A Story of the Haram Child

Chapter 8 Pretense

I don't know how long Lasmi's been pacing in the room. Rengekan Resti, his three-year-old son he ignored. He seemed to think hard to find an excuse to go with his mother-in-law. 

Plans to get Nesa out of the house well without causing any suspicions really seized the mind. She didn't want her husband to suspect that she was sending Nesa to Daneela. Last night he was busy with plans in his sneaky brain.

"I have to work with Daneela, I have to find a way to get her to take the goddamn kid" Lasmi said with confidence, he clenched both hands towards the dresser facing the mirror as if to say to himself.

Lasmi turned around circulating her gaze looking for something. He stepped into the corner of the bed rest and took the device that had been a silent witness to his bad intentions towards the little girl.

[Mas, today mom wants to take me and the kids on a tour. Okay, huh?] The message he typed for Anarya, some moments rather hesitant he sent. He breathed back and strengthened his heart.

Message sent but not read. Lasmi seemed upset hoping that Anarya would allow it. Several times Lasmi checked chat messages but remained unread.

[Sorry, Mom. Me and the kids go first. Mama has picked me up. I'm gone two days, probably the day after night just got back.] Chat Lasmi after more than thirty minutes of waiting.

"Ma, we can go today." Lasmi excitedly told her mother-in-law through the device.

"Okay, mama pick you up in an hour."

"Be careful, ma. Lasmi wait."

"Yes, baby."

After hanging up the phone, Lasmi rushed to get ready. He bathed Resti and told Nesa to get ready as well. This time Lasmi helped comb Nesa's long hair and braided it into braids. Then install some butterfly flops in some parts of the braid.

"Dear mother, forgive mother, yes" said Lasmi meekly as she cupped her hands to Nesa's face with a soft look implied she seemed to beg.

Nesa frowned at her mother's treatment. It was unusual for the woman he always called the mother to be this kind of kind. The little girl's eyes stared in astonishment. There were many questions in his heart. Has God really changed his mother's heart for good? Has God granted his prayers at the end of every prayer? 

"Why, Mom?" Finally he asked courageously.

"I'm sorry, son. I've been wrong with you all this time." Lasmi's cry broke, she hugged Nesa tightly. 

There was happiness in Nesa's heart. Is this a mother's warm embrace? Is this what it's like to be in the arms of the mother she hoped for? Nesa wanted to cheer to welcome the embrace of the woman he had been calling mother, but the fear that had whack all this time still made him hesitate to hug Lasmi.

"Nesa, today I will take Nesa to the real Mama Nesa" Lasmi said after letting go of her arms.

Nesa frowned inexplicably. Lasmi catches the confusion of the little girl before him.

"Honey, Lasmi's mother is not Nesa's mother. But Nesa's birth mother's name is Mama Daneela. She lives in your grandmother's house, which has a bakery, which is far from here. Nesa want to see mom?"

"What do you have in a bakery?" Nesa remembered her father's words back then.

"Yes, Mama Nesa is good at making cakes. And your grandmother also had a cake shop. You wanna go there?"

"Why would you take me there? How do you keep Dad? Will I stay there?"

"Nesa, I love you. I can't bear to see you away from your birth mother."

"Is that why mothers are often evil to Nesa?"

Lasmi was stunned, not expecting the little girl to ask like that. Although it is undeniable that the words of Nesa are true. He hated Nesa because she was not a child born from her womb, but the son of Anarya's boyfriend before she married him.

For Lasmi, the boy continues to be a shadow of Anarya's past and a thorn in her marriage. The wound was heartbreaking when Anarya called Nesa, the same name as the woman. The woman who until now has mastered the heart of Anarya.

"Mom's gonna apologize, honey." Lasmi's hand rubbed gently on Nesa's cheek, her eyes also implying regret with a clear circle.

"Mom don't cry." Nesa hugs Lasmi.

"Nesa want to see Mama Daneela?"

"Why? Nesa doesn't like to see a real mom? Sin, later God angry because Nesa did not want to admit his own biological mother. Wanna be cursed to be a rock?" Lasmi tries to doctrine Nesa's thinking because she knows Nesa's weakness is having to respect parents so as not to sin.

Nesa just shook her head. He doesn't understand being happy or sad. Because all this time that is in every prayer is the Lasmi Mother who she hopes that the heart of the Lasmi Mother changes to love her. Not someone he doesn't know at all.

"Now we prepare, soon Eyang Uti arrives." Stand up and take a few pieces of Nesa's clothes to put in the bag.

"Who's coming, Mom?"

"Yes, we'll take Eyang's car there."

"Can I get in the car, Mom? You don't like me."

Lasmi stops putting on clothes, she turns back to Nesa.

"Eyang also apologized for being angry with you often. Nesa's a good boy, I'm sure you can forgive Eyang." Gently said Lasmi with the biggest smile.

Not long heard the sound of a car horn in front of the house. A driver came out of the silver car and let Lasmi in. With a swift Mr. Karmin put the suitcase into the trunk of the car.

From inside the car looks a middle-aged woman with an elegant appearance welcomes Lasmi with a cheek kiss. Bu Bramantyo who despite age has entered the golden age but his appearance is ten years younger than his actual age. 

"Nesa, let's go up. Not angry anyway, if Nesa gets in this car," sedu Lasmi when found Nesa still standing hesitant to enter the car door that is still open.

"Would you sit in the front or in the middle with Resti?" This time Ms. Bramantyo offered with an unusual voice. A sweet-sounding voice and far from the impression of judes.

"Missa can sit in the front, Eyang?"

"Oh, can, donk. Let's go in Nesa."

"Thank you, Eyang." The look on Nesa's face sparkled. During this time rarely he can take a ride in his car, even touching is prohibited.

Five hours drive to Daneela's parents' house. During his unrelenting journey Nesa was amazed by what he saw. New things he had never seen before. The natural scenery that is so soothing to the eyes makes the round eyes sparkle until finally tired and asleep.

Meanwhile, in the back seat saw Bu Bramantyo and Lasmi smiling meaningfully. Victory rails decorate their fake faces.

"What's your plan?" Bu Bram's question began the conversation after seeing Nesa fall asleep.

"We're going to meet Daneela and ask her to confess to Nesa's birth mother."

"Are we going straight to his house?"

"We'll go to the hotel first, Ma. Let me be the first to meet Daneela to talk. After making sure everything's done, we'll take Nesa to him."

"Then what if Anarya finds out?"

"Quiet, Ma. I have prepared a beautiful scenario for our plan" Lasmi said, winking.

"You are brilliant, Lasmi. I trust everything the same as you" Ms. Bram turned her thumb to her beloved daughter-in-law.

"Okay, dear Mama. Finally that kid can get away from our lives too huh, Ma." The smile of victory again poked from Lasmi's lips.

Without them knowing, Mr. Karmin who was driving occasionally noticed the two women who were busy making plans through the car mirror above his head.

There was a sad look on Mr. Karmin's face, sometimes he looked at the face of the little girl beside him with a sad look. His heart trembles when he sees the mistress he has been following for decades on the innocent Nesa. But he can't do much.

A car breaks through the rain-dotted streets, delivering a little innocent girl to the deceitful plan of the one who should love and love her.

Whether or not anything else was going to happen, that round-eyed sweet girl never knew. He is now enjoying his dream on a long journey to a new story.