Between Me, You And Them

HE'S STILL FIRM

NANDA

That morning I went to Elsi in her class.

"Well can I talk to you for a second?" I said as he approached me at the door.

He nodded and we went behind the school.

"It's El..." I took a bottle out of my pants pocket.

"What's this?"

"Vitamins for El."

"Vitamins of pregnant women?" I'm nodding.

Yes, I did buy her vitamins for pregnant women. Because of what I read, pregnant women should not take drugs carelessly. He looks weak and pale now. I can't just keep quiet.

"Don't want to" Reject it. And put the medicine in my hands.

"Let Elsi be healthy." I said again.

"I'm healthy. No need to drink that kind of drink. Instead of buying something unimportant like that, you better buy me a corset. Let this stomach not be caught. I feel, ever since I knew I was pregnant, this stomach is bigger than usual. At first I thought because I ate a lot this late, but it wasn't."

I just kept quiet hearing his explanation.

"The point is not to waste money on things that are not important." He said as he passed from before me.

"El!" I caught up with him and gave the medicine to his hands.

"Take it, it's up to Elsi to throw it away or want to be in apain. Brother bought her corset after school."

He nodded and left me.

******

I just came out the door, Elsi called me.

"Yes El, my brother just finished buying what El asked for earlier. Want to drop off now?"

"It's not rich enough." Answer her across there.

"Why?"

"I got a bang."

The pain in my chest came back after hearing it. I exhaled my breath. He's got a place. For abortion.

Not that I'm nervous because I don't have money, don't I. I have savings I set aside from my pocket money and scholarship money I used to get.

I'm nervous because this is an abortion. Not an easy and risky move. And certainly not the right action.

If I could just force Elsi, I would strongly disagree with this. Because I have committed a sin, I must add another greater sin.

But Elsi was firm with her stance. He still wants to throw this kid away. I can't do much. As hard as I tried to stop him, he was harder on me.

"Don't you?" He rebuked me because I had been silent for a long time.

"Yes El..."

"Abang to the house bring the money."

"How much does El cost?"

"From what I'm looking at, it's probably about 20 million."

I remember the money in my account. Like if it was that way, it was still enough.

"Yes, you're there now." I said and he ended the call.

I went into her house after she opened my door. I handed him the corset he asked for. He greeted her with a flat face. Without smiling at all.

"Sit's sitting there?" Her reprimand when I occupied her living room sofa. I put on a confused face.

"Let's go to my room." He left me alone. I'm speechless. It's the first time I've really entered her house. Even to his camp.

"El, it's not good to see people." I said as I walked after her.

"Nobody is who." He answered me indifferently.

She opened her bedroom door and I fell silent at the door.

"Pocket in. Already, no why why. Working mom, Elmi school."

"It's because there's no one Elsi."

"Why don't we do anything? What does my brother want? Just why did I say it, my life was ruined like this." Elsi asked back to me, causing me to panic.

There was no other choice, I couldn't help but go into her room.

I put my bag on the floor and sat on his study chair.

"There's money?" He asked me.

"Where is El?"

"That doesn't need to know."

"Loh why? Is that nemenin's brother?"

"Who asked for it in Temenin?"

I'm speechless.

"Don't know when and where I want to do it. I told you, brother's job only provides the cost."

"And don't tell anyone, including Purna and Sharma. I didn't tell them either. I don't want too much drama. So please, don't do anything, other than what I ask. Don't add to my burden." He continued his sentence again.

I again just fell down and fell silent. His heart is hard.

I took my wallet out of my pants pocket, and handed her my ATM card.

"Bring this El. Elsi could not bring a lot of money where. Wear this."

He simply nodded and kept the card in his shirt pocket.

"If El needs anything, don't hesitate to call your brother."

He's nodding.

"For example, El changed his mind to ask brother Temenin, Whenever Elsi calls, brother must come."

He nodded again.

"What would you eat?" Ask me.

"Udah eat. Yes, my brother came home. I'm gonna take a break."

I got out of my seat and came out of her room.

"Connect brother if there's anything?" I said last when I got in front of the fence.

"Yes." Yeah." He answered briefly.

All the way home, my heart was turned into a rage no more. I'm afraid this will cause even bigger problems.

If only he would tell me when he would do it, even though I can't stop him, at least I can accompany him, if something happens to him.

But Elsi is hard on her stance. The woman I love is so hard. I can't do much.

All I did was pray that he would change his mind.

"Why not sleep?" I said when we called at night. Ever since she became pregnant, our relationship has been intense, even though she always talks to me.

"Not sleepy."

"If there is a task, then my brother will be involved. Elsi take a break."

"There's no duty."

"Who knows tomorrow there's an assignment."

"Yes." Yeah."

"El?"

"Yes?"

"Are you sure you don't want your brother?" I'm still trying to persuade her. I don't care if he's gonna nag me all this, I'm gonna keep persuading him.

"Relatedly enough."

"What if my brother comes so done? Brother pick up Elsi."

"It doesn't have to be that way."

I took a deep breath.

"OK okay... Just tell me what's wrong brother."

"Yes." Yeah."

"El.... Dear brother with you..." I said again. He didn't answer. All I heard was his breath.

"Abang apologized yesterday brother made Elsi angry. Until we don't say hello to each other for a long time. I'm sorry, what else if I knew El was pregnant."

He was still silent hearing me talk. Sayup I hear his sobbing. Looks like she's crying.

"The incident yesterday was wrong. But brother didn't mean El..."

"It doesn't need to be discussed. It's over too."

"I'm sorry, brother?"

"Yes. I'm sorry for misunderstanding."

"Elsi's already drowsy?"

Like I had to end this call, so he could take a break. Because I saw the clock on my HP screen already showing at 10 p.m.

"Udah. Little." Answer her.

"Yes, Elsi is sleeping. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Dude...." He called me again.

"Yes?"

"May I sleep?"

"You want a video call?" Ask me.

"Hm...... Can."

I immediately switched the call to a video call. He lifted her up. I saw his face from the darkness of the room.

Sure enough, his eyes are puffy. Like she was crying.

"Yes, he is ready for bed. HP's in mandarin."

"Abang ngoceh until I fall asleep."

"That?"

"Yes. Let me get that damn fast."

I just nodded and obeyed what he said. I talked non-stop, told her about anything I could tell her.

Early on he could still respond to me. But 30 minutes after her, there was already no sound from her. Like he's asleep.

I'll leave it for another 10 minutes. Until I make sure there's no sign of him waking up, I turn off the phone.

"The Good Night Elsi...." Say it before you end it.