Believe me, I'm Still Sacred

Chapter 4. My brother disagrees

...🍁🍁🍁...

Raihan turned his body, he stared at Ustadz Arifin sharply. "Change!"

"How dare you yell at the old man? Wanna be a bad boy, you?" he threatened Raihan, reminded him of the insubordinate.

"I'm sorry Raihan, Abah...." Raihan rubbed his chest, trying to control his own emotions.

"Raihan, Abah, Abi and Salima admitted wrong. You are right, our actions do not show that we are people who know religion. We're ashamed to be advised by you like that. We'll apologize to Zahwa's family."

Salima looks unhappy with Arifin's decision. 'Huh, what the hell is Abah? Why apologize to the Zahwa family?'

Raihan breathed a sigh of relief at his brother's decision. That means the marriage between himself and Zahwa will continue. "Alhamdulillah if Abah, Abi and Salima understand what Raihan means. That means Raihan can marry Zahwa today, too,"

"WHAT? Married married?"

"Yes Abah, Abi...Raihan will stick to Raihan's decision to marry Zahwa." Raihan started to show a smile on his lips.

Arifin and Iqbal looked at each other. They shook their heads afterwards. "Sorry Raihan."

"W-what does Abi mean?"

"We will find another soul mate for you, of course, a match that suits you. Women are kind and reputable and above all, she is still holy." Iqbal told his son.

"Princess Ustadz Burhan, unmarried.she is beautiful, sholehah and seems to be about the same age as Raihan. He is also a graduate of the pesantren" Arifin proposed to Iqbal.

"Astagfirulah...Abi! Abi doubted Zahwa's purity?" raihan's eyes opened wide to hear Abah and his ashes choking him.

"Raihan, understand Abi and your brother. We did all this for you too. You and Zahwa can no longer" Iqbal said with a sigh.

"It is Raihan, tomorrow Abi and your brother will come back to the Calabrian family home to apologize for our attitude to them today. Now we better rest because it's late." Arifin entered his room, carrying a walking stick in his right hand.

Raihan was at a loss for words, and he went to Zahwa's house at this crucial moment. She ran away from home without her parents knowing.

*****

Shortly thereafter, Raihan arrived in front of Calabria's house. Apparently it wasn't easy for him to meet Zahwa. His extended family, who are still in the living room, forbid Raihan to meet with Zahwa, especially Bram and Zayn.

"Please, let me meet Zahwa. Zayn, please let me meet your brother! Let me talk to him, " said Raihan expectantly.

"Do you want to meet my sister? Want to hurt her again?" Ask Zayn the circus.

All sharp attention leads to him, Raihan thinks that this is only natural. Because after what happened in that house.

"I beg Zayn, let me talk to Zahwa." Raihan clenched his hands together, pleading.

"Hey! You don't have to talk to Zahwa! What else do you want to talk about?" Bima who was there also shared the emotions on Raihan, hearing what happened from Nilam.

"Om, brother Zayn, om Bima.I want to talk to Raihan" said Zahwa who was walking down the stairs. She still wears her wedding dress, although the makeup on her face has been removed due to the ablution water.

"Zahwa! Why are you talking to him? No need!" Bram told his nephew.

Zahwa is now among the four men. Seen her puffy eyes, wounds caused by Raihan and his family. Raihan looked at Zahwa sadly, he didn't want to see Zahwa cry much less because of her.

Bima and Bram still forbid and asked Raihan to leave. But Rey comes and persuades her father to let Zahwa talk to Raihan. "Udah pah, om, Zayn.let Zahwa talk to Raihan. Who knows if there's any important news Raihan wants to tell you?" Rey stared at Raihan with an ordinary course, in contrast to everyone's sharp settings towards her.

Rey, she always helps me. Zahwa was happy that Rey helped him talk.

With just a few words from Rey, it was able to make the three men agree to her words. Finally, Zahwa and Raihan were given privacy alone to talk. But his speech was not in the room, they were talking in the park, and were seen by Zayn, Rey, Bima and Bram.

"Mas, believe me I'm still holy..." Zahwa starts the conversation, hoping that Raihan will believe him.

"I believe in you deck" Raihan told Zahwa, looking at the woman gently.

Deck, is Raihan's affectionate call to Zahwa. During his time in Egypt, Raihan called Zahwa Dek.

"Alhamdulillah..then what about our marriage, Mas? Om Iqbal, the same Abah Arifin? Salima?" Ask Zahwa to Raihan.

"Sorry Zahwa, my Abi does not agree with our marriage..."

Zahwa's heart seemed to stop right then and there, he looked at Raihan with a sad and incredulous look. "Mas...wouldn't you marry me because of those photos? Do they believe in those photos?!" Zahwa's tears came down unbearably.

"No deck.." Raihan's hand would reach Zahwa's cheek that had been soaked by the tears, but Zahwa immediately dodged.

"So..mas will marry me or not?!" Zahwa's question needs some assertiveness.

"I don't know yet. Because I need time to persuade my family, deck..."

"don't know? You just answer yes or no, please be firm, Mas!" Pinta Zahwa is sad.

"Sorry Zahwa, I can't argue with my parents' words.I can't be an ungodly child."

Zahwa lowered her head, it could be possible that she was trying to hold back that crystal grain that was about to fall down again. "Okay, if this is your choice..."

Oh, God hurt my heart...

"No deck.I love you, when the time comes.I'm sure my family will definitely be able to accept you!" Raihan is still not willing to release Zahwa, even though his family's decision is absolute. That he can't relate to Zahwa anymore.

"Udahlah mas, I know that the Mas family wants a perfect daughter-in-law. While me? What me? Who me? I'm not a graduate of pesantren, I'm not a child of ustadz.I'm just Zahwa, a dentist. I'm not perfect, I'm not like, Mas!" Zahwa was crying, hurt.

"Sorry I'm on deck.sorry me."

"I don't need your apologies, I need reassurance! And maybe that's the answer is no! I'm pricing in your choice of choosing a family over me." Zahwa pointed his finger at Raihan trembling.

Raihan was confused, he was also crying just like Zahwa. How can all the circumstances that should be beautiful even be painful for them.

*****

While Zahwa and Raihan were in a heated conversation. Rey went to her room, she called someone.

"Assalamualaikum. Your sister prefers family over Zahwa.

...*****...