CURTAINS OF THE PAST

LIKE A CONTRACT MARRIAGE

　

　

　

That night Toni goes into her room, she finds Iffah still wearing her veil.

Iffah sat on her knees, leaning her back against the bed of Toni, who had been in her bed for almost a week. He was a little surprised at Toni's sudden arrival. His eyes caught the fatigue on Toni's face that looked mellow.

“A-Antoni..” Exclaim Iffah with lips that vibrate while lowering both feet.

“It's okay, you please sleep there. Let me sleep on the couch.” Toni keeps Iffah from getting out of bed.

“T-But why?.” Iffah looks confused with the attitude of Toni who is no longer warm as before she became Toni's wife at that time.

“I just don't want to force you with our wedding ties, Iffah.” Toni said as she tried to brush off the smile on her lips that was not too thick. Toni's face still looks pale, in her eyes was still showing a little pain there.

“I know this is a mistake, and I will accept the consequences of the mistake I have made.” Toni took a pillow and took it to a sofa not too far from her bed.

Iffah was stunned to hear the words of Toni who seemed to insinuate herself. He realized what he had said back then while in the hospital, only that he could not take those words back. Although his heart was too sore and admitted his mistake, but he had deliberately made Toni's heart hurt.

I was just about to accept this marriage, but why would he give me such a thick-walled boundary as his wife?

Couldn't he just forget what happened and say from my mouth that time?

Iffah tried to hold back her sobbing when Toni was seen putting herself to sleep on the sofa in the room.

Isn't this the kind of marriage I wanted Antoni to have? I want to see you as wise as ever. I know, taqdir is playing us. But that is what brings us both together.

Have you not promised not to give up your hands on me?

Iffah shed her tears, trying to hold back the sound in her sobs that night. He laid down his body, and fell asleep in the pain he felt.

*****

Time kept rolling and ushered them into the middle of the night. It was the first time Iffah had slept in the same room as Toni, even though they slept in different places. They are like a contract marriage in the soap operas. One room, but not one bed. And it torments each of them.

Screaming sounds rattled Iffah's ears, she hung in horror as if still in her nose. The sound of the roar of breath that stung plus a little sobbing, mixed to disturb his sleep that night.

But the more he hid behind a pillow, the more disturbing his sleep became. He began to feel sorry to hear a voice that was haunting his feelings at that time.

Iffah ventured to sharpen her sense of hearing. He lowered the pillow that covered his head slowly. The sound was getting less and less, only he became curious about the sound that had awakened him earlier.

Iffah got up and came down from the bed with a sag. His steps came to a halt as his eyes stared at the sofa that Toni was sitting on. His attention was diverted there. Toni looks shivering, her body

vibrates violently. And the sound of that irregular roaring breath turned out to be coming from him.

Without a second thought, Iffah approached her husband.

“Antoni..” Call her with a little fear. But there is no truth, which is there Toni still shiver and re-scathed.

“Antoni...” Iffah called her husband again with uncertain feelings of anxiety. He held onto Toni's arms that were crossed in his chest. Iffah looked increasingly anxious, his palm holding his head

Toni was soaked in cold sweat. “Yaa Allah, your body is hot once.” Iffah was also seen shivering due to panic. His eyes began to pierce and blush.

“You survive yes, I'll be back soon.” Iffah got up and came out of the room. He left Toni looking unconscious and shivering like he was holding back the cold.

Not long after, Iffah returned with a small basin of cold water and a handkerchief. He pat Toni on the forehead with a handkerchief that he had moistened with ordinary water.

Iffah improved Toni's sleep on the sofa, as she would not be strong enough to carry Toni's burly body to the bed. He covers Toni and waits for her all night. Iffah's tears finally flowed from her eyelids.

“I beg you, don't get sick again. It's enough then that you're making me anxious, Antoni.” Stimulate while continuing to hold Toni's hand that still feels hot. In that instant, I don't know how many times he repeated wetting the handkerchief he used to compress Toni's forehead.

Iffah did not move from her position, she even continued to sit under the sofa beside Toni asleep that night. Until finally he fell asleep while sitting and put his head on the arm of Toni who is still in his hold

from earlier.

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