An Asa
01
The sun began to rise to the west, showing a very charming orange color for all who looked at it. The sound of the Prophet's prayer was heard from the mosque's speakers, but no children went home. They are still engrossed in playing the ball, boisterous sounds of each other ending with a shout of a goal shortly after the ball entered the opponent's goal.
“Adaaam .. home!” shouted a mother carrying a broomstick.
“Before, Ma ... nanggung, immediately again won a landslide my team,” said the boy named Adam.
“Go home!” the mother walked to the middle of the field, smacking a broomstick onto her ten-year-old son. Bu Tuti's treatment certainly made other children disperse.
“Ouch! Sorry, Ma ... Forgive me!” Adam tried to avoid.
Bu Tuti was really anxious, he pulled his son's ear and said, “Mama has told you not to maen the child, but you are still playing with him.”
“But Asa is a good striker, Ma, in our village there is no one else as good as him. Look at it, he scored two goals,” explained Adam defending his friends.
“His father's mother is not real, her son must also follow not really do not be in a hurry anyway.”
Asa who heard it immediately lowered her head. Not only Bu Tuti, but almost all parents of his friends forbid their children to play with Asa. What's wrong Asa until ostracized like this. Sometimes the question is always Asa asked the Mbah, but instead of answering Mbah Sumi actually gave advice so that Asa is always patient and does not put all the words into the heart.
Asa lived in a village on the outskirts of the city, with the population could be counted fingers not up to a hundred heads of families. The house there is far from the word luxury even there are only two houses that can be said to be luxurious.
Rumah Mbah Sumi is not luxurious. Only made of wood with woven bamboo walls, fenced living hibiscus flowers that thrive. There are no solid walls of brick, nor are the floors shiny from marble or granite. It's really simple.
Asa lives with her grandmother whom she calls Mbah Sumi, since her parents decided to divorce. Asa who was only one year old was entrusted to the Mbah by her mother.
Little Asa grew up only with the affection of Mbah Sumi, no affection of father or mother. Sometimes Asa envies her friends when Kindergarten and SD, if the day of the raport collection arrives she is only accompanied by Mbah Sumi and her sister.
His mother did not come home often to see Asa, one year only once the mother came. That is, during the Eid al-Fitr holiday only. His mother always reasoned that he worked, and did not have much time off. Maybe Asa did not understand, but now he is ten years old of course he understands and questions what work his mother does to not have much time off.
When Asa was two years old, her mother came with a son, now called Arka. From there the beginning of the grapevine is created. Until the time Asa entered Kindergarten neighbors began to prohibit their children to befriend Asa. Many say that Asa's mother sells services and Arka is the child of these services.
Mbah Sumi did not stay silent, he certainly never asked because he could not bear to hear the words of people just his son who never wanted to answer. Asa's mother only confirmed that Arka was her son, she said she had been married and was now divorced again.
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When entering the fence Arka came from the inside direction that was neat with a holster and his cocktail shirt did not forget the peci that was slightly slanted.
“Abang just got home? Where's play? Mbah nyariin from earlier,” Arka asked.
“Regular in the field near the mosque, Dek,” Asa replied while confirming his sister's peci.
“Udah there shower, keep following me to the mosque, Bang.”
“ Yes, Deck ...”
Asa began to walk into the house while Arka had run to the mosque, Arka always came the earliest. He will help Mr. Syafi’i as a cleaning officer to sweep and mop the floor, sweep the mosque yard and water the plants.
Sometimes Asa could not bear to see Arka who was always called an illegitimate child by the people around, once Asa hit her sister's playmates for insulting Arka and the whole family including Mbah Sumi.
Asa never hated Arka although the origin of Arka was always questioned, she only believed that Arka was her sister from a different father. Asa loved Arka very much, because Arka herself was a good child. He always said he wanted to be useful to everyone even though he was hated because of his origin.
One night Asa heard a sobbing from Arka's bed, the curious Asa immediately looked down and it was true Arka was crying. Asa who could not help but go down to calm her sister, Arka let out all her sadness. He asked who his son was? Why is he always called an illegitimate child? Why is everyone excommunicating him? Even Arka once asked where the mother was? She misses mom very much. Asa was confused what to answer, because the question was always in Asa's mind.
Asa also misses her mother. I don't know when her mother will be back. It's been three years that her mother hasn't come home, no word, no phone calls or text messages. Even when Mbah Sumi complied with Arka's wish the other day to call her mother, her mobile number was off.
They sleep in one room only in different beds. Asa slept in the top bed while Arka slept in the bottom bed. Not without reason Asa chose the top bed, he did not want Arka why-why. With Arka's sleeping style that can not be silent, she often falls. If Arka sleeps on top can be imagined when he sleeps and falls Arka will immediately break a bone or bruise.
Arka was always diligent in prayer, diligent in teaching, in class he was champion one. He always said he wanted to boast of his mother and Mbah Sumi Different from Asa who entered the top ten was Alhamdulillah.
When Asa was wearing a sarong sounding muezin child mawatkan azan Magrib, he smiled because who else if not his sister Arkanendra Indrayan. He took a peci and kissed Mbah Sumi's hand and ran towards the mosque.
Asa and Arka promised Mbah Sumi will always love each other, protect each other, take care of each other, help each other, remind each other, complement each other and will not leave each other. Because in this world they are only two who else if not Asa who will help Arka, and vice versa.
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