Dollar Girl

Chapter 35 Mother's Anxiety

"Mistakes I have made in the past to this day are the reason for my life change, there is no intention to forget or regret because all is part of the choice. Maybe until later even though there is someone who has filled my life in the heart remains clearly engraved with his name. And when one day we meet our own path, let me remain a shadow that accompanies you when you feel lonely. Even though I know what you know, let me be shielded behind the mask of friendship that we've been guarding for a dozen years."

Excerpted from Ratna Mangalih's personal archive.

* * *

Ratna's move came to a standstill as she watched the Amus family leave the house carrying several suitcases, from the clothes they were wearing she knew the family was leaving. Immediately he ran to Amus who was locking the door while the others were ready to leave.

"Auntie's toe" she said.

"For Ratna, are you going to work?" answer Yati.

"Yes, you guys... want to go on vacation?" tanyakanya.

"Talk to Amus, we'll go first" said Yati, who did not answer her question.

Ratna did not understand why Yati was acting that way, added with a smile full of mystery. He looked at Amus asking for answers but Amus also behaved strangely, he suddenly became misbehaved and would not look at him.

"Where are you going?" ask Ratna.

"Um.. that's.m mother and father leave is over, because there is still a week off so we plan to spend it at the mother's house in Bekasi"

"Oh... This is your first time going together, isn't this also your first time visiting your aunt's house there?"

"Mm, yes"

"You must be happy, where are you going when you're there?"

"Let's see, I don't know" replied Amus puzzled.

"That's it. "Ratna replied.

"How long have you been there?" tanyakanya.

"I don't know, but before school starts I'll be back"

"That's it. " said Ratna slowly.

Amus is not gone forever, but somehow knowing he will go makes the longing sad. It feels heavy to let Amus go even though Amus himself is very enthusiastic to travel with his family.

"Alright, be careful on the road, do not forget to bring souvenirs for me" said Ratna trying hard with a smile.

"Well, I'll go first" replied Amus.

Ratna waved her hand to accompany Amus' departure, continuing to wave until the figure of the man she liked disappeared from her sight.

"Ah... gosh.... What is this water?" his murmur wiped away the tears flowing down his cheeks.

This was not a farewell to be mourned, but he could not control his painful heart. The sadness of staying with someone he loves makes Ratna dream a lot, at work he loses the spirit and joy that makes Hamdani ask.

"Is Ratna sick?" ask him to Ardi.

"No, maybe he's still in shock over last night"

"What happened last night?" hamdani asked more curiously.

"Ah.. that was. last night we were arrested by the officer because he thought to join the brawl, fortunately uncle Sapardi quickly came and freed us"

"Ah so, for a plain girl like Ratna it is natural that she comes into shock. All right, back to work!"

"Good uncle" replied Ardi.

That day the shop was still quiet, there wasn't much work they could do. Ardi took the initiative to buy an ice cream and put a piece of strawberry fruit on it as a topping, he made a smiling picture and gave it to Ratna.

"Eat before the ice cream melts" said Ardi.

Ratna looked at the ice cream and smiled at the picture Ardi made.

"Thank you" said.

"Although the sky is very bright and the sun is so hot but if you don't smile then everything will feel gloomy, so whatever problems you face keep smiling" Ardi said, pinching Ratna's cheek.

"Ah... What are you doing? don't pinch my cheek!" rengek Ratna brushed off that hand.

But the more he forbids Ardi from becoming, he keeps trying to pinch while laughing until he accidentally slips and pushes Ratna against the wall.

The sound of laughter disappeared instantly as their faces were so close, staring at Ratna within such a close distance made Ardi's love return. His breath began to feel heavy when he smelled the scent of Ratna's fragrant body, his gaze began to switch from the eyes to the nose and lips that he had wiped.

"Excuse me!" suddenly a visitor shouted.

Ardi who realized quickly woke up as well as Ratna who became misbehaved, with his heart still pounding he advanced to the cashier table to serve the customer.

* * *

"You want to go home?" ardi asked on a cold night after they closed the tavern.

"Yes, why?"

"No, it's just that I don't want to go home yet"

"Why?" ask Ratna.

"It's okay, I just don't feel at home. Tonight I can't stay at Amus' house because he's gone, Master hasn't come home either" replied Ardi staring at the stars in the night sky.

"What's wrong?" tanya Ratna approached.

"You want to listen to my complaint?" asked Ardi turned to look at Ratna.

"Well, we buy coffee" Ratna said.

They sit by the side of the road with hot coffee in hand, while staring at the clear night sky Ardi begins to complain about his family.

"I'm a big boy, I'm going to high school soon but my parents still treat me like a kid. Last night if I didn't tell them that I was staying at Amus' house, they'd be looking for me"

"Every parent must be worried about their child, that's natural"

"No! since I was a child they were too worried about me, wherever I went I had to get permission. They never wanted to part with me for long, for a boy it was a disgrace"

"From childhood all parents treat me like that, when I fall you will be angry. It's like my whole life I can't be fucked, you, and everyone in our neighborhood takes care of me. But I never felt constrained, let alone ashamed of it" Ratna said.

"If you understand their feelings of worry then you won't mind it, give your parents an understanding so that their worries don't bother you" he continued.

Among the four of them Jimy is the most motivating child with his wise words, even though Amus is the most mature child but can not give advice.

Today, Ardi realized that among them Ratna was apparently the most mature and could give good advice. He was innocent and always banged up like a fool, but behind that was a negative Ratna who had felt the bitterness of the world.

Suddenly he felt ashamed of himself, despite being born from a simple family but he never lacked it like Ratna. Even his parents often give him what he wants, no matter how expensive it is.

Ardi came home quite late but he knew his mother had not slept and waited for him to come home right at the door, while repeatedly staring at the clock with worry.

Chequelek

"Ah... You're home, why is it so late?" his mother said as she opened the door.

"So I stopped by first to buy toast for mom" she replied, handing over the food.

"Why bother! use your money for your own purposes"

"Mother.this is my money, so I'm free to use it for anything and I want you to feel my hard-earned money too."

Ardi could see the feeling of being moved from his mother's sparkling eyes, there was a smile of pride on the face that was increasingly filled with wrinkles.

"Mother..from tomorrow don't wait for me outside like this, I don't want you to get sick from the cold so go to bed first" he asked.

"It's okay, mom's gonna wear a jacket"

"If you do not want to think I will never go home" said Ardi firmly, making his mother speechless.

"Mother., although I am growing up and growing up, although one day I will go to find my own way of life but I am still a mother's child and will return to mother. Someday I will bring my future daughter-in-law and give my sweet grandchildren to my mother so that she will not be lonely, so please do not block my steps with the worries of the mother excess" he said while holding his mother's hand.

The words of a child who has been able to stand on his own feet are certainly quite painful for a mother, but he must also understand that this is part of the child's life that he should not block. With a smile accompanied by tears he nodded in agreement to obey Ardi's will, in the warm embrace of Ardi whose body was now even bigger than his actual crying spilled.

* * *

He had tried to close his eyes since then, but let alone sleepy did not. Maybe because this is a new place so he needs some adaptation, actually his body felt tired due to the journey he took but because he did not go to sleep he decided to go out to see what he could do.

"You haven't slept?" tanya Yati who was apparently sitting on a chair while looking at the calendar.

"No, I can't sleep. What'd you do?" he answered while sitting.

"There's a discount at the department store, I want to go so I find out the date first, whether you can come or not"

"Oh..."

"You want me to make you some warm milk? it can make you sleepy"

"May" replied Amus by covering up his delight.

Yati immediately went to the kitchen and came back again with a glass of warm milk in her son's hand, slowly Amus sipped a drink made by his mother with a feeling of pleasure.

"Are you saying good-bye to Ratna?" ask Yati suddenly.

"Yes" answered Amus quite astonished by his mother's question.

"Good, does Ratna have a boyfriend?"

"I know, why do you ask such a thing?"

"Then you have a chance to make him like you"

"When are you going to talk about this?" erang Amus's.

"Why? I love it, for mom there's no girl who deserves to be with you but her"

"Mothers... "

"Mom doesn't want to lose her!" yati said cut.

"Mother loved her very much, when she felt like a failure as a woman mother saw a little angel walking into the house. Her tiny hands, her small legs, her cute face and her sweet smile make mother forget mother's sorrow. At that moment, I saw you approaching the little angel and playing with him. She is Ratna who suddenly disappeared when she was nine and returned after becoming a sweet girl" she continued reminiscing about the past.

"Amus... Do you think of mother as your mother? not your stepmother or a stranger?"

"What are you talking about? when I imagine a mother's face, only my mother's face can be seen" Amus said.

"Son, I'm sorry I couldn't be a good mother. From now on I promise whatever you want mom will fulfill" Yati said earnestly.

"No need. I won't ask anything from mom, all I want is mom to do what mommy likes. If you're happy then I'll be happy too"

"Then marry Ratna because it's the only thing that makes you happy."

Amus gave a rude snort, not knowing what else to say for Yati to stop thinking about such things. Seeing Amus's frustrated face was apparently quite funny in Yati's eyes to make her laugh.

"All right, I'm just kidding! mother also thought about Ratna's feelings, mother did not want her to marry mother's son just because it felt bad to refuse. But... Do you love Ratna?"

"What does mother mean?" amus said quickly.

"Hey! why are you suddenly misbehaving? and why is your face flushed?" yati Goda.

"W-who's wrong? my face flushed red from the steam from the hot milk"

Hahaha

"It seems you're not as good at lying as your father, Amus. Make her realize your feelings for her, a girl will reciprocate someone's sincere love for her"

"Mom stop it!" amus said in a high tone.

"Alright." replied Yati trying to hold back a laugh.

"Amus... Can you... Mom hold you?" ask Yati suddenly.

Amus looked into the eyes of his mother who was sad, behind his firm and sometimes hurtful words he knew there was a weak woman. Amus sat down next to his mother and immediately hugged her while talking.

"Why ask? I'm a mother's son."

Yati had no power to hold back tears, finally the anxiety in her heart disappeared after waiting long enough with pride she could feel being a mother.