First Love of Ustadz

Chapter 9 The Brownies

"There's an idea for Ustad?" ask Ustad Fariz.

"Ustad want to know?" the Ustad Jaki Goda.

Ustad Fariz just stared at Ustad Jaki for being played.

"Yes, yes Ustad I'll tell you, but I don't know if this can be realized or not" Ustad Jaki again teased Ustad Fariz.

"Udah deh Ustad, just like that," sewed Ustad Fariz.

"Gini ustad, Zahra is the author, we invite him here, certainly dong many who are interested in learning with writers who already have many books," said Ustad Jaki.

Ustad Fariz was silent, he thought for a moment.

"It's also Ustad, but what do the others agree on?" Ustad Fariz was hesitant.

"Let's talk to the others later. But Ustad, does Zahra want to?" ask Ustad Jaki.

"Ustad Jaki calls him Rhea, not Zahra" Ustad Fariz protested.

"Rhea? Why Ustad?" ask Ustad Jaki.

"His name is Rheina Az Zahra, commonly called Rhea. If Zahra is my calling to him" Ustad Fariz explained.

"Cieee has a nickname" Ustad Jaki teases Ustad Fariz.

"Oiya dong let's not call him the same as the others" Ustad Fariz prided himself on.

"Ck, it's free to have a call dear if you can't have the person," said Ustad Jaki.

As the look on Ustad Fariz's face changed, she smiled bitterly given the fate of her romance with Zahranya.

"Sorry Ustad," Ustad Jaki stood up and rubbed the shoulder of Ustad Fariz.

"Now mending Ustad Fariz ask Rhea what would he do if there was an event to bring him to this pesantren?" entertain Ustad Jaki to have Ustad Fariz smile again.

Ustad Fariz looked at Ustad Jaki and he smiled. "Thank you Ustad can always help me. I have always been grateful to be here and to meet Kyai Farhan, Ustad Jaki and Umi Sarifah. You all mean a lot to me."

"Name-sama Ustad. We're brothers" Ustad Jaki hugged Ustad Fariz before exiting the room.

At Rhea's grandmother's house, Bik Darmi asks Rhea about Ustad Fariz. Rhea hesitates to tell a story, but Bik Darmi says that she knows something from Rhea and Ustad Fariz's eyes when looking at each other.

Mr. Sardi said so too. Mr. Sardi is the husband of Bik Darmi. There are no secrets they keep.

Rhea saw Bik Darmi who was so sincere to her. Actually Rhea hesitated to tell it, but Bik Darmi also knew a little about their feelings, each of them, so Rhea told me from the beginning she met Ustad Fariz at her house until they met again in this village.

Rhea told me with a smile but her eyes glazed over, she recalled the times of her heartache for not being able to unite with her first love even though they loved each other.

Sometimes he thinks he is being played with by fate, but the thought is dismissed because he believes God has prepared happiness for him even if not now.

Bik Darmi shed his tears hearing the story about Rhea and Ustad Fariz. Bik Darmi hopes that God will unite them in his own way. Rhea smiled hearing the hope from Bik Darmi, then she hugged Bik Darmi and finished her grief.

He cried in Bik Darmi's arms until Bik Darmi was eager to tell Ustad Fariz how Rhea felt, but Bik Darmi had to hold him back until Ustad Fariz asked him himself.

Rhea's cry stopped when she heard the phone ringing on her phone. Rhea got out of Bik Darmi's arms and grabbed her phone.

He was confused whether or not to pick up the call, because the one calling him now is Ustad Fariz. If he picks up, he's afraid Ustad Fariz knows he's crying, but the phone keeps ringing if it's not picked up.

Finally Rhea neutralized her voice, she inhaled a deep breath of air and exhaled it slowly. After that he picked up the phone, but unfortunately Ustad Fariz knew that Rhea had finished crying. Rhea dodged but Ustad Fariz did not believe it.

Eventually Ustad Fariz ended the call and it turned out that he switched it to a video call.

Rhea was just breathing a sigh of relief when Ustad Fariz ended her phone call, but she was again shocked and confused because now Ustad Fariz instead made a video call to her.

Rhea didn't know what to do, because she was afraid that Ustad Fariz would ask her why she was crying.

Bik Darmi who knew that advised Rhea to lift him because surely Ustad Fariz was very worried about him.

Finally Rhea lifted the video call from Ustad Fariz without looking at the screen of her phone. He just looked down and was quiet. Ustad Fariz informed him of his intention to ask Rhea to share knowledge at Pondok Pesantren Al-Mukmin even though Rhea did not look at him at this time, but Ustad Fariz was sure that after Rhea heard the intention of Ustad Fariz he would definitely look at him.

Sure enough, after hearing Ustad Fariz wanted him to share his knowledge at Pondok Pesantren Al-Mukmin, Rhea's reflexes stared at the mobile phone screen and she nodded in agreement with her sweet smile.

Ustad Fariz just silently stared at Rhea's face from her phone, she knew Rhea had been crying out of her voice and from her puffy eyes, but she didn't want to ask that now, she knew, because he knew Rhea would definitely refuse to tell him.

The next day Ustad Fariz expressed his opinion to Ustad and the other Ustadzah about bringing a writer to this Pesantren Cottage, and they all agreed.

Ustad Jaki smiled at the look of happiness on the face of his best friend and foster brother. He felt that indeed the happiness of Ustad Fariz was shared with Rhea. He prayed that God would give the best path for both of them.

After prayers Ustad Fariz came to Rhea's house. At that time Rhea was filming a cake making scene. He made brownies with different flavor variants. Ustad Fariz looked at the astonishment of the woman before him. Rhea continued to make the cake without her realizing that Ustad Fariz was there.

Bik Darmi noticed the loving and longing gaze of Ustad Fariz's mistress' son. Until finally Bik Darmi said if he found out about the beginning of the meeting of Ustad Fariz with the Rhea family until their accidental meeting in this village.

Actually Bik Darmi just fishing for Ustad Fariz to ask him further. Because honestly, Bik Darmi is anxious to see the two people who love each other but they do not seem to realize their feelings.

Ustad Fariz was provoked, he asked about Rhea last night, and Bik Darmi confirmed that Rhea cried last night and she told him everything. Ustad Fariz lowered his head and he let out a heavy sigh, it felt like he was also unable to hold back his tears.

He held the tears with all his strength because the feeling of his heart was back open so he felt a deep pain in his chest. Many times he inhaled and exhaled so that the tightness in his chest quickly disappeared, he did not want Rhea to know because Ustad Fariz knew if he was sad surely Rhea would also be sad.

He had already known the story from the first book given by Rhea, but he thought that it was peppered with languages that touched others.

It is not surprising that all of this is true. Not only did she suffer, her Zahra also suffered, even more than she felt.

Rhea was done with her activities. Again he was surprised to find Ustad Fariz there when he recorded his cooking activities.

Due to his happiness, he unknowingly fed Ustad Fariz with brownies from a plate he was carrying. Bik Darmi who saw that immediately stepped aside and went to the terrace to accompany Mr. Sardi, he did not want to disturb the happiness of the two people.

Ustad Fariz was shocked to receive a bribe from Rhea, but he remembered the old days when he tasted dishes or cakes made by Rhea or Mother must be like this, he was forced to taste and be fed by Rhea.

Maybe because he was used to being Rhea reflex feeding Ustad Fariz when he finished making the cake.

Ustad Fariz smiled happily at Rhea's happy smile. It seemed like Rhea's smile of happiness was rubbing on her.

But he still maintained his smile even though Ustad Fariz knew that behind the smile was a deep sadness.

To divert Rhea's grief, Ustad Fariz talked about her offer the other day, and Rhea was very happy to hear that she was given the opportunity to share her knowledge in Pondok Pesantren Al-Mukmin.

Ustad Fariz asked Rhea when she would come there, and Rhea said the day after tomorrow she would be there, because she had to prepare everything before coming there. And Ustad Fariz agreed, he would prepare everything Rhea needed while there. After that they discussed what Rhea would need there.

So cool to chat, it did not feel that time had gone so fast that Ustad Fariz had to go home. Rhea gave her the brownie package earlier. Ustad Fariz says he will share it with Umi Sarifah.

Little Rhea knew that Umi Sarifah was the wife of the owner of Pondok Pesantren Al-Mukmin who had raised Ustad Fariz as her son. That's all Rhea knew from Ustad Fariz's story the other day.

The Pondok Pesantren Al - Mukmin.

Ustad Fariz just came from Rhea's house, he parked his motorcycle in front of Umi Sarifah's house as usual. Umi Sarifah is on the terrace with Ustad Jaki enjoying warm tea and boiled cassava.

It emanated clearly a twinkle of happiness from the face of Ustad Fariz. Ustad Jaki already understood, but Umi Sarifah did not understand, so she was surprised to see her son seemed very happy.

"Asaalamu'alaikum..," greetings from Ustad Fariz.

"Wa'alaikumusalam..," answered Umi Sarifah and Ustad Jaki.

"What makes it seem so happy?" ask Umi Sarifah.

"Newly won the lottery times Umi," joked Ustad Jaki.

"Hussss is careless you are le by the way. Listen to Ustad Fariz first by the way" Umi Sarifah prevented Ustad Jaki from joking because Umi Sarifah wanted to know what made her son so happy.

"This is Umi please eat," Ustad Fariz gave a packet of cake from Rhea.

"This what is le?" Umi Sarifah asked when she received the box.

"Umi's brownies, monggo tasted," Ustad Fariz opened the cake box and Umi Sarifah took a piece to sample.

"Great boy, where do you buy this?" tanya Umi Sarifah.

"Dikasihan Umi. This just ripened Umi tablets," replied Ustad Fariz proudly.

"Well, who makes it?" Umi Sarifah asked again.

Ustad Fariz simply smiled shyly and did not reply.

"Umi, Zahra must have loved this cake, because Ustad Fariz had come to his house" said Ustad Jaki intending to tease Ustad Fariz.

"Really le? Did you meet her?" Umi Sarifah looked at Ustad Fariz waiting for her answer.

"Umi Enggeh. It was an accident that I met at a bookstore when I was shopping for books for the library," Ustad Fariz now had a serious face but could not cover his happiness.

Umi Sarifah understood that her son was very happy. He just wanted to see his son's happiness before he died.

Umi Sarifah rubbed the hair softly Ustad Fariz, she wanted to tell him that she approved all her son's wishes for his happiness.

"So not the show here?" Ustad Jaki asked about the Rhea event at Pondok Pesantren Al-Mukmin.

"So, he's very happy. He said the day after the show. Can it?" Ustad Fariz asked Ustad Jaki.

"No problem, where are the shows? In the hall, the courtyard or the classroom?" ask Ustad Jaki back.

"I think you are in a place that can accommodate everything, because this is not a teaching or extracurricular event that can be taught in class" Ustad Fariz expressed his opinion.

"Hopefully, let's do a routine in class" Ustad Jaki again teases Ustad Fariz.

"What's up to this le, can you tell Umi?" Umi Sarifah wants to know what happened to her son.

"Later nggeh Mi, not now, this already wants maghrib," replied Ustad Fariz with a smile that could always calm the heart of Umi Sarifah.

"Yes hasten to the mosque, and this is for the cake please say thank you from Umi yes," Umi Sarifah also teased Ustad Fariz.

"Enggeh Mi," Ustad Fariz blushed in embarrassment.

Umi Sarifah again ate the cake while Ustad Fariz and Ustad Jaki went to the mosque to perform Maghrib prayers in congregation with the santri.

After Isya' Ustad Fariz and Ustad Jaki prayers eat with Umi Sarifah and Mirna in Ndalem.

"Buy cake where the noodles taste different?" ask Mirna when tasting the brownies on the dinner table.

"Enak right? it is not sold in the store," replied Umi Sarifah.

"Yes a good Mi, who made Mi?" ask Mirna back.

"So there are people who give Umi because most of it," replied the origin of Umi Sarifah.

Mirna scrunched her forehead confused because she thought there was no such person.

"Why do you seem confused?" asked Umi Sarifah while taking rice to her plate.

"No Mi, it's just a wonder that there are people making a lot of cakes and giving it to unknown people" Mirna replied as she chewed her brownies.

"There is no evidence. Don't think about it. If you like the cake, you can learn to make a cake from him if you meet him," said Umi Sarifah at his meal.

"Can Mi'? If I can be very lucky," exclaimed Mirna in excitement.

Ustad Jaki looked at Ustad Fariz who was eating and shook her head slowly with a smile.

Ustad Fariz just fell silent and he just remembered not to say thank you to Umi Sarifah for the brownies cake given from him.

After dinner, though, Ustad Fariz sent a message to Rhea if Umi Sarifah thanked him for giving the cake is very good, said Umi Sarifah and Rhea was very happy because the cake received praise from others, he promised to bring her back if she went there. Hearing that, Ustad Fariz could not wait for his day.

"Le can tell Umi the same story?"