Brutal Family

Part 13 Cousin Secrets

After a pretty heartfelt debate last Friday. Jaya seems angry at me - she doesn't want to talk. So here I stood, looking at the crowd with strangers.

"Hey."

The sun is heading towards the conflict. The orange in the sky grew even more dense as me and a person in a black jacket sat facing the town square.

"Sorry to wait a long time." Brother Heman gave me a plate of warm food. "Kiss."

"Favor Brother."

"Where?"

"uh? Oh-happy. The sauces are delicious."

"Here are many types of delicious snacks. Wet is famous."

"Hm ... Brother, can I ask you something?"

Brother Heman nodded while eating. I can't make small talk.

Large vehicles heading towards Central Java are moving slowly down the highway. The shophouses turned on the lights, followed by a crowd of street vendors. My inner lips were bitten.

"Sister Heman was"

"Based room?" guess Brother Heman, smile little. "Style of the story" he added, answering my surprise as if the contents of my mind were wide open for him.

I just found out Jaya and Kak Heman shared a story. Not that they're a bit different in their thinking, are they? Even Jaya blatantly forbade me from being close to Kak Heman. The reason ... again Jaya has its own reasons.

"Actually among Grandma's grandchildren, you're the first one to make it into the forbidden room. We are horrified and salute you, being able to get out of there safely. How'd it do?"

"Huh?"

"Yes. When we took you to that forest .. we're sorry. Really sorry. It was beyond a surprise plan. What is clear is that we are impressed, you are so resilient, especially after exiting the forbidden room. You don't realize we're jealous? My brother Hegar always pays attention to your style of dress. Raka who likes to roar in school as the head of the osis, secretly amazed to hear every chat you use English with Om Lingga that just flows like we speak Sundanese. I saw Raina bring home hair paint after school, she wanted to have blond hair like you. But afraid of scolding his mother. Seeing your hair turn black at the breakfast together, Raina was not necessarily disappointed. He still likes you. He said Brother Bungah is cool."

"Huh?" Compared to being amazed, I even creeped.

It turns out that they are more frightening than Jaya who has different personalities every day and night. There is a side to their obsession with me. I should have realized earlier, all this time when I felt followed and thought it was a forbidden room ghost, it turned out that my guess was wrong. They are my own cousins. The admirers who hate me are cousins.

"They're ashamed to invite you in. I know everything." Brother Heman laughed.

"Why can?"

Brother Heman looked at me. "Because they are my brothers. I've known them for a long time. Know their habits. Why do you think Sophia always follows you?"

"Because he .. don't have any friends?" Ua Rinanti-Sophia's mother once said that.

Brother Heman shook his head. He held his basotahu plate on the chair. "Sophia thinks you're different. Other people can withstand the same mischievous behavior he. Whereas you can ignore him without getting angry."

So I should be happy to know the truth they don't hate me? The reflex of my hand scratched at the nape, a bit unfamiliar knowing this all of a sudden. Confused, after coming home from here I have to behave how, ordinary or start greeting them first? I don't know, if Jaya's condition tells this story, I must immediately believe it.

I was taught Mama saw a person's character from her eyes. The results are not quantitative, but some are proven. In my judgment the look in the eyes of Brother Heman is a bit difficult to guess.

Heman isn't kidding anymore, is he?

"Sister Heman, honestly I'm a bit confused as to what Brother's words just said about them. When they were at the cousins' society, they were like hungry lions watching me come. They don't like my presence. Brother Heman's words just now were a bit strange. Sorry."

My head was patted slowly. We sat, then my eyes caught the presence of a distant man standing near a pillar watching us. I remained silent until the man disappeared. Jay?

Why is Jaya following me?

"Why Bungah?" Brother Heman turned around to follow my gaze.

Brother Heman's hand pulled something out of his jacket pocket. Lighters burn the tip of the object flanked by two fingers Kak Heman. Smoke was exhaled like a fire-breathing dragon.

Cigarettes. Papa never smoked. If Papa's friends in Canada stop by after work to our house, they bring drinks and cigarettes. Papa just eats nuts or kuwaci serves them. I will be in the room. He said, Papa does not smoke because of his lungs, afraid of dying silly because of the smoke so that I can not watch me live successfully.

"That's sasajen. Bi Lisna does it every Friday night."

"To be kept in that room?"

As his lips turned back, exhaling a puff of smoke, his head nodded. Sis Heman's sturdy body blocked the yellowish highlight of the sunset.

"Aren't we not supposed to be out Friday night?"

"We can't. But the parents can. In our area is still thick customs. Every night house on Friday night, they send sasajen to karuhun," explained Kak Heman, just as I opened Kak Heman's mouth again saying, "Karuhun is the ancestors. We pray for the dead, especially for the Almighty God, so that our land will be fertile and there will be abundant harvest. But ...,"

Feeling funny about my curious soul, I also chuckled. "But? Hehe. Sorry, brother, I brought the man. It goes on."

Brother Heman laughed too. His intention was to distract Kak Heman from seeing Jaya around us and get new information. If Ua Lisna every Friday night kept the thing in the forbidden room, it was likely that Papa's brothers would also visit the room. Then Friday night the door is open.

"...but back again, human desire is different. Like the door of a forbidden room that was always locked, the intention of the person who entered it was no one knew other than the person himself."

***

　

Until the house I sighed before turning the knob. From the street, Grandma's house looks peaceful. So peaceful that I goosebumps. The house has a different aura.

"Don't you?"

"Night, Pa."

Papa got up from the chair. The reading glasses were removed as soon as I got closer.

"Not that you've gone home, you were. Coc-"

Papa walked towards my room in such a hurry as to make sure, I followed him.

My bedroom door opened. Silent.

"So .. You-Papa sure how you enter the house through the family room. Daritadi Papa was sitting there checking the files. You're passing by, but you're not dying." Papa scratches his head.

"Pa, it's ok. Maybe Papa's tired. Sorry Bungah came home last night, was invited by Kak Heman to eat first in the square."

Papa looked out at the goals of my face, then shook his head while twitching the base of my nose. The shock had not disappeared from his eyes. I see, actually it's not just me, Papa is also hard to leave Canada and stay here. Especially his career. When there is worry or displeasure, I will immediately hug Papa.

"Sorry, because Bungah did not tell you, Papa became a mess. Looks like Papa is a soybean."

Hopefully so, my mind agrees.

　

　

- Damaisland-