Behind Aisha's Veil

The City

Alvian finished her talk on the phone, she turned her body around, slightly raised her head into the room to look for Aisha who was not seen by her, she then saw the bathroom door that was still closed.

Alvian didn't care even though he knew it was too long for his wife to be there, but once again he did not care because now all he had in mind was the lover who was currently heartbroken.

Yep. At this time the woman he loved must be feeling devastated because Alvian had married another woman.

For her sake in parents brought her to submission to be betrothed, willing to marry a woman who even saw her face alone Alvian never.

Refusing an arranged marriage has been tried to express, but as usual the decision of the father is absolute, can not be changed or in disorder.

Alvian longed to rebel but again his sense of service overcame the turmoil of rejection in his heart, until the resignation became the last point to accept this forced marriage.

Though it was not this woman that he wanted, there was another woman. Yep! Another woman he loved so much that he actually wanted to be a companion for the rest of his life.

Chequek.

Alvian heard the bathroom door open.

The woman finally came out as well, he thought.

Alvian smiled wryly, as she glanced Aisha out in a shar'i outfit complete with her veil.

The veil!

Alvian shook her head to see Aisha still wearing a veil at night like this, even in the room when there was no one other than her who was her husband, the person who is halal not only sees his face but even his whole body if he wants to.

But a moment later he came back unconcerned, when Alvian saw Aisha walking closer to the bed she looked indifferent.

Alvian just rushed into the bathroom, immediately shutting the door a little harshly to the point of making Aisha startled.

Behind the veil she was wearing, Aisha's tears flowed back, while taking a pillow on the bed, Aisha endured the intense pain.

Aisha cursed her fate, not only will she be ignored, let alone hope to be accepted as a wife and loved, her husband showed her cold and rude attitude.

A few moments later.

Having Aisha lying on the couch when she came out of the bathroom made Alvian feel relieved, as if she knew her wish that tonight nothing would happen.

Wasn't it! Not only tonight, Alvian made sure that if something never happened between them also in the following nights, he had promised Anita that his wife would never touch him. Everything he does as proof of his love for Anita and proof that this marriage is not his will.

After all, it was actually how he could touch Aisha, the marriage bond alone that unites them, to make both of them husband and wife, but for her the woman was a stranger she did not know.

Alvian threw her body onto the bed, quickly tilting her back to Aisha.

Until that night, there was not a word of conversation between the two since they had legally become husband and wife.

They are too busy with their own thoughts.

Alvian was busy thinking about Anitanya.

Aisha with her sadness.

***

Next day.

At breakfast, Alvian spoke to his parents if he should return to the city immediately.

Of course, his parents were shocked because to their knowledge his son's leave was not over.

"The hospital needs me, suddenly there are a lot of patients who have to undergo surgery," Alvian replied as she asked the reason for her accelerated return to the city.

"alright. Hurry back to town like that." Dad seems to understand enough.

"Aisha. Before leaving you should now go first to Pondok Pesantren, say goodbye to Ummi and Abah." I saw Aisha who had just been silent.

Alvian looks surprised to hear the words of his father, he sits back and looks at the father in disbelief.

"Why?" ask me to see the surprise of his son. "Don't tell me you don't intend to take your wife to town."

Alvian looks flabby.

"Yes dad, I think Aisha should just stay here with you. The distance from here to the city is only about two hours, I'll be home once a week."

Dad frowned.

"How come it's like that, you're husband and wife but you'll live far apart?" ask Dad in a slightly raised tone.

Alvian paused for a moment, looking for the right words to make an excuse for her father so that Aisha could be left here.

"Yes Nak. Do not be like that, you husband and wife should always be together, besides you also have to take care if Aisha comes with you to the city," said the mother who agreed with her husband.

The debated Aisha can only fall silent with the pain of knowing if her own husband is reluctant to ask her to stay together and she knows for sure the reason behind it all.

"But mother. I just feel sorry for Aisha, my work is very much, my work time is not necessarily, I will often spend time in the Hospital, if so, Aisha will be alone at home, she said, so it's better that he's here with you."

Whatever Alvian's reason, her parents still disagree, they want Alvian to take Aisha with him.

Eventually, Alvian gave up. He follows the will of his father and mother even though Alvian reluctantly decides to take Aisha to the city.

***

Although the distance between her father-in-law's house and Pondok Pesantren is not so far away, Aisha chose to say goodbye to Ummi and Abah by phone only.

She did not want to meet her mother, because by looking at her face, her mother would know the sadness she was feeling.

It's been half the journey and the two continue to be silent, still no word came out between the husband and wife.

While Alvian was busy driving, Aisha who was sitting next to him just kept looking towards the window beside him.

"One year" said Aisha suddenly without seeing her husband beside her.

Alvian looked startled, she glanced at Aisha, not understanding the intent of her words.

"After a year let's get divorced" said Aisha flat with her blank gaze looking at the car window beside her.

Alvian looked even more shocked, he immediately pulled his car over.

"What do you mean?" alvian asked while trying to see his wife's face covered by a veil.

"Our parents will understand, marriage because many arranged marriages do not work," Aisha replied calmly still without seeing her husband.

Alvian pensively for a moment.

Now she understood a little, apparently not only herself who felt the compulsion of this marriage, but in fact Aisha also felt the same as it seemed.

"Alright then," replied Alvian then while turning on his car engine and re-appearing his vehicle, returning to driving with a little relief and pleasure of course, because Aisha's decision just now was like giving a breath of fresh air to her relationship with the lover.

Meanwhile behind her veil, Aisha was trying to look calm and firm, even though in reality her heart was very fragile and poignant.

Grieved that there would be many hearts hurt by this decision, it was imagined by him how his parents would react when they learned of their divorce later, his father would feel guilty for the failure of this matchmaking, he said, while his mother will be hurt because her daughter becomes a widow.

But this decision has been carefully thought out, and he thinks this is the best, because how can maintain the household if one of them loves others.

At the end of their journey, they were spent in silence, having been interrupted with their first conversation about divorce.