Cidro (Between Love And Wounds)

Chapter 23

Bu Aminah terpaku di tempatnya. Wanita itu terkejut melihat siapa yang ada di ruang tamu rumahnya. Seseorang yang pernah sangat ia benci. Ingatannya kembali ke masa lalu. Masa di mana sang adik berjuang seorang diri dengan perut yang membesar.

"Ambar, you'd better meet Bayu. She should know that you are pregnant with her child" said young Aminah at the time.

Ambar breathed a heavy sigh. His chest tightened when he heard the name of the husband called by someone else.

"Ambar." Aminah holds the shoulder of her sister. He stroked his back gently and lovingly.

"Don't know what you're feeling. You understand that you must feel abandoned and wasted. But you must not be selfish Ambar. The child in the womb you have to know who the father is" said Aminah.

Ambar shook his head slowly. The young woman seemed reluctant to meet or meet her husband who may have been happy together with his new wife.

"I don't want to destroy the happiness of Mas Bayu Mbak. I do not want to be a thorn in the household of Mas Bayu and his new wife" said Ambar.

"And about this kid... I'll keep taking care of him. With or without the Sauce. Later if he's an adult, he'll definitely find his real father." Ambar stroked his growing stomach.

Aminah was only able to sigh deeply to hear the words of her sister. In his heart he was heartless and eager to help his sister. But he can't do anything now either. He did not want his sister to feel increasingly isolated if he continued to force Ambar to meet Bayu.

"Would you come here?" Bu Aminah's voice seemed to be blaring filled the living room of his house.

"It's not yet satisfied that you made my Ambar die." Ms. Aminah started sobbing.

"Aren't you satisfied that Ambar's son grew up without a mother beside him?" abugn.

"I'm sorry Minah. Forgive my negligence and family" said Mr. Bayu.

Madam Aminah smiled slanted. While Citra just stand sculpting. Not understanding what the parents were talking about.

"Partner" call Mr. Hamzah.

"Please make a drink for the guest, son," asked Mr. Hamzah.

The image nodded its head. Then the girl walked into the interior of her house.

"I'm with Citra" said Anne.

The image smiled and nodded its head once more. Anne smiled at the nod of her head.

Mr. Hamzah stared at Citra's departure with mixed feelings. The man already considered Citra as his own son. He loved her just as much as he loved his other children.

"Now what do you want to come here? You want to take the image from us?" pekik Bu Aminah's. The woman could no longer hold back the emotions lodged in her chest.

"Minah's mother." This time it was Miss Mirna who opened her voice.

"I'm sorry for just now looking for Ambar's son. Forgive me and the new Mas Bayu now know the real facts." Ms. Mirna tried to dampen the emotions that were burning in Bu Aminah's chest.

The middle-aged woman flashed a cynical smile. His heart still ached as he stared at the faces that always made his sister cry and hurt.

The woman recalled the incident that made her sister decide to end her life. The incident that was so heartbreaking for Bu Aminah at that time.

At that time, Ambar was holding a small image. The innocent face of the image looked extremely adorable. Plus with both of his cheeks that look puffed.

"A sleeping image of Ambar?" asked Aminah who had just returned from the market.

"Yes Ma'am. After drinking milk continue to boil him again," replied Ambar. A sweet smile spread across the young lady's face.

Aminah also smiled to see her sister. "You put the image first. Let you also take a rest" said Aminah.

Ambar nodded his head. The young woman put a small image into the crib that was in the room.

"Bak" called Ambar when he had laid down the image.

"Em... Can I ask you a favor?" abugn.

Aminah's forehead is wrinkled. "Solicit what please?" tanyakanya.

Ambar did not answer the question of his brother. The young woman seemed to be playing her fingers. His heart is beating fast. His face was nervous and worried.

"Ambar" call Aminah.

Ambar looked at his brother. The young lady forced her smile.

"What do you want to ask for help?" Aminah repeated her question.

"Em.. I. I want. I want to. I want to invite Citra to meet her father Mbak," said Ambar.

Aminah gasped at the answer of her sister. But in the heart of the woman can not be denied. The woman was happy because her sister was willing to take her advice.

"Alhamdulillah. I'm so glad you said so Ambar." Aminah smiled as she said that.

Ambar smiled too. The young woman looked happy because her brother supported what she wanted.

"Sunday alone tomorrow Ma'am," replied Ambar enthusiastically.

In the shadow of the woman appears the face of Bayu who smiles happily when he sees their daughter has been born. The woman imagined how happy Bayu was to see their child. The child they had always been waiting for his presence.

However, all those beautiful shadows disappeared instantly. The beautiful shadow was lost when Ambar saw it with his own eyes. Bayu is happy to welcome the presence of his twin babies.

"We go home, Ma'am," asked Ambar.

Aminah seemed confused to see the change in Ambar's attitude. Yesterday Ambar was so excited to go see Bayu. But now he seems to dislike being in front of Bayu's house.

Ambar stepped away from Aminah who was still standing in front of the gate. The woman did not care about the voice of Aminah who kept calling her name.

"Since then Ambar always looks moody. He never smiled again. Ambar seems to be missing from our lives" the story of Bu Aminah.

Miss Mirna looked up next to her husband. Her tears were hardened when she heard that poignant story. He did not expect the consequences of his selfishness to make a child separated forever from the mother.

"I'm sorry Ma'am. Forgive my selfishness," said Bayu.

"I shouldn't have ignored Ambar. I shouldn't have let him out of the house that night" Bayu said.

The image comes out from the inside with a tray containing four cups of drinks. He smiled warmly at everyone in the living room of his house.

"Please drink Om, Auntie," he said. He placed the drink cup in front of Bu Mirna and Pak Bayu.

Pak Bayu forced his smile upon hearing the soft voice of Citra. A voice very similar to that of the mother.

"Please dear," replied Mr. Bayu.

Ms. Mirna reviewed the smile. It felt like the woman was prostrating at Citra's feet and apologizing for all her mistakes.

The image returned Bu Mirna's smile with a smile as well. After that he immediately passed from there and returned to his room. There Anne was waiting for him.

"Partner, I borrowed your novel?" Anne pointed out a book she was reading to Citra.

"Yes can. But don't get damaged Anne. You see, I love that book," replied Citra.

"Yes Citra. I'll take care of your book" said Anne.

Anne is focusing on her reading books. Citra focused on the novel she was writing on her laptop.

Outside the room, Mr. Bayu was seen prostrating at the foot of Bu Aminah. The man apologized for all the wrongs he had done.

Bu Aminah tried to help Pak Bayu stand up. But Mr. Bayu did not want to stand up before Ms. Aminah forgave him.

"I've forgiven you Bayu. Ambar has forgiven you too. Now you wake up. Don't be like this" said Ms. Aminah.

"Yes Bayu. Ambar wouldn't like it if you were like this. He. will certainly be sad if you are like this," added Mr. Hamzah.

Finally, Mr. Bayu will stand up. The man sat down next to his wife.

"I'm sorry too Minah. Let me know that fact, Citra can definitely meet her real father quickly" said Ms Mirna. The woman looked regretful for not knowing this fact before.

"Nothing Mirna. You are not wrong. Maybe this is the destiny God wrote for the image.

"Where is Citra? I want to meet him and hug the boy." Mr. Bayu spread his gaze looking for the figure of the princess.

Bu Aminah got up from her chair and walked towards Citra's room. The woman called out to Citra with mixed feelings. The woman was afraid that Mr. Bayu would take Citra from her side.

"Partner" call Bu Aminah.

"Mother." Welcome the image with a smile.

"Sir Bayu wants to talk to you. You're out for a minute, yes" said Aminah.

The image nodded its head. Unsuspecting, the girl came out of the room and walked towards the living room.

"Auntie." Anne called to Aminah when she saw that she was going to leave.

"May I have something for Auntie?" said Anne.

Aminah smiled at Anne's words. "You ask me what a pretty boy?"

Anne gave a thin smile. "Is the image really my brother?" asked Anne plain.

Bu Aminah was surprised to hear the question from this beautiful girl in front of her. The woman became confused as to how to answer the question without hurting or offending Anne.

"Tante, is it true that the image is Papa's biological child from another woman?"