Hello, Ex

Chapter 3

“But I tried to stay away, so that he could be happy with his new life Why should I also look for Ody and me. However, Sabda already has Hani, and he does not deserve to do this. He shouldn't repeat his massalanya.” Salma put back her phone, ignoring the message sent by the Word. He felt that what the Word did would harm himself. So, before that happened Salma chose silence.

“Mother, can I sleep with papa Farhan?”

Salma turned towards the door of the room, where Aundy was looking at her with a pleading look. “Ody, you should sleep with your mother only!” reject Salma, soft.

“What's the reason?” Aundy looked confused.

“Ody, listen carefully. And remember this until anytime. Mother does not want you to become accustomed to papa Farhan. You need to know, Papa Farhan is your foster father. And you can't sleep in bed. Understand?”

Aundy's long breath was done as a form of disappointment.

Salma just wanted to avoid Aundy from the habits that might be created in the future. "don't be sad, Ody. Mother will accompany you to sleep tonight" comfort Salma, bringing Aundy into her arms.

“Mbak Ma, my shop closed ya—alut nine o'clock more.”

The sound from outside the room made Salma unravel her embrace on Aundy's body. He had to help Aruni close the shop and clean up the chairs on the outside. “Finely, Ody immediately wash his feet and brush his teeth,” Salma's message before passing from Aundy's presence.

The two-story house was inhabited by four people including Aundy. Salma and Aruni occupied the upper room, while below was a man who took care of the tavern.

If Farhan comes it means that the main room upstairs is filled. And all night the man would turn on the room lights. Salma remembered clearly the man's habits.

“Mas Farhan has entered, Run?” ask Salma.

“Udah, Mbak.”

“Tomorrow we close yes! we go to Astrid's tomb together.”

“Pak Farhan was advised to stay open. How to?”

Salma shook her head. “We better close, appreciate the mourning Farhan mas. I understand tomorrow must be a hard day for him.”

Aruni nodded slowly. “What time are we to the tomb, Ma'am?”

“Better not too late. Maybe, after I drop Ody off at school.”

Aruni seemed to agree with Salma's suggestion. "Tomorrow I'll wake up, take a day off."

"Yes, go ahead" Salma responded with a faint smile rising on her lips. He couldn't have brought Aundy, because his daughter couldn't get in the car.

Seeing that everything was in order, Salma quickly entered to check on Aundy. He wanted to see if the girl had slept or not. And when he arrived in the room, the lights had turned dim, his daughter was already asleep under the blanket.

Salma grabbed her phone. He went back out of the room to calm down. With a cup of hot chocolate in hand, Salma sits in a chair beside the house, enjoying the beauty of the beach at night.

Repeatedly Salma repeated reading the message received an hour ago. Still, the message made his blood flow rustle. There was something stuck in his heart, the more thought made him even more claustrophobic.

“Not sleeping, Sal?”

The greeting made Salma turn to the source of the voice. Farhan stepped closer to him. He sat across from the chair Salma used.

“Since Astrid's departure, I've had a sleep disorder.”

It is undeniable because Salma was in that position. The first two years, living without the Word, she was quite muddled by losing the moments that the man used to do for her. Saying good night, a word of love that never forgets pronounced—, even though sometimes only through short messages. And Salma felt, that's how her life started to get weird. As time went on, he got used to it all.

“You yourself, how? have you completely forgotten everything in Semarang.”

Salma laughed heartily, it was a waste to forget them. Because now the Word actually pestered his life that began to calm down.

“She is present again?” tanya Farhan began to be suspicious of Salma's sudden silent attitude without a word, only a smile that could not be interpreted.

“Hadir raganya not necessarily present also taste, right?” Salma asked back. “However, he has found a new family. But why still trying to outwit our lives.”

“He bothers you?”

“Just send a message that makes my concentration break.” Salma ended it with a small ruckus.

After that, the two went back. Drowning in each other's minds. Ten minutes into the day, Farhan began to speak again.

“Marry me, Sal. I can protect you.”

Salma welcomed Farhan's offer with laughter. As if not believe the reaction given by Farhan.

“Why? What's wrong with my offer?” ask Farhan, astonished.

“Engh, no! not wrong, Mom! But I feel I don't know myself, if I immediately answer yes.” Salma ventured to look at Farhan and explained the reason why she rejected him. “My second marriage was not based on love. I don't want to repeat it and end up failing. The ratio of happiness and sadness in marriage is Fifty-Fifty, it takes a lot of consideration to decide to get married.”

“We can start it, forget the story of the past. Who knows we can treat each other.”

Salma stared in disbelief at Farhan. “Am I Mas Farhan's dream type?” Salma turned to the wall of the house in the room together. His gaze fell on the large picture frame that was stuck to the wall. It was too far away when compared to Astrid. “If I had known what the ending would be like. I better not, Mas.”

“Do you choose to surrender before fighting?” ask Farhan.

“Actually I don't like that sentence, but we also need to observe more realistic things to make a decision.” Salma took a deep breath. “Can we not discuss this? I appreciate Mas Farhan because Mas is Astrid's husband, my best friend.”

“My goal is just to protect you, Sal.”

“Thank you, for everything, Mas. But I guess it will still be. I've already lost. As far as we go, one day I also have to be ready if Ody will leave me.” Salma answered quietly, worried that Aundy might suddenly hear his chatter with Farhan. Salma was quite jolted with the message that the Word sent for her. Something later Aundy needs the man to marry her off, so it's useless for him to avoid the Word. He better start making peace again, like he used to.

The phone in Salma's hand rang out loud breaking the silence that had just been created. Salma was just closely watching the screen of her phone. Before the end, Farhan roughly took the phone out of Salma's hand. Sassy, the man received a call from the Word, then stuck it next to his ear.

“Hallo—who's there?” farhan asked softly, trying to calm down even though it felt unwilling if the man continued to contact Salma.