Cassandra Loving

Accelerating the Marriage

Pras stared deeply at the bald haired haired haggard man. He seemed to be able to dive into the gaze of a frightened father.

"What's the worst, Om?" Pras ventured to ask this inappropriately real question.

Prambodo lowered his head and sighed softly.

"These cancer cells are getting more malignant. Drugs that doctors usually prescribe to reduce pain and suppress the growth rate of bad cancer as if it is no use anymore.

The doctor thinks he's gonna talk to the people closest to Om about the most age range Om can reach, so Om called Cassandra to you yesterday. But the numbers are so terrible. Keep it yourself. You don't need to know.

Age may not be in the hands of doctors. But doctors have the ability to feel, roughly how strong this old man's organs can hold."

The sad voice was accompanied by the sound of the rustling of this beautiful garden fountain. Luminous garden lights bounced faintly towards the direction where they were sitting.

Pras. He's trying to understand. Yes, and he does understand.

He thought that if he became Prambodo, he would do the same. It was looking for someone he could trust to look after his daughter who would live a day after she died.

Pras stared at papa Cassandra silently. The man looked pondering. He felt sad when he knew it was nothing.

It's not sadder when you know you're going to die but you can't do anything to extend your life for a second.

"Thank you Om for trusting me to take care of Cassandra. I promised that if he refused the marriage or did anything to derail it, I would keep my promise to keep him.

Whether as a brother, a friend, or maybe if he thinks I'm an enemy I'll keep him. Cassandra has been a part of my life ever since Om held my hand and asked me sincerely."

Silent.

Only Prambodo's eyes spoke through the drops of clear water that melted soaked his wrinkled cheeks.

Then the sickly old hand that was no less wrinkled was holding Pras' hand again and grasping it.

"Thank you, Pras. Om knows Om can trust you. But please make Om's heart calmer again, yes. We're speeding up your marriage." Prambodo is apparently still adamant.

Pras eyes stared doubtfully.

In addition to feeling this too fast, he also felt that his heart was not ready.

How could he marry another woman while in his heart there was still the name of Mayasa who was entrenched in not wanting to leave.

Mayasa is not an ordinary love story for Pras. Mouth may say broken, but heart...

"Om, t-but say..."

"Prass. Please." Please." Prambodo patted Pras' shoulder this time. The pleading gaze looked more and more like a wailing gaze.

Pras people are sincere. Even in ordinary situations, he is the type of man who will be willing to sacrifice for the sake of others. Plus this situation makes him feel depressed if he refuses.

"You get married, and then live together in a house not too far from here. There is another house. Anyway Om wants Cassandra separated from Om." Prambodo said seriously.

"But why Om? Not because Om feels Om time is not much anymore, Om should always want to be close to Cassandra, dong." Pras was surprised. His tone could not lie if he was shocked by the decision of his future father-in-law.

Prambodo.

"At first, I wanted it to be, Pras. But after Om thought about it, it felt too selfish. But the house is an important place. Memories in it can make people hard to forget.

Cassandra often cried remembering that in the early years of her mother's death. He sat in a wheelchair and practiced walking, daydreaming and tearful before finally accepting his mother's condition and departure.

Om afraid to die in this house, Pras. Cassandra will..."

"Of! Don't say that!" Pras is powerless not to cut through this increasingly sad conversation.

His heart was sliced.

Oh, this dying man painstakingly thinks of his daughter rather than his illness.

Prambodo looked back at Pras and patted him on the shoulder. Prambodo knew Pras refrained from crying even though his eyes were already glazed.

"Pras, Om thinks it will be easier for Cassandra in the future if she gets out of this house. Om can't kick him out, can you? But the reason for the wedding can make him want to not move.

Believe me, Om has thought this through and feels this is the middle ground. Please, Pras. Force her to move under the pretext that you're married and have to live alone together so that Cassandra's memories of this house in the future are not as painful."

Those words so made Pras bow and nod.

Yes, if he was a father like Prambodo, then he would definitely think the same thing. He will definitely find a way to minimize the grief of his daughter's wounds. He would definitely also exert all his ability to reduce the number of tears his daughter would have in the future.

"Thank you, Pras. Om knows you'll want to. Let Om discuss with papa you to set the date. Your job is to make Cassandra not know what the doctor said. You can keep a secret, right?" Prambodo looked at Pras.

Pras nodded steadily.

But that steady nod and shady face instantly turned into a tense face within seconds as Prambodo whispered something in Pras' ear.

Yes, Prambodo revealed the estimated age of the doctor for him.

"Of..." Pras is powerless to speak.

Prambodo smiled and nodded.

"Shortly, right?" Prambodo smiled with his hard-boiled face.

Pras could not say a word. 

The doctor's words may be wrong. It is not God who determines the age of man. Estimates that can be called by that number may miss faster or longer.

Longer life is a gift from God perhaps. But if it is shorter than expected, imagine how sad it is...

"Before Cassandra's school break was over, you were married. Later in school you will cover your marriage because of your status of teacher and student.

About Cassandra later will refuse or not, Om sure why his heart slowly softened. The proof from earlier he kept on belain you. You're a sincere man. As hard as Cassandra's heart is, it's gonna melt too." Prambodo then smiled convincingly.

Pras bowed and smiled faintly. Yes, he felt that Cassandra's attitude had indeed turned warmer lately.

"I'll try to say good to him first. I hope he understands." Pras said while looking down to cover up his sadness.

Silent again.

The two of them dissolved into each other's minds again without knowing that Cassandra slipped downstairs to peek.

SERIATE...