Dusk At the End Please

Shanum's Concerns

After her husband and sister-in-law were gone, Shanum returned home. During the week their relationship was getting closer. Haqi's openness and understanding made Shanum's heart melt even though there was no complete love for Haqi in Shanum's heart, but he always tried to carry out his role as a wife as well as possible.

Shanum always prepared all the needs of her husband well. Her mother-in-law and sister-in-law helped Shanum a lot to find out what Haqi liked and disliked. It is not difficult for Shanum to know and understand it all because Haqi has never been confused with anything. He accepted happily every single thing Shanum prepared for him. Makes Shanum feel valuable and so much loved.

Today she plans to accompany her mother-in-law to visit her friend's house. Last night she told her husband and Haqi allowed it. She knew all this time her mother was lonely because she was always everywhere alone only accompanied by a driver. Hasna could not always accompany her mother because she had to take care of her father's legacy company which is currently taken over by Haqi.

"Are you ready, Tea?" asked Bu Ratna who called Shanum with the name teteh as Hasna did. He wanted to treat Shanum just like his biological son so there was no distance between them.

"Already, Mi" Shanum replied he walked towards his mother-in-law.

Shanum is ready with his casual stellan, nude toad pants combined with a pink knee-length tunic and a hijab in matching colors make Shanum look elegant. The brooch accents worn on her dangling hijab covered her chest making her look even more classy, not forgetting Shanum carries a matching sling bag and wears white sneakers. Its simplicity in appearance actually makes it look more beautiful, feminine and classy.

Shanum held her mother-in-law's hand to a car that was ready with her family's driver.

"Teh, you taught me before, right?" Ms Ratna started the conversation after the car drove a few minutes to the place in question.

"Yes, Mi" Shanum replied briefly.

"How do you plan to do now?"

"Mami mean?" Shanum asked back.

"Well, do you want to teach again or what? you will have expertise, baby if not sharpened again" explained Ms Ratna.

"I don't know Mi, Insha Allah will be discussed with Abang" Shanum replied, he does not know what he will do after marriage. He is still adjusting to his current situation. Not only did he have to reset his life, but his heart still had to be restored.

"If you want, Mami can get you into a school owned by Mami's friends. It just so happens that he also has a foundation engaged in education. You can choose to be a teacher or a teacher. If it is not wrong there are vocational schools and high schools. Or do you want to help Hasna and Haqi in the company? Mami will be very happy if you want to join the company"

Mami Ratna gave some input options to Shanum, she knew her daughter-in-law was not used to having to stay at home without activities. He just wants to make Shanum comfortable, still be able to do what is his passion, can achieve his dreams and not burdened with the bond of marriage.

"Yes Mi, God willing Shanum will think about it" Shanum replied briefly.

"Mami just want to still be able to do what you want, as long as you can divide the time between home and work mami will support teteh. Insha Allah mami taste Haqi will also support, mami think he will be democratic for this"

"Different from the late father, papi did want mami at home and was always ready when he needed to be accompanied" mami Ratna again explained the purpose of the conversation, she did not want Shanum misunderstood. Mami Ratna even compared her son's character to her late husband's, talking about her late husband made her longing a little treatable.

There was a happy twinkle in the eyes of Ratna's mother while talking about her memories with her late husband. This opportunity used Shanum to get closer to his in-laws. She understood that her mother-in-law needed to be listened to, while her children were busy with their duties.

One week of Shanum's presence at her in-laws' house made Ms Ratna more excited about her days. He felt he had friends to share with each other or just accompanied when he left.

Their conversation came to a halt when the car they were driving stopped in the courtyard of a very magnificent house.

"Come on" Bu Ratna took Shanum down, she took Shanum with her as she entered the house as if to show off her favorite daughter-in-law to her friends.

The meeting of socialite mothers turns out, arisan is their routine agenda. Shanum looked a little nervous as his mother-in-law introduced herself in the presence of all her friends. He was trying to make a good impression with the people he had just met.

Derrt....Derrr....Derrt.....

While everyone was busy chatting with various topics, suddenly the device in Shanum's sling bag shook. He reached into his bag and saw who contacted him. It was her husband who called.

Shanum approached his mother-in-law and whispered.

"Mi, Brother called. I'm gonna take the phone first, okay?" Shanum asked her mother-in-law for permission to receive a call from her husband and was answered with a nod of the head by Ms. Ratna.

"Assalamu'alaikum, Bang" Shanum picked up the phone while away from the crowd.

"Wa'alaikumsalam, long time to pick up the phone again where, Yang?" Haqi sulked slightly as he answered Shanum's greeting.

These few days his call changed to Shanum, Haqi rarely called Shanum with the call of Adek, he more often called Shanum with a call of affection. Shanum was not used to the call yet, he sometimes felt amused himself as Haqi called out to him like that.

"Sorry Bang, I was chatting with Mami's friends. I also paid first to Mami to pick up the phone Abang is afraid Mami nyariin" Shanum replied as it is.

The smile on Haqi's lips heard the explanation of the wife who cared so much about her mother.

"Ouh, okay, okay ..sorry" Haqi replied.

"Sadly you ate?" tanya Haqi turned the discussion.

"It's been a bang, here a lot of food. I am so full" Shanum replied honestly.

"Duuh good yes, here Brother has not eaten lo, Yang. His hunger is losing just as much misses you, so Brother calls you before you eat" Haqi dramatizes a little when he says he hasn't eaten, he bajami also his words with a special romanticism that he aimed only at his wife.

"Oh so? now you eat yes. Praying already, right? ask Shanum.

"Have dong, this is still not wearing shoes out of prayer, want to see?" kanda Haqi's.

"No ah" Shanum replied briefly.

"Sir, have you prayed today?" Haqi was stale in asking with a slight decrease in his voice. He knew Shanum was already in a holy state because it was dawn that they prayed together in the room.

"Yes, Bang" Shanum replied timidly, she understood the direction of her husband's conversation.

Shanum is aware that until now he has not fulfilled Haqi's right as husband over her. Although his heart was still reluctant, Shanum realized that he was now completely Haqi's right.

"Abang wants you to be ready for tonight, wear clothes that gift from Risa ya" he asked with a smile continued to expand on his lips. She imagined how she would go through this beautiful night with Shanum, her halal partner.

Risa is Haqi's cousin, son of Ratna's mother's sister. He gave a gift in the form of sleepwear that if worn will show almost his entire body. Shanum shuddered to himself imagining he had to wear that shirt.

"Yes, Bang" Shanum replied timidly. From the intonation of his voice Haqi could imagine that his wife's face at this time must have been like a boiled crab.

"Dek, dear...could you have a video call?" ask Haqi

"Why?" Shanum asked back.

"Abang wants to see your face now, must have been like a boiled crab huh? haha.." - Goda Haqi.

"Haha..." Haqi still chuckled as he felt funny about his wife's behavior.

"Dragon!" Shanum sulked, he was annoyed that Haqi kept laughing at him.

"Yes, unfortunately, brother. Sorry..." Haqi stopped his laughter.

"Just after returning from his friend's place Your mother is ready to make it later tonight, Insha Allah Abang already at home before the Maghrib" Haqi said.

"Yes" Shanum replied softly

"I hung up on him. Assalamu'alaikum" Shanum first ended his call.

"Wa'alaikumsalam" Haqi replied with a laugh that had not yet disappeared imagining his wife's face.

Their conversation stopped as the phone connection was cut off. Shanum was about to return to where his mother-in-law was. But his steps came to a halt when someone greeted him.

"You're a teacher at Bina Insani Bandung High School, right?" he said, and answered Shanum's nod of the head. He smiled kindly at the young-looking woman as he answered her greeting.

"Mom knows? sorry about whose mom? it's true that I used to teach at SMK Bina Insani Bandung but that used to be no longer" explained Shanum.

"Yes, I've seen you during Akhtar's engagement" he replied.

Deg.. heard the name Akhtar called by the mother there is something that disturbs Shanum's heart. Moreover, the mother called Akhtar just by calling the name without any frills, that means their relationship is quite close.

"Teteh.." Bu Ratna's call looking for Shanum's whereabouts stopped their chatter. Shanum said goodbye and immediately met his mother-in-law.

They returned home just as the ashar adhan was reverberating. Saturday afternoon became a very jammed day on the streets of Jakarta.

Shanum immediately prepared to clean up and perform the prayer, she prepared everything to welcome the arrival of her husband. He also helped bi Isah who is an ART in the house to cook dinner.

It did not feel adzan maghrib had reverberated, but her husband did not go home. Shanum remembered that this afternoon Haqi promised to go home before Maghrib but until she finished praying maghrib her husband had not yet returned.

Seven o'clock at night, eight o'clock...Haqi hasn't come home yet. Shanum repeatedly dialed Haqi's number but was still inactive. He was positive-minded maybe Haqi was stuck in traffic and his salary was dead.

The hour hand showed at nine o'clock, the sound of the roar of the car was heard in the courtyard of the house. Shanum immediately opened the door hoping for her husband to come. But when the door opened Shanum found Hasna his sister-in-law who came.

"Steak...Brother hasn't come home yet?" he looked at Shanum who opened the door.

"Not Dek, but the brother said he would go home before Maghrib, but now it's nine Bang Haqi has not come home" Shanum replied with concern.

"Maybe you're stuck in traffic, Tea. Teteh calm yes, Sunday night in Jakarta is jammed amazing. Did you call brother?" Hasna calmed Shanum who looked very worried.

"It's the Deck, but from earlier the dress has not been active as well" Shanum replied lethargic.

" Yes now we wait for Brother inside yes Tea, maybe soon Brother home. I had a visit to some of our outlet branches, so all day I was not in the office" explained Hasna trying to give peace to Shanum.

Shanum was accompanied by her mother-in-law and sister-in-law waiting for her husband's arrival in the living room while watching television. Ms. Ratna could see Shanum's anxiety as well as Hasna's.

"Teteh calm yes, Brother used to go home at night when in Jakarta" Bu Ratna tried to calm Shanum.

"Yes Ma'am" Shanum replied softly.

Crings.kring...

Shanum's wire rang indicating an incoming call. He immediately grabbed the device he kept on a small table beside the sofa he was sitting on. It turned out to be a foreign number calling. Shanum was reluctant to lift making Bu Ratna and Hasna astonished.

"Why Tea? who's calling?" hasna asked, she turned to sit closer to Shanum.

"Don't know Deck, the number doesn't know" Shanum replied.

"Let's Tea, who knows how important it is" Hasna suggested.

"Yes, Tea.take it up" said Ms. Ratna.

Shanum hesitantly picked up the phone.

"Assalamu'alaikum" Shanum said as the phone call was connected.

"Wa'alaikumsalam's chat. Is this true of Shanum's sister, the wife of Mr Baihaqi Abdillah?" asked the person in a firm tone making Shanum's heart beat fast.

"Yes sir, right. What's up, huh?" shanum asked curiously.

"Sorry Mom, we from the police would like to inform you if your husband had an accident, now he is taken to the hospital of our hope" explained the police.

"What's? Brother why?" shanum asked half-screaming.

"Mother's husband was in an accident" the cop repeated.

Deg..deg..deg..all of a sudden Shanum's heart beat faster, his hands shook, his knees suddenly limp no longer able to support his body weight. Shanum collapsed on the floor and his clothing just slipped out of his grasp.

Bu Ratna and Hasna who saw it immediately grabbed Shanum,

"Tea, what's the tea?" bu Ratna asked while shaking Shanum's body which had collapsed on the floor.

"Abang Mi accident" Shanum replied slowly, sobs were already unbearable by her, her tears continued to flow as her body collapsed on the floor.

Hasna immediately retrieved Shanum's connected device. He asked her where her brother was from the police who contacted Shanum.

Shanum could only cry, as well as Miss Ratna. Shanum's memory drifted back to the events of a few years ago, she received news of Arya's accident the day before the wedding and today history as repeated, Shanum again received the sad news this time about her husband. The man who is already his legal companion, who promises to always hold his hand for a heavenly life.

"Abangs...Elder brother....Bang Haqi's.hikss...."