DELENE

LIMA

"You can always call me whenever you feel like you need help. Although I may be the meanest man in your life, our relationship doesn't end here, Del. I'm sorry."

Delena stared at the short message Joshua left her a year ago only to come back crying. Delena thought she had left nothing for her sister-in-law and she was wrong. The fingers will already press the delete icon on the smartphone screen when suddenly the name of the man appears accompanied by a loud vibration. Delena simply stared silently without any intention of lifting her up given the impossible condition of her heart. Then one notification appears indicating that there is one message coming in.

Joshua: I'm ahead. Please open the door.

'What else is this, Lord!' delena in my heart.

The girl waited for nearly five minutes before moving to her apartment door to meet Joshua. He smiled slightly as Joshua had already thrown a sweet smile at him. Without saying anything Delena shifted and let the man in.

"Have breakfast?" asked the man after seeing Delena's casual clothes, plus her carefree hair ties. Delena also did not put makeup on her face even though the girl still looked beautiful.

Delena said nothing before she stepped into the kitchen to make a cup of tea. The girl then approached Joshua who was already sitting on his couch comfortably. The man's eyes were fixed on his phone screen and he looked unhappy about something.

"Something bad happened?" delena asked as she placed the tea cup on the table in front of them. Joshua looked at the cup and nodded, hesitating to look at Delena who was next to him.

"Papa suddenly came home today. He's inviting all our families to dinner at home tomorrow."

Delena was stunned for a while until she was able to rediscover her voice. "If Brother Shua came all the way here just to persuade me to come, sorry I don't want to."

"I know you won't. I'm not gonna make you either, ko." Joshua smiled and Delena hated to see that the man was hiding the sadness behind his smile. He knew Joshua since he was very young, they then dated when they both stepped on the bench of High School. Until the relationship ends painfully as it enters its seventh year.

Their eye contact was cut off when Joshua picked up the cup of tea that Delena had brought and drank it straight away.

"I've always loved your tea. Thanks, Del."

Delena smiled in response. This time it was him who felt very sad.

'She's your sister-in-law, Delena!'

***

Back in the routine, Delena was neat on Monday morning when the weather was a little cloudy with light rain. He searched for an umbrella in every corner of his apartment before giving up and choosing an online taxi message only. Nothing ever forget the motto of living irit, after all he will also use the promo he has. And lucky for him, that day the front of the apartment looked lonely, whether the reporters finally gave up or the news was not too interesting anymore. What is clear is that Delena does not need to feel disturbed anymore by their existence.

"Miss Delena!"

Delena was surprised to find a car suddenly stopped right in front of her followed by the screams of a small child there. And it was there that he saw Alvin sticking out his neck from the back window of the car with a big smile. Delena smiled back, waving her hand and saying "hi" to the boy as the other window opened showing the driver. Gavin waved at Delena with a smile on her beautiful lips. "Come in" said the man. For a moment, Delena hesitated, staring at the phone screen that showed a notification that the taxi driver she ordered was close. His actions may be detrimental to the driver's career but Delena immediately sent an apology message and immediately canceled the order.

Tiinnn...

"Dammy, Del. We're jamming."

Delena glanced at the surrounding streets and sure enough, there was a queue of vehicles behind the car that Gavin was carrying. He apologized before quickly entering and chose to sit in the back with Alvin instead of being with the boy's uncle.

"Al today came home, so it's just a sports lesson on the playground." Alvin tells the story with passion after Delena places herself next to the boy.

"That's.Running race, Miss. Al keeps falling, keeps losing."

"But Al ga is crying. Om Gavin used to cry when he fell like Al earlier. Al is great," continued Gavin who listened to their conversation.

Alvin and Delena smiled at the man. Both men took a dose of joy after Delena joined in praising the boy.

***

"Hopefully you won't see me, Del. Later in the afternoon I will come back again to nganter Devan with Darren. Gini if there is no need, would not want to be a driver to take the children," said Gavin when Alvin was finished learning that day.

"Steak?"

"They're caregivers, he's on leave because his mother's in the village is sick. Yesterday I was able to go home in two days."

"Oh, that's it." Delena was bearded and smiled as Alvin ran into the car in the parking lot leaving the two of them in an empty waiting room.

"Umm, about yesterday at the party..." Gavin hung up his sentence and looked at Delena carefully. The girl looked surprised to find Gavin suddenly discussing it.

"Oh, unfortunately I'm going to have a relationship with Delena" Gavin said casually to Joshua, his ex.

"I'm serious about what I say."

Deg.

BRAAKK...

A mill drawer fell from the table with a loud noise in the middle of the silence of the class that morning. Delena knew without having to see it. What surprised him was the presence of two friends who stood awkwardly behind him and Gavin like he had just been caught trying to pick something up. Gavin smiled as he gave them a small nod before saying goodbye to Delena and saying he would call her later.

"Uhukkp.. Al is very handsome. Unfortunately, someone already has one, Lai."

"Ga maybe we'll marry you ourselves, Miss Sarah."

Both of Delena's coworkers looked at each other while not being able to eliminate the mischievous smile on their faces.

"You guys...INGET HUSBAND!!!"

"Lumayan, Del the money is a lot." They were still giggling while Delena stared at the two horror.

"Gosh my god."

***