Cempaka Bride

Pilgrimage

After traveling for almost an hour they finally arrived at the residence of Rima's parents in Kedung Halang.

The old-time architecture house that is clean and beautiful looks striking compared to other houses that have a modern and minimalist architecture.

Spacious yards overgrown with many large trees make the atmosphere feel cool and comfortable.

In the yard appeared a man who was sweeping using a long-handled broomstick, and wore a round hat on his head. The man rushed to open the black-painted gate when he saw Dinar coming down from the car.

"Assalamualaikum, Kang," said Dinar.

"Waalaikumsalam" replied Fahmi, Rima's first brother.

"Don't you remember me?"

"Still at. Neng Dinar, right? Mango at kalebet." Fahmi opens the gate wide and lets Rama's car through.

(Please enter)

After Ivan parked the car perfectly the passengers went down in turn. Fahmi greets them one by one in a friendly manner, even hugging Rama warmly. He knows Rama is Rima's beloved brother in kosan.

After a stale talk, Fahmi finally invited them all into the house.

Entering the living room the tempo atmosphere used to change more modern. Two large maroon-colored sofas were placed close together. In the middle of it was a long table. Crystal decoration looks neatly arranged in the sideboard cabinet on the right side of the living room.

The walls are decorated with some beautiful family photos. One photo featuring the figure of Rima standing in the courtyard of the house wearing a wedding dress in the color of sembakka makes all eyes amazed.

Dinar walked up to the photo and stroked it longingly.

"This ... photo before the marriage contract, yes, Kang?" dinar asked as she rubbed the tip of her dewy eyes.

"Yes. Before the groom's bride comes. I don't know why at that time he insisted on taking pictures. To make her makeup artist nag because her makeup is not perfect, but neng has forced out" replied Fahmi. A small smile fell on his lips as he remembered his beloved sister.

"Come, sit down first. I call Dad and Mom first, yes," said Fahmi as he passed into the house.

"Rima is beautiful, yes," said Triska who was standing next to Dinar. His eyes could not be seen the photo of the young woman. A ray of happiness clearly emanated from his face.

"Yes. Beautiful and cute. Ahh ... Rhymes. Mas, kangen!" sela Rama who stood beside Triska while touching the photo with eyes full of longing.

Zein dan Ivan yang sudah duduk di atas kursi segera berdiri menyambut kedatangan kedua orang tua Rima dari dalam rumah.

Pak Bakar and his wife hugged Dinar and Rama warmly. Experiencing others with sparkling eyes.

Since Rima's departure, there have rarely been guests of Rima's friends who come.

"How are you, Father, Mother?" greet Rama politely.

"Alhamdulillah. Good news, son. Come on, please sit down. We continue the conversation while making coffee," said Pak Bakar while leading Rama to the chair.

"Not seen you in a long time, huh?" continued Pak Bakr who sat next to his wife.

"Yes, Sir. Sorry we just had time to visit here again" said Rama politely.

"Teu nanaon, I understand you must be busy."

(Nothing)

Fahmi came out again with a woman wearing a dark blue headscarf. After serving drinks and various snacks on the table, the woman sat next to Dinar, while Fahmi sat next to Zein.

"How are you, Tea?" greet Dinar while hugging and cipika cipiki with the woman.

"Good news, Neng. Asa added geulis," said Siska who is Fahmi's wife.

After the stale chatter, Rama started to talk about the purpose of them coming here carefully. He tried to process and sort out the word so as not to offend the Rima family.

"Astagfireullah! The rhyme!" Rima's mother's voice shook. He cried while covering his face with both hands.

The look on Mr. Bakar's face turned sad. He rubbed his old face with a handkerchief patterned with stripes.

Fahmi let out a long breath and exhaled slowly. His mind was full of memories with his youngest brother.

Siska holds hands with Dinar. Sometimes he rubbed the end of his eyes with a tissue. His memory drifted to the jolly figure of his sister-in-law.

Siska knew Rima a long time ago. They had worked at a convenience store in Bogor, before Rima finally accepted to work in Bandung and moved there.

Irwan, Rima's husband is also their co-worker at the convenience store. Even now he still works there with a better position.

As Rima exhaled her last breath, Siska who was pregnant with her second child was completely shocked. He fainted so many times that he was hospitalized for three days for bleeding. Fortunately, her baby survived.

"After being possessed, is there a change in kosan?" ask Fahmi.

"From Thursday, until we left yesterday Rima did not appear again. But said Bi Ai, yesterday afternoon kayak someone passed in the park when he came to turn on the lights. Pasar this morning he matiin lights no longer passing," said Rama.

Fahmi was silent for a moment as if he was thinking about something.

"You may, Sir, Ma. We want permission to Rima's grave, "pinta Dinar.

"Come, Neng. Go ahead. All of you also want to go there," replied Mr. Bakr.

"Mom didn't come, yeah. Want to make lunch. We will eat together" said Bu Bakar with a smile. His old face seemed calmer.

"Steh didn't come, either, yeah. Mitha was afraid to wake up and cry if there was no need," said Siska who was replied by a nod by Dinar and Triska.

As they were about to depart, a young boy appeared to run into the living room. Behind him a middle-aged woman was trying to chase him.

"Father!" call him Fahmi who directly carries his son.

"Where are you going?" the little boy asked while looking at his father.

"Papa wants to make a pilgrimage to aunt Rima's grave. Aa' wait here, huh? Accompany Mama equally adek," said Fahmi while tidying up his son's clothes.

Andre seemed to frown when asked by his father to stay at home. However, after being promised to be invited to walk later in the afternoon, Andre was finally willing to get off his papa sling.

The little boy waved as the party went to the tomb on foot.

The journey to the tomb of Rima is taken for ten minutes. The atmosphere of the cemetery complex is quite crowded because there are people who have just been buried there.

Pak Bakr's footsteps stopped at a tomb that had not been installed ceramic on it. Others stopped and squatted around the tomb.

Led by Mr. Bakar they began to recite prayers for Rima. Dinar was seen several times rubbing his eyes. Triska stroked her arm to calm her friend.

"Rpa ... Mr Bakar!" shouted a man who was walking closer to them. The man holding a hoe stopped a few meters away from the tomb.

Mr. Bakr got up and walked over to the man. They engage in chat using the fast Sundanese language.

"What the hell is that?" whispered Ivan to Zein.

"Uncomprehending. Hurry up to say it," Zein replied in a whisper as well.

***

Arriving at Bu Bakar's house immediately invited them to lunch together.

Complete liwet rice with a variety of appetizing side dishes on the carpet spread on the floor of the middle room of the house is very spacious.

Ivan and the others ate very well. Occasionally jokes are thrown from their mouths.

As they were eating, a knock was suddenly heard at the front door.

A housekeeper rushed to open the door. Shortly after, a young man entered the living room and immediately approached Pak Bakar and his wife.

Irwan, the man who was Rima's husband greeted his two in-laws with reverence. Not forgetting to hug Fahmi and Siska warmly. And greet all the guests before finally sitting next to Zein and starting to eat.

"So, Kang Irwan is married to Rima?" ask Dinar after they finish eating and return to the living room.

"Yes. A few hours before he died," Irwan replied with a bitter smile. The twenty-eight-year-old man looked thinner than when they met a year ago.

Fahmi can be seen whispering into Irwan's ears that look flabbergasted.

"Really, Kang?" irwan asked while shaking his head as if he could not believe what he had just heard.

"Thus ... Rima bothers you guys a lot?" irwan asked while looking at his wife's friends one by one.

"Not to bother, Kang. If I think Rima wants to say something," replied Zein.

All eyes were directed at him.

"How do you mean?" ask Irwan. He was very curious about the handsome man sitting opposite to him.

"In our last meeting, Rima seemed to want to say something. But it hasn't been spoken of suddenly he's gone" Zein explained.

"Can I communicate with the spirits of the dead?" ask Fahmi. He moved his seat closer to Zein.

"Sometimes, Kang. That's also if I understand," Zein replied with a smile.

"Actually, lately in the office there is also such gossip. I also sometimes want to sleep feeling that someone is sitting behind me" Irwan said, closing his eyes.

"So, mang Jaja also told me so. Some people whose homes near the tomb often see a woman wearing a chrysalis-colored wedding dress seen crossing into the house," Fahmi said, leaving others flabbergasted.

For a moment they all fell silent. As if busy with the inner struggle of each.

"Here too sometimes Andre likes to shout calling Rima. He said he often met Rima on the swing in front of the house. It was Rima's favorite place in his life" continued Fahmi.

"In the side garden there is also sometimes a shadow of people passing by," said Siska who just came out of the room while holding her baby.

Triska and Dinar immediately scramble to hold the cute baby girl.

"Similar to Rima, huh?" Dinar. His hand continued to hold the tiny hand of the round-eyed baby.

"Yes. Many say so," replied Siska with a smile.

As the women were busy fussing over the beautiful baby, the men continued to seriously continue the discussion.

"Do we have to haul Rima?" asked Irwan while looking at Mr. Bakar. His father-in-law seemed to think for a while before finally nodding.

"When, Sir? Let me ready everything. Yusran must also be called" Fahmi said.

"What's next week? Or try to call Yusran, when he can go here," said Pak Bakar.

Fahmi nodded and grabbed his phone from his pants pocket. Then he moved away and contacted Yusran, his second brother.

"Kang, sorry if I'm a little sassy. Can I ask you something?" asked Zein quietly to Irwan who immediately nodded his head assent.

"Mount, Kang. Has Rima's killer been caught?" asked Zein with a serious face.

Irwan fell silent before finally shaking weakly.

"Can't that be it?" chirped Ivan.

"His family is rich. Maybe he ran abroad. I don't know. I'm also confused," Irwan explained in a bitter voice.

"Can't the police extradite him if he actually fled abroad?" beat Rama with a furious face.

"We don't understand either, son. The lawyer we hired to handle this case has also tried to the maximum, but still Eric has not been caught" explained Mr. Bakar. His old face looked tired.

"What about his family? Are they not willing to help?" Ivan is visibly furious at the news of the un-captured killer Rima.

"They're back in Singapore. Last came here a few months ago. Apologizing and saying goodbye to move again there while caring for Amanda who is stressed," said Irwan.

"And they also had broken contact with Eric after the incident" said Fahmi who again sat next to Pak Bakar.

"Amanda stressed?" ask Dinar with fisting eyes.

Fahmi turned to Dinar, "Yes, he was even admitted to a mental hospital in Jakarta for several months."

"Geez, I really don't know. I think after the trance and the near-suicide he was able to recover. We have also broken up since he returned to Jakarta. Try it later I ask Karin. Maybe he knows Amanda's latest news" Dinar said.

"Kang, did you ask for help from Kyai who can see Eric's location?" ask Zein again. Somehow he felt there was a connection between the appearance of Rima which always leads to Ayu's room which used to be occupied by Amanda.

"It's been some kyai or smart people that we came to, but until now has not produced results" replied Fahmi.

"Do you have any photos of Eric? Let me show you to someone I know" Zein said.

"None on my phone. But on Rima's phone there is. I'll send it via chat because now the phone is not brought," explained Irwan. They exchanged contact numbers.

After that Rama's entourage bidding to go home to the hotel, and promised to come back during the event haul Rima.

***

That night Rama's entourage back to walk around the city of Bogor. This time they visited the famous fountain roundabout to be a gathering place for young people in Bogor.

While enjoying a snack they sit around the roundabout. Seeing the people passing by incessantly while chatting casually.

Zein who never left Triska seemed to be seriously observing the photo of Eric who just sent Irwan through the green application.