Home For My Soul

205|The Last

I turned to the television and saw the footage of Rahma being rushed to the hospital for ingesting too much sleeping pills. His friend suspected he was not coming out of the room for dinner, so they checked his condition. It turned out that he was unconscious in bed.

Fortunately his life was helped and he was being treated in hospital to find out if there were any further symptoms. His parents had already flown from Medan to Jakarta to accompany him. He didn't jump from the building for sure out of fear, so he used this way. Stupid jerk.

Brother Jericho never liked him, why does he keep pushy? What happened that she fell in love with this big brother? I remember him staring at Brother full of admiration the moment we met at the campus. Maybe he felt it when he was a student?

It seemed like there was no special moment that could make him like Big Brother. Several times coming to the house with Chika and Nisa, she never showed any signs of liking my sister. What changed his feelings for my brother?

“It seems I know why your ex-friend harmed you,” said mama Theo quietly, drawing my and my mama's attention from the television screen. “This is all my fault. I shouldn't have invited you into that baby supply store.”

“Ma,” my words.

“No, Amaryllis. She must have thought you were pregnant and intended to abort your womb. If I don't invite you into that store …. Oh, geez. I'm sorry ...” My mother covered her face with both hands.

“I'm just grateful he's doing it now, Ma. I'm still agile to move. Can Mama imagine if she did that when my belly was big?” I tried to cheer him up. “Maybe I won't be able to dodge his attack that.”

“Already, already. Can't you stop talking about bad things? That's enough,” lerai my mama. “I can't hear it.” Mama closed her ears while shaking her head. I approached to hug him.

My mother took a deep breath, then turned to mama Theo. “Our grandchildren and daughter are safe. That's all that matters, Ruth. People do evil to him not because of you, but because he has bad intentions. We focus on keeping them. If anyone does anything bad again, we leave it to the daughter-in-law. You do not need to overload your mind with bad things.”

“Iya, Ma.” I hugged them both. “We focus on Saturday preparation only.” They exchanged looks, then smiled faintly.

Even though I said that, I could not oppose my sudden conscience of pity to the three women who had been my closest. They got a fair reply, so I calmed down a little. But I want to meet them again to talk.

Of course Theo forbids. But Katelya is not her name if not stubborn. I waited until her mom picked up my mom and they went to take care of our big event preparations. Antonio just chuckles when he gets into an online taxi with me.

He won't let me go alone into the tiger's mouth. I was a tiger among the four of us. Chika, Rahma, and Nisa are nothing compared to me. Against them alone I can, as long as they do not cheat.

The hospital was crowded with reporters, so the driver turned towards the entrance from the side. I'm sure what they're after is news about Chika, not Rahma. I don't have to ask the receptionist her room number, because Daisy's been looking.

Mama Rahma accompanied him in the room when I came. The woman drove me out violently, but her daughter forbade. She asked her mother to leave us alone. The woman was initially seen objecting before granting Rahma's request.

He who always dressed perfectly with neat hair and beautiful clothes, this time was very different. His face was pale and his hair was dull. She was wearing a special hospital dress without a single piece of jewelry adorning her body that was not covered in clothes.

“You came to laugh at me?” ask her in a weak voice.

“I've come to finish everything. I hope this is the last time,” I said seriously. “We don't know each other and won't get close to each other anymore.”

He sighed softly. “I promise.” A rolling tear drenched his pillow. “I've been so mean to you in the past. I get it now. Brother Jericho is right. How could she fall in love with the person who had already hurt her sister?”

He opened his eyes, then smiled at me. “Thank you for coming, Kat. You are the person I am most looking forward to seeing me here. I'm happy to be your best friend with all the bad and good things we do together.” Eyes glazed.

“You're always there for me. The first person to help me whenever I'm in trouble. I even retaliated by doing evil. I want to be like you. Forgive me so that the people I once cared about also forgive me. Hopefully someday there will be a man who will love me for who I am, as well as in-laws who love me. As you get.”

I approached and held her hand. “You will definitely get it. Even much better than I have.” I don't hold back my tears anymore. “I'm also glad to have been your best friend, Rahma. I'm sorry too, it all ended like this.”

We cry together. Memories after memories of us during High School played in my head. We're just teenagers still looking for our identity. Although we like to bully people, we also often do positive things. Unfortunately, our friendship ended on the deck of that ship.

After we didn't cry anymore, I hugged her one last time, then walked out of the room. I thanked Mama Rahma and walked towards the next room. I'm not surprised to see Mr. Norman inside and forbid me from entering. I didn't insist because Chika wouldn't accept me either.

The place I visited next was also unwilling to accept my arrival. So, I can go home sooner than I planned. Antonio smiled as he rubbed my head before he walked into the living room, his temporary place for work. I walked into the study to answer all the calls and incoming messages for Brother.

My husband came home at some time, because I was waiting but asleep. Waking up in the morning, he was no longer lying by my side. Hearing the sound of water coming from the bathroom, I smiled. I woke up and caught up with him. It turns out he was cleaning his face.

“Good morning, dear.” I hugged him from behind. He just kept quiet, staring at me too. “Me and Rahma made up last night. We promise we won't bother each other again.”

Seeing her still, I moved by standing in front of her. “I also met Chika and Nisa, but they refused. So, I'll try again today.” He didn't respond.

“Sayang. Don't just shut up. Say something,” my insistence.

He held my related hand on his back for me to let go of my embrace. I was forced to obey and let him go out of the room. Duh, he's really sulking. I hurried to change my clothes and followed the jog with him.

Antonio and Buddy had gone around the yard first. I tried to chase after Theo, but he deliberately ran faster than me. Pimply. He's really mad. Antonio laughing a little made me even more upset.

Because he did not want to talk, see, or touch me, I used a way that made him unable to resist me. While in the room, I took off one by one my clothes while walking to the bathroom. I purposely bent my hips to tease her. Justright. He took me and took me to the bathroom.

Satisfied with making love, we rushed to wear clothes so we could have breakfast with Mama and Antonio. He could be late if we weren't fast. After he left in his car and my mom left with mama Theo, Antonio and I exchanged glances.

Not giving up, I went to see Chika at the hospital. Journalists were still filling the main entrance, so we went through the side door again. Mr. Norman was not in the room, but it was Chika's fierce mama who was guarding him. He threw me away when I asked to see his daughter.

Not wanting to force it, I gave up. We continued our journey to the police station. The woman who received me the day before understood the meaning of my arrival. He asked me to sit down, so Antonio and I followed him.

He left us, then came a few minutes later. “She is ready to meet Mom, but there are conditions.”

I know he won't make things easy for me. “What are the terms?”