Between Me and Brother

chapter 1

Looking at the stars above the sky so dark, the moon is not present to accompany the stars that can be counted with fingers. I stared at some stars that looked big and shone brightly while closing these eyes quietly, I took my breath in a peaceful order.

The sound of crickets filling up tonight feels good, so peaceful that I enjoy. By mingling with the fragrance of jasmine flowers in front of my house, the wind brought a longing greeting that would somehow be conveyed where. I sat in the room imagining my future.

***

It was the day I met Indra accidentally. He is a man who I admire, I have heard stories from some old santri there, he is a man who is always admired by women in Pondok Darussalam.

So many fans who like it, no matter what drives his mind to want to know me close when he just knew each other a few days ago.

That day was our second meeting in Pondok Darussalam. I am a transfer boy from Jogja who wants to continue Santri there.

Our meeting was very inappropriate, it was still early morning where the dawn adhan was still not reverberating. I just want to breathe fresh air. However, at that time Indra was behind me.

"Sir, I understand Om Jaya." (Sir, you know his son Om Jaya)

At that time Umi and Abi wanted to match Kak Tery with Indra, and at that time I felt unfair. But it was a choice between our two families, I can't argue with it.

Before, I was a quiet child among my family. I have a sister who is older than me, she is Brother Tery, a sister who likes to judge her own sister when the mood is not so good.

But almost every day, he bothers me. Me and Brother Tery are only 2 years younger than him. I was 20 years old and Brother Tery was 22, but the match between us was very complicated to explain.

***

This morning was greeted with the sunlight that enveloped my village, the leaves of the trees were blown by the wind as well as the dry leaves that had fallen from the tree.

As far as the eye could see, I saw some of my neighbors who were doing their usual day-to-day activities. Some are heating the motorbike, drying clothes, feeding their children while walking there and here.

I sat in front of the terrace with Brother Tery holding a book and pen. Umi and Abi are so busy cleaning up the house because we are moving to Jakarta. We will stay there for a few years, because Abi has a permanent job later there.

Abi is a man who is so scared when he goes to work outside his expectations. If he left the three of us at home to wait for his return, he would be anxious. Therefore, Abi invited us to live with him in Jakarta.

Me and Brother Tery actually very hard to leave our education here because it will be transferred to a new education also for a while there. However, we did not dare to refute Abi and Umi just because of our selfishness.

Looking at Brother Tery who was constantly moody with such an annoyed face, I understood it. He'll leave his best friend and his habits at home like me.

With the nature of Brother Tery who always betatut like an ostrich, I would like to entertain him with the way I invite chatting in the room.

"Bak, wes toh yo, ojo moody wae. Come help Umi Abi let me spit. Murung yo loko gunane anyway, Ma'am" (Mba, you have it, don't be moody. Please help Umi Abi to finish quickly. Murung is also useless, Ma'am) I tried to shake the body of Kak Tery who is still upset by inviting him to help Umi and Abi.

Not until five minutes, Umi came out and called Kak Tery and told him to go to the house of Mbok Sirah, Umi's good-natured neighbor.

"Tery, please invite Mbok Sirah yo!" (Tery, please call Mbok Sirah yes!) the sentence of Umi who rules gently to Brother Tery.

Brother Tery snorted, puffing his cheeks while rejecting Umi's orders furiously. Umi just smiled closer to Kak Tery then he stroked his head wearing the hijab gently. I also stood up while hugging my favorite book beside Umi.

I looked at Umi's face that had never been angry with her child, always giving her affection so gently. When I or Brother Tery get angry just because of a little thing. However, Umi always taught us to obey our parents as well as others when asking for help or assistance. But we are the ones who are always negligent in responding to it.

With that news, Abi, Umi, and Kak Tery picked me up at the cottage during a long holiday. Unexpectedly, now I actually left the cottage and moved to Jakarta to continue my religious education.

A little heavy, when Abi said this to us finally the hardest person to leave home and school was Kak Tery.

Umi still advises Kak Tery who has been said to be old. I also mocked Kak Tery by mentioning his age that has grown up. However, it still snorted like a child.

Brother Tery immediately looked up at me and chased after me while running who wanted to teach me a lesson. Umi who was a little entertained with us, she smiled and laughed off.

"Enjoy! Please help Abi for a moment!" abi's loud voice inside the house, shouting for help to Umi.

Umi replied, shouting loudly towards the front door of the house. He again shouted telling Kak Tery to go to Mbok Sirah's house and told him to come to our house.

With a little good mood, Brother Tery agreed to Umi's orders and went to his house. I ran into the house, peeking that the whole house was wrapped in long cloths and some suitcases belonging to Abi and Umi.

Chairs in the living room were also covered by cloth to maintain cleanliness so as not to be too hit by dust.

"Abi, opo iyo should be closed koyo ngono?" (Abi, do you have to cover the rich?) My voice was soft, but it was heard by them.

They just smile to see me in the door of the house while looking at me gently. Suddenly Brother Tery came with a happy look on his face.

"Enjoy! I love you, Mbok Sirah wes teapot," (Umi! That is, Mbok Sirah has come) shouted Kak Tery from the front door beside me.

I immediately turned to look back briefly glanced at Mbok Sirah, seen once although a little far the eyes looked, Mbok Sirah walked with a little bent his body because it was aging.

We always give a little sustenance from Allah for Mbok Sirah, he is already an elder but his body is still strong to lift firewood then walk far and memory is quite good.

At once Umi and Abi went out of the house and approached Mbok Sirah, helping him into our house whose goods had been wrapped neatly.

"Mbok, anu. we want to say goodbye, I'm lan bojoku arep lungo gowo loro iki yo boy, Mbok. I'm nitip key omah maring Mbok," (Mbok, that. we want to say goodbye, my husband and I want to go take these two children yes, Mbok. I tipped the key to the house with Mbok) Umi politely told Mbok Sirah who was mediating their seat.

Mbok Sirah just smiles mixed sad because we will stay long in Jakarta. Mbok Sirah I have considered as our great-grandmother, who always taught us the twists and turns of life in ancient times. Mbok Sirah only advises Umi and Abi to always take care of me and Brother Tery.

Kak Tery who was sitting next to Abi shed his tears, because later in Jakarta there was no one like Mbok Sirah, he loved us as much as his grandson since we were children.

Mbok Sirah lives a kara, she was abandoned by her husband since the birth of her first child. With Mbok Sirah loyal to her husband, she no longer wants to get married.

Mbok Sirah always take care and care of his own son, with the results of his own efforts. However, one day it happened to Mbok Sirah, his youngest child died at the age of 10 years due to heart disease. That is why, Umi and Abi are so fond of Mbok Sirah who lives a kara.

Not only out of pity, Umi and Abi also consider it as a substitute for their parents, Mothers Umi and Abi have died a long time ago. So, Umi always thought of him as her second parent.

"Nduk, koe ojo klalen pray lan sunnahe kanjeng prophet ya, nduk. Mbok ora wants, until klalen maring kabibie," (Son, you do not forget to pray and the Prophet's worship yes, son. Mbok does not want, you forget your obligations) advised Mbok Sirah to Umi and Abi.

We also agree on the most important message from Mbok, because our obligation as Muslims must obey the orders of Allah SWT.