Botanical Cafe & Tongue-in-Law
Housewife
Mentari began to descend from his throne, preparing to change positions with the moon. The typical hawker-traders of the night began to wander around, who knew there was a family that did not have time to prepare dinner. Slowly, online taxi cars began to approach Seruni's house. Sri khidmat water the plants in the front yard. Routinely, twice a day he water the plants like a mother feeds her child. If it could be done three times a day, maybe he would. But he realized that watering plants during the day is a free activity. Seruni got down from the car to her house while carrying a tongue-in-law plant. Hopefully, he steps towards Sri with the expectation that everything will be fine after the plant is given to him.
“Sore Bu,” Seruni said with a smile.
Sri looked towards Seruni then nodded her head, replying to the afternoon congratulations from Seruni. Sri's attention was focused on the plants brought by Seruni. Wanting to feel he smiled, looking at the plants brought by Seruni. Seruni walked closer to Sri and then thrust the tongue plant in-laws at Sri. Sri put a hose watering plants and then welcomed the plants given by Seruni.
“This is Ma'am, be given the same plant next to the cafe. He said he was waiting, who knows would play around there too,” said Seruni while lying a little.
Sri looked at the Seruni giving plant. He does not have a tongue-in-law here and does intend to add to his collection. Once again Sri wanted to smile but her prestige and heartache were still too superior.
“Still.”
Sri's cold answer to Seruni. Seruni kept smiling, tried positively maybe the effect still has not appeared.
“Tonight we eat out Yes Bu,” said Seruni.
“Iya free.”
Seruni smiled again and entered the house. In his heart, he hoped to immediately see the effects of the tongue-in-law plant. Seruni saw Rudi who had just come out of the room while covering the towel.
“Mas, so ‘kan later?”
Rudi looked at Seruni while drying her hair.
“Iya. You take a shower there. Short again I want a car manasin.”
Rudi left Seruni to put down her towel. Seruni walked into the room, preparing for dinner outside with her family.
...****...
Seruni pulled her blanket. He forgot to activate the AC timer before going to bed. The coldness of the AC room made him lazy to wake up but Seruni remembered something. It's Sunday and he has to prepare breakfast immediately before going to worship. Reluctant, Seruni opened her eyelids and looked towards the wall clock. It's five in the morning. Enough time for her to prepare breakfast for her family. After some stretching on the mattress, Seruni got up from the mattress and left Rudi who was still sleeping.
Seruni entered the kitchen with her slightly wet face after washing her face. He prepared to make toast, just a prop in the morning before they went to worship and then ate after that. Seruni also cooks hot water who knows someone who needs to use hot water for his needs in the morning. Slowly, Seruni smeared bread with butter before adding other fillings. The sound of heavy footsteps slowly approached Seruni in the kitchen. Seruni turned to the source of the voice and she saw Sri walking over to him.
“Bu, what will the bread fill?” ask Seruni.
“Free.”
Sri walks to get a glass to drink and leaves Seruni. Seruni scrunched his forehead. Doubt began to arise because Sri's answer was still the same as yesterday. Short, dense and unfriendly. Soluble in this thought, Seruni was unaware of the sound of the teapot being heated earlier. Snapping, a female figure moved towards the source of the sound and turned off the stove. Rudi patted Seruni on the shoulder, trying to resuscitate his wife.
“You still sleepy?”
Seruni shook her head while smiling lightly.
“Focus mengolesin butter.”
Rudi glanced in disbelief at Seruni and then poured the hot water in a glass filled with coffee and sugar by Seruni.
“You want all?”
“Bby, Mas. Tea, no sugar make.”
Rudi took the tea pot and then poured the tea leaves in it. Slightly greenish color obtained, unlike green tea in the form of a bag. Rudi gave Seruni a glass of tea and sat down near Seruni.
Sipping his coffee, Rudi watched Seruni. There's something strange about this wife. Seruni looked back at Rudi. Seruni realized from earlier he continued to be noticed by Rudi.
“Why, Mas?”
Rudi shook his head, trying to convince Seruni if nothing happened. I wanted Rudi to say what he felt but he felt the time was not right. Maybe coming home from church would be a good time.
“Mba Worshiped in the morning again huh?” ask Rudi.
Seruni nodded her head.
“Later noon there was a cafe booking for a small reunion. So later on abis we eat together will also go directly to the cafe.”
Rudi's turn nodded his head. Change the schedule, say what feels awkward to Seruni changed to afternoon.
“Now nerima cafe booking reunion?” ask Rudi.
“Still try anyway, Mas. I don't know what else will happen. This is also because we already know the same who booked.”
Rudi smiled slightly hearing that.
“Emang they mesen what food? Lodeh?”
Seruni glanced cynically at Rudi who chuckled. Stranger for him to hear the reunion with the consumption of vegetable lodeh.
“More to pastries. They ate the weight somewhere else.”
Seruni moved from her seat and toasted the bread she had prepared.
“But funny too if there is such a reunion,” said Seruni.
“Your cafe wants to be a nature cafe? In fact so kayak outbound abis menu, less salted fish same tempe know,” reply Rudi.
“Yes who knows at Deket Panti later we can make it too. Not far from there is a pretty good river too.”
Rudi muttered. He just realized this. Maybe he can do it someday.
“I retired young just what so we can directly sell together?”
Seruni snorted then shook his head.
“This small reunion event just do not know what works already want to leave a sure.”
“Home. But yes can also be tried sometime.”
Seruni brought the baked bread she had made to be served to Rudi.
“Emang when do we want to move to Jogja?”
Rudi frowned while muttering. He pretended to think hard in response to Seruni's question. Of course, Seruni smiled little, not believing that her husband was thinking that hard in the morning to answer any question.
“Life forty lah later we move.”
“Enjoy ya work, do not forget to find a good alesan for your bosses later.”
...****...
Dini and Lusi clean the glasses and plates on the table. Occasionally, Lusi yawns because not usually on Sundays he was already in the cafe from eight in the morning. Seruni who had just returned from the kitchen felt bad for these two employees. Their new working hours at three o'clock on Sunday must change specifically for this reunion event.
“Down, Lusi, sorry yes you guys so have to enter in the morning,” said Seruni.
Dini and Lusi looked at Seruni. They smiled awkwardly, feeling that their fatigue was so noticeable in Seruni's eyes.
“Sir, we were also empty this morning. Shocked this is why sleepy,” said Lusi.
Seruni breathed out.
“The overtime will immediately ask if it is right you want to go home. Tomorrow we are not eleven o'clock. Let you guys rest first.”
“Still Brother,” said Dini with a smile.
Seruni returned a smile from Dini and Lusi. He does not know if his actions were feasible and commensurate for his employees, he only hopes to have acted fairly with the schedule of those who have to change this week.
“I helped Mba Diah in the kitchen again ya.”
“Iya Kak,” replied Lusi.
Seruni went into the kitchen, looking at Diah who was busy washing dishes and glasses. The original purpose of Seruni was not to help Diah. There is something that I want to tell this brother.
“Mba...”.
Diah who had finished her task and dried her hands. From the tone heard by Diah, he realized there was something prodding for Seruni.
“Why?” replied Diah while looking at Seruni.
Seruni was silent for a moment, trying to gather her courage. He understood very well that Diah did not like clenic things.
“Mba have you seen the new taneman I bought for Mom?”
Diah scrunched her forehead, trying to remember the plant table she saw this morning. He felt there was something new there.
“The tongue of his father-in-law is you who bought it?”
“I'm with Susi's mother, who has a shop next door. I was going to buy ‘kan, but he said no need. Free.”
“Oalah. Well, it's Bu Susi. Later we change the cake also to Bu Susi.”
Seruni clucked, adjusted her breathing and prepared to tell her the truth.
“Mba know my alesan why give it to Mom?”
Diah began to suspect, something seemed to be wrong.
“Mba wants Lisa no, our customer who won't have Rina? Lisa told me that she suspected that the taneman in Bu Susi's place had magical powers. Can change the nature of the person who nerima taneman it. Well, I gave that taneman to Mom meaning that I could turn that into us, not jutek anymore."
Diah became unenthusiastic, prone to disappointment.
“But this morning Mother was still just as rich yesterday-yesterday. Jutek same me.”
Diah stood still, preparing to answer what Seruni had complained.
“You really have a piker? Who is Susi Bu? She's an ordinary grandmother who wants to fill her old days with the same sales of taneman. That was aja. It is not possible that the taneman sold can change the nature of people.”
Seruni was silent hearing Diah's reply. Diah continued to look at her sister seriously, as serious as the sentence she was about to say.
“Kalo you want Mom to be good again, yes already. Try you out at home first. Don't go to the cafe first. Let me be the same Dini Lusi who takes care of the cafe. You focus on tepingetin mom, apologize equally try to understand him more again. Just how many months of marriage, when you make such ways. Good thing that taneman ga ga give any effect, try if the danger?”
Seruni looked down annoyed by the napa he did. He forgets that what he does does does not reflect what will be done in the family.
“Udah yes, tomorrow you are following me. No need to go to the cafe first, focus on the approach to Mother. Sure enough, it will be better again.”
Seruni nodded her head hearing Diah's words. In the next few weeks, it's time to be a housewife.
...****...
Rudi changed TV channels in the room. Every now and then he glanced at Seruni who was sitting drying her hair, intending to start what she had planned this morning. Seruni got up from her seat, also preparing to recount her decision not to go to the cafe the next few weeks. Seruni fell asleep while looking at Rudi seriously.
“Mas, I'm rich a few weeks later ga to the cafe first.”
Rudi frowned, shocked by Seruni's words.
“I talked to Mba Diah about this. If not gini, it will be a long time ago I can deket again to Mother.”
“You're serious?”
Seruni nodded her head steadily.
“All I give to Mba Diah. Early on, Lusi also understood their cooperation. I can't keep this the same as Mom.”
They were both silent, there was only the sound of the TV being heard.
“I've only had a real family for the first time, Mas. I don't want to mess up because I can't adapt.”
Rudi was uncomfortable with Seruni's reply. Not because of not accepting, but because of feeling slapped with the answer. Rudi realized maybe he was also less bridging Seruni's relationship with his mother. Rudi should be able to do more, he should be able to be the head of a good family.
“Mas, how come? Can I choose gini?”
Rudi looked towards Seruni.
“Iya gapapa's. Mas who apologized, maybe all this time Mas less to be your bridge to Mother. Later do not try to chat with Mom also yes let understand.”
Seruni smiled hearing Rudi's reply. She was happy, at least her husband seriously took this and wanted to be more involved in the adaptation process.
“Still yes, Mas.”
Rudi smiled at Seruni, trying to calm and reassure his wife. In his heart, Rudi was also calm maybe he no longer needed to ask what he wanted to ask this morning. Rudi widened his arms and Seruni leaned his head on Rudi's arm.
“We need a family vacation, deh,” said Rudi.
...****...
