BUCIN STARLA'S HUSBAND

ROSE FOR STARLA

"When do my legs heal? I'm still at home. Taking medicine continues, but it doesn't heal, '" Starla protests.

Devandra took the keys to the car lying on the nightstand. He has appeared neat with a black shirt, which is in line with shorts.

That afternoon, after spoiling with his wife in the study, Devandra decided to have lunch outside.

"It's definitely healing, by," Devandra replied.

Starla grunts quietly. He followed Devandra to walk in closet. It seemed that the man was looking for something.

"Search what?" ask Starla.

"Look at my sunglasses, by? I feel like I've kept it here."

The glass sideboard cabinet was neatly arranged by a tie, glasses, watch, and some accessories belonging to the couple. Walk in closet was indeed overhauled Devandra a few months before she married.

Starla helped him find the glasses. However, it is not everywhere. Maybe it wasn't there that Devandra put it down.

"I wear the other glasses" said Devandra.

"But it's expensive, Yang. The price can buy one phone," said Starla, still looking for the whereabouts of the glasses.

"Udah. Missing at the office." Devandra approached the girl, and pushed her out of the room.

Starla stopped her movement. "I'm paying attention and taking care of you. I'm the one who always bothers you."

"Nobody is troublesome, by," Devandra interjected.

"I'm sad I can't tie your tie knot like I used to. I really want to make your breakfast early in the morning," he added.

Devandra sighed. He knelt before Starla, staring in the bead of his wife's eyes. Devandra knows how Starla feels as long as her foot is plugged in a cast. The girl always looked at him sadly every Devandra took care of herself.

"Don't think of things that make you sad. I'm fine as long as you're beside me, by. Don't feel useless. You are a big influence on my life" said Devandra.

"I'm just glad to take care of you. All of this is also because I neglected to take care of my wife, this" he added.

"Emang yes? I'm disabled..," said Starla.

"La, I hate that you're so low. You are not handicapped. It's only temporary, let you rest."

Starla simply replied with a slow mutter. With her palm, she rubbed Devandra's cheek. And then, it ended with a short kiss there.

"First, the first time you took me, I always rejected you. You're arrogant, perverted, flirtatious, a snacker. I think you're like most guys" Starla reminisced.

"What I want, must be mine, La. I was a two-tiered National Olympic champion of Science and Mathematics. I once won a big tender with your former Boss opponent. And I've also chased one girl, even though I lost, but I ended up being the winner" explained Devandra.

"I got it all because of the effort and prayer from Papi Mami."

Starla was silent for a moment. That smart, her husband. "I'm insecure with my husband" Starla said.

"You're smart too. Especially after being my wife." Devandra blushed saying that.

****

Nusantara restaurant is not far from Kemang area. It only takes 20 minutes from home.

Starla was so enthusiastic about entering the restaurant. Lots of holidays. They picked up a table not far from the fish pond in the corner of the room.

"I went to the toilet for a while" said Devandra.

Starla. He sat down and looked at the food menu. Devandra went to the toilet. In front of the hallway, precisely the woman's toilet door, he accidentally collided with a short-haired girl.

“Om, if the road takes eyes!” hardik the young girl.

“What are you saying? You think I'm your uncle!” Devandra stared at him.

“Not to be British, Om. We both eat rice. Belagu very,” cynical the girl.

“Heh, little boy! Everywhere you walk, look at it with your eyes. And another one, I'm not Om lo⸺”

“⸺understand!?” devandra Hardik.

The girl snorted, she could not accept what the little boy said. He has just graduated High School and is about to enter University.

“Papaku army. I am aduin with Papa,” he said.

“Aduin there! Call all the members of the same line,” challenge Devandra.

Devandra then passed from before him. Lazy to serve the snot boy. While the girl stomped her feet in annoyance. Just watch out if you see each other again.

“Om-om don't know themselves!” screech the girl.

His face looks really upset.

“Grace," call a woman from behind.

"Om-om who? There is no one here" the mother denied.

"But got into the boys' toilet!"

"Mama don't look. Yes, Papa is waiting."

Grace looked at the tattooed man's glance earlier. Actually she was young, just because Grace was upset, then Grace called her Om.

***

Devandra went back to the table they occupied. The girl sat on her wheelchair. Devandra came with an annoyed face.

“Why with my husband's handsome face?”

Devandra stared intently at the table opposite to them. The girl he had met in front of the toilet was here as well. Looks like he's with his parents.

"Which.., I know this," Starla quipped.

"Abis meets little devil," decak Devandra.

Starla. "Damn it?"

"Where does he call me Om" chirped Devandra.

"Omm?" Starla chuckles at Devandra's babbling. Devandra was so angry.

In the past, when Helsa was pregnant with Cemara, Adryan would like if Cemara called his brother Mas. But Devandra refused. He did not want to be confused with his Papi.

If Devandra says small: “Emang I Mas Papinya Mami.”

And today, some call him Om. If it wasn't for the women, Devandra would've choked her neck.

"Udah, anyway. Why is it badenin," Starla said.

From a different table. Grace returned a stare no less fiercely at Devandra. Grace was not afraid of the man.

"Well, look at that Om, he was mad at me earlier," Grace argued to the man sitting in front of her.

"Raf—" called his wife and shook her head softly so that there was no need to serve his son's words.

Rafael gave a small smile, his gaze falling towards someone called his only child. A man with several tattoos on his left hand.

"Papa can not be angry, because it does not know what the story is like," said Rafael.

"Come, eaten. Your food hunt is cold, honey," Rafael continued.

They enjoyed lunch with a little laugh. Grace who was far from her parents so far, told a lot about her days in Jakarta.

...****************...

Devan's car stopped at a flower shop. He entered the store without Starla. The girl sat in the car not to bother her husband. A florist who makes her feel dejavu. Like I've come before.

"Good morning, Mas" said the flower shop employee there.

"August, Ma'am. I asked for a red rose mix baby breath."

"Need a greeting card?" The woman asked back.

"no need. I prefer to speak directly without intermediaries like letters" Devan said a little haughty.

Just be right. In the past, she once gave flowers to Starla with a letter in it. By courier of course.

"Good, Mas. You can wait a minute."

While waiting, Devan looked around at the fresh flowers inside. His gaze turned out the shop's large glass. The car window that was accidentally opened made Devan's smile rise. Starla was playing her phone. He must have felt bored.

Five minutes waiting, the bouquet of flowers was already in his hands. Devan paid two hundred thousand for the red rose. Starla must have liked it. He got out of the shop and approached his wife.

"Darling..," Devan kissed his wife's cheek and gave her a bouquet of roses.

"This is for me, Yang?" There were clearly glittering gazes from the two pretty eyes of the girl.

"Rose for a beautiful wife who sleeps every night" whispered Devan, peeping at the lips of Ranum Starla.

Starla blushed hearing Devan's words. She grabbed the flower, then followed the embrace for her husband. For whatever reason, Starla did not stop falling in love with the man.

"I will love you red roses every day on the condition of a lifetime with me" said Devan.

"I want to, Dev. Not because of the rose, but what I want is you, Yang." Starla's heart was full of staring at the face before her right now.

Starla realized that she had long fallen for the tattooed man. Now, his whole life belongs to Devan without a single bit less.