AISYAH LOVE VERSE

Memories...

Tonight it felt like something was,.. I don't know, I find it hard myself to describe what it looks like. There is a sense of confusion that disturbs the feeling.

Tonight, the last night I slept in my room, a room I've lived in for 17 years. Every corner, every cent of the floor, everything seemed to have fused with me.

Yep, yeah,.. Tonight is my last night at home. Tomorrow morning I will go to knit dreams, go to Jakarta to continue my studies there.

My closet door was still open, because I had just finished moving some of it into a large suitcase that was now standing upright on the side of the bed.

Once again I spread my gaze towards the side of the room, looking around if there was something important I had to take with me but missed.

"Hm, um,.. It seems like it's all." I closed the closet door.

" Krinciii,.. " A pyramid-shaped keychain I hung on the closet door made a clattering noise as I closed the door.

Then I switched to checking the drawers. And, I found something that caught my attention. An album book, containing photos of my childhood.

I took her to bed, and opened her while lying down.

There's a picture of me as a baby, still black-and-white. My photo with Mas Mirza, my photo in my late grandfather's car, my photo when planting flowers with my mother, and there is also a picture of me with Nuri while holding a doll.

We both seem to be BFFs. Best Friend Forever's.

I opened the sheet by sheet. Mostly, the pictures make me laugh. How funny I was when I was a kid.

Then, in the last sheet of the photo album, there is a photo,.. Oh, not a photo, but a painting !

A painting of the Taj Mahal !

I was amazed to see the painting. Pencil sketch painting in the shape of Taj Mahal. In the bottom corner of the painting, there was a writing, my name and someone's name. Hamza & Aisyah.

I smile when I remember that.

At that time, maybe I was about four, or five, I don't know. But I can still remember everything, my childhood memories, about the painting. And all the events after, after, every detail,.....

***

That afternoon, after studying Iqro and memorizing short surahs in Al-Fallah boarding school, I did not go home.

Nuri and I chose to play congklak in front of the terrace of the mosque.

At that time I was still a class 2 Madrasah Ibtidaiyah or SD level.

I saw Mr. Tarno, the driver of the Kyai Ghazali family, carrying a large suitcase and raising it to the back of the car. Maybe Kyai Ghazali will go out of town, I thought at the time.

Sure enough, it appeared later Kyai Ghazali with a man with a thick sideburns out of the house. As I recall, I had never seen that person at the Al-Fallah boarding school.

Shortly thereafter,. Ummi Salamah also came out of the house, following Mas Hamzah behind him, then Laila and Hindun, Mas Hamzah's twin sister, also followed.

Will they go on a family vacation ?

"Dear,.. Cepetan, it's your turn."

Nuri nudged my arm, apparently it was my turn to play the congklak stone.

"Nuri, look at that !"

I pointed towards Kyai Ghazali's house. Nuri turned her head, following my index direction.

"You mean, Mr Kyai's family ?? Why mother?"

Nuri doesn't understand why I'm pointing towards Kyai Ghalazi's family.

"So Pak Tarno brought a suitcase besaar once, put in the car. Looks like they're going far. Maybe you want a vacation, want a family vacation." My words guess.

"Oh, I guess what. Come on, let's play congklak. Don't look at them." Take Nuri.

"Nuri, take a look. Who else is talking to Mr. Kyai? that, the guy who fucked it ?"

I kept watching Mas Hamzah and his family.

"Don't know. Never seen me. Yes who is it ? maybe Mr. Kyai's family."

Nuri finally noticed.

Shortly thereafter saw Mas Hamzah greeting his abah and umminya, also hugging his two younger brothers. Then he got into the car, with the man brewhokan earlier.

Pak Tarno bowed towards Pak Kyai, then got into the car and started the engine.

Slowly, the car started moving out of Kyai Ghazali's yard. Seen, Ummi Salamah cried, while hugging Laila and Hindun.

I was stunned to see that sight.

My guess turned out to be wrong. It was not the entire family of Mr. Kyai who wanted to leave, but only Mas Hamzah.

"Lady,.. Kog Mas Hamzah who went alone ?? " I asked Nuri.

But maybe more precisely that question I was addressing for myself, because Nuri must also be the same as me, equally do not know.

Nuri shook her head.

A moment later,..

With my little legs, I galloped towards the car, trying to chase after Mas Hamzah.

"Mas Hamzaaaah,... !" I'm yelling.

"Mas Hamzaaaah,..!"

I kept running while shouting calling Mas Hamzah's name.

Luckily, from the rearview mirror, Pak Tarno saw me running around chasing behind the car. He also stopped the car.

As soon as the car stopped, Mas Hamzah got out of the car and looked at me.

"Why are you running Aishy ?" Ask her as soon as I get in front of her.

"Where's Mas Hamzah going ?" I said half bored from running.

"I want to go study somewhere far away Aishy. I'm going to Egypt."

"Egypt,... ?" I frowned trying to remember.

"To the Taj Mahal ??"

"He he. not Aishy. The Taj Mahal

in India."

"Aisha remembers not ? At that time I had drawn a large building in the shape of a triangle. It's called pyramid."

"Oh yeah, I remember !!" Girang.

Mas Hamzah did draw a tall building in the shape of a triangle, he said it was called a pyramid.

"Well, Egypt is the country where the pyramids are located. There, there's a pyramid building. Tomorrow, if Aisyah goes to school, Aisyah goes to the library. Then, look for a book called World Encyclopedia. Later there, there's a picture of Pyramida as well."

"Who is that ?" I said while pointing towards the man who was sitting in the car.

"Oh, that's my uncle Aishy. He lives in Egypt. He came here to pick me up."

From behind the open window of the car, I could see the man talking to Pak Tarno. Then he laughed as he shook his head looking at me.

"Mas Hamzah is leaving

long?"

"Yes Aishy, Egypt is far away, so I must have been there a long time" explained Mas Hamzah.

"I'm going first Aishy. I want to get on a plane, so it can't be too late. You must be diligent in learning, diligent njai as well. Later when I come home, I give you a pyramide. Wanna ?? " Say Mas Hamzah, holding my shoulder with both hands.

I nodded my head.

Mas Hamzah then got back in the car.

"Baaah,... Aisha keciil, Assalamualaikum." Mas Hamzah said as he waved his hand from behind the car window.

"Goddessalam,..." I'm sculpting.

Stare at the car until it disappears from my eyes.

Three years later, though,..

When I was in the 5th grade of the Ibtidaiyah Madrasah, Mas Hamzah came home from Egypt. He did not forget his promise. He gave me a pyramid. A keychain made of brass iron with a pyramid-shaped pendulum.

At that time I was happy, once. I thought he was coming home forever. I can't wait to hear his stories about Egypt, and about pyramids.

But it turns out my guess was wrong. Mas Hamzah only returned for a short time, about two weeks, then he returned to Egypt again.

The next three years,...

He's coming home again. But by that time, I was not brave, and felt ashamed to see him again. Back then, I only dared to peek at her from behind the classroom window. Of course, because at that time I was second class in Tsanawiyah Madrasah or Junior High.

I know what I can and what not to do. It's not appropriate for me to meet a man, even if I miss him. Moreover, he is not who I am. Not makhromku.

***

I closed my photo album, put it back in the drawer.

A moment later, I thought.

Then I opened the drawer, took the album book, and took the last sheet, and I put it in a plastic folder. The plastic map contains files and data that I need to bring tomorrow to Jakarta.

I got out of the room and headed to the kitchen. It's dinner time soon. Time to gather at the dinner table.

Mom and Mbok Minah look busy preparing food. While dad sat down and sipped coffee.

Yeah, my dad's habits. Can't get away from coffee. Even before eating though, I still had time to drink coffee.

I hugged my father from behind.

"Dad, reduce dong drink his coffee. It should be well, drink the coffee later after eating."

"Where's the rule? Drink coffee after eating. Like the advice to take medicine."

"Huu, dad, that must be told. If you haven't eaten coffee, your stomach is full first."

"Who said,...? The proof is that I still eat strong. Once ate two rice dishes. Ha ha ha." Said Dad while chuckling.

I pouted hearing Dad's answer.

"Where's Mas Mirza, Mom? Kog hasn't come home yet?" I asked my mother.

"Try calling, maybe it's still in the shop. Tell him to go home for dinner. Tell me not to overtime tonight." Say Mom while arranging the dishes on the table.

Just now I was about to move to call Mas Mirza, suddenly there was the sound of Mas Mirza greeting.

"Assalamualakum !" Mas Mirza from outside the house.

Following the sound of the door opening, Mas Mirza hurried to the kitchen. Once in the kitchen, he headed straight for the sink to wash his hands.

" Ofraight,..." We in the kitchen answered in unison.

Mbok Minah brought a large bowl of hot soup onto the table. The smoke is still billowing. Delicious aroma wafted.

"Woooaah, though,... It's so sweet to cook. So I'm getting hungry." Mas Mirza praised the aroma of Mbok Minah's cooking.

"Yes Den Bagus, this Mbok Nah cook beef rib soup, Den Bagus favorite," replied Mbok Minah.

"Oh, that's it. Mbok Minah choose love. His favorite food is Mas Mirza. I Haven't. I'm going to Jakarta tomorrow, so I'm not in love anymore." Saying while pouting. Pretend to be angry with Mbok Minah.

"Eeh...., who said? Look at Non! Mbok Nah has prepared a special for Non to Jakarta tomorrow. Sambal fried TTK. teri tempe beans." Said Mbok Minah while showing the big setoples my favorite fried sambal.

"Hurie,... Dear Mbok Minah." I said while clapping with joy.

We also started dinner.

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Thank you for stopping by to read the Aisyah Love Verse novel

This is my first work, though,.

I just learned nulis

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_Rohana Kadirapir