ANINDITA, A Tale of the Past

Jockeying Pay

Ricky flicked his blazer as he felt his phone vibrate from the inner pocket of the blazer he was wearing. Ricky knitted his eyebrows together when he saw the name of his mother Rama who sent a message to his cell phone. Ricky accidentally gave Anindita contact name as Mama Rama He then opened the contents of the message from Anindita.

" Assalamualaikum, I'm sorry to interrupt Mr. time. I just want to ask, did you have time to save the phone number Koh Leo, my former boss in Malang? If you keep it, can I ask for the number? Thank you, Mister. Thanks again, sorry for interrupting."

Ricky called Anindita's number. But his call was not raised by Anindita. He tried to contact the mother of his son back, but again Anindita did not also pick up her phone call. Finally Ricky chose to reply to a message from Anindita through chat.

" Waalaikumsalam, Miss. I did save Mr. Leo's number, later I try to find Mr. Leo's mobile number again."

" Oh, thank you, sir. Assalamualaikum." It did not take long a reply chat from Anindita into his phone. Ricky smiled immediately as he shook his head. It seemed to Anindita that her figure was still very frightening for the woman.

" Is Miss Anin still afraid of me not wanting to pick up my phone call?" Ricky accidentally sends the message to Anindita.

Ricky sees a reserved blue checkmark that he sends a sign that Anindita has read the message he sent. After waiting for a while, Anindita chose not to return the message, making Ricky again to smile while raising his shoulders.

***

Anindita offers a cup of coffee in front of Arya. Then he sat his body next to Arya.

" Well, I'd like to ask Mas Arya for one request?" Actually Anindita was a bit hesitant to ask that.

" Don't just one, you ask me all I'll love you, okay." Arya jokingly answered Anindita's question.

" I'm serious ...."

" What do you think I was joking about?" Arya grabbed the coffee cup Anindita had prepared for her earlier then took a slow sip.

" What do you want?" continue then.

" I want to go to Malang."

" To Malang? What's in Malang?"

" I want to meet the family of the man who used to support me when I was pregnant with Rama."

" Oh, your boss was that?"

" Yes, Mas. Two years I could not communicate with them because the time to get to Jakarta my HP is gone and I have not had a chance to go there. I want them to come when we get married. They were there when I was difficult. I also want them to be there on my happy day." Anindita explains her one wish to Arya.

" I asked Mr. Ricky for Koh Leo's phone number because he told me he had met and saved Koh Leo's phone number, but when I called his number it seemed to be off. So I'd like to go straight to them and tell them our wedding."

Arya put back the cup containing coffee that she had already drunk half of it.

" I don't want to grant your wish, Nin. But we're getting married soon. Parents say do not travel far for the bride and groom ahead of the wedding. It's just a myth but we still have to take care for our safety and security so that nothing happens before the wedding day. But I promise you after we get married, I'll take you to meet them." Arya glanced at Anindita who looked disappointed.

" You're not angry, are you, if I can't grant your request right now?" ask Arya later.

" Well, how else?" Anindita spread her shoulders and was forced to accept Aryan's reasonable reasoning.

***

Anindita shook her head at Ramadan who was visibly excited to put some food into the trolley she was sitting on.

" Rama, how much to take, son? Why buy so much? Buy enough later if we run out we'll be able to buy again." Anindita tried to advise her son.

" But Rama wants everything, Ma." Ramadan whining.

" Rama, Mama doesn't want you to be wasteful. Must learn to skimp from childhood."

" Save what, Ma?"

" Save is being wise in spending money. We should not spend money on things that are not useful. Like Rama today, buy a lot of food. At home 'that's given the same Om Ricky there's still plenty of food, son."

" Rama wait here, yeah! Mama's gonna get Rama some milk." Anindita then leaves Ramadhan still sitting on the trolley. He's looking for growth milk for Ramadan.

Anindita raises her heel on tiptoes to reach the formula milk box for Ramadan but has a bit of difficulty because the box is a bit inside until she snorts. Anindita tried to reach again but suddenly a burly hand grabbed the box until Anindita gasped in shock and retreated backwards making her back hit the chest of the person who took the formula box.

" Eh, sorry ..." Anindita hurriedly looked back. " T-lord?" Anindita quickly distanced her body from Ricky, who apparently took the milk box.

" It was for Rama, right? How many boxes?" Ricky took three boxes of formula eight hundred grams and handed it to Anindita.

" Three is enough?" asked Ricky thrust the three boxes while giving a smile.

" One, thank you." Anindita takes one box of formula and then leaves Ricky. Anindita still feels uncomfortable if she is close to the father of her child.

" Rama no longer bought anything, right? We're paying for the groceries now." Anindita then pushed her shopping trolley towards the cashier.

" Everything is five hundred and ninety-six thousand two hundred and fifty rupiah, ma'am." The cashier who served Anindita mentioned the amount of money Anindita had to pay.

" Oh yeah, a minute." Anindita immediately took the money to pay for the groceries.

" Just use this, Mother." Suddenly Ricky's voice sounded while thrusting a debit card towards the cashier.

Ramadhan who had come down from the trolley and was engrossed in ice cream immediately turned his head when he heard a familiar voice in his ears.

" Om Ricky ..." shouted Ramadhan greeting Ricky.

" Hi, Rama ..." Ricky then said hello. " Rama Temenin Mama shopping, huh?"

" Yes, Om .." said Ramadan.

While Anindita immediately put on a frowning face when she had to meet back with Ricky. Moreover, Ricky now thrust his debit card to pay for what Anindita bought.

" I'm using cash, Ma'am." Anindita hastily thrust out six hundred thousand pieces of money rejecting the payment made by Ricky.

" Just use my card, Ma'am." Ricky insisted on asking the cashier to obey his orders.

" No! Just use my money." Anindita put her money back near the cashier.

" Miss, let me pay. It's a lot of need for Rama, right?"

" No need, Sir. I still have money to buy Rama's needs" Anindita refused.

" But, Miss ...."

" Woy, over, dong! The queue behind the long one! Even arguing!" The voice of a man was heard loudly reprimanding Anindita and Ricky who were scrambling to pay.

" I'm sorry, so what do you want to pay for? Other consumers are in line." The cashier eventually asked Anindita and Ricky to choose the type of payment.

" Just use my card." Ricky takes Anindita's money and puts it in the pocket of the sweater Anindita wears.

" I'm sorry gentlemen, mothers for the inconvenience. As my apology, for the spending of father and mother in the trolley of father and mother, I will be responsible for the payment." Ricky's speech made the person who was grumbling behind immediately cheer with excitement. Unlike Anindita who immediately rolled her eyeballs in response to Ricky's attitude which he thought was too excessive.

*

*

*

Connect ...

Happy Re is a happy-go-lucky