Fear of Marriage

The failed application

After sleeping comfortably all night, Karenina wakes up with a fresher feeling. The bruise on her cheeks had started to faint, she used a bit of make up to cover it up so Malik wouldn't see it. Karenina doesn't want Malik to feel guilty about seeing her.

Convincing herself to be more courageous and not afraid anymore, Karenina came to Malik's house, she intended to take the man for a walk before he returned to Jakarta.

“Turni” has dared, not Rina but she was greeted by the cynical gaze of her newly-seen cousin. They are the same age, they should be good friends. But Kia, her cousin chose to follow her mother and hate Karenina. Kia assumes Karenina took half her father's affection from her.

Karenina took a breath, she recalled her friends' parks in Jakarta. They all had no blood relation to her, but treated her more than just a friend. Very much different from his cousin who was clearly a biological family.

‘Try aja Kia like Rara, Merry or Juwita, I must be very happy. Have a brother I can take with me.’.

Karenina ignored him and chose to ignore him. Unlike Lina who had never hurt him physically, Kia could bravely hurt him. She had pushed or pulled Karenina's hair several times because she was upset with him. And if Malik finds out, his father will punish him, and his hatred for Karenina will increase.

 As of now, she tightly blocked Karenina's arm as the cousin passed by, causing Karenina to grimace.

“You are more insolent well, asked instead of answering instead of playing away. You already feel great because Halim is crazy about you”. Karenina jerked her stricken hand at Kia.

“I want to see Malik”, although Kia hates him a lot but Karenina can't hate her cousin as much as Kia hates her. There was still a little bit of affection in him. Karenina even hopes that Kia's day can love her even a little.

“Dad again sleeping. You just go back to Jakarta do not need to come back here again”,

 “Kia, why are you always like that to Nina. He's your brother, can't you do a little good”, Malik came out of the room, he woke up hearing his son screaming.

“Lack well moreover, I even shared my father's affection with him”. Kia glanced at him cynically then left him. Perhaps one of the reasons Karenina could not hate Kia was because she felt she had taken much of Malik's affection from her.

Kia should get Malik's love completely without having to share with him, even sometimes Malik scolded his biological child just for taking his toys.

“Don't listen to her, you know that she is like that”, Karenina cuddles with a smile. He approached towards Malik and leaned on the old man's shoulder.

“I used to want to take om out for a walk, but like my feet are still sick” Karenina glanced at Malik's feet in bandages. He took something from his bag and gave it to Malik.

“What is Nina”, Malik receives a brown amlop from Karenina and opens the contents, Malik sighs and gives back the amlop to Karenina.

“You need much more” he said.

“I come after three years and bring nothing, just think of it as a gift. If you can take Kia for a walk and buy her something but don't tell me from me”,

“You send money every month, it's more than enough”

“This is lain”

“But..”.

“I still there” he said hurriedly cutting off the words of Malik who still wanted to refuse. Malik then keeps the money given by Karenina behind his shirt, not wanting until Lina sees it and spends it on something unnecessary.

“Do not go first yes Nin, aunty masakin anchovies with sambel cobek kamu” favorite, Karenina who heard the name of the food as if hypnotized, has long since she missed the food that became her favorite.

Sometimes Rina just gave him anchovies and sambels for him to eat with rice, but Karenina turned out to like it very much.

‘Why aunt Rina suddenly got good, I got scared. But I want to eat anchovies, I have never eaten since living in Jakarta’.

Karenina swallowed her saliva, she who was about to leave and followed everyone to the dinner table. The four of them sat at the dining table, it was rare for Karenina to be able to join while eating together. He can only sit at the dinner table when he is at home and invite him to eat.

As planned, Karenina fell asleep after finishing two plates of rice. Rina persuades Kia to lend her room to Karenina. Despite her mother's deathly annoyance, Kia finally allows Karenina to sleep in her room.

When Karenina sleeps with a full stomach, at that time the Halim extended family comes with a hand and determines the date of the marriage of Karenina and Halim.

“Not that Nina has warned you not to manage her life, why you even recklessly accept the proposal of the Halim” family, Malik pulled his wife away from his guests.

“This is also for Nina's future, she will definitely be happily married to Halim. His future will be guaranteed”. Lina ignored her husband and went back to see his guests.

“It is better that their marriage is done as soon as possible, if the qabulnya only first, the party will be able to follow the” proposal of Rina who is in the family of Halim.

“Tante...”.Karenina comes with a new face waking up, Malik wakes her up.

“I don't want to get married, I've said same aunt”. Everyone in the cramped living room looked at him in surprise, let alone his messy appearance.

Lina stood up and pulled Karenina's hand, but Karenina violently jerked it.

“Why don't you marry Halim, why should I. I told you auntie, aunty there is no right to interfere with my life!!!”.

Rina's face flushed red, she still gave a smile to Halim's parents even though her heart was eager to chop down Karenina right now.

“You think you're the one who dared to reject my son. You're just a poor orphan who has nothing. You should be grateful we want to accept you to be a son-in-law, your life will be more secure without you having to work and away from your family.”, Ibu Halim finally spoke up.

“See your appearance, it's been like a puff. I also don't know why my son is crazy about you. Or maybe you pellet him?”, he continued.

“Sorry Karenina, I'll talk to her”, Rina tries to defuse the anger of her smoldering iron candidate. Halim's mother and the rest of her family were clearly offended by Karenina's immediate rejection.

“Not necessary, I will not approve them anymore. You will cry blood once you see Halim married to a woman who is our equal and certainly much more beautiful than you. Basic poor man, do not know yourself”, still continue cursing.

Karenina was not offended by her mother Halim's insulting remarks. He cheered in his heart to see the tantric guests leave with a burning rage. Wait, Karenina still has to face Rina. He looked at Rina who had already looked at him with flaming eyes.

Rina grabbed her hair, pushing it until her butt hit the floor quite hard. Not satisfied with that, Lina slapped her cheek left right. Malik and Kia who had just appeared quickly separated them.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!!”. Malik had already floated his hands in the air, his face was no less annoyed to see the bruise on Karenina's face.

“Om”

“Daddy”. Shouted Kia and Karenina together.

“Because of him, I lost my source of money. Let me hit him, you brash kid”, Kia who helped Karenina stand up to be a shield for her cousin. She protects Karenina from her mother's unfinished rampage.

“What money I love is still lacking, why still have to sell Nina”. Lina frowned, since when did her son defend his cousin.

“Why did you defend him, you remember that he had stolen your father from you”. Kia sighed and threw away her face as her and her mother's gazes met.

“Already, mom. I will find a mother a lot of money if only the money that I want”, he said tired of seeing his mother's behavior that is always stylish like the rich man. Kia then went back into her room after Malik escorted Karenina out.

While Rina, she stayed in her place. She did not expect her biological child would stand up for Karenina and say enough words to offend her.