Cocooned

SOMETHING STUPID

"Dine with me, Val." I was surprised to hear my own call. Am I possessed? Where did this crazy thought come from?

Val looked at me doubtfully. "Last I had dinner with you, you ended up with blue cheeks."

Ah, right also, if I retreat means I'm afraid of Jaya. No-no, just let Jaya die standing watching me go alone again with Valerie. "I will still take you to dinner" I said with a fluffy grin. Worried that my invitation might make Val misunderstand, I added, "As a sign of gratitude, of course. I'll pick you up after your shift ends."

*****

The drizzling rain since the afternoon did not dampen my spirits to go pick up Val for the night. Since her shift ended the night, then I brought her to dinner at Oen's Shop, which was again not far from the hospital. The parking lot that was full forced me to park a vehicle far enough from the restaurant and inevitably had to walk with Val through the drizzle.

"Cold too?" askaku after spending two servings of rice following a warm oxtail soup.

"Well, Ter, instead of eating warm, you're eating ice cream on a rainy day" Val replied when my dessert came.

Since the specialty of Toko Oen is ice cream, so there's no harm if I order Oen's Symphony, one of the best ice cream sellers here. It didn't seem to be me, because when it came to sighting, the other guests ordered ice cream without caring about the bad weather outside the store. Val also seemed to be unable to bear to taste the ice cream presented in front of me, occasionally he poked the ice cream mound with his spoon.

Dinner was fun, but until the store closed, the rain was even more heavy. Along with other guests who also seemed unable to go home for the same reason, we waited outside with their backs docked to the shop wall. Even without speaking, I was happy to be by her side, feeling comfortable.

"Terry, I think we should go home now. It's almost midnight and tomorrow my shift starts in the morning."

I weighed in, a little heavy-hearted to drive him home. However, Val is a doctor who needs his concentration tomorrow morning to treat others. So I just nodded, then I grabbed her hand and we ran through the rain across the street.

As we traced the courtyard of the Wooden Hands Church located opposite the Oen Shop, a crazy thought permeated. Spontaneously, I pulled his hand towards the church. "Eh, Terry, where are you going?" val shouted in the rain. "We need to go home now!"

"You don't want to pray first?" ask me without guilt under the shade of the roof, in the face of the church.

Val stared a long time ago, looking for something in the depths of my eyes before replying, "Alright. Let's pray before we go home."

We walked down the road to the altar and took a seat on one of the rows of benches. In some distant places, I saw that we were not the only ones praying, others were praying in the dim atmosphere of the church. With the fingers adrift, we began to recite prayers in our hearts.

"In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen," I said closing the prayer while making the sign of the cross.

Val is still praying. The girl looked beautiful even though her hairstyle was now tangled and rainwater was still dripping slowly from her head drenching her slender shoulders. How could I have realized it now? Where have you been all this time, Ter? I hurriedly distracted myself as Val closed his prayer with the sign of the cross.

"What is your prayer?" I asked as soon as Val finished praying.

"Secret" Val replied.

"You're still hoping to meet that mysterious man huh? I'm telling you, my brother probably won't remember it anymore, so don't expect too much." The words sounded cold even in my ears. Immediately, I hated myself.

"You can be him, if you want," Val joked, followed by her sweet laughter. Even though it's joking, I don't think it's funny at all.

"Don't keep living in your fantasies, Val. The world is not as beautiful as you see it. I can't possibly be the mysterious man you're waiting for." Like biting a fruit maja, my sentence caused a bitter taste on the tongue after saying it. I should have apologized for the stupid words I had thrown at him, instead of just being quiet.

"I'm sorry, Terry." Val bit her lip, then continued, "You want to go with me to Linda's wedding?"

"I'm sorry, I can't" I replied. "I have an appointment with a girl."

Silent.

"Well, that girl's lucky, she must be special." Val nodded his head.

"Yes." Yeah." I swore to see her gaze turn as dark as the sky out there, a second before Val turned her sad face away and walked away.

"Rome home, I'm tired," he said, turning his back on me.

*****

"Meet! Here, Ter, before I forget again. It's the dress the girl's gonna wear later, find her."

What the hell brother, early in the morning has disturbed my sleep, do not know what yesterday I got home early in the morning? I pulled my blanket over my head, but brother didn't give up, he pulled it down.

What's annoying is that Tia's sister forcefully opened one of my eyelids and brought the photo closer to the retina. Such close visibility could have made me blind. "Aargha! Go there!" expirku.

"Give up, as long as you know, that girl's been waiting for you for a long time."

After the door closed, I threw the blanket to the side and immediately looked for the photo of the dress that brother had left behind. Ah, an easy-to-search golden dress—low neck pieces and layered skirts like Tinkerbell. I grinned.

The shadow of Val's sad face appeared and drove away my elation. Massage my face roughly, I was too much yesterday. But I can't blame myself completely. Val is too good to be fooled. When will he wait?

I admit, I really like Val, but I don't want to be the shadow of that mysterious man, as perfect as he is. From the story of Val, who was told by his older brother, the man was said to be handsome, tall, learned, humorous, responsible, and most importantly, he lived in an apartment, which meant the man was making money. I think I have it all, except for the money section.

Pffft .. what the fuck am I, even comparing myself to him who knows who. Hmh!

Linda's WA notification just got into the cell phone. 'Tomorrow don't forget to come, dear Terry. Thanks!' I just replied to him briefly, 'Yes.'

Shortly after, it came back to clink. 'Bro, lunch meeting at the hospital cafe huh.' My eyebrows immediately raised staring at the incoming WA notification from Jaya. What does he want to talk about? Val or Susan? Or did you continue the fight yesterday?

Whatever it is, I'll make sure it comes. Two hours later, I was in the hospital, an hour earlier than I should have been. So, I decided to take a walk in the hospital area.

The lobby on the ground floor is quite good, the traffic flow is comfortable, both for officers and patients, because it is supported by a wide hallway. The second floor is occupied by a doctor's practice room for BPJS participants, it deserves full. The arrangement of the waiting room that is not good and seems sober makes a seedy scene. Supposedly, the hospital added more waiting benches so that patients do not sit on the floor like beggars.

As soon as the elevator door opened on the third floor, my steps came to a halt. Val just passed me by two other doctors on his left and right side. One of the male doctors on his left put a hand on Val's back for a while, then removed it. The sight bothers me, but it can't just throw me out. I followed him from behind.