Arumi Sekar

bude's emotionally draining story

"sorry budhe, where does Irma work?".

I asked my heart, because this early, mbak Irma was also not home, last time our yard passed, mbak Irma out of the house shortly after her husband left for work, Irma said, the makeup is neat and fragrant, like an office lady.

"Irma Ndak nduk work, but every day his work is wandering somewhere, every Huda go to work, surely Irma also immediately say somewhere, as if this house, budhemu has no meaning".

budhe spoke with glassy eyes.

"what do you mean by budhe, how does budhe say that budhe means nothing?" I looked at budhe in wonder.

before answering, budhe took a rough breath, laid down his body to spend time on a long, large sofa in the living room, as if he wanted to arrange himself to be more comfortable in expressing all his tastes.

"outside, maybe this family looks harmonious and good, but actually it has been destroyed and lost warmth let alone love by all its inhabitants.

I try to be a good listener, without daring to interrupt before budhe asks for an answer or just asks.

"Irma, he always behaved like he was still alone, and never wanted to touch the homework, his work was just grooming, dolan, and ordered, every day he would go out somewhere after Huda left for work, and in the afternoon before her husband wanted to go home, Irma just returned home, even though she just watched television and play hape, her husband's needs, she was like no care at all, so budhe who would not want to prepare it, ranging from cooking, nyuci, strika, even provide his coffee.

often they quarrel around the problem that's all, sometimes budhe claustrophobic himself hear it, what else now Irma is pregnant, her work if not the candidate yes shopping". budhe talk with a sad look, I think, I'm happy, I'm not happy, I'm pregnant, I'm pregnant, his eyeballs seem to begin to condense, as he once did, should be able to enjoy his old age by spoiling with children and grandchildren.

"then what about Rini and Rere budhe?".

I ventured to ask, because Rini is still in fourth grade elementary school, while Rere is still kindergarten, if Irma is ignorant and acting stupid, how about Rini and Rere?

"Rini same Rere school is delivered to pick up your father, if Rini is big, so it's just a shuttle, while Rere, your father who always waits at his school, and if they go home from school, so just pick up a little bit, they play at home, and Alhamdulillah, Rini and Rere children who are obedient and not neko neko".

I just fell silent to listen to all the words of budhe, so strong that Irma gave everything to her parents.

"Irma is cheating" said budhe lirih, and he began sobbing.

"budhe" I clasped her hand to try to give her strength, though honestly, I was confused how to behave.

"many things that make budhe must remain strong, although honestly budhe sometimes feel tired by the circumstances, with you in this house, budhe hope, the presence of Sekar next to budhe can treat the feeling of budhe longing in the figure of the girl that budhe dreams of".

budhe spoke sobbing, it was clear how tired his soul and body had been and the severity of it all could only be a quiet budhe alone.

"budhe, from now on, Sekar will try to be able to help and relieve all the tasks of the budhe in this house, for the affairs of several houses, just leave it to Sekar, enough budhe, enough, just sit sweet while drinking tea".

budhe smiled and took me in her arms, it felt as comfortable as when my mother was holding me, aaah I so miss mom, what is mom doing now?

as time went on, I had almost a month living in this luxurious house, my daily life with just that, waking up early, to boil water for a bath and prepare breakfast, shower and go to school, go home to school continue some house, iron until the afternoon, then continue with sweeping and mopping, hbs isya, so an impromptu tutoring teacher for Rini and Rere, like that every day, tired of course yes, but the faces of mother and Lina always strengthen me to stay strong and good.

on Sunday I plan to go home to see my mother, plan to take the bus alone, because I also can not ride montor, when I want to get ready to go home, budhe handed me an envelope and a large bag of crackles filled with basic food, and not just budhe, but Irma also gave a red sheet of four to be deposited with her mother, there is a sense of haru with the goodness of the budhe family, although Irma was cuek but also seemed very concerned with mother.

"thank you budhe, mbak Irma, later Sekar will tell mother, must be very happy mother, thank you".

I cried until I was no longer able to say any more words.

budhe hugged me, rubbing my head wrapped in a hijab.

"salam same mother and Rina yes, it will be right to the terminal to be escorted by Huda, because if the angkot ride must oper oper".

"ngggih budhe" I replied politely.

it only took an hour and a half to get to my mother's house, when he got to the front of the house, the house looked quiet and the door was closed, when he opened the door, it turned out that the door was not locked, I went straight in and went to my mother's room, but there was no mother or Rina empty, when I wanted to step into the kitchen, I heard a sobbing sound, and it turned out that my mother was crying by hugging Rina.

"asalamualaikum Ma'am". I said softly, with all my might I held back this cry, I must be strong, so that mother and Rina would not be sadder, but with all my might, I also had to pretend not to know with their tears, let me later on I will ask Rina or mother with what happened.

"waalaikumsallm, sekaar.". mother and Rina wiped her tears with the tip of the shirt, before answering her greetings and turning towards me, it seemed like they wanted to hide something.

"what's the same mother as Rina in the kitchen?"

"that's another rat on the desk, a lot of mice, isn't it rin?" and Rina nodded weakly.

"Rin, take a bowl of equal spoons, this is mbak hawa Adi buy meatballs equal ice mixed, yuk we eat together, hot gini must be delicious".

it seemed that mother and Rina were excited that there was a happy twinkle on their shady faces, understandably, for the size of a poor person like us, meatballs were a luxury food that we could rarely afford, he said, and today I can buy it for my mother and sister from my first salary from the final mas, yes the final mas give me a salary, because I diligently help and relieve budhe work, the final mas said , if he would give me an allowance of four hundred thousand every month, but I consider it a salary, hehehe.

after finishing finishing the meatballs and ice mixed, I asked about why mom and Rina were crying earlier, and the answer from Rina was able to make me feel very guilty, they were crying because from yesterday had not eaten, because from yesterday, I have no money at all, and no one wants to give me a debt, for fear that I cannot afford it.

astagfirulloh, it hurts so much, my mother and sister are crying from hunger, I promise I will continue to fight hard so that I can bring my sister's mother to live a more decent life.

I give up money from the budhe, the draw of Irma and also the money from the final mas if in total there are one million and two hundred, and I only leave fifty thousand for the handle, and I only leave fifty thousand for the handle, and fifty thousand more for the return cost to the budhe house.