ALINEA LOVE

69

Sora was folding his face after performing his prayer isya'nya. Her face is still visibly restless waiting for her husband's arrival since the Ashar prayer had gone to the mosque and has not returned.

She went to her bedroom window, leaned against the wall and looked at the street hoping that her husband would come home soon. Shortly after he stood up, the figure he was waiting for began to be seen walking into his yard.

Sora ran out of the room and down the stairs to meet her husband.

"Assalamu'alaikum," Almeer's voice was heard accompanied by the sound of the living room door opening.

"Wa'alaikumsalam," Sora quickly approached her husband, his face still looks restless with puffy eyes. She took her husband's hand and kissed him.

"Bie .., I—"

"Well is dinner?" tanya Almeer trims Sora's sentence. There is no smile that is usually always on his face.

Sora was a little disappointed by her husband's expression, but she had no right to bother him.

Sora shook her head, "yet, Bie .." replied Sora.

"Eat first, yuk!" take Almeer, he goes first to the dining table.

Sora looked at her husband from behind. He felt it was better for Almeer to scold him and scold him than to be treated like that, which was very painful.

They sat face to face on the dining table chairs, as usual Sora picked up rice and side dishes first for Almeer.

"Thank you, dear ..," said Almeer when Sora gave a plate filled with rice and side dishes in front of Almeer.

Sora nodded and smiled, he immediately took the rice and side dishes for himself and the two began to eat together.

Sora who was usually always eager to enjoy his food, now just stirring it tasteless. She prefers to steal a glance at her husband who had been bowed down to enjoy his food.

"Our child will not be full if you just look at me, dear," said Almeer, raising his head to look at Sora.

"I don't have a taste for food, Bie. I was disturbed by your different attitude" replied Sora.

Almeer nodded, "i'm trying to act like you normally would."

"I'm sorry I made you angry, Bie." Tears began to inundate Sora's eyes, he bit his lower lip which began to tremble withstanding the roar on his chest.

"It's not entirely your fault, I'm also guilty. What you say about me is true ..," said Almeer, "but I'm sorry, I can't lie to myself. I'm still disappointed that you compared me to other men,"

"I'm sorry, Bie .. I'm sorry," said Sora, his voice choking.

Almeer nodded and smiled slightly, "you should eat, dear. Pity our son" Almeer said.

Sora grabbed the glass filled with water then took a sip to calm down and continued to devour the rice on his plate.

There was no more conversation between the two. Almeer who had finished first remained waiting for Sora until he finished eating.

"I'm making milk now, huh?" almeer asked when she saw that Sora had finished his dinner, "i want to take a shower and go to bed early tonight" he added.

"You can go upstairs first, Bie. I'll make it myself later" replied Sora.

"Let me, Bie. .., you can go to the room," prevent sora when Almeer will take care of the dinner table plate.

Almeer just piled up their used plates and glasses then approached Sora who was just standing.

"I'll go to the room first, yeah." Almeer gives a kiss on Sora's forehead.

Sora pulled the end of Almeer's back shirt as the man was about to leave. She quickly hugged her husband's back, wrapped her arms around her husband's stomach quite tightly.

"I have to how to make you better?" sora asked, "you'd rather scold me than you act cold like this to me, Bie."

Almeer removed Sora's hand from his stomach and turned to look at his wife.

"It hurts so much to see you like this, Bie .." Sora complained with tears in her eyes.

"Give me a minute, honey. I also need time to heal my heart" Almeer said. He wiped his wife's tears and hugged her.

"I'm sorry, Bie. I'm sorry ...." Sora hugged her husband tightly.

Almeer simply nodded his head then let go of his embrace. "I'll go upstairs, baby."

Despite the weight, Sora nodded his head. Almeer's distant back went up the stairs and disappeared on the second floor.

***

Sora is still sitting on the dining table chair accompanied by a glass of pregnant women's milk that has begun to cool because it was made some time ago. The sound of water from the fish pond became the music of his lonely accompaniment. Still reluctant to go to her room, she felt unworthy to sleep next to her husband after hurting his feelings.

"Sora's sister isn't asleep yet?"

Sora was slightly surprised to find Siti approaching him, "yes, Ms. Siti. Not sleepy yet," replied Sora.

"The milk hasn't been drunk, Mother? Do I want to make a new one?" ask Siti.

"No, Miss Siti. Thank you" said Sora.

"I went back to the room first yes, Ma'am," said Siti.

"Emmb, Lady Siti!" call Sora.

"Yes, Mommy?" ask Siti.

"May I have an opinion?" ask Sora.

Siti nodded, she then sat down on the dining table chair opposite Sora. "Please, Ma'am."

"If Bu Siti's husband is angry, will he silence Ms Siti?" ask Sora.

"Yes, most men are like that. Prefer silence rather than having to fight with his wife," replied Siti.

"How long is it usually, Miss Siti?"

"In our religion, you must not be angry for more than three days. Yes, the benchmark of a person who understands religion like that, Ma'am."

Sora nodded, "I feel like I don't fully know my husband yet, Mom. What I thought was good for him was not what he wanted. And vice versa, what he did to make me happy but that's not what I expected."

"Communication in the household is important, Ma'am. Naturally, the beginning of marriage is a lot of misunderstanding. Everyone who goes through the household must go through phases like Mbak Sora and mas Almeer. The first year must be a lot of disagreement, because these times the original nature of the couple begins to open up and everyone will get to know each other."

"I feel like my husband is being too selfish today, Ms. Siti. There was a sense of unwillingness when he refused my papa's gift,"

"Don't go from his father-in-law, Ma'am. From his own papa only rejected," whispered Siti, "Mas Al is famous firmly with his principles, Ma'am. He wants to live on his own feet. Al has had that principle from childhood. Everyone who knew Al from childhood knew that,"

Sora sighed softly. "That's it, Miss Siti?"

Siti nodded her head.

"Thank you, Miss Siti. Already want to hear my curses,"

"Express, Ma'am. Equally," said Siti, "if that's why I went back to the room first yes, Ma'am."

"Yes, Miss Siti."

Siti left and Sora began to gulp her milk. He was thinking about how he should take a stand. She did not want the relationship between her husband and her father to be bad because of the stubbornness of both of them.

Sora just sighed, resigned to the test that God presented for his family. He stood up and washed the used glass of milk he drank and then immediately went to his room.

The main light of the room has been extinguished, replaced with a dim sleep lamp on the headboard of the bed. Almeer was asleep under the blanket. Sora took off her veil and immediately climbed up on the bed, taking a sloping position to face her husband.

The dim sleeping lights did not necessarily make her eyes become cute, her eyes were still bright enough to observe every detail of her husband's face.

Her fingers began to be interested in gently stroking her husband's hair. Slowly he changed to touch the thick eyebrows that attached perfectly to the clean skin. His eyelids are tightly closed, making his eyelashes look pliable although not long. Now Sora chose to stick her palm over her husband's cheek. Almeer's facial skin is very clean and soft even though he never wears facial treatments like her.

"I'm sorry if my presence troubles you, Bie .." he whispered very slowly, closing his eyes and making his tears melt out of the corner of his eye.

Sora felt a gentle movement and ended up with a grip on her palm that was above her husband's cheek. He quickly opened his eyes.

The eyes that had been closed had opened and were looking at him softly and in the shade. The eyes he so longed for were rediscovered. His tears flowed more profusely as the man in front of him dipped his palms.

"Did I make you sad for too long?"

Almeer's soft voice made Sora's lips develop a smile, the woman nodded quickly several times.

Almeer tucked his arm under Sora's head and pulled his wife closer to him, "you want to forgive me?"

Sora nodded her head again, she could not answer and only cried happily in her husband's arms.

"I'm sorry for ignoring you ... Kianga Sora, my wife ...." A kiss landed on Sora's forehead, "thank you for making me realize that I haven't been a good husband to you yet" he continued.

Sora nodded again, he raised his head to look at Almeer, "pardon me for having too much of what I want from you, Bie."

Almeer nodded, "really said papa, I don't have much time for you. We should have spent a lot of time getting to know each other, but I wasted that time. We're just trying to be the perfect couple without knowing what each of us is expecting" Almeer said.

"Are you going to spend a lot of your time for me in the future, Bie?" ask Sora.

"Yes, I don't want to keep repeating the same mistakes, honey. Marriage is the longest worship that we must both do, we must continue to learn and continue to improve our worship. That's why I don't want either of us to feel burdened in our long service."

"Does that mean you'll also receive papa's help, Bie?" ask Sora.

Almeer turned his gaze the other way, staring blankly at the wall of their room. "I don't know yet, dear."

"You're mad that papa didn't tell you first?" ask Sora.

Almeer shook his head, "no, honey."

"Then?"

"I'm just uncomfortable when papa gets too involved in our household."

"Papa just wants to help us, Bie ...,"

"Papa doesn't trust me, dear," said Almeer, looking at his wife, "what a doubt I can't keep up with you and make you happy,"

Sora covered one side of Almeer's cheek and rubbed it gently, "you two men that I love so much .., I don't want to see you at odds like this,"

Almeer just smiled a little and went back to his wife. "It's too late to talk about this. You need to rest, honey."

"Brand ...,"

"I'll take care of it, you don't have to worry, honey."

Sora gave up and entrusted everything to her husband.

***

This morning Almeer told Sora to rest at home because all day yesterday Sora was made tired physically and psychically. Almeer left for the office early.

No-no, Almeer's first goal this morning was not his office, but Bimo's house. The house where her in-laws stayed during their stay in Malang.

"In drink first the tea, Al," said Dusk after putting a cup of warm tea on the table living room.

"Thank you, Ma" said Almeer.

"I went into the kitchen first huh, Mom." Dusk touched her husband's shoulder then went to the kitchen.

The sky did not answer his wife, he just stared coldly at his daughter-in-law who suddenly wanted to meet him this early.

"I came to apologize to Papa for my disrespect yesterday" Almeer said, "I'm sorry for my attitude, Pa." he continued.

"It's easy for you to apologize" the sky smiled wryly.

"I admit what you said wasn't all wrong, I was too focused on work and gave my wife a little time,"

"Now you regret it?"

Almeer nodded, "i deeply regret it. I'm lucky God woke me up quickly."

"Good! So ..., you want to receive—"

"Sorry, Pa. For that matter, my decision is still the same as it was."

The sky straightened his body, his eyes widening preparing to scout his daughter-in-law.

"Sorry, Pa. Let me say something first," asked Almeer before Heaven scolded him

The sky held his tongue and let Almeer speak.

"Not that I feel smarter or better than anyone, Pa. I never had any intention of offending anyone. I want to ask Papa for his blessing. Let me make Papa's daughter happy in my own way. Please give Papa's trust in me" Almeer said.

The sky was still silently staring coldly at his daughter-in-law.

"I know the goodwill that Papa gave me for the benefit of my household, but I really hope Papa can appreciate my existence as a priest in my household. It is not my intention to refuse all help from others, I am aware that I am also an ordinary human being who still needs the help of others. But for this time, can Papa see my ability first to cope with whatever happens in my household?"

Almeer took a breath.

"I know that there are Papa's men who are always watching us and I don't like that. Papa may have depended on his view in finishing anything. But, I hope he doesn't interfere in our domestic affairs either, Pa."

The sky leaned back against his body on the sofa, he squinted his eyes at Almeer. "I feel like he's quicker to protect Sora than you are,"

"I'd also try better to protect my wife, Pa."

"Honestly, I doubt you. I can't fully entrust my daughter to you,"

"He's known Sora longer than I have not even known Sora for a year."

"Yes, that's true ...." The sky raised its brows for a moment observing the hue of the face of his son-in-law who was looking at him without hesitation.

"Please allow me to fight with my own ability to protect and make Sora happy."

The sky leaned forward. "what if you can't do it?" ask Sky.

"I believe I can do it" replied Almeer.

"I'll take him back if—"

"I'm not gonna let that happen, Pa!" cut Almeer, "marriage is not a promise I make between people, but I involve God in it. No matter how difficult it is, I will try to defend our household. That is my promise .., my highest promise to God, Pa."

The sky chuckled and held back his bitter laughter, "it looks like it's going to be a hard thing for you."

"God willing, adversity will bow down to whoever does not stop fighting, Pa."

The sky did not give an answer for long enough and just continued to look at Almeer.

"Pa, I beg .., give me confidence and I will prove if I am worthy to be a priest of Kianga Sora" urged Almeer again.

The sky took a deep breath, he straightened his body and clucked in annoyance, "Alright, this time I'm going along with you!"

"Goddessa ...,"

- Connected

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