Beautiful In Dark
30. Gratified
**Thank you
For you who never gave up on me
Thank you**
---
5 Years later …
“Come quickly Darka later you're late!”
“Iya, patience bu!”
Darka recalls from inside his room and justifies his tie once again. He wore a formal suit and combed his hair. Darka has to be presentable, today is a very important day for Darka.
The young man immediately went down the stairs after being ready. Her mother and father, who were waiting below, smiled at Darka. A smile that recovered after so many years since the loss of Sifa.
Their car drove fast and kept turning avoiding highway congestion. Darka kept checking his watch, making sure he wasn't late. Until they stop at a theater that has been filled with reporters and invited guests.
Darka took a breath and exhaled slowly. Again, the young man confirmed his tie. His mother looked back, throwing a smile to convince Darka. His father nodded too.
Car door open. Darka stepped on the red carpet. All the reporters held up their cameras, voice recorders, and notebooks. Invitational guests on the leading steps covered and greeted Darka with a red ribbon.
“Congrats yes, Ka.” Sunny, one of Darka's colleagues gave her scissors to cut the ribbon.
Is correct. Today is the inauguration day of Darka's theater that he always dreamed of. The Pelita Light Culture Theatre Building.
Darka gave a short speech and cut the red ribbon. With this, Darka's theater building officially opened.
“Yeay!”
“Tractate eating!”
“Congrats to bro!”
The loudest applause was heard from Anwar, Sandi, and Putra who came as invited guests. Without a second thought, Darka immediately hugged his three best friends.
“Crazy, success lo Ka. It's your dream since childhood, right?” Sandi patted her friend's back while Darka nodded.
“Lo already proven that you can be proud of your parents lo.” Anwar smiled.
“Ekhm, so now call him teacher sir, CEO sir, what actor Darka?” The son seduces Darka who started from an art teacher and now doubles as a young entrepreneur.
Darka laughs. “Call me handsome CEO Darka.”
The son pretended to vomit.
“Means this malem there is a treat dong, Ka?” Sandi elbowed Darka.
Yet Darka shook his head and smiled wryly. “Ngak. I have to go to the hospital today. But next time I will definitely treat.”
Anwar, Putra, and Sandi looked at each other. They patted Darka on the shoulder to give the young man some spirit. “Quiet, Ka. Lita must be proud to hear the news lo now.”
“Ya, if he could see directly .. ”
Sandi stared at Darka's fragile back, unchanged even though it had been five years. Even when Darka has managed to achieve all of his dreams, regaining the harmony of his former family, Darka still cannot be completely happy.
There's still that girl. The girl that Darka would wait for even if it meant forever.
-
Darka sipped on the bouquet of flowers he was carrying. White roses as usual. His steps lead Darka to a room he visits every week.
Darka opened the door. A girl–no, a woman was lying on the bed. Still with closed eyes. Her hair had grown long, her face was getting more and more beautiful as the name suggested. Jelita Geanessa's.
“Hai, Jellies.”
Darka placed his bouquet on the nightstand and pulled a bench to sit on the side of the bed.
“Don't bosen see me huh. Today I just opened a new theater.” Darka started telling stories. This was his custom every time he met Lita.
Darka said, lita's time too emotional to hear Darka's story until it can't stand to wake up to silence Darka, or can't bear to continue to leave Darka telling his own story and finally awakening.
“Yes, Je, finally all my dreams came true. Oh, yes I put your name in the name of my theater. Light Pelita.” Darka's two eyes were soaked. “For Lita who has given light in my life.”
Darka. No longer know what to say. The young man just kept quiet, hoping that Lita could reply to his story like it used to be when they were in High School.
Five years ago, when kidney transplant surgery was performed on Lita, Lita's condition did not improve. His body dropped and ended up falling into a coma. Darka did not understand what was really happening, he only heard that there was malpractice during the operation.
As Darka knew, his Lita had never been seen opening her eyes back since then. His body is still there and real here. But Darka seems to have lost Lita completely.
“Lo know what people do when all their dreams are realized, Je?” Darka broke the silence.
Even so, there is no answer.
“They have a new dream. Or they make another wish. And for me that dream is see you wake up once again, Je.”
Darka clasped Lita's hand. “Lo help me realize my previous dreams. The support from you, and all that you do to be able to make me happy again, it's all that makes me able to rise every time I give up my dream. Because I'll think gini; if Jeli-gue wakes up and he knows, I could be beaten because I give it up! Though he sacrificed many things for me.”
Darka laughed blandly. “So here in am, Je. The one who has given light to his life. Would you like to help me realize my dream once again?” Darka pleaded. Even though he knew it didn't change things.
His hand became tighter. Darka's eyes warmed up. He again fell to the point where he would give up and stop hoping.
“Please, help me Je. Wakes up. We chase five years past so just to be happy once again, hm?”
When Darka sighed because he felt stupid to talk to himself and was about to let go of Lita's hand, Lita's fingers moved.
Darka turned his back and stood up from his seat. Both of Lita's eyes twitched softly, with a low moaning voice coming out of her lips. Darka's body was filled with hope and happiness. He immediately ran outside.
“Doctor!”
-
“This keajabain can see lo once again, Lita.” Sandi, Anwar, and Putra were smilingly staring at Lita. They are fascinated with Lita who grows more beautiful after five years.
“Udah don't be looked at mulu, enah.” Darka possessively removes Sandi, Anwar, and the Son from Lita's presence.
“Excessive very anjir,” scorned Putra who responded with a small laugh from Lita.
Darka knelt down on one knee in front of Lita who was in a wheelchair to equalize their height. “Still, have made my dream come true once again.”
Lita frowned not understanding. “What dream?”
Darka. He got up and scooped on Lita's wheelchair. “Today we have a surprise for Jelita Geanessa who can leave the hospital!”
“Eh? What surprise?”
“There is! Not a surprise if I tell you!”
Lita sighed and could only smile at Darka. Though this was his first day just got out of the hospital after post-coma therapy, but the young man was already excited.
Lita has heard everything. From Darka who helped with his medical expenses, Darka became a successful art teacher, until Darka who is now the owner of one of the theater buildings that slipped his name.
What did Lita do to Darka so that the young man who has now grown up and succeeded to be as good as her? Lita never felt so loved like that other than her family.
-
It turns out that the party Darka was referring to was a barberque party. Darka even invited his Fathers, as well as Lita's Father to enjoy. Yeah, except for Lita who just got out of the hospital, she had to keep her food for a while.
“Thank you, for five years you have made Darka change.” Darka's mother approached him as everyone was busy burning meat.
Lita was about to get up from her chair and greet Mother Darka, but Mother Darka hinted for Lita to remain seated on the spot with a warm smile.
“I always worried about Darka. He always lives under pressure, but I'm grateful he met you. Ever since she met you Jelita, Darka has been a completely different person. She seemed ... ” Mother Darka looked at Darka who was laughing in the yard because she managed to smear Sandi's face with charcoal. “Have hope.”
Lita lowered her head to hide her shy face. “It is precisely me who must say thank you, aunt. Darka who has given me a chance in many ways.”
“Call Mom only, darling.”
“Hm?” Lita raised her head, she chuckled. Now Lita knows where Darka got his social butterfly. “I-iya, Mother.”
“IBUUU DON'T DISTURB HER SHADE DARKAAA.”
“Anything, welcome to the family yes Lita.”
Darka's mother said it as if Lita was about to marry Darka, making Lita so want to laugh at the resemblance of the two. But the pain in Lita's waist has been bothering her ever since. Lita knew something was wrong.
Darka walked up to him with a face full of charcoal scabs, Lita immediately erased her expression of pain and held back the laughter of seeing Darka.
“Gue willingly face full of areng if you can make you laugh, Je,” said Darka dramatically. He pushed Lita's wheelchair up to the park.
“Congratulations yes, dear.” Lita's father kissed Lita's forehead. One by one, the people greeted Lita for her recovery. Then the fireworks started.
The fireworks exploded in the air. Beautiful colors like five years ago. Lita looked at Darka who again surprised her. His memory returns when Darka promises to return to Lita when she has become more deserving. And Darka always kept his promise.
“For the last event!” Sandi suddenly brought a guitar, Anwar checked the sound system in the form of a JBL speaker, while Adit installed a mic in front of a small low table.
Lita thought it was all to play the song to make the party even more festive, but Darka accepted the guitar that Sandi gave her. He walked to the mini-stage and rocked his guitar.
At first, Lita laughed with Darka's ridiculous manner, but just after the young man started to enter into the harmony of the song, Lita clenched her lips and listened.
“I wish I could stand on a star
I wish I could be where you are
They say “don’t you ever give up”
It’s so hard to be sometimesin’ when you’re not.”
Darka returned to memory five years ago. Where the young man was just an ordinary High School student who was always demanded and lived under the pressure of his father. Also his guilt for Sifa.
Meanwhile, Lita returns to the times where the girl is still afraid of her powers. Also losing someone who has always been the focus of his life.
“But I have walked alone with the stars in the monlit night
I have walked alone
No one by my side
Now I walk with you
With my head held high
In the darkest sky
I feel so alive.”
But everything starts to change when Darka meets Lita. Darka seemed to find an opportunity to change everything. Also Lita who was finally able to raise her head courageously. No longer under the same fear.
“A drfit to lonely, little cloud
Above ground where I stand so proud
My face glowing loudly through the crowd
As I walk with the beauty of the night
But I have walked alone with the stars in the monlit night
I have walked alone
No one by my side.”
Darka now remembers the memory when it all started and he lost Lita for the first time. For one painful week, Darka had to be confined in his room like a bird in a cage.
Lita must fight alone at school, with all the scornful whispers, garbage-filled lockers, and cries she can't stand while Darka can't be Lita's side. Darka's frustration caused the young man to smash the mirror in his room. There were no hours of sleep nor the food Darka enjoyed.
“Now I walk with you
With my head held high
In the darkest sky
I feel so alive”
Lita wiped away the tear from her eyes that she had not noticed had been flowing down her face since. Darka returned Lita's gaze warmly as if telling her not to cry.
For Darka, the most important thing is that Lita is here. They made it through it all. Lita can be made from her coma.
“But I have walk alone with the star in the monlit nigt
I have walk alone
No one by my side
Now I walk with you
With my head held high
In the darkest sky
I feel so alive.”
Well, Darka's been more alive since Lita reopened her eyes. The music stopped slowly. Darka was still standing on the mini stage until the applause subsided. But the look of her shady eyes never separated from Lita who smiled gently at him.
“For Jelita Geanessa and the light she brought.”
The closure made Sandi, Anwar, and Putra frenzied at the edge of the park with mouths full of grilled meat.
“WOHOO IS ALREADY RICH WANT TO DROWN PEOPLE'S CHILDREN!”
“Petrus jakandor captain!”
“OM THIS DARK SO CAN NOT BE THE SAME LITA?”
Lita laughed until her eyes narrowed. He never laughed so freely. For Lita, Darka is no longer dark. Darka is dark that can make the light of Lita become brighter. Even if it soon has to be dim.
There, Darka keeps his guitar and walks towards Lita. Everyone there was only able to see, overwhelmed by the power of their love.
Then when Darka's five more steps would actually stand before Lita, Lita suddenly stood up from her wheelchair, forcing her body. Darka was surprised to see her, but he immediately ran over and hugged the girl tightly.
Lita's eyes closed deeply, she also hugged the body tightly, saying a word solemnly. "Thank you, Darka. Thanks though. Thanks though. Thanks." Thanks."
Her tears fell as Darka made some distance. She looked at Darka with her heart, while Darka looked at Lita with a painful feeling.
"Lo why cry? Don't like my voice?" darka asked while wiping away Lita's tears without a second thought.
Lita's strength seemed to be lost, she did not feel dark or dizzy. Her smile expanded, moved and shed more tears. "Darka, I'm not dizzy anymore."
Lita's hand touched Darka's hand on her cheek, feeling warm there. "Darka, I'm really grinning."
Darka laughed. Then he cupped the girl's face with both hands. Everyone knew what Darka would do next, but Lita was completely shocked as Darka slowly brought her face closer.
Darka's smile grew soft, his eyes staring in the shade and when Lita closed her eyes, Darka's lips were not spaced with her forehead. It happened a bit long ago, signifying how serious Darka was to Lita.
Until at the end, Lita's eyes opened again and she smiled widely. Darka pursed his lips, somewhat embarrassed to see Lita who was now looking at him deeply.
"Lo-"
Darka's words were cut off as Lita suddenly hugged his neck tightly. The girl seemed unwilling to leave and Darka was astonished by it.
"Jelita, you're so much of a senengnya, huh?" darka asked, laughing happily.
"Thank you, Darka. Sorry... too..."
Darka's world seemed lifeless at that fast moment, Lita's body collapsing with her eyes closed and lips as pale as porcelain. Everyone immediately panicked, taking Lita and saving her. They were crying, sobbing and sick.
But what Darka did was just silence, he seemed to be a statue that could not move even just to blink.
It's.. dreams, right?
How can someone who suddenly wakes up from a coma wake up and is unconscious?
***
