Forced Mate

First Wave

Ayu ends her video call with Alex. Before returning to Singapore, the man had said he could not return to Jakarta this Sunday.

He does hope Alex doesn't come home this Sunday, because he has a lot of work to do. If Alex comes, the man will be angry if he knows Ayu worked late at night. To avoid getting caught, she won't pick up a video call from Alex.

[I'm lazy to look at your face]

Ayu sends the message to Alex after getting ten missed video calls from the man.

[What about my voice]

Ayu did not reply to the message. He put up an airpod and called Alex. While typing the accountability report, he had a brief conversation with Alex.

"Have you eaten, honey?"

"Already. I've been drinking milk too."

"Good," said Alex. "I Miss you."

"Not to be happy!"

"Kok lebay? I'm serious, honey."

Ayu curses a little while looking at her laptop screen saying 'I Miss You'. With a huff, he immediately deleted the word.

"What's up, honey?"

"There's nothing. Why why?" Ayu tried to sound so normal that Alex didn't suspect anything.

"You're home, aren't you?"

Ayu glanced at her trembling HP. Alex asks to switch on video call. Two refused again.

"I told you I was lazy to look at your face."

"But, I miss, how's dong?"

"I'm matiin, here."

"Try it, in two hours I've been there."

"Yes, good then," Ayu replied with a sincere speech. Of course, he wanted Alex to be next to him. Besides being able to spoilt, she also felt safe every time together - as if nothing could hurt her.

"That's kangen."

"W-what's bi-lang? I just want to be masticin and disopyrin, you know!" refute Ayu.

"Say to be cheated too," Alex's tease didn't give up.

"Sana kelonin crocodile!" ketus Ayu, although in her heart she did miss Alex who always gave her warmth.

"Don't that dong, honey! I'm serious," Alex said.

"Udah, I'm sleepy." Ayu lies again, because her job will not be finished if you continue to talk to Alex. He has typed it many times.

"It's only 8."

"But I'm sleepy."

"Yes, you rest then."

Ayu only cleared her throat in return.

"Dear, Baby!" call Alex.

"I love you" Alex said in a whisper-like voice.

"Yes, yes, bye!" balak Ayu immediately disconnected the connection.

Ayu held onto her left chest and felt a tight thump from inside. She knew Alex's love was just one of the men's moves to get Ayu's attention. He will not allow himself to get carried away. After all, she knows that in Alex's heart there is only Tamara, though she is convinced that even a little Tamara has no feelings for Alex.

***

[Ayy, Opa Surya died]

The message from Karin made Ayu's eyes widen. He still remembers attending dinner at Tamara's house, Opa Surya still looks healthy. The man with silver hair even had time to joke with him and Alex, although short because he came when Ayu was about to go home.

'Founder of Dirgantara Group, Surya Dirgantara, passed away at the age of 74 years.'

Ayu read one of the news on his social media. He immediately opened Tamara's Instagram and found a photo of Opa Surya who was smiling with the caption 'Opa, We love You.'

Today is Saturday, Ayu is actually off work. However, because there is still a lot of work he still comes to the office. Upon learning that Opa Surya is dead, he immediately departs after getting a message from Karin that Tamara's grandfather is still in the funeral home.

According to the news that Ayu read, the funeral home did not receive mourners. They want the funeral to be solemn and attended only by families. He doesn't feel like anyone else in the Tamara family. Right, when entering the fence Tamara's grandfather's house, he was immediately welcome to enter by the security guard.

Inside were many people, most of them were already familiar with Ayu. There are some he's never seen, maybe Tamara's distant family. His eyes stopped on the woman who was sitting and leaned on a man. That's Tamara and Richard.

Ayu got closer to the two people. Richard who saw his arrival, immediately greeted. He sat next to Tamara.

"Come on," said Tamara and turned around to hug Ayu. Ayu returned the hug and patted the woman on the shoulder in her arms.

"Yesterday, Opa asked me to come. But, I have a job," said Tamara accompanied by a small sobbing. "If only I knew ...." His words were cut off, and tears flowed back.

Ayu who did not know what to say just stroked Tamara's shoulder. He knew how close his best friend was to his grandfather. Tamara is the first grandchild in the Dirgantara family, although educated by her mother, her grandparents always defend and give her affection. Tamara even lived with her grandfather for a long time when her parents took care of business in Germany.

"Opa," cried Tamara who was being swept by Ayu in front of the coffin of Opa Surya. Karin who just came also accompanied Tamara to see her grandfather's face.

Ayu only hoped that Karin's mouth could be controlled at a time like this.

"Yes, Tam. Opa must be sad if you see you cry like gini." That's what Karin said. At least, Karin could be comforting since Ayu was now speechless. He imagined what if he was in the position of Tamara, for example his father died. Not only would he cry sobbing, he would definitely roar and hysterically like a madman.

Let's go to the toilet for a while. When he came back from the toilet, he stopped. At the entrance was Alex who had just come in with a pias face. The man walked quickly. Ayu smiled at him, but was not responded to at all.

Alex is completely unaware of Ayu's whereabouts that he just passed by. He walked straight towards the woman who was standing beside the chest.

Ayu's eyes were on Alex. Her heart was like being hit by a hard object when she saw her husband's close embrace of Tamara. Without realizing it, tears began to drip down his cheeks. His chest seemed to shrink and squeezed - very tight. He eventually comes to realize that Alex's heart will always belong to Tamara. He was only the responsibility that the man had.

"Well," said Alex with a raspy voice typical of people who had cried. Ayu only commented a thin smile, that was also her forced. His eyes glanced at Alex's hands that were still on Tamara's shoulders.

"Tam, I said well, there's work. You are patient," said Ayu while sticking her cheek on Tamara's cheek.

"Be careful on the road!" karin.

"You're patient, yes!" whispered Ayu while stroking her stomach when she came out of the big house. He had already held back his tears, but the liquid just kept dripping. Fortunately, he was attending the wedding, not the wedding.

Ayu was lying if there was work, she could not possibly be able to see the closeness of Alex and Tamara. After all, Alex was her husband, it was only natural that she was jealous to see the man hugging another woman. Moreover, he knew that the woman was the owner of his heart.

Arriving at home, Ayu immediately entered the room and cried as much as possible. She still vividly remembers how Alex just passed her by; how the man hugged Tamara.

Alex says he won't be able to come home because he's busy, proof he can attend. Usually, the man will not let Ayu drive herself even to the office, earlier he did not care not even say anything when Ayu wanted to go home. In fact, Tamara's grandfather's residence is quite far away, it takes a drive for an hour. In addition, Alex also does not care about the fact that Ayu is still working on Saturdays.

Ayu again sobbed while stroking her stomach. "We're nothing to your father."

***