BEREAVEMENTS

Episode 12; Calm Before the Storm (1)

The crime scene is clean, Lena's father's body has been taken down. This is purely suicide and the residents have helped to take care of the funeral of his corpse. That night they all carried royong, some of Lena's neighbors accompanied Lena who looked so tough facing everything. The girl was still smiling when relatives or neighbors offered their condolences.

“Mas..” Lena touches Renov's shoulder sitting on the porch next to Lena's house.

“Ya..” Renov looked at Lena who looked so tired. Her eyes were tired and the girl's eye bags were clearly visible. Renov glanced at his watch which showed at three in the morning.

“Mas haven't come home from earlier? Want Lena to grab a blanket?” before Renov answered Lena's question, the girl left Renov.

“No need, Re...” Renov pulled Lena's hand, clasped her cold hand, “come home Renov pulled Lena back into his arms.

“Mas..” Lena was a little panicked because there were still some people who were paying attention to them.

“Leave it, they don't feel what you feel..” Renov tightened his embrace while closing his eyes. To banish all those who are fixed on them.

Lena gave up and leaned her head against Renov's chest. He rested for a while and set his breath in rhythm with the sound of Renov's heartbeat. Lena seemed to find a place where she could really breathe.

“Mas want coffee?” asked Lena after she felt enough with that momentary comfort. He did not want to soak for long in this warmth to make him sleepy and feel weak. He must not feel weak at this time.

“Mau...” replied Renov while releasing his hug.

“Well wait a minute here, Mas”, Lena then go inside the house. Not long after, he was out with two cups of hot coffee. Hand over one of his cups to Renov.

“Thank you..”.

“No, Lena who should be grateful, Mas already want to come wait here and forgive me..”.

“No, it's okay..” replied Renov sincerely. The two went back into silence, enjoying the coffee that was getting cold.

“When the night sky is so bright, the stars are many but Lena's house is so gloomy and creepy.” Lena laughed softly, making Renov look at her again. He really could not figure out what kind of feeling Lena was feeling right now.

“Renatta..”.

“Stop calling me that, Mas. Sounds weird in Lena's ear.”

“It's hard to change it, I just remember the name on your suit. I just found out that your call was Lena after talking to you, but I'm used to it like that Re..” Renov said honestly. The mop in front of the library was the first time he met Lena. Renov glanced at the name on his uniform. It says Renatta A. S.

“Alright, then Mas is the exception, call Lena as you like Mas”, Lena smiled again and turned to Renov, “by the way Mas aware? I haven't used lo-gue since.” Renov. Even under these circumstances, Lena was still aware of the change in her attitude.

“True too..” Renov is coming.

“Didn't anyone know that Mas is actually a gentle and warm person like this?” Lena was curious about the man's tenderness.

“Maybe not?” renov replied after thinking for quite a while.

“Why?” Lena was surprised, regretting that this man was wasted just like that, “Mas know what the nickname Mas in school?”

“That's! Bad guy, school thug, always troublemaker, bouncer, trouble maker, and serem.” Renov laughed himself off realizing that there was no positive mention of him. Lena responded while nodding as Renov mentioned his nicknames one by one.

“Keep why?”

“Why what?” renov asked not understanding Lena's intentions.

“Why do they call Mas like that? Why are you silent?” obviously Lena.

“You won't understand..” whispered.

“What because I'm good at reading people's minds? Make friends Mas think Mas is so creepy?” lena's question made Renov look up. Lena's guess is right.

“You're not afraid? Maybe I can bring you bad luck.”.

Renov smiled and drank his coffee which began to cool down.

“Honey, no one knows the side of Mas like this..” continued Lena with a smile, “I also had time to consider Mas a person who likes to look for cases because it is often in the law, because it is often in the law, but the facts are not like that, right? I'm ashamed to have misjudged people.”.

“For us not to be rated by others right Re?”

“Iya true..”

“I actually don't care what others think of me Re. But I began to doubt it after the bad events lately, am I really carrying shit?” Renov rubbed his coffee glass with regret.

“Lena got unlucky because of the same deket Mas Renov? Take it easy, Mas, from the beginning Lena has always been unlucky really, without Mas any father would still kill himself. Lately his attitude changed, he rarely smiled, he was sleep deprived, often messing with himself. So, what happened today is not a surprise for Lena”, Lena's calm really makes Renov's hair bristling.

“Mother...” Renov hesitated, in fact he already wanted to ask where his mother was but he was afraid his question would actually worsen Lena's mood.

“Neverything Mas, Ibu Lena already died five years ago, while giving birth to Lena's sister, but neither Mother nor sister Lena, both of them were unable to hold on”, Lena looked at Renov, she said, it's also the first time Lena has told anyone about her family.

“Lena knows, Mas instead can read people's minds, but because mas prefers to be silent and pay attention, Mas, mas became more sensitive knowing the feelings and thoughts of the person who played opposite Mas Renov.” heard the words of Lena just made Renov smile. It is not wrong to choose people. Lena is really special.

“Why are you comforting me? Am I so pathetic for not having friends?” Renov turned his head and looked at Lena's face filled with appreciation.

“Maybe?” Lena put down the glass she held and grabbed Renov's pinky carefully, “I just wanted to say, Mas don't worry, Lena that's been unlucky a long time ago. Death is a human thing, it's not the first time the person Lena loves has died. Mas's existence this time is not bad luck for Lena, instead Lena is really grateful because Mas has been present in Lena's life. Thank you for lena's nemenin tonight.” Lena's statement leaves Renov stunned. How could a 16-year-old girl be capable of such sincerity and mature thinking? What the hell is going on right now?

"Re..." Renov looked into Lena's black eyes fixedly. He's looking for something there. Any clue it is. This situation is completely unnatural.

"Why Mas?"

"You don't think weird, do you?" renov asked curiously, "promise me that you won't be the Renatta I know!"

"Of course..." Lena even answered him with a smile, making Renov even more worried.

Renov was afraid that the girl in front of him was keeping a time bomb.

Renov is scared, because right now, he's not Lena's way of thinking

Lena's normally cloudy eyes had already turned dark, dead-end, and so cold.

***

The funeral was closed. It wasn't until 11 that Lena's father's body was buried. There's nothing to wait for. The closest relatives arrived this morning and mourned.

Lena was still staring at her father's belly button. He was the last person to leave the funeral.

"I forgive you, Dad. Take care of Mom and sister." said Lena before leaving the funeral.

There's not a single person there. Everything's gone.

Except one. He still sees the maroon-red SUV that is very familiar to him. Also the man who is now walking towards him.

That oase came in when Lena really needed it. He was afraid that the source of the spring in front of him was also a mirage, which would disappear when he approached it.

So Lena chose silence.

Until the oasis drowned her small and frail body in her arms.

"Renatta.." call the oasis gently.

***