Cidro (Between Love And Wounds)

Chapter 21

Wiwit sat pensively in his chair. His eyes stared blankly at the dark of the night. Occasionally his hands rubbed his tears which fell slowly.

Ingatannya kembali ke kejadian siang tadi. Saat dirinya memergoki Rayhan bersama dengan seorang wanita. Wiwit sempat bertanya siapa perempuan itu. Awalnya Rayhan tak mengaku siapa sebenarnya wanita itu. Tapi pengakuan justru keluar dari mulut wanita itu.

"You're Wiwit, huh?" abugn. His eyes were soft and affectionate.

"I happen to meet you here. Introduce me Mayang. I am Mas Rayhan's wife" said the woman lightly.

Wiwit's body froze instantly. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. His heart was hot as if struck by lightning.

"My wife Mas Rayhan?" Wiwit opened his mouth to make sure again what he heard was wrong. Tears were slowly dripping down both of his cheeks.

The woman named Mayang nodded while smiling kindly. There was no anger on his face.

"Me and Mas Rayhan were married three years ago. And now we're waiting for our first child." Mayang said as he stroked his stomach which still looked flat.

Wiwit closed his eyes. Neutralize irregular heartbeat when remembering the incident. His heart was painful and painful.

"Wiwit," call someone.

Wiwit opened his eyes and looked back. The figure of the man he wanted to avoid was again standing before him.

Rayhan walked over to Wiwit's desk. Without hesitation and without permission, Rayhan took a seat in front of Wiwit.

"Wit me. I can explain this to you. I'm...." Rayhan tried to grab Wiwit's hand.

Wiwit brushed off Rayhan's hand that wanted to touch her. His eyes stared intently at the man who had been king in his heart all this time.

"I can explain everything to you. It's not what you have in mind" he said again.

Wiwit kept his body out of Rayhan's reach. He didn't want Rayhan to touch his skin one bit. A cynical smile was drawn on his face.

"My mother and I are married. But I don't love him. I don't love him at all, Wit" he explained.

Wiwit raised his eyebrows. The corner of his lips slightly raised.

"What else did you play?" Wiwit.

"I don't believe all your words anymore. I don't believe your rotten mouth anymore" he said again.

Rayhan looked into Wiwit's eyes fixedly. The man wanted to show Wiwit that what he said was the truth. But it's free. Wiwit no longer believes in everything that the man has. Wiwit no longer has a heart with the man named Rayhan.

"You better go and never bother me again. Don't ever call me again. From now on and forever, we have nothing to do." Wiwit said as he got up from his seat. Then he moved his feet away from the place.

Wiwit walked away from Rayhan who was still sitting pensively at his desk. The man could not help Wiwit's footsteps who kept away from him.

Meanwhile, Anne and Citra seemed to be enjoying a bowl of meatballs at a meatball stall of her family. Bu Mirna and Pak Bayu accompanied the two girls to eat their favorite food..

"You want to add another son?" asked Mirna to Citra.

"Thank You Aunt. That's enough," subtly reject the image.

Miss Mirna smiled. The woman was impressed by the polite demeanor shown by Citra. The girl did not show her hatred at all even though she was in the middle of the family of the young man who had hurt her.

"Don't say anything, son. If you want to add, you say aja," said Mr. Bayu.

"Thank You Om. The image is full," replied the refined image.

"Not to be ashamed. Your family won't be able to afford the food here" cynical Azwan.

The image looked at the face of the young man who had been his lover with a look of disbelief.

"Elo what the hell? If you don't like it, shut up. Rather than your words hurt the feelings of others," Anne joked. The girl did not like anyone insulting her neighbor the most.

Azwan smiled cynically as his eyes glanced towards Citra who was now bowed deeply.

"Partner" call Miss Mirna. The woman's hand touched the Citra part and rubbed it gently.

"Sorry Azwan, son. Do not enter the heart of his words" said Miss Mirna.

The image just nodded slowly. A clear drop slid free from his eyes. His heart ached to hear the insulting sentence that Azwan had uttered earlier.

*****

The night is rising. A quiet and dark atmosphere seemed to be enveloping tonight. The sound of night beasts occasionally sounded accompanying this dark night.

Mr. Bayu seemed to sit pensively on the sofa of his living room. The man looked at his face and smiled. Not because the man fell in love with Citra. But his smile and face reminded him of someone in his past.

"Why haven't you slept?" reprimand Ms Mirna who intends to go to the kitchen.

Mr. Bayu was surprised to hear the reprimand of the wife. The man tried to smile after managing to master his shock.

"Not sleeping Pa?" Mirna repeated her question.

"Can't sleep yet Ma" replied Mr. Bayu.

Miss Mirna smiled. Then the woman placed herself next to her husband.

"Is there anything else Papa thinks?" ask Miss Mirna.

Mr. Bayu took a long breath. Her chest feels tight. It was as if there was a load of tens of kilos squeezing his chest.

"Father of the same mind Image of Ma." Finally Pak Bayu voiced out also after being silent for a while.

Bu Mirna's forehead wrinkled at her husband's words. "Image Thinking? Why Pa?" ask Miss Mirna.

Again Mr. Bayu took a long breath. His chest grew increasingly claustrophobic hearing the question from his wife.

Ms. Mirna was silent to Mr. Bayu's explanation. Her heart ached when she heard her husband say another woman's name.

"Papa was like looking at Ambar's eyes when he looked at Citra. Even the way of speaking is very similar to Ambar," continued Pak Bayu.

Miss Mirna took a long breath. Jealousy took hold of her heart when she heard her husband say another woman's name. Even if she was a woman in the past.

"May you say something to Papa?" said Ms. Mirna. The woman looked at the husband's eyes intently.

"What are you talking about?" ask Mr. Bayu.

Miss Mirna took a long breath. The woman gathered all her courage to reveal a truth that she had been trying to cover up.

"I'm sorry that Mama hasn't talked to Papa about this" she said.

Mr. Bayu frowned not understanding. "I mean Mama?" ask the man.

Again, Miss Mirna took a deep breath. "During this time Mama covered something from Papa. Mama had been covering up a fact from Papa," he continued.

Mr. Bayu increasingly does not understand the words of the wife. The man looked at his wife with a question mark.

"What does Mama mean? Papa does not understand," said Mr. Bayu.

Miss Mirna lowered her head. The woman felt very guilty for covering up a big secret in her life. A fact that might change his life for the future.

"Actually... Ambar..in fact she gave birth to a daughter," said Ms. Mirna.

Mr. Bayu froze in place. The man could not believe what he had just heard.

"The child is now being cared for by one of his relatives." Ms. Mirna continued her words with a stifled voice

"What's the boy's name?" asked Mr. Bayu with a trembling voice.

Ms. Mirna raised her face and stared fixedly at the husband. Puddles of tears appeared in the eyes of the beautiful woman.

"Name of the boy... Citra" said Ms. Mirna.

Pak Bayu's eyes are perfectly rounded. His ears were like lightning hearing his wife's answer.

"I'm sorry Mama Pa. Mama didn't mean to cover all this from Papa. Mama just wanted to confirm the truth of the news," said Ms Mirna.

Mr. Bayu did not pay attention to the words of his wife. Both of his hands supported his head which felt swirling. His heart was seething with pain to find the reality before his eyes.

"Tomorrow to take me to the family who took care of my son" had the man.

*****

The morning came so fast. The sun began to show its warm rays. The sound of small birds sounding sweet in the ears.

"Where are you going?" Anne asked when she saw that her parents were dressed.

Miss Mirna smiled at the princess's question. "Papa Mama wants to go out for a while. Mama and Papa have important business" replied Ms. Mirna.

"Come dong. Until the house is Citra, it's okay" said Anne.

Mr. Bayu and Ms. Mirna looked at each other. The two parents seemed to be considering the girl's request.

"Can yes. Anne's promise was to go nowhere. Cuman diem at his home Citra only until Mama and Papa pick up again," he whined.

Mr. Bayu took a long breath. A second later the man nodded his head in agreement.

Anne's eyes twinkled at the nod of Papa's head. He rushed to his room to change clothes. Once ready, the girl immediately ran down the stairs. He approached his parents who were in the living room.

Elsewhere, in a simple house. The image seemed to be sweeping the courtyard. The girl swept through the yard until no more leaves fell on the lawn.

"Done down," murmured Citra. His face showed satisfaction when he saw that the entire courtyard of his house looked clean.

"Now it's just a shower and breakfast" he said again.

The girl stepped towards the back of her house. Storing all the equipment he used to sweep in a small room that served as a warehouse.

"Have the Deck finished?" reprimand Wiwit suddenly.

Hearing the brother's sudden reprimand, Citra jumped in shock.

"Damn! Wiwit Mbak made a hanger, deh," Citra grumbled.

Wiwit just laughed at the grunts of his sister. "You're dreaming again, huh? How shocked is that when you're angry?" ask Wiwit.

"Yes. But still surprised if he was rebuked suddenly like that," Citra grumbled.

"Sorry anyway. Not intentionally. Now you take a shower there. After breakfast," said Wiwit.

The image nodded its head. Then the sweet girl went into the house followed by Wiwit behind her.

"Wit please open the door, dong." The voice of Aminah came from the kitchen.

"Yes, ma'am" replied Wiwit.

The girl rushed to the front door of her house. There was the sound of knocking on the door and also the person who said greetings from outside.

"Wa'alaikum salutations." Wiwit answered while opening the door.

"You!" pekik.