Forced Mate

Precious Thing Every (part 2)

Alex was already standing next to the car door waiting for Ayu. The woman appeared behind the door with a smile while running around, making Alex very worried and coming closer.

"You're so happy, huh?" alex asked to stop Ayu's move.

Ayu continued to put on her bright smile. "Yes, very happy."

He said that smile is easily contagious, maybe with a smile Ayu can transmit happy to Alex. Cheerful people when sad are heartbreaking.

"I'm glad you're happy, Yang. But be careful about getting pregnant."

Ayu's eyes grew bigger. She completely forgot that she was pregnant, because today she did not experience nausea at all. Only once, when he was in the shop and there was a perfume that stung his sense of smell.

They stepped towards the car. Ayu came in after Alex opened the door for her. The car drove slowly because the speed was inhibited by a solid vehicle on the road.

"Do you want music?" ask Alex.

"Yes, I can." Ayu replied awkwardly as she saw Alex who was still like before.

Alex's hand started playing on a monitor screen about 7 inches in size. The music began to play quietly, covering the silence that lingered for a long time in the car.

Amy Lee's voice echoed the rendition of her signature song My Immortal. Ayu is very familiar with the song because Mas Pandu used to ring play it at home.

"...  When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears.  When you Scream I'd fight away all of your fours...." Ayu hummed in the chorus of the song. However, it stopped as its HP continued to tremble.

He received a call from Karin.

"Tell me that's not true!" a voice from the phone.

Ayu kept her HP away from the ear.

"You married Alex?" asked Karin again still in a shrieking voice.

Ayu glanced at Alex. His place was focused on the streets and did not notice Ayu who was receiving a phone call.

"I'm on the road again, I'll call you later, yeah." Ayu tries to end the phone call.

Karin Tidka gave up and continued to scout Ayu. "No way! Don't dodge, Yu. I called Tamara, and she said Alex hasn't heard." She continued, "I know Armita, she said Alex's wife's name was Ayu. That's you, right? Or are you with Alex now?"

Ayu gave up, there was no point in hiding her marriage. After all, the blue marriage was done so that everyone knew and there was no problem if Ayu's stomach started to grow later. Ayu refuses to tell Karin not because she wants to keep the news a secret. He just wanted to wait for the right moment to explain well.

"Yes, it's me. I'll call you back, yeah!" Ayu replied in a small voice.

Without waiting for Karin's reply, Ayu ended the call. He glanced again at Alex who was displaying a calm face and a straight look outside on the streets.

Amy Lee's voice has been replaced with Marion's and Marit's in The day you went away. Dahi Ayu shriveled at the song, the two songs played by Alex were songs with deep lyrics about the breakup. On a whim, Ayu opens a folder containing songs on the car's touchscreen. Almost all of the songs in that folder are early 2000s-era songs, and ballad genres.

Ayu decided to turn off the music. Hearing the depressing lyrics in a silent atmosphere only made Ayu even more sad. Seeing Alex not reacting to the music stopping, Ayu lowered her head. He doesn't know what to react to Alex's attitude now.

Yesterday Ayu always hoped Alex could shut up and stop judging her, but seeing the man completely silent actually frustrated Ayu. Although impressed calm, but Ayu can see how heavy the pressure is being felt by Alex.

For a moment Ayu thought about the right that was troubling Alex's mind. They begin to conclude that it may be their marriage that makes Alex very depressed. Didn't Alex ever say he was monogamous? Being stuck in a marriage she doesn't want for life is tormenting her.

"Yu, your HP from earlier vibrated continuously."

He turned his face towards Alex.   When was the last time he heard the man's voice? It was actually only a few minutes ago, but the silence and quiet made Ayu feel as if she hadn't heard it for thousands of years.

Ayu switched on her HP. He heard and felt those HP vibrations, he was just too engrossed with his thoughts to put those vibrations aside. After all, it's just a WhatsApp message sign that comes in many times, you can read the message in the work group.

Some of the messages did come from work groups, but most of them came from family groups. In the Group with the name FamSquad there are about 59 messages that have not been read by Ayu, it seems to have accumulated with messages from this afternoon.

Ayu started climbing up to the top message. His eyes were round when he saw the contents of the message that were all about him. It was all due to the screenshots of the gossip account sent by Mbak Dita.

Ma'am Ira: yes, very similar to Ayu.

Mother: Your grandfather?

Mas Bima: no, Mom! Just like (emoji laughing)

Ma'am Dita: kayak twins, yes. Let's not let him be Ayu's missing twin.

Mas Pandu: How come it looks so similar?

Mother: Your father is angry, your brother should not be bullied he said.

"Alex, I want to go home" Ayu said.

"Not that we're going to your parents' house."

Ayu shook her head and fell silent.

***

Ayu throws her bag of origin in bed. Then drop your ass in the corner of the bed. His head lowered and both of his hands squeezed the bedcover tightly. His shoulders began to tremble, accompanied by a small sob. Inwardly he began to complain again, regretting his stupid mistake.

While Alex has since entered the house just sitting on the sofa leaning back with both hands stretched out on the arm of the sofa. He is still haunted by feelings of worthlessness, neglect, and loneliness. That gloomy childhood didn't want Alex to feel anymore.

Yeah, Alex won't be that lonely kid anymore. Alex has Ayu, the woman who will always accompany him - erasing his loneliness.

Alex gets up, he has to see Ayu now. However, he waited a long time to get closer to Ayu. Alex chose to stand in front of the open door, when he saw Ayu bowed while sobbing. The guilt of attacking Alex, he had made Ayu cry again and again, even though he had promised not to make the woman sad.

Ayu wiped her tears, then looked up. He found Alex standing at the entrance. Their eyes clashed briefly before Ayu turned her face away.

Now Alex approached and sat down next to Ayu. Tadu before catching up, he had already devised some words to say to Ayu. But, he suddenly lost all those words, so he just kept quiet.

"Lex!"

Alex just slow down.

Ayu was silent for a moment, and took a deep breath. "we should think again, our marriage."

Alex's mouth opened slightly, then pulled both corners of his lips to the side. He did not understand Ayu's intentions.

"Think how?"

Ayu calmed down a bit before replying, "I can kick my own son, Lex. Single mom's problem, I think I can handle it too."

Alex's chest rumbled, he didn't think Ayu would say anything crazy that Alex never thought of. "You think I'm a guy who likes to run away from responsibility?"

"No, Lex! I just don't want you to be burdened with a marriage you don't want." Ayu explained then continued, "and neither do I want."

Ayu bit her lips. Of course she knew the consequences of being a single mother. Raising a child without a husband, financially and other support is not a problem Ayu part. He only fears the feelings of his family as well as his son, yet he will fight it all. He doesn't have to keep Alex stuck for the sake of his philosophy of life.

For her family, Ayu is convinced they can forgive Ayu. Maybe they will be disappointed, but remember how Daddy spoiled and loved him; the mother who sometimes nagged, but sometimes soft on him; Mas Pandu who was always wise; Mas Bima who often disturbed him, often, but he was also the same person who was willing to be battered to defend Ayu. They were his family, and they Tidka probably ignored Ayu because of the mistake he had made, even though it would be the disgrace of his family.

"I don't consider my son a burden on Sam once, Yu!" alex said in a louder voice.

"But me and this kid are just gonna ruin your dream wedding!"

Alex ruffled his hair in frustration. He did not expect Ayu to still think about it. Although Ayu was never included in his future plans just yet, but the current picture of his future is only Ayu and his son.

After a few minutes of silence, Alex began to speak. "You know what's the most precious thing in the world, Yu."

Ayu simply looked at Alex, without answering.

"Not property or power, but family." Alex continued.

Ayu agreed with that. He feels more and more guilt for his family, they belong to Ayu who is very valuable.

"I have two mothers and two fathers, two brothers from different mothers and two brothers from different fathers" Alex said with a bitter smile, "a large number of others. But, it doesn't make me happier than anyone else."

Ayu catches the same grief when Alex was at Marissa's house earlier. Maybe he misunderstood Alex's grief.

"I have a lot of family members, but more often feel like I don't have any family at all. Ever since childhood always felt neglected." Alex added.

Alex's face turned even more radiant as he grabbed Ayu's hand. " Given that we're married and about to have a cute baby makes me feel like I have a whole family, Yu."

Ayu's cheeks turned red, her eyes fixed on the man who was grasping his fingers. Now Ayu understood with Alex's expression this afternoon, why the man looked so different in the middle of his own family. Alex is a lonely man despite having everything.

"I want you to be my family, to be the most precious treasure always by my side."

Ayu was happy to hear that, was filled and started crying. Alex is ignorant and always Ayu calls a jerk, besides having a sweet side, also has a dark side.

***

part previously there was a writing error part 😁