Dusk At the End Please

Extra Part 9: Presence of the Past

A cool morning, the expanse of rice fields into a view that sucks the eyes. The lovebirds who were scattered in his heart were currently holding hands tightly. Tracing the streets of the village that began to pass through several people to get to the place of activity.

Since finding out that Shanum is pregnant Akhtar always fills his day off only for his small family. All the work-related things he never discussed or worked on on Sunday. For him Sunday was the day with Shanum, not wanting anything or anyone to interfere with their togetherness. Not infrequently both agree to turn off the device.

Like this morning, when the sun began to spread its rays Akhtar was ready to give Shanum a walk in the morning. Saturday afternoon they agreed to stay at the home of Ms Fatimah, which is not far from her grandmother and grandfather's house. They plan if the next morning will take a walk along the pesawahan they once managed if the school holidays and home from the dormitory while still attending school in MTs.

If in the past as teenagers they went through the streets this rame-rame, do not dare if you have to walk alone because of shame if caught dating but different from today. Shanum wrapped his left hand around Akhtar's waist, while Akhtar gently embraced her shoulder. Occasionally he also allowed the collar of a sweater wrapped in his wife's body with a bulging stomach makes the sweater can not be dikanking.

Her gestational age has now entered the ninth month, according to estimates Shanum doctors will give birth about three weeks away. Every morning ba'da dawn has become the routine of Akhtar to accompany the wife to walk in the morning. According to doctors who monitor the development of his wife's pregnancy, one of them by increasing the walk, especially in the morning will help facilitate the birth process.

Akhtar was on standby to guide Shanum down the slightly wet road, where he was showered with dew drops overnight from the leaves of the trees on the left and right side of the road. The expanse of rice fields that flank the streets also makes the morning air in Garut still feel pierced into the pores.

Akhtar. As usual, he will always be possessive of his wife.

"Cold, honey?" ask her to Shanum. He looked back at his wife's face that looked bright enjoying the scenery around.

"Malurin, A. But so it feels warm when with Aa" Shanum's dread made Akhtar laugh.

"My wife is able to crunch right now" Akhtar pinched the tip of Shanum's nose slightly and brought his face closer as if he was about to kiss his wife. Makes the owner reflex to turn his face away.

"Aaa, shame" Shanum's face looked flushed, because Akhtar did that when they passed two people walking from the opposite direction with hoes ready to go to the rice field. Clearly, their behavior came to the attention of the two people who saw them shyly with a terkulum smile.

"Biarin, it's halal" Akhtar's excuse does not want to lose. He grabbed his wife's chin to look at her. They also throw each other smiles and walk slowly down the treads after the path that almost thirteen years ago witnessed the beauty of their love in adolescence.

"You used to like the road over there, baby" Akhtar pointed at the road across the street. Currently they are stopping on a bench under a tree that is commonly used to wait for ojeg transport.

"Yes" Shanum stared at the direction Akhtar pointed at with a smile on his lips. Her memories drifted to that time, a wonderful time for her. The presence of Akhtar as a new student in the madrassa where he studied did not expect to be his encouragement in learning and carving achievements. Shanum remembers, the first time they were equalized in Scout activities. Akhtar joined the board in the second semester after taking part in extracurricular activities since the previous semester.

"What do you think, baby?" Akhtar looked at the face of his wife who was still in a gang staring at the direction he pointed at earlier with a smile that had not come off his lips.

"Did you remember we were in one post during the exploration?" shanum asked without taking his eyes off.

"Very remember, and that's when I first interacted directly with you after a semester of feeling" Akhtar replied honestly, he remembered that at the beginning of his tenure as the Boy Scouts' caretaker they held a date, and he said, friday, Saturday, Sunday camp attended by all 7th and 8th graders. At that time Akhtar as a committee and tasked with guarding the post with Shanum at the exploration session.

"really?" Shanum turned his head, Akhtar's last words made him curious.

"Yes. Since entering the eighth grade I've been interested in a shrewd girl in class. Always have the right arguments to refute the opinions of his friends who think is not right. Always be able to defend his argument with all the data and theories and causes and consequences that it will cause. You know what, honey ? I'm really fascinated every time you talk" Akhtar's mind wandered into the time where he became a new student. His heart was empty due to the separation of his parents as if warmed because of the sense that was present for the girl he called chatty.

"But as I recall, Aa's early entry never commented that we were discussing again. I don't even remember a new student" Shanum revealed what he remembered. Akhtar including students who are quiet at the beginning of coming to school even tend to prefer to be alone. Shanum often saw the efforts of some of his male friends to invite Akhtar to join them but Akhtar always refused.

"That's because I still have my heart set. At that time my family was not well. Mom decided to go to work in the city and leave me here. Before I rarely visited Garut, it made me need a long enough adaptation to the feeling of staying here and accepting that Father and Mother had separated" Akhtar lowered his head as he said that, recalling those times there was sadness that re-emerged in his chest.

Shanum turned his head, turning his gaze towards her husband who was sitting beside her. He grabbed Akhtar's hand, grasping it tightly as if giving convincing strength if now everything was fine. She stared fixedly at the husband who was also looking at her, giving a soothing smile as well as a reassuring look in the eyes.

"Thank you, you are the best. You know, baby, the void that I have was not long after suddenly a chatty girl conveyed her tausiyya when praying dzuhur bersama'ah. I was impressed with your tausiyah content back then. I was also impressed by the way your delivery is not patronizing but more to invite. Until from then on I was always fascinated every time you spoke" Akhtar paused his words, he looked at the face of the wife who showed his sense of hers.

"You don't believe it?" tanya Akhtar made sure.

"Come, I forgot" Shanum replied casually, at a glance he turned his gaze to the people passing before him and answered their greetings.

"Parunten (excuse me)"

"Mango (please)" Shanum replied with a friendly smile in response to their greeting. She changed her seat slightly to face her husband.

"Darling, sore?" tanya Akhtar looked at Shanum's movements.

"No" Shanum replied briefly

"What did I say at the time?" Shanum wondered what sentence he said that made Akhtar impressed.

"Do you know or want to know?" Akhtar seduces his wife.

"Eumhhh" Shanum seemed to think, she was serving her husband's crimes. "You know what" Shanum replied with a smile looking at her husband's pouting expression as he felt that what he was about to say was not very important.

"Haha..." Shanum could not hold back her laughter anymore, she managed to tease her husband.

"You will be tested with what you love, you will also be tested with what you fear. But God will not put you in a situation you cannot handle.

لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللّٰهُ نَفْسًا اِلَّا وُسْعَهَا....

"God does not burden a person except according to his ability."

Think of God in every circumstance and involve God in every step. Trust in Allah, do what is yours, then let Allah determine His part."

Akhtar repeated Shanum's words several years ago. Everything was still vividly remembered in his memory. How not, he even took notes in his personal notebook, made a large copy of it and stuck it on the wall of his room while he was living in his grandmother's house.

"Yes?" Shanum scrunched up his forehead, completely unable to remember him when the cult said the sentence and could not believe that what he said made a deep impression on someone. New facts in his family.

"Since then, you have completely turned my world around, Yang" Akhtar gently rubbed Shanum's head wrapped in the hijab, confirming the collar of the switer his wife wore. It was so early in the morning that the cold was still very strong at the time.

"My spirit rose again, I began to study hard, want to mingle with friends to choose to stay in the dorm and active in scouts to find out more about you. I was already in love, and it was the second time I felt love for a woman after my mother" Akhtar spoke calmly, he kissed Shanum's hand tightly grasping her hand.

Happiness filled Shanum's chest, it was not in vain waiting and hope all this time in fact did not clap one hand. It is only fitting that over a period of more than a thousand years the feeling never changes. Although there were some people present entering his life but no one was able to shift Akhtar from his heart.

"Thank you" Shanum looked at the husband, his eyes clearly showing how much he loved her husband. Likewise Akhtar his gaze could not be separated from the beautiful face of his wife, his gaze was so deep, how grateful he was to have a companion like Shanum.

Their conversation about the teenage years of living in a dorm with thousands of likes and sorrows continues until the sun increasingly crawls its light perfectly warming the earth.

The journey continues. The porridge workers used to be on the junction of the road between the mother's house and her grandparents became the last stopover. Choosing a pull over for breakfast

"Zahra?" suddenly someone greeted as Shanum was alone enjoying breakfast with the chicken porridge menu. Akhtar briefly headed for the mosque toilet which was not far from the porridge.

Shanum looked up, hearing someone say his name he stopped eating. Glancing to the left and to the right made sure no one else was sitting on his stool.

"I?" Shanum asked back, he stared fixedly at the person who called him, who was now standing right in front of him. A man of high stature, with sports clothes, sweat appears to pour on his temples indicate if he has been exercising to make the aura of good looks is increasing.

"Shanum Najua Azzahra right? XII IPA 1 SMA Negeri xxx Garut, chairman of OSIS, reading ambassador, active student and achiever two years in a row" said the man parse about Shanum in his High School period. At the same time Akhtar came, he heard clearly everything the man said. After a moment of silence hearing the man's words, Akhtar immediately approached Shanum.

"Darling, good porridge?" without looking at the man who had been staring at all his movements Akhtar asked his wife.

The position of Shanum sitting behind the table with a height to make the man did not see if Shanum was pregnant. Akhtar's arrival with his mesra call made him stunned.

"Heumm" Shanum nodded his head towards her husband who was already sitting next to her.

"Are you eating now?" his tan mince his words he brought the bowl of porridge closer to Akhtar.

"Zahra, are you married?" the question was thrown from the man who had greeted him, stopping the conversation of the husband and wife.

"Who is he, baby?" Akhtar interrupted the man by asking Shanum without taking his eyes off his wife. Shanum shook his head, a sign he did not know who the man who had been before him had been.

"You forgot who I am?" asked the man to point at him.

"I'm sorry I really don't remember and introduce this to my husband" Shanum finally opened his voice when he saw an aura of jealousy start to ambush the husband. Since then, his eyes have not been separated from him.

"Okay, then introduce.." the man thrusting his right hand took Akhtar to a hand that Akhtar greeted with a flat facial expression.

"I'm Tama, Pratama Ardan XII IPA 1. The defending champion of KIR High School xxx Garut who was eliminated by Shanum Najua Azzahra" explained the man made Akhtar squinted his eyes.

Shanum gawked at what the man said. His memory goes back several years. Recollecting the events he had forgotten, even erased from his memory.

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Guys, this novel is really coming to an end. Please vote yes, let it be ammunition for Shanum to give birth...😊😊🙏