Constellations of Love

Chapter 4. Introductions

Doctor Pandu ended his training with Bu Nur and asked for permission to return to the ER room. A nurse called him because there was a new patient. A child injured by falling from a dipper's bicycle.

Bu Nur assented. He decided to wait for Laras in the puskesmas canteen.

Nearly an hour and a half passed, Baras had completed his task. He was still in the room, where he had been lying down and had his blood drawn.

A young nurse asked him to rest for a while before getting up. Sit down slowly and drink water.

" Thank you, teacher. There's a package for mom. Please consume it."

The nurse handed him a small goddie bag containing a glass of mineral water, a box of medium-sized vanilla flavored milk and a packet of sponge cake. Also two tablets of blood enhancement supplement pills.

" yes. Thanks, sus. I hope Gaby's healthy, yeah."

" We pray for. Oya later after one ampoule infusion attached to Gaby's hand is exhausted, then will be given this blood transfusion.

" How's Gaby doing now, sus?"

" Such stable, still intensively monitored. Right now I am asleep. Please don't look first."

This puskesmas provides adequate facilities. This almost one hectare building has several sections. In the front lobby there is a waiting room, counter, admin room as well as two toilets at the right end. ER room, general practice, poly tooth, maternity room and drug installation. Near the parking lot is a small canteen overlooking the side courtyard.

There was a general practitioner and one dentist on duty. Three midwives and ten nurses and administrative staff. For the size of a very broad subdistrict, the medical service is arguably the leading guard.

In the middle there are three hospital rooms for the public as well as three for childbirth care. In the back of the park, there is a doctor's office house, the head of the health center and two more occupied by the family of a senior nurse and one message for three male nurses who are still single.

Bu Nur greeted the arrival of Laras who was seen coming out of a room on the left where the drug was taken.

" How are you doing, ma'am? Not dizzy? Let's sit here first, "welcome him as he grabs Laras' arm.

" I'm fine and it's okay, Mom."

" But you still have to rest. It was blood drawn, must have been limp, dong."

" Yes, a little."

Laras took a seat next to Bu Nur.

" This, drink first."

Bu Nur handed him a bottle of mineral water he had just bought in the canteen. Baras still accepted the gift. The girl also asked for her small bag containing a purse and a cell phone that Bu Nur had brought along during her donor process.

" thank you. I had a glass of water inside."

" May be hungry now. Sorry that when I was inside, mom to the cafeteria bought some rice and ate there."

" Yes, Mom. I also ate the cake that the nurse gave me."

"Okay, let's get some rest. Since Gaby can't be picked up, we'd better get home after this. I'll be the one who'll be piggybacking on you, yeah."

" Okay, Mom."

Bu Nur retells Gaby's little story to Laras. Exactly what the doctor told him.

Laras heard carefully, although his body condition was still a little weak.

After resting for half an hour, they agreed to go home. Bu Nur will take Laras home. Later that night he will return the Baras motorbike by first taking his duck motorcycle that is still left at school. The husband's plan is to deliver.

Coincidentally the residence of the two teachers' mothers was not too far away. Although different villages the distance of both houses is only about fifteen minutes. If the same is measured from the school, the Laras house is further away.

On Sunday, the next day Baras woke up later than usual. The grandmother who lived with him accepted. The story of Laras and little Gaby was told by Bu Nur last night, when he returned to return the Laras motorbike.

The girl lived in a small house with a large yard. The legacy of the grandfather who used to be a foreman in an oil palm factory. Grandma Laras opened a small stall next to the house. Only sell stationary and simple sewing materials such as various threads, needles, knitting tools and fabric for school uniform materials. Coincidentally half a kilometer from there is the State Elementary School.

Arumi's Shop. As the name of the late mother Laras.

" Come, get breakfast after the shower. Grandma made you your favorite chicken soup."

The granny's loud voice from the kitchen was heard when she knew that Laras was sneaking past the side of the kitchen into the bathroom.

" Thank you, grandma. Wait for the shower barrel and shampoo first yes "

Half-eight at the moment.

On the school day at half six in the morning usually Laras has woken up. Help grandma prepare breakfast, sweep the house and take a shower. After breakfast together, slide him to his teaching place. At about two in the afternoon return home and help grandma at the store.

It is usually the job of the Barrels to keep the shop until evening until they are closed. While grandma will rest or prepare dinner.

Shower, dine and chat with grandma while watching tv. Sometimes learn to knit. Making baby socks or hats, her favorite. Until about nine o'clock. It's time to take a break for tomorrow to do almost the same routine. It's been two years.

Take a shower, the girl goes to the kitchen.

" Hey, how delicious is granny-made chicken soup."

Laras took two more vegetable spoons from the menu. Then enjoy every mouthful.

"Surely for my beautiful grandson.", the crisp laughter of the grandmother.

" Can be spent, grandma?"

" This time I can. Lunch for us and bik Jum, cooked all for dinner. Sweet corn parchment menu and Balinese seasoning tempe."

Bik Jum is a grandfather's distant nephew who lives near them and day-to-day helps out at the store.

" Today's barrel add vegetable stir-fry kale, yes."

" Yes, it's your turn to cook. Grandma opened the shop while finishing the neighbor's order. Two baby hats for the new grandchild."

" Open boss," he joked.

The girl immediately cleaned the dining table. Clean the kitchen and then sweep the entire house. Holidays are clean days. Dunked

all the doors and windows and mopping the floor.

Bik Jum who had been nongol asked to help sweep the yard. The leaves of the water guava and mango trees that fall in front of the house enough to make the energy drained to clean it.

An hour later, Laras had started washing his motor near the terrace. Saddle and handlebar parts. Spion and then footrest.

Suddenly a white mini sedan stopped next to the fence. Laras thinks the shop visitor. He continued to rub the wheels on the back of his motorbike with a brush and soap. The recent rainy day made a lot of mud stick in that part.

" Good morning, teacher Larasati's mother."

A greeting surprised him. Baras who was crouching and only wearing shorts and T-shirts, was really surprised when he turned to the direction of the voice. The small bucket of water next to it almost fell at the foot of Laras.

" Mister doctor?"

The eyes of Barrel are slightly sloping. He doesn't believe what he sees. The girl spontaneously stood up after being engrossed in squatting and holding a dirty brush. He's a little misbehaved.

The young man in front of him smiled. Looks relaxed. Dongker blue jeans and light blue T shirt. White striped black sneakers. Neat and fragrant.

" Okay, sorry. What's up, huh? Gaby how's he doing? Any issues?"

What seized his mind the most was whether this was about Gaby?

But the reaction of the doctor who was still smiling knot saw him make Laras not immediately able to control himself.

Not getting an answer, Laras asked further, "What's up

yes, doctor sir?"

" Shocky, huh?" ask the doctor Pandu.

" Oh, yes ...."

" I came to check on your condition."

"I....? What condition does it mean? Uh yeah,

let's go in first. Have seat. Sorry I changed my clothes first."

Baras immediately took the doctor to the living room. After being able to master himself, he paid to change clothes.

Not ten minutes. The girl had changed into a knee-length green toska dress. Of course the hands and feet that were previously exposed to a little mud have been clean.

Barrels out into the living room while carrying a small plate with four glasses of mineral water.

" Oh, I'm sorry, doctor, so wait."

" It's okay. Just relax "

The young doctor stared fixedly at Laras. The girl as usual appeared as she was. No makeup. Her hair is now being cut. Black and thick. Still remains a sweet smile on the girl's oval face.

" Let's drink it first."

Laras was aware of the situation and tried to distract.

"Oh, yeah. Thanks."

This time the doctor was slightly misbehaved because he was caught looking at Laras unblinking. To cover up his feelings immediately he took out a glass of mineral water in front of him.

" I'm sorry, what did the doctor come here for?"

" So ....."

The doctor fixed his sitting position. This time it leaned slightly towards the right side facing towards the Baras who sat two seats away from its place.

In the living room of Laras which is small about three times four meters, there are indeed no chairs facing each other. There were three single wooden chairs and an old, long sofa for two people. There is also a guest table in front of him. The 21-inch flat television is perched on an old model wooden sideboard.

"I'd like to know what Bu Larasati's condition was after donating blood to Gaby, yesterday."

" thank you. I'm fine......'

" Thankfully. Have you taken the supplement ?"

" The blood-boosting pill, huh?" Not yet."

" But drink immediately, after eating later."

" Okay, doctor."

" Call Pandu, just."

Baras smiled faintly and nodded.

"Do you know where my house is?"

"From Ms. Ina. It was too late and asked the person who happened to be in the same direction."

" How's Gaby doing?"

The tone of speech Laras was a little anxious. Still imagined the pale face of the little boy when he brought to the puskesmas with a doctor Pandu.

" Gaby's condition is stable. Moreover, blood transfusions went well and there was no allergic reaction. So thank you for the willingness of teacher Larasati's mother to donate her blood."

The voice of Dr. Pandu sounded serious and resolute. The gaze of his shady eyes immediately rained down on Laras' chest.

Momentary silence.

" Okay, just call Laras, doctor sir.. uh um.mas Pandu."

The young man laughed seeing the reaction of Laras. So did the girl. Laughter broke out between the two of them.

" Oya, papa Gaby has thanked you."

Then the story flowed about the doctor who had served for about five months in the health center. For a year, the man had undergone intership at the end of the country. Aceh Interior. Then two years in a government-run hospital in the provincial town. Finally stranded in the middle of this palm forest. A subdistrict in Riau.

As a state servant, Pandu lived all his destiny sincerely. A graduate of a famous public university in the capital of the country, does not reject all the processes of his life journey.

Pandu the two brothers. My brother is still in college at the pharmacy. Both of Pandu's parents are doctors in the capital. His father was a cardiac specialist and his mother a pathologist.

The turn of the story Laras. Stories about teaching routines at Kindergarten. Loves suffering. But more happy because according to the ideals of Laras. Since childhood, I wanted to be a teacher. He likes kids.

Silence - silence in the heart of Pandu, salute the young girl. Being a teacher especially in Kindergarten requires high patience.

" So Laras just graduated from early childhood education study program and directly taught here?" ask Pandu.

" Yes, status is still honorary."

" We are grateful. Who knows, there will be an opportunity to become a permanent teacher or can be a teacher of the country."

" I hope, yes."

Stories about everyday. It didn't feel like more than an hour had passed. The conversation feels familiar. They are busy chatting. Including about the two parents of the girl who was gone. Also the life of Laras with the grandmother now.

Pandu sympathizes with the state of Laras.

" I told you first. Sorry to bother you. So please continue rubbing your bike again" Pandu's smile ended.

" Thank you too, the doctor is willing to check my condition ..." this time Laras did not want to lose chiming.

" May I come back to check on your condition? I mean, no one gets mad when I come here often?"

Deg. Laras understood Pandu's intentions.

" Please, if you'd like."

" Thank you, yeah." Pandu's smile fell in the Baras view.

Laras drove the young man to the front of the shop. He was able to introduce

the grandmother who was knitting. Pandu chatted for a moment, then politely paid a farewell to the grandmother and also Laras because he would continue the trip to the city.