Be aground

Choices

The atmosphere of the room felt so quiet after the mother fell asleep again. Maybe because of the effects of the drug, the mother so easily fell asleep. I felt stranded on the other side of the earth, because there was no sound heard in this room other than the sound of mother's breath. Silent. As if time had stopped.

It never crossed my mind that I would spend time in the hospital, seeing my mother lying weak as she is today. The mother I've known has always been in top shape, rarely sick. Until now I still do not believe the fact that the mother was diagnosed with advanced uterine cancer.

I saw my mother's sleeping face. So serene. There was no pain visible on his face. If it's like this, I'm really optimistic for mother's recovery. A strong female mother, I know that you will not give up on fate.

I remember when I lost the spirit to live the day after my father's departure. Mother said, "our life will no longer be the same as it was when you were there. Maybe later it will taste bitter, we just assume that we are enjoying coffee. Coffee though bitter, it gives new energy to us."

So, whenever I feel down in my life, I always remember my mother's message. Every problem that comes, I take it like a spoonful of coffee, I take it and enjoy it. Sounds a little strange indeed. But that's how mom taught me not to complain easily.

"The more bitter the coffee you drink, the more energy it produces." Mother's message always rings whenever I start to lose my spirit.

I don't know what bit of coffee I'm going to brew this time. Maybe I'll need a creamer to dampen his bitter taste. Speaking of creamers, I think Arjun was sent by God to balance the bitter taste on my coffee.

I became smiling to myself when Arjun's face suddenly appeared in my memory. I put the cell phone in the bag, wanted to ask the guy. I haven't given it a day. What is he doing now.

There are some messages coming in. One of them is from Arjun. It turned out that our frequency was a good match, when I thought of Arjun, at the same time he sent me a message.

Excited, I opened a message from Arjun. Ignoring other incoming messages.

11.00: [Just wanna say, hi. Have a nice day, Luv]

Oh my God. This is the child why it became this way after being made, my waves in my heart. However, I can not deny, there is a little warmth enveloping the heart when reading a message from him.

12.30: [Sorry new bales, June. This again kesambet whatan use 'luv' all 🤣🤣 but thanks anyway] reply.

Unlike usual, this time Arjun did not reply to my message directly. Probably busy in his mini-recording studio.

I tried to check the other messages coming in, there was one unknown number. Curious, I tried to open a message from an unfamiliar number.

12.00: [Run, I will pick up the magrib, yes - Beni-]

It was from Beni's sister. There was actually a sense of laziness to retaliate, but I was also not at ease to ignore. However, Beni was kind enough to take me to the hospital. Maybe some people think of it as a mode, but at least he was willing to sacrifice his time breaking through the capital's bottleneck for me.

12.31: [I went home with uda Indra only, Brother. It's not good to be ngerepotin.] I replied with a subtle rejection.

My message was instantly read by Beni and within seconds, the reply appeared.

12.31: [Not bothered. Nyantai.]

12.31: [He-he well, Brother. Thank you, yes.] I finally agreed.

I was weak in refusing. Ordinary Arjun that I always use as a shield. If you remember, since long ago I was most comfortable when with Arjun. Only with Arjun can I be myself. Except at the time yesterday when I started to realize how happy I felt about her.

It's like there's telepathy. My message was answered by Arjun, [Against the sambet of Goddess Aphrodite, ha-ha.]

I chuckled at reading back from him.

13.00: [Ha-ha ga no arrow nuncep in jidat lo right?]

13.00: [Not in the eel, but in the heart, nih. Be ill. The power will heal if you return. 😂😂😂]

13.00: [O Allah, June. Ask in-ruqyah lo time huh? 🤣🤣] message from Arjun made me laugh amusedly, but I held back. I remember when I was in the hospital, Mom was sleeping. Don't let the sound of my laughter interfere with mother's rest.

13.00 : [Very cruel girl I 😭😭]

13.01 : [Salah ndiri likes same girl cruel🤣🤣]

13.01 : [Yes, I am wrong🙄🙄]

13.02: [So you've shot me?]

13.02: [Banget]

13.03 : [😩😩😩]

13.04 : [Nyesel why recently shot lo, why not from the first 🤣🤣]

I'm spinning without a sound. Arjun could be joking and I could also laugh with that crooked joke.

13.05: [Cock silent? Uh, tumben want balesin wa I fit the same schedule nyokap?]

Huft. There's a reality I can't shake. Maybe telling Arjun can let go of the tightness that from yesterday is still sitting in the corner of my heart.

13.07 : [Let me sick again, Jun 😩] only that sentence I was able to type after a few back and forth typing and deleting a row of letters on my phone screen.

13.09: [Later to see my story. Btw, how's your cover song? It's settled?] I switched the conversation.

13.09: [It's not quite right, the Riko is still a ngerecokin]

13.10: [So how did Riko ama the Leon develop?]

Long I waited for a reply from Arjun, his status still looks like typing.

13.15: [Kandas before sailing.]

13.16 : [Yes.] That's the only word I sent. Confused also what kind of reaction should be.

13.16: [Yes already, I want to continue managing the cover dl yes. Can't wait to see you]

13.16 :[Occ. Thanks, Jun.]

13.16: [Eh, what time is it back to Bandung tomorrow?]

13.17: [Not yet, tomorrow I will tell you.]

13.18: [Ok, see you]

If the problem I'm facing right now is a bitter cup of coffee, then Arjun is the creamer. Reduces the bitter taste of coffee, so I can enjoy.

***

At 17:00, the schedule for the second session of the hospital arrived. Maktuo came with uda Indra. Salute my mother's sister. The level of care for his sister is timeless. Often I see the relationship of brothers become tenuous when they have a family. Not infrequently also when their parents are gone, the brotherly relationship was broken.

"Have you eaten, son?" Ask me when I experienced it.

"Already, Maktuo."

"Less saleronyo eat, Uni. Sambanyo ndak lamak," (He is not so appetite. The food is not good) said mother.

"Help iyo indak lamak, food for the sake of the heart," (of course not delicious, food for the sick) said the maktuo to the mother.

"This is a meal for Runa. Eat, do not let you get sick, "maktuo orders to hand over the box of supplies from the favorite plastic equipment brands of women.

"Maktuo bothers." I welcome the box provided by Maktuo. As soon as it opened, the smell of spice-laden rendang tickled my smell.

I haven't enjoyed my rendang made in Maktuo in a long time. There seems to be no match. Maktuo still uses recipes inherited from grandmothers, where spices are used no less than thirty kinds. There are even some spices that are specially imported from our hometown in Bukittinggi.

Ok, we skip first discuss the legendary cuisine of this Minang. My stomach is screaming because of the stimulus from my nose. Time to pamper the stomach of students who rarely eat heavy condiment-laden dishes like this.

"Pelan-pelan just eat it, no one wants to ask," kekeh uda Indra.

"Ha-ha, understandably Da, has not eaten maktuo cuisine for a long time," kekehku spent the last piece of rendang meat.

"You're coming home now, what's an entar? If arentar, let Vienna alone pick up, uda still have work," asked uda Indra later.

"Entar, Da. Uda go home first. I still want to be with you, too."

"Oh, then, uda's staying."

"Yes, Da. Thank you," I said.

"Later let me call Vienna to pick you up, yes," said maktuo when uda Indra had left.

I just agreed, hesitating to say that Brother Beni has promised to pick me up.

"Tomorrow the mother has been allowed to go home, maybe after the new zuhr sorted out all his administrative affairs. If until the zuhur has not been settled, Runa just returned to Bandung, do not have to wait for mother to leave the hospital, yes. Scared too late to reach Bandung," said the mother.

"I want to wait until mom comes out, if you stay, can ask for help to pick up Arjun," I said.

"Don't dong, you guys come home at night, afraid someone thinks strangely," forbid mom.

"I want to be with Mom for a long time" I sighed.

"Later on holiday, come here again," persuaded mother.

Seeing my mother's smile, I could no longer argue. Not an ordinary smile, but a smile full of unflinching orders to be rejected.

O time, aren't you tired of running? Stop for a moment so I can stay longer with my mom. I just wanted to hold my mother for longer, telling her what went through our minds like the old days. Laughing at the simple things in our conversation. Reassemble a dream of the future that was destroyed with the departure of the father.