Because of the compulsion

Zahras

Midnight Marshal just got home. There are a lot of jobs he has to deal with at the office.

Before entering his room, Marshal glanced towards Viona's room which was quite far away from his room. Marshal wanted to see Viona. He wanted Viona to serve him who had just returned home from work. As usual. Viona prepares water for her to take a shower, opens her shirt and helps her get dressed after the shower is over. His desire he abandoned. She was self-conscious, Viona must have fallen asleep at midnight like this.

The clock on his wrist was already showing at eleven p.m. Viona must have been diving into dreamland.

Finally Marshal did everything himself. These days Viona is not a good wife because of the problems that occur. But, Marshal's desire to be served by a wife he always craved every day.

Viona's every concern and treatment always warms her up. She likes Viona who complies and serves her well. She always misses Viona who is always upset if Marshal is nosy when helping her dress.

Forget it Viona! His wife needs a rest too. Marshal is too. His body is very tired. He wanted to immediately close his eyes comfortably on the soft bed.

After finishing bathing and getting dressed, Marshal immediately went up to the bed. He fell asleep as soon as he pulled the blanket to cover his tired body. Nothing to cuddle there. Before closing his eyes, he smiled. The most comfortable roll he ever took to sleep was his wife's body. Marshal misses that body. But, he refused to move on. Tiredness led him to drift into dreamland quickly.

***

The hunger that could not be held made him unable to fall asleep. He got out of bed, out of the room. The only way is to Viona's room. I don't know what he's thinking, but his feet want to go to that room.

Slowly opened the door of his wife's room which turned out to be unlocked, Marshal walked in lazily. His wife's pretty face shone under the dim lights. He's getting closer to the bed. Touching Viona's shoulder. Shaking slowly. Viona was not disturbed at all. Her sleep is very good.

"Viona, wake!" marshal's voice was heard quietly near his wife's ear. Viona stays fit. Not squirming one bit. Marshal touched his shoulder again. Viona remained unmoved. Touching his cheek, he stabbed gently with the tip of his index finger. New Viona squirmed and slowly her eyes opened.

"Master?" Viona's sleepy face looked surprised. His eyes opened wide when he saw the Marshal. "Why is Mister here?" Viona glanced at the nightstand. The clock above the nightstand shows at two in the morning.

"I'm hungry." The Marshal's face looks very clear. He sat on the bed facing his wife who immediately woke up.

Viona sat down, kneeling softly at her nape. Half-consciously, he got out of bed and went into the bathroom. Marshal only silently watched her. He actually could not bear to wake Viona. But, he was already very hungry. Stomach hurts. He could've woken his workers, but Marshal didn't. Because he thinks it's gonna be troublesome. He had to go to the back room downstairs. Not the heart if you have to disturb the rest of the workers.

Why would he bother his wife?

Marshal doesn't know either. Her thoughts and legs were only on Viona. She also felt sorry to see Viona having to wake up early like this. But, how else, the pain in his stomach became more and more. If Marshal cooks himself, he won't. His body was very tired after a full day he took care of a lot of work in the office.

Seeing her reflection in the mirror after washing her face and brushing her teeth. Viona is still sleepy, very. He was still half conscious. All he remembered, Marshal only said that he was hungry. Viona thought, maybe her husband wants her to cook.

Out of the bathroom, Viona said nothing. He walked out of the room followed by the Marshal behind him. They were silent until they reached the kitchen. Marshal sat at the stool bar, while Viona headed for the refrigerator. Looking for food to cook.

"What do you want to eat?" Viona stood in front of the refrigerator. Turn on the Marshal who was yawning at the bar table.

"Anything as long as it's delicious in the stomach. My stomach hurts, it hasn't been filled in for a long time."

Viona again chose food. Not to be confused with the words of Marshal. When was the last time her husband ate until he said his stomach had not been filled for a long time. Rarely did the marshal wake him up in the middle of the night. Viona was astonished by the unusual attitude of her husband.

"When did you eat last time? Last dinner, right?" Viona brought the materials she had chosen. Some vegetables he cut.

Marshal still watched him. "Breakfast," he said weakly.

Viona who was washing vegetables immediately turned around. His eyes were round in disbelief. "That means no lunch?"

Marshal shook his head slowly. Folding his hands on the table, then hiding his head behind the folds of his hands. "Night also does not eat," he said lazily.

Viona exhaled violently. Marshal always missed his meal, but Viona had prepared provisions for him. "Why not eat? You can get sick if you keep forgetting lunch."

"I'm busy. Not able to."

"Busy whatever the job, you should take the time to eat. Just briefly. What a hard thing you just take a ten-minute break for a bite of food. Just wasting time eating will not bankrupt a company. If it's like this, sir could get sick. Precisely by skipping meals, continuing to get sick, the company will slowly go bankrupt. My wonder, why you can focus on working on an empty stomach," Viona scolded at length while preparing a skillet on an electric stove.

The face that was originally sleepy and hiding behind the folds of the hands, was now looking up. Marshal smiled looking at Viona who was preparing the seasoning. Not upset lectured by his wife, instead Marshal happy. Viona was so considerate of him.

"Sorry."

Viona turned. His eyebrows raised a sign of not understanding, why did Marshal say sorry?

Viona was silent. You hear the gentle narration of Marshal. "Next time don't forget to eat! No matter how busy the work, you must keep eating! Means next time, I will be angry if the lunch box I made is not finished. I will force you from now on, so that you may keep eating!" viona said earnestly making Marshal laugh. His wife is adorable when she's nagging.

Viona again faced the stove and cooking ingredients. He wanted to finish his cooking immediately so that Marshal could eat quickly and he could go back to sleep soundly without interruption.

Marshal kept watching his wife's movements. A smile never leaves his lips. He's happy to have a wife as good as Viona. His wife was very attentive and smart to cook. All Viona can do alone. Indeed, he should be grateful to marry a woman as beautiful and as good as Viona. All the attitudes of his wife Marshal liked, except one, when his wife began to argue and refute him

"Zahrah!"

Viona turned around as a voice called out someone's name. He looks around. There's no one there. Just the two of them. "Did you call someone?"

Marshal smiled at Viona. His hands are on the table. Not answering questions from his wife. Viona shrugged her shoulders indifferently. Maybe he heard wrong because he was still sleepy. So, his ears are a little erorr. Viona finished her cooking again.

"Zahrah!"

The call was heard again. Viona's hand, stirring her cooking on the frying pan, stopped. Did he hear wrong again? But he's sure it's the Marshal's voice. Viona turned back around. Her husband remained in his original position. A smile still spread on his face. Marshal. Didn't say anything. Viona was astonished. Who called Zahra's name just now? There was no one there, other than the two of them.

"Master," Viona whispered slightly to Marshal. "is there a ghost in this house?"

Marshal's eyebrows raised. Glancing around that felt lonely. Why does his wife say that?

"I heard someone call Zahra. She who? What's the house's waiter?" Viona's feathers stood up imagining that there was a ghost in the house.

Marshal's laughter broke upon hearing his wife's words. Viona was more astonished to see the Marshal's reaction. He was scared but the Marshal laughed at him. Nothing funny there. "Zahra is the guardian of this house."

Viona's eyes were round. The spatula he was holding almost fell down. He was even more afraid after hearing it.

Marshal's laughter grew increasingly broken seeing Viona start to get scared. "She's the mistress of this house" he said again. "Basic pretty. She's cooking there." Marshal pointed towards the stove. Where Viona is now.

"Don't be kidding, sir!" Viona glanced at the left right in fear. Cold started to creep in his hands. Is that ghost really cooking? Then he's accompanying Viona?

"Really," Marshal's laughter stopped. Now he looks serious. "he's cooking now. Wearing light blue pajamas. His face was very pale." Viona glanced at her own clothes. He wears light blue pajamas. What does Marshal mean by his wife? But, she's Viona not Zahra.

"Master, don't be kidding, ah! I'm scared." Viona bit her lower lip. The feeling is starting to feel bad.

"Why should I be afraid? She's a good girl."

"Master!"

Marshal's laughter re-echoed. "Not be afraid. She's my wife."

Viona's mouth was open wide. Did Marshal marry a ghost? If true, then he's been in honey all this time?

"He's very kind. Beautiful again." Marshal down from the stool bar. Closer to Viona who was still agape in disbelief. Marshal's hand reached for the stove, then turned it off.

He stood beside Viona. "She's my wife" he whispered, Viona bristled. "I haven't been married for long." Viona silently looked at the Marshal in confusion. Her husband smiled instead. Prudely touching his nose. "Udah, ah. Not funny. I can't be kidding."

"Eh, meaning?" Viona asked with a cry.

"That was me. I'm calling you, Zahra." Marshal moved away and sat back at the stool bar.

"Why Zahra? My name is Viona."

Marshal took a long breath. His wife still did not understand. "Viona Azzhara Pratama, that's your name, right?" Viona nodded with doubt. Still confused.

"If I call you Zahra, it's okay? I'd rather call it that."

Viona scratched her head in confusion. "It's okay, anyway. But, why Zahra?" Marshal raises his shoulders. Not answering his wife's questions.

Viona turned back to face the stove. Cut it off and go back on her delayed cooking. His mind drifted everywhere. All this time no one has ever called him Zahra, but somehow when the Marshal who called that name, it felt he was no stranger to the intonation of his call. It seems like someone once called him by that designation and intonation. But, Viona did not know who and when the call she received.