CURTAINS OF THE PAST

REVENGE OF THE STEPSON

"Waaah... How cute is Uncle's nephew..." Ghali shouted from the front of the house. That day, he was allowed to go home by the hospital. Two days after Iffah's return, earlier.

Ghali grabbed the tiny baby orange from her sister's sling.

"Be careful, Deck. Your wounds are not dry." Iffah was worried.

"It's okay, Brother. Ghali's cured." Sahut rushed to the seat of the main hall, where Iffah and her husband's family were waiting for Ghali's return.

"Why is all of my niece's face a copy of yours, sister-in-law?" Ghali asked a little. He observed with adhesiveness every corner of the orange face that was still red and raw.

"When I was pregnant with an orange, your brother craved me. He can't be far from your handsome brother-in-law at all." Toni is confident.

One fine pinch landed on Toni's waist, so she grimaced a little for it.

"Why are you angry, honey? That's the truth, isn't it?" Reveal Toni while rubbing her waist without guilt. Iffah's cheeks increasingly show reddish there.

"Shall you tell everyone about it?" Whisper Iffah into Toni's ears. His eyes were full of threat. Toni's family laughed at their behavior.

"It's okay... When Orange grows up, it will have Gingsul like your Uncle, dear." Ghali blinked his eyes trying to tease his nephew.

"Why should you have a roll like you?" Toni's protest doesn't like it.

"Let's look sweeter dong, Sister-in-law. Didn't Brother-in-law see that I was so handsome?" Sahut Ghali also with high confidence.

"I-i'm you..." Ketus Toni opened her eyes. "You don't know how messy your teeth are?" Toni's lead again.

"Sister... Look at brother's husband... Even if Dad was still alive, he would be angry with brother-in-law. Don't you know brother-in-law? Our father also has a roll like me. That's why my mother was so crazy about him." Ghali spoke out of his control.

"Huhuh?" Toni gaped at the words of her sister-in-law. He looked towards Iffah. His wife simply replied with a pias smile.

"That's the truth... As we headed out to the villa for the first and last time together, mother acknowledged all with a smile. He was so sincere about telling me...

It does. Sometimes a bad person is born, because he feels his kindness is not appreciated at all." Iffah still smiled, but began to look bitter.

Ghali just looked down. He felt guilty about his mother at the time.

"Sorry..." Toni looks sorry. Suddenly, the atmosphere became awkward.

"That's fine, son. Everyone is basically good. For God created a clot of blood in man of the same form. It's just, If he's good, then fine the whole limb. And he's the heart." Bobi confirmed his son-in-law's speech.

"And after what Toni's in-laws did, it doesn't mean she wasn't good. It's just, he hasn't come back either." Added Chellin.

Iffah and Ghali wiped their tears. They realized that they needed to forgive their mother's mistakes. They believe that many people can be in the position of their mother.

*****

After the approval of Ghali and Iffah, their mother was transferred to the RSJ. As it turns out, the various emotional pressures Ridha experienced during that time made her suffer from schizoaffective disorder.

It has been two months since the birth of Orange. And that day was the first time the three of them, Toni, Iffah and Jingga visited Ghali's birth mother there.

That time, Ridha looked calm. Unlike before when Ghali and Toni visited him. Ridha often raged and shouted. He kept calling out Ghali's name. His son whom he thought had died for his crimes.

"Mothers... Sorry, Iffah just got to visit mom. But her husband Iffah has been to our Ghali's mother several times." Iffah tried to get her stepmother to talk, even though her heart was so broken.

"Ghalis? My ghaliku?" Rida began to turn her face towards Iffah. Iffah nodded, she wiped her mischievous tears and came out by herself.

Iffah cried seeing Ridha's miserable state in her eyes.

"Where's Ghaliku? Is he dead?" Rida started to mess up. "I killed him, I killed him." Rida's screams uncontrollable.

"No mom... Ghali we're fine, ma'am." Iffah tried to hug Ridha's body which felt like it was shaking so strongly.

"He used to visit my mother with my husband, Antoni. You don't recognize our Ghali?" Ask Iffah. He tried to contain his sadness at the condition of his stepmother.

"My ghaliku is alive? Where's she? Where's Ghaliku?" Ask repeatedly.

"He's coming, mom... He'll come with his future wife, his future daughter-in-law." Iffah looks so enthusiastic. Slowly, Ridha looked calm again.

"Mother..." Call Iffah again. He grabbed Ridha's hand, and kissed her stepmother's back.

"I'm sorry... Iffah apologise mom. For Iffah's biological mother as well, for dad as well. You must have been so tormented all this time." Iffah's tears just let her flow. He can no longer hold it.

Rida looks confused. Suddenly, the thumb of his right hand rubbed gently on Iffah's wet cheek. "Beautiful..." Said.

"I-mom..." Iffah was so happy to be treated by her stepmother. He immediately embraced the woman who had been making him feel suffering too much.

Back then, Iffah tried to take revenge against her wicked stepmother. Replying by forgiving all his mistakes. And being hurt when he saw his stepmother looked so pitiful in front of him.

"Mom knows? My daughter, her granddaughter, mother was born. Let's go see him." Invite Iffah while holding Ridha's hand towards where Toni is waiting for him.

"Is everything okay, honey?" Toni asked while getting up from her seat, when she found her wife with Ridha was already beside her.

"Yes, honey... Mom looked calm again. I'd like to introduce Iffah to her grandmother for a moment. May, Honey?" Iffah looked at Toni who was holding her King, expectantly.

"Can... I'm gonna be happy." Sahut Toni while cupping a little face of Orange from her sling to be seen by the eyes of Ridha.

"Beautiful... Like my daughter." Ridha pointed to the little Iffah in the photo, who was not aware of when the photo was held.

Iffah shed her tears again. He became absolutely sure, that during that time his stepmother loved him very much. Only, Rida's jealousy made her not want to confess her feelings.

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