CITY LOCATION: ANOTHER HEART

Episode 6

It was eight in the morning when Elle heard her phone screaming out loud. The woman shifted her body, reached for her phone and then glanced at the caller ID plastered on the screen.

Rayhan.

“Halo?”

“Buwn up?”

“Iya, Mas, misfortune as.”

“You ... sick? Not good at that sound?”

“Hm ... a little dizzy, anyway. It's nothing.” “Truly nothing? I sent the doctor there, how?” “No ah, really males must be checked by a doctor. I have aspirin here.”

“Truly nothing? I'm worried if you're why-why.”

“Nggak. Tiredness is possible.”

“No need to enter work first then.”

“Iya, I want permission today. When to go home?”

“Why, kangen ya?”

“Ih, whereas just ask.”

“Yeah, I'll be cool if I'm impressed with you.”

“Ck ck, cheesy.”

“Haha ... next week, Elle.”

“Still long dong.”

“Iya. Why?”

“Nothing.”

“Yes already, you take a break. Do not forget to eat the same as taking medicine. If there's anything quickly contact me, or the Goddess. Okay?”

“OK, Boss.”

“Good girl.”

Clik.

Yesterday Rayhan did leave to visit several cities in Canada to explore telecommunications cooperation between Global Corp. with one of the media corporations that are quite influential in the North American region.

In the end, Elle chose to go back to being a bitch and take advantage of everything the man had to offer. Attention, protection, security, recognition. If it is more beneficial than solitude, why should we reject it? For a long time he was also tired of being tough. Sometimes, he also needed a place to lean. Although of course, the backrest must be inert and will not trigger any emotional reaction in his heart. And no choice is as perfect as Rayhan. After all, he was also not with Raffi.

Elle shook her head, then sat down on the edge of the bed and contacted Maghali’s to inform her that she cannot enter work today.

He was already about to walk to the bathroom, when an attack of pain in the head forced him to slam back on the edge of the bed. So pain. His eyes immediately twitched. Elle massage her nape and temples slowly.

Maybe only postural hypotension is common if changing position from sitting to standing suddenly.

After feeling her pain begin to subside, she walks into the bathroom to wash her face. He has not planned to take a bath, it seems that the condition of his body that is not fit has not been possible. Of course he didn't want the pain to get worse.

After washing his face, he found out his toothpaste had run out. He then crouched open the door of the white cabinet that was united with his sink bowl. After reaching for a tube of toothpaste, he was stunned for a moment to look at the contents of the cabinet.

Why are there so many pads?

After she finished brushing her teeth, she came out of the bathroom, grabbed the phone on the nightstand and opened the calendar app there. His forehead shriveled at the mark he made. The last time she had her period was ... three months ago?

Maybe the calendar is wrong? Elle shook her head hard. No. gabe. Not likely.

Frowning withstanding the pain in his heart as he reopened his memory, Elle bit her nails trembling. Yeah, he remembered something. But wasn't there never a problem before?

Elle then walked over to the dresser, opening the top right drawer. Checking the progesterone strips he has been using. Usually Elle will throw the strip away if one cycle has passed. This time, in the drawer he found some strips that had been used. While researching them one by one, his face paled. There was one strip that still left a few pills there. With her heart starting to get anxious, she began to remember again, when if she took the strip that still left some non-placebo pills.

Elle paled even more as her memories strung together intact.

Cannot be. Elle again tried to argue out loud the possibility of being whispered voices in her head. He then dialed the phone number of the franchise pharmacy subscription, ordered something to be delivered to his apartment by their delivery service.

After hanging up the phone, again Elle was dumbstruck. Unwilling. Dare not think of any possibility.

Half an hour later, after receiving her order, ignoring the dizziness that was still throbbing in the head, Elle rather hastily walked into the bathroom. It was opened one by one and lined up about a dozen testpacks of various models and brands near the sink. With his heart pounding wildly, he waited.

Instantly his eyes widened and unconsciously Elle swallowed again, when the discovery of the entire testpack slowly gave the same result.

***

That afternoon, Elle was sitting at one of Maghali’s tables with Siera and Adam Morris, executive head chef of Maghali’s. In front of them presented each a portion of creme brulee and tarte tartin concocted two candidates for the new pastry chef kitchen Maghali’s which was prepared to replace a senior pastry chef who had an accident until he had to retire.

Two young men wearing chef jackets, looked seriously at the tasting chef Adam. The American man said nothing, and handed the restaurant owner his next turn. Siera also did not say anything, handing the next turn to Elle.

Elle started scooping a little each of the two desserts. The soft texture, sweet vanilla and fresh taste of fruits that should be the hallmark creme brulee ala Maghali’s, it tasteless on his tongue. Maybe something's wrong. He scoops up more. It doesn't feel changed. There, he just started to feel nauseous. The same thing happened to all the dishes he tasted afterwards. If it was like this, how could he choose and pass judgment?

His rather strange behavior attracted Siera's attention. “You're okay?” tanyakanya.

Elle smiled nervously, shaking her head. “Neg, Aunt. How's it? Aunt has made a choice?” the tanyanya distracts.

Siera nodded, then gave the black map that already contained his judgment. Chef Adam did the same. When he saw what was written in it, his forehead creased deeply. Siera and Chef Adam chose different people. Even though after realizing his tongue is not so functioning well, he intends to follow the choice of the two people. If their choices were different like this, what would they do?

Then, after much deliberation, he finally followed Siera's choice. Although the woman is not a chef, but she must have been a dozen years familiar with the taste of the original recipe creme brulee and tarte tartin ala Maghali’s.

After the decision was dropped, the selected pastry chef invited chef Adam to the Maghali’s kitchen so that the young man could recognize his new environment and could start working as soon as possible.

Elle was still silent herself after Siera returned to her room. Mind crumpled. His physical condition seems to be weakening. He often felt dizzy and always nauseous every time he tried to swallow food. The only thing that could pass through his throat was wheat bread, obviously not enough to supply energy to his body that was used to metabolize carbohydrates from rice. Although not to vomit, but the nausea he felt every morning and night before bed was felt quite disturbing.

At the time he should consume a lot of milk, even glasses of coffee that he always drank every day. The savory aroma of milk made her nauseous. His spit is like always dripping every smell of coffee. To keep his body does not collapse because it only gets enough nutrients, he chose to take several multivitamins at once every day.

There was nothing he asked for advice about his current condition. Because no one knows. Because he doesn't want anyone to know. He'll keep it to himself, at least until he can't hide it anymore. Or if he had found out what step he was about to take.

The problem is, until now he is still confused about what kind of decision to make. Never before has he been this big. Before, whatever he decided was only about his own life. About himself. But now....

“Mbak Elle's..” The voice of Sarah, one of Maghali's servants’s disperse her reverie. He also looked. “Sorry, Ma'am, chef Adam ask Mommy Elle to the kitchen now,” he said.

Elle paused for a moment, then smiled and nodded at the young woman.

***

Then the visitors of Maghali’s that afternoon was quite crowded. By dinner time, guests who had reserved the table had arrived. As usual Elle went around watching the various corners of the restaurant. Greet some visitors, and note in his tablet some things that he felt needed to be addressed.

Elle was standing next to an empty table when she felt the phone in her blazer pocket vibrate. He glimpsed the screen at a glance, then shifted the screen to receive the phone.

“Ya Mas, hello?”

“Where are you?”

“In resto, where else is it?”

“Just ask...”.

“Mas Ray where?”

“It's still in Semanggi. Oh yeah, maybe I'll be a little late. Looks like this meeting is a little time consuming, at this hour there is no sign of agreement.”

“Iya, nothing.”

“You're still dizzy?”

“No, it's reduced. I've been taking medicine.”

“Good. If you are still dizzy do not mostly walk around, just sit around.”

“Ih Mas, what would my employees say if I just sat by them?”

“Yes nothing, right? Just tell me you're not feeling well.”

“Iya, yes.”

“Ya. I close first.”

“Oke.”

Rayhan certainly doesn't know. Elle was still confused to figure out how to tell her, and tried not to involve her. Breaking up their relationship for no logical reason, he knew it was not easy.

Elle smiled wryly. Would the universe be so cruel as to give a mother's sin to her daughter? Elle felt softly in her stomach. But, he was the one who voluntarily followed his mother down the same path. So, no. The universe was not cruel, he only gave man a chance to reap what he had already sown. Slowly Elle stood up. Because if he did suddenly, postural hypotension attacks that are often experienced will again hit his head with a higher degree of pain. Putting the phone in his blazer pocket, he walked slowly to the kitchen to check on the busy staff there.

Until almost evening before, the busy resto did not also subside. Guests began to arrive. And Elle, among the head pain that sometimes goes away sometimes, still stepped gracefully on the heels as high as nine inches, watching and greeting the guests. It is not the obligation of a real manager. He could have sat in his room, checked the files on the financial statements and the performance of the restaurant staff, but that was not his style. He knows one of the components that make visitors have high loyalty to a restaurant is a personal touch. Visitors are happy to be greeted, called by name, and asked what they want. As much as possible Elle greeted the friendly people who came, sometimes took a seat at the table with them.

This evening, his head began to throb more and more pain. Plus nausea that attacks non-stop.

With her index finger, Elle wiped away some of the cold sweat spots that started to drip on her forehead. A few worried resto employees asked if he was okay. He just smiled and shook his head. Maybe it is better if he temporarily stays in his room until the dizziness and nausea that attacks him subsides by itself.

Elle glanced at the guests and servants, muttering at their conversation, which suddenly seemed to make his ears ring and his head felt like it was about to break. He should get some rest.

Just a few steps he headed towards his room, his steps halted by the increasingly throbbing unbearable pain. His eyes twitched, and he suddenly felt his body just squeezing. Eliminates the coordination of nerves and bones, making it limp instantly. A waiter who happened to be standing nearby reflexively ran over to see him barely drooping down.

The young man caught his body before falling down while screaming in panic. “Mbak Elle! Why?!”

His shout invited the attention of several colleagues as well as existing visitors. In the midst of her awareness that seemed to start flying, Elle slurped to hear a worried murmur that was not so clearly caught by her ear. Only a voice that was clear enough could be heard.

“Bring to my room, and you quickly call the doctor here.”

Then, it's all dark.