Anila For Anala

CHAPTER 14 - FLASH BACK

Bismillah. Hopefully this can be a little bit of a relief.

Anila took a deep breath to fill her lungs. Expecting enough to smoothly tell stories, not choked because of holding back pain.

"People may have a lot of good memories of Ramadan, but I don't. It feels unfair, comparing the two to a dozen times before. Yes, only twice I tasted the bitterness of Ramadan. But that's enough to make me yes .. not as exciting as people, lah." Anila sounded very carefully choosing the word.

Maliq faithfully listened without interruption.

"Either the mistress of prayer or even the examiner of patience, but both are equally heavy for me, Mal. I whose faith is still so good it feels like I'm beaten back."

Maliq dissolved in his own thoughts, but did not dare to ask further. She was well aware, Anila still needed a lot of time to be able to open up more.

"Yes, already. What matters is that everyone has passed. Now we're here. Kan, you are the one who taught me to always be grateful for this moment. We'll enjoy today, yeah." Maliq tried to entertain. "Eh, it's azan. Get ready for dawn prayers, yuk!" bring Maliq.

"Okay, I'm closing, yeah. Thanks for waking up and nemenin sahur."

"Never mind .. Assalamualaikum." With a heavy heart Maliq hung up the phone. Hope Anila is strong to face today.

...***...

It turned out that opening a wound that was still wet wastes a lot of energy. Moreover, Anila was unable to close her eyes for a second from night.

Getting down and down overnight made him tired. Anila decided not to enter the office today. Stay in the apartment, do deep cleaning as a way of healing. Demi can restore her mood.

Anila took out the whole thing from inside the drawers, cabinets, and shelves. It will be rearranged. Throw away things that are no longer needed. Re-fold clothes in the same size. Organize by type and color. Recompose books by size. Throw away some of the payment proof papers and unused documents.

This method was most effective during the last five years of his escape. Diversion of energy and attention. Not just to be disappointed and sad.

A small notebook fell between the piles of items. Anila picked up the synthetic leather-bound book. Reluctantly, Anila finally opened a book that read, 'Ristanila-style Recipe Group.' Anila remembered she once fought so hard to win.

...***...

"If Ranala, anyway, I like it, yes," Viona explained across the phone.

"Fish soup?" terka Anila's.

"You can try, I, I've never, ever been that masakin."

It's good to try. Anila had started to desperately ask Ranala. Always answered, "Terusah ... anything .. free". However, not a single food menu can make it greedy even added. His expression was flat. Finally, Anila ventured to ask Viona, Ranala's best friend.

After Anila found the recipe, Anila wrote it down in her little notebook. Books that are easy to carry everywhere. It's also a mess. Some recipes are crossed out and corrected after practice. It turns out that not every recipe can be imitated exactly the same. There is always improvisation according to the taste of the person who cooks it himself.

Initially difficult, Anila did not even know the physical difference between ginger and galangal. Moreover, the difference in its usefulness.

Anila bought the whole kitchen spice. Ginger, galangal, turmeric, kencur, coriander, pepper, nutmeg. Then taste them one by one. So that when cooking later he can guess what needs to be added to a dominance of taste.

It works? Surely it's not that easy. Fish that are still fishy, chicken that still has blood on the inside, bitter taste because garlic is not yet ripe, and there are still many failures that force Anila to spend her own food. Instead of being thrown away, he thought.

Learning from many mistakes, Anila began to be able and used to it. Anila has Ranala's favorite recipe, chicken curry. The first time Anila got compliments about her cooking.

"Hemm, yummy, here. Recipe from where? Like Viona's cooking," asked Ranala when tasting curry sauce. Ranala memorized, that Anila diligently tried recipes from various sources.

It cannot be denied, this time the recipe is one of them because of leaks from Viona. There is a sense of pleasure in successfully making food that Ranala likes, but there is one side of Anila's heart that feels .. jealousy?

As much as Anila's energy denied the taste. He must trust Ranala. And Viona? She was not the type of naughty woman who liked to flirt with people's husbands. Anila can feel it, she's a good person.

Until then came. Break the fast together at Mami Ranala's house. Anila volunteered to cook, and of course Mami agreed.

Surabaya Rawon. Food from Anila's hometown. Anila took a big risk. Cooking East Javanese food for Sundanese. Recipe from Grandma passed down to Mother. Mother who assures that this recipe never fails.

"Eh, Papi ... Papi likes rawon, doesn't he?"

"Like, dong. Papi, right, long time studying in Surabaya. Stay at your grandfather's house with Dad. If not rawon, yes the food. Kangen Papi is the same as Surabaya cuisine."

"May the rawon be in line with Papi's expectations, yes," Anila said as she rummaged through the fine seasoning that had been put in the pot.

Teak dining table with eight seats. Five of them have been occupied. Papi at the end. Mami and Ranala face each other. While Anila beside Ranala was opposite Anna, Ranala's younger sister.

Anila serves rawon complete with salted eggs, small bean sprouts, and emping as a complement.

Mami arranged a table with six placemats or platters. Anila wondered who the guests would be. Until the bell rang, as if answering Anila's question.

"Let's go Mami." Mami got up from her seat and opened the door.

"Assalamualaikum," said the female voice.

"Wa'alaikumsalam, finally the geulis came too. Kirain will not come. Boro Mami was disappointed."

"Come, dong, Mi. The road is jammed very fast iftar hours," explained the voice of women on the terrace. "Oh, yeah. Here, Viona didn't bring anything. Just bring Mami's favorite pepes."

The deg! Viona's? Viona was invited too? I thought, this is just a family event. The new facts surprised Anila. It turns out that Viona is not only close to Mas Rana, but also Ranala's family.

Anila and Anna compactly stood up to welcome Viona. Not with Adrian. Without greeting Viona, Adrian stood up from his seat and entered the room. Ranala, as usual. Ranala was less expressive indeed, so it was a bit difficult to guess her thoughts. Just the occasional smile while staring at Viona.

"Na, move!" Mami nudged Anna who was unmoved in her seat. Gesture Anna to give Viona her seat. Anna briefly chipped and switched next to Anila after Anila patted the chair beside her.

"Pi, it's azan. Open, yuk," call Anila while knocking on Papi Adrian's room door.

"Yes, son."

Everyone eats in silence. Enjoy the food menu provided. Papi devour eating rawon made by Anila. While Mami who is native Sundanese prefer pepes fish brought Viona.

"Any, the sauce is an item," Mami refused.

Anila is familiar with common people's comments about rawon. So there's no heartache. The most important thing is Ranala wants to taste it. Ranala likes it, even though the rawon is stuffed with fish pepes. It's good, huh, it's mixed up?

"Pi, Mi, Viona said yes."

"Well, straight home?" ask Mami.

"Yes, let's not be lazy. Thanks for the invitation." Viona kissed the back of Mami's hand that was stuck out. Mami replies by kissing Viona's forehead.

Viona turns to the front of Papi taking Papi's hand which does not also extend. Showing her dislike for Viona. Clearly, Papi did not invite him to speak.

"Rana, take Viona forward," orders Mami.

Ranala tailed behind Viona towards the front door. Spontaneous Anila aligned her path beside Ranala. Come take Viona. Anila felt it was natural that she would not let her husband be alone with the opposite sex, even if it was a friend.

"I'm home, yes," said Viona.

Anila drew closer to Viona. A little tiptoe offset Viona's height, especially when she was wearing high heels. Anila put her cheek on Viona's cheek.

"Be careful, yes, Tea," Anila's message replied in a nod.

Anila turned her back to Viona, facing Ranala who was standing behind them. Tall Anila who was only Ranala's neck, caught something from the tip of her eye.

Ranala was making a gesture to Viona through the view above Anila's head. Noiseless gestures, only gestures that read unintentionally, "Later I'll call."