Animal Sacrifice For Mother
19. The Content of the Letter
“Inaq feels bad if you have to wake you up. You look tired. After helping Inaq tie the kale you picked up in the river, Inaq heard you play guitar all night. So, today Inaq left for the market alone.”
Brother Arif is down. Inaq's right. Arif is tired. The ambition to win a music festival in a provincial city required him to train harder. In fact, he played the guitar until the crow rooster sounded preached in the morning. And he could only sleep shortly after the dawn prayer.
“Tadi Inaq met the mother who came to buy kale with her daughter the other day. He's looking for you.”
“Cannot be. Arif is always looking for her. Five days in a row. But, he never came again. And now, when Inaq went to the market without Arif, he suddenly came looking for Arif?”
Brother Arif laughed. Can't believe. Such stories exist only in Indonesian soap operas.
“He wants you to save this.”
Brother Arif looked over. Take a small envelope from Inaq's hand. Back and forth. Unopened. Inaq gulped. Remember the conversation in the market.
“I've been here before. I came with my daughter. That day, my son ate very well. In the last two months, he has never eaten that meal. He likes kale mom.”
Inaq. Baffled. He tried to remember the woman in front of him. Many mothers have come to buy kale with their daughters. Niente. Inaq does not remember. The confusion of Inaq increased. Mother looks sad. Lips vibrate. Eyes glazed. He didn't touch a kale at all. Then what was the purpose of coming here? Was there any mistake Inaq made? Or brother Arif?
“My husband and I have tried everything possible. We also took him abroad for treatment. But his condition did not improve. Maybe at that time, my mother thought that my son was healthy. To be honest, the doctor has sentenced my child's age to not be long. And we do whatever it takes to keep him happy.”
Whether you realize it or not. The woman buried her face in Inaq's arms. She cried. Inaq. Now he remembers. What a pretty girl. Until brother Arif continued to imagine the beautiful face of the hooded girl all night.
“Mother, wherever the mother's child is today. Please, please give this letter to him. Diana wrote it in the hospital. Just before he had his heart surgery. And this letter becomes my son's last will.”
The woman let go of her embrace. Sipping tears with your palm. Trying to smile. Inaq gulped. His hands trembled as he received the letter written by the pretty hooded girl, for his eldest son. Arifs. One or two people look. Their faces looked like they were holding questions. What the hell is going on? But not trying to be sure. They continue their activities.
***
Erg, I'm being honest. But first you have to promise, don't laugh at me. Here, where's your little finger? Twing. You promised. You know, until the second I write this, I can't forget your smile. In my eyes, you look so handsome.
If only God had kindly given me the chance to live one more time. I'll come see you, ask your name. But if God prefers to take me, I don't know. I just wish you'd keep my face in your memory.
Oh, I almost forgot. Today I was waiting for surgery. There's a deformity in my heart. From the beginning I knew I was not long. The doctor himself conveyed it to the mother. Now I'm resigned. I do not want to continue to burden my father and mother with a disease that is rooted in my heart.
Once more. If God prefers to take me, I want handsome young men to do one thing for me. Keep my face in your memory. I will always bring your smile with me.
Diana
***
Brother Arif is silent. Hands shaking. Soon he folded the letter back and put it in an envelope. He doesn't believe. At that time, was a year of introduction to Diana, also their pledge to jointly try to unite the hearts that were once separated was a dream when asleep in a tired state? Is this really real, not just a fictitious Indonesian soap opera?
From that day on, five days in a row he hoped to meet again with the beautiful hooded girl who once visited. Diana never came. And now. He was absent for a day to the market. He gets a letter that forces his heart to beat faster. Like a snowball. Arif's worries are rolled up. Growing. Cornered.
“In addition to this letter, what did Diana's mother say to Inaq? Where is Diana now? Arif should see him soon.”
Brother Arif is rising. Approaching Inaq. He wanted to ensure Diana's condition after heart surgery. He promised to tell me everything. About his name, about his big ambitions, also about the face that always seemed to be in his mind for five days in a row since their first meeting.
Inaq could not answer Arif's question. This is the first time Arif has been interested in approaching a girl. He would have been devastated if he had known the truth about Diana's passing.
***
