kak Halimah is married to Kak Arya, we definitely miss the delicious cuisine sister.” Said Anisa innocently which made Halimah speechless.

“Anisa, Rani, fast wudhuk and prayer, this magrib time is short, Nak.” I tried to divert their conversation.

Anisa and Rani immediately carry out my orders, I looked at Halimah, although there were no tears of disappointment, I knew she was trying to hide the sadness of her heart.

“Mother, don't worry, I'm fine, if they break this engagement, please don't ask the reason behind all this, I'm iklhlas, maybe we're not a match.”

After saying, Halimah passed into her room, again she tried to hide her sadness, pity you Son ….

The night was getting late, the moonlight was dotting the black sky, sitting on the front porch, I thought and thought, why did they break off this engagement on the side, side, side, wanting to ask Arya's mother or Arya herself, but Halimah forbade me for reasons I don't understand, I also don't want to press my daughter with questions that will further hurt her heart.

Not long after, four burly men came to my house, and they approached me sitting on the porch.

“Excuse Bu.” Said one of them.

“Iya, what's up?” many wonder.

“We want to take over this house, Our boss has bought this house cash.”

I was surprised to hear his words, how could his boss buy my house, when I did not sell it myself.

“I never sold this house, maybe you guys were wrong.” I'm trying to explain it.

“This copy-an certificate of this house, and all on behalf of our Boss.” He handed me a copy of the certificate.

My heart felt like it was going to fall out after reading the name listed on the certificate, my body felt weak and the world felt like collapsing, there was written the name Pono Setyo, Astagfirullah’alazimm, and there was the name of Pono Setyo, this must be Linda and Haris stealing my house certificate. 

“This is fake, I never signed this house up for sale! They faked my sign! I can report to the police for home certificate theft, I never sold my house!” My voice that made my three daughters come out to me.

“Mother, what's up?” ask Halimah.

“They want to take over our house, son. Home certificate on behalf of Pono Setyo, the man whom Haris and Linda have betrothed you, Halimah, mmm.” I could not help but cry.

“Not possible, not possible, Mother.” Halimah in shock embraced my hand.

Where are we going to stay? This house is the only place we take shelter, why Haris and Linda are so heartfelt to us, when all this time we have never troubled them, O Allah .. what should I do? Where will I take my three daughters to sleep tonight.

“We don't want to know, quickly you guys empty this house!” They said they were staring at us.

“No! You can't touch my house, it's my husband's house, I never meant to sell it, go you guys, go!” I was very angry to throw them out, but they kept quiet and forced their way in.

“Do not enter our house!” Rani and Anisa tried to get in their way, but for free, in terms of energy we would have lost.

“You guys out! Out!” I chased them away trying to get in and get my things out, with no mercy, they threw my things into the yard, me and my three daughters just brags to stop, but vain.

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