Asta Brata: Kartika
"Help me. Please keep this baby for me!"
From my grandmother in 2013
For Ismaya in 2023
Happy 17th Birthday Ismaya (grandmother writing on New Year's Eve, when you are 7 years old. My grandmother is now 50 years old. So young is this )
Ismaya, you need to know. That time, the night of the new year in 2006, someone knocked on my grandfather's door. Grandfather who was sitting in the living room with his cigarette, chose to open the door. Grandma who was sitting with Grandpa also got up. When the door opened, a man in a suit had appeared. The man was carrying a very cute baby boy. The baby sleeps very well Do you know what the man did? The man held the sweet baby.
"Help me. Please take care of this baby for me!" The man's ink is weak. Seems tired from running.
With trembling hands, the man held out the tiny and sweet baby. With mixed feelings, the grandmother accepted the baby.
"Please take care of the baby, until the moment I'm ready to take it back." The man held out an envelope. After grandfather received the baby, gunshots rang out in the distance. The man immediately ran away. Grandpa quickly led grandma into the house, then locked the door tightly. Grandpa took Grandma to the room. Then put the sweet baby on the bed. The baby is still asleep. Her tiny eyes were tightly shut.
Grandpa immediately opened the envelope which turned out to be a sum of cash. A piece of paper was also attached there. Grandpa read the paper which turned out to be your name, Ismaya Putra Diwangga and a date that grandmother guessed was the birth date of the baby, January 1, 2006. Grandma was shocked when she found out that the tiny baby had just been born into the world.
After a long time of conferring with grandfather, we both chose to babysit a very worrisome little Ismaya. Armed with a considerable amount of cash from the man, we, a couple of husband and wife, babysitting who over time grew into a handsome and sweet figure.
Ismaya is always obedient when ordered. Ismaya is not ashamed of her poor grandparents. And, Ismaya who was always smiling cheerfully.
Seven years passed, and you started entering the world of elementary school. Our lives are fine, until someone comes along. The man claimed to be a messenger from the man he said was the father of a baby seven years ago. Your father, Ismaya. The man asked where you were going to go to school. The man ended up giving him a lot of cash. He said to celebrate our family life. The man even left a lot of pocket money for you. Even for later years, money from the man who claimed to be your father supported our lives.
The man also said, when your age is enough, you should look for the figure of the man. The man named Diwangga, your father.
And I think, at seventeen years of age, you deserve to know. Forgive the old grandma for hiding this. Grandma was just waiting for the right time.
A grandmother's message. Your father is a good man. So don't hesitate to look for it.
The World of Ismaya.
Grandmom.
Ismaya folded the letter. His eyes looked far away. Dad, huh? Fathers..... Ismaya had not known the father figure. Does he have to know that figure now? A figure that people think is a hero. But where is Ismaya's father's heroism. The man even gave his baby to a couple of husband and wife. Who have no children. Where is Ismaya's father's heroism? The man who only dared to send another man to give pocket money and the like. Where is Ismaya's father's heroism? When his son cried he lost his world. When his son fell. When his son is in the worst phase.
Not once did the hero appear. Wh why? Why is his father always hiding? Why didn't his father meet him?
Ismaya doesn't want daddy. He wants Grandpa and Grandma back.
Ismaya breathed. He suddenly remembered something. Ismaya took her phone and typed a message for someone. Re-read the message he sent, then turn off the phone again.
Now, all Ismaya needs is calm. Ismaya laid her body in the middle. Bodo is all about Gaby. That girl's been so busy since last night. Even when Grandma was buried at seven, Gaby was also very busy. Maybe the girl is receiving a condolence guest. Let it. All Ismaya needs right now is one's calmness and presence.
...****************...
Gaby checked her watch. It's ten over a quarter. And that guy hasn't come yet. The deal was at ten. That guy was even stalling.
The atmosphere of the streets is currently crowded. People enjoy the day off school. Two days later, school starts again. And, to be honest, Gaby couldn't enjoy her school days at all. His eyes found a man walking towards him. The guy with the hood hodie covered his head. The guy stopped while standing in front of Gaby. Then open the hood of his hood.
"Why?" Ask the guy. At half-ten, the girl in front of him told him to come. Must come. Lazily, the handsome guy finally came.
"Lo was fifteen minutes late" said Gaby coldly. The guy in front of him even turned a lazy eyeball.
"Yes. What do you want to call me?" Ask the guy
"Lo said what?" Repeat that guy.
"Ismaya's grandmother is dead, you son of a bitch" Gaby said with her swearing.
The guy nodded. Then stared at Gaby intensely. "Lo's got the guy's heart, right?" Ask the guy. Gaby snorting.
"It's not my job, dog," Gaby annoyed.
"Cirain. The guy is a bit handsome. Fit in, same lo," said the man. Gaby looked at the guy flat.
"Lo last night, what did Ismaya say?" Ask Gaby flat. His eyes stared hard. Make the guy in front of her grimace. He's insinuated 'well, get caught'. Though this guy had already secretly come to Ismaya when Gaby left. Though he runs into Gaby and the girl just doesn't look at him. Why does Gaby know?
"Gue's just saying you're beautiful, really," the guy grinned. But Gaby still stared at him flatly.
"Originally you know, Ismaya seems to have known that I kept it in her closet. I don't want him to suspect me. But if you wreck my plan, fail my mission. And you know what's going to happen," said Gaby flat and then turned to leave the guy who is now staring at Gaby's back upset.
"Udah is coming, left alone!" His grunts then put on his hood again while walking in the opposite direction to Gaby.
...****************...
"grandmother.... Grandpa.....," cried a small child from a distance. A middle-aged couple sitting together look at each other.
"grandmother.....Grandfather..," call the little boy who has now entered the house. His face was red and his eyes held back tears. Tears were clearly visible in her eyes. But he tried to hold her back from getting out.
"Isma why?" The grandmother asked as the boy advanced and hid his face in the woman's thigh. His hands gently caressed the head of an eight-year-old boy.
The boy shook his head. Still putting a face on her grandmother's thigh. The grandmother turned to the grandfather who was staring at their grandson in confusion. But the middle-aged man also shook his head not knowing.
"Isma why? Dong's story is the same grandmother," persuaded the old woman.
The little boy finally looked up. Look at my grandmother with a sad face. "Say friends, Isma is ugly because she doesn't have a father and mother. They say Isma's a bad boy. I can't play with Isma. If playing with Isma later follow does not have a father with a mother," said the boy. Grandpa and Grandma were confused.
"Kan Isma has Grandpa with Grandma" said his Grandpa. He smiled making his already wrinkled eyes narrow.
"If anyone says so, Isma says 'Isma has a super-grandfather. Grandpa can lift eight kilos. Great, right, Isma's grandfather," said the man.
Ismaya started to smile. "Say also Isma has a grandmother whose rendang dishes are the most delicious," Grandma chimed. Ismaya now smiled broadly.
"That means Isma has a Grandpa with a super dong grandmother," she exasperated. The boy then went outside the house. Show off to all her friends if she has great grandparents.
Ismaya opened her eyes. Although she tried to sleep, the shadow after shadow of the memories of the past with her grandparents kept on spinning. His attempts to sleep failed. Ismaya tried to sit down. He took his phone. Look at the clock that's been eleven o'clock in the evening. Ismaya breathed. He opened his chat to Kartika this afternoon.
Me : Grandma died, Kartika
I hope you come
Kartika just read the message. Not reply. Not coming either. Ismaya massaged her temple which felt dizzy. I don't know why he's still thinking about Kartika. That girl hurt him a lot. But, the pain that Kartika gave, was still inferior to the affection that Ismaya had.
...****************...
