Behind Aisha's Veil

Divorce

"Do you know if your wife's illness yesterday is not a joke. Almost your wife lost her womb" Alvian stared intently at Joseph.

Joseph looked surprised. He immediately looks wrong.

Chequek. Suddenly the sound of the door opening.

Everyone saw Siti standing in the doorway.

Siti walked over to her husband.

"How are you doing? Mas and Ayu are here to pick you up" asked Yusuf, pointing to his second wife.

"Yes Brother. How's brother doing now? I'm here to take my brother home." Ayu smiled looking at Siti.

Siti sees her husband and her honeymoon alternating.

"Mas. Ii'm sorry. I can't live with you anymore."

"I'm backing off. We'd better get a divorce."

Everyone was stunned by the shock, especially Yusuf and his young wife, but another case with Aisha who smiled satisfiedly, she approached her brother.

"I have to learn more religion, it turns out that the science of sincerely sharing a husband is not able to master" said Siti withholding her tears.

Aisha rubbed her brother's back, as did Zainab.

"Why all of a sudden, I thought you were sincere in polygamy?" ask the shocked Joseph.

"Yes, brother, why is it suddenly like this. We've been okay all along, haven't we?" ask Ayu astonished.

Siti shook her head.

"It turns out my heart is not as big as an ocean of gold. I'm not sincere. There is still envy in this heart when mas is more concerned with the second wife mas. If it's like that, it'll only pile up sins for me, so I'd better back off."

Joseph looked very disappointed. He can't speak anymore.

"Sister, we'd better go home now. I want to express my wish to Ummi and Abah." Siti saw Zainab.

Zainab looks to be nodding her head.

"It doesn't have to be now, brother, you have to rest because you just got home from the hospital, wait until you're completely recovered." Aisha saw Siti.

Siti shook her head.

"So I want to go home now. Faster it feels better."

Joseph and his wife looked at each other, both of them and left them without even saying goodbye.

Aisha who resigned her brother's wishes, saw Alvian.

"I'll take you guys" said Alvian.

***

Ba'da Ashar's.

The arrival of Aisha and her two sisters is greeted happily by their parents as well by their other brothers.

Ummi hugged Siti warmly, happy finally his daughter has healed like before.

But Ummi felt an aura of deep sadness when he saw his daughter's face.

"What's up, son?" tanya Ummi sensed something was happening.

Aisha and Zainab looked at each other.

"Ummy. Let Siti rest first." Zainab invites everyone to enter the house.

Everyone comes in, and so does Aisha, but then she stops her steps to see Alvian who looks busy taking phone calls.

Aisha will come back in, but Alvian calls her.

"I have to go back to the city now."

"Suddenly there was an impromptu operation" Alvian said with regret.

Aisha looks surprised.

"Me?"

"You're okay here first, I'll pick you up."

Aisha looks relieved.

"I'm leaving now." Alvian's gonna turn his body.

"Let me interven." Aisha walked up to her husband, they walked hand in hand towards the field where the car was parked.

Don't be asked how Alvian felt at the time because of course he was very happy. Aisha looked a little weak at him.

"Be careful on the road" Aisha said as she arrived in front of the car.

"Yes." Yeah." Alvian looked at his wife.

Aisha nodded.

Both of them were silent for a moment looking wrong.

Finally Alvian got into the car, giving greetings to Aisha who was still standing there. He then drove his car away from Pondok Pesantren.

***

"It is sick, said Ummi lately Abah's health is being disrupted," Zainab saw his two younger siblings.

Aisha and Siti let out a long sigh.

"I can't say anything about my divorce right now, or Abah's health is going to get worse." Siti looks sad.

"Are you sure of your decision?" Zainab saw Siti.

"So don't want you to think about it well, just remember that divorce is a big decision."

Siti lowered her head.

"I've thought about it carefully, brother, and I'm sure parting is the best way."

Zainab took a deep breath.

"All right then. Brother will always support all your decisions as long as it's good for you."

***

Nightfall.

Abah's declining health, making all his children, daughter-in-law and grandchildren gather, as tonight the usually quiet house looks crowded by their extended family.

Everyone gathered in the middle of the house, accompanying and comforting Abah who looked happy to see all her daughter-in-law and grandchildren there.

They all seemed to talk warmly, so it did not feel that the night was getting late, one by one they went to each other's homes, as well as Aisha who entered her room.

Before going to bed, he checked his phone, surprised to see the number of missed calls from unknown numbers.

Aisha had no intention of calling back, as the number was unknown to her, she would keep her phone back but then it rang again.

"Why did I call so many times you didn't pick up?" alvian asked on the other end of the phone after saying his regards.

Aisha is stunned, shocked that it turns out her husband called her.

"sorry. I kept my phone in my room, I was outside. What's up?"

"none. Do I need a reason to call my own wife?"

Aisha speechless. Both of them were silent for a moment.

"How is Siti?"

"good. Thank goodness."

"Did Abah know?"

"Not yet." Aisha then told him that Abah's health was not good so they could not tell it.

"What pain?"

"Maybe the stomach disease recurred. So I want to ask permission to stay a few more days here" said Aisha.

"Yes. Of course."

"Thank you." Aisha's voice sounded happy.

"It's night. You better get some sleep now."

"Yes." Yeah."

"Oh yeah, from now on bring your phone wherever you go, because someone will keep calling you."

Aisha did not answer

After greeting them, the two ended the conversation.

Alvian smiled to himself, but soon his smile was dim considering that in a few days he would not meet his wife.

***

Next day.

Aisha and Siti appear to be helping Ummi cook until suddenly Maryam comes and says if Abah calls Kak Siti to the Pondok Pesantren hall.

Everyone was astonished that Brother Zainab came and told him that there was Joseph and his family.

Aisha and Siti looked worried, they seemed to know what was happening.

_____

Siti sat as if to be sickly, amid the gaze of her entire extended family as well as her husband's family.

"Your husband said you asked for a divorce. Is that true, son?" ask Abah to see Siti.

Everyone saw Siti curious.

The siti who lowered her head nodded small.

"May Abah know why?"

Siti hesitated to answer.

"Sorry Abah. Looks like someone already incited her to ask for a divorce from me." Yusuf made a sound while looking at Aisha.

"I'm sure if Siti has accepted for polygamy, I know she's sincere. Our house has been fine all along. But for some reason suddenly after she recovered from her illness she asked for a divorce on the grounds she could not sincerely have to share a husband." Joseph spoke out loud.

Siti could only cry not accepting with all her husband's words.

"People who accuse others of guilt will not always end up being the right people." Aisha stood up from her seat.

"Someone who feels right makes him not want to reflect and introspection." Aisha smiled cynically.

"Originally you know. My brother's strong enough to endure the pain, doesn't mean he deserves to keep getting it." Aisha saw Joseph growling.

"She's a strong woman who acts as if everything is fine, she smiles in the morning knowing that she will cry at night, his heart was wounded but chose to remain loyal to his husband who could not be fair to his two wives."

Abah is listening to all Aisha's words, as well as everyone else. Except for Joseph who held back furious.