I'm with you, Mr. Teacher

Is This Missing?

When the clock comes home, Jati first arrives at the parking lot. As usual, he put on his best smile welcoming the arrival of Sandalwood. The girl of course did not resist when Jati took her somewhere, even without a firm nod. He just followed where the guy was pointing his bike handlebars. Cendana never thought Jati would bring him here, in a very quiet TPU in the afternoon like this.

Their slow steps came to a halt in front of a tomb. Teak cleans the surrounding area before calming down. He also did it for Sandalwood. Some quiet jokes. Teak's hand moved stroking the tombstone in front of him. Cendana observed the cheering face of Teak.

"Life, Dad's the kind of person who loves his job a lot. Dad always said, that what we feel today, is what we started a few years ago." Jati let out a long sigh, dispelling the shakes that started to mess up the intonation of her voice. "Say, life is like a puzzle piece, which will eventually come together, regardless of what time it takes. In fact, whether there are broken parts or not. Even missing." Jati turned her head towards Cendana, staring right at the bead of her eyes. "Father is a very tough guy, Dana. He never seems to be afraid of the problems that change. He said, there is a God where we ask. Bad in our eyes, not necessarily in His eyes."

Sandalwood was filled to see a pair of male eyes in front of him glazed over.

"What is more remarkable than making someone understand something completely incomprehensible before? That's how Dad answered when I asked him why he chose to be a teacher."

Sandalwood remembered his own question. "Because of that, too, did you choose to be a teacher?"

Teak nodded. "Be a teacher, because only the knowledge that continues to grow after being shared every day. Father's words are still ringing today."

I don't know what Cendana should be like. Simply getting here, he could already feel the emotional bond between father and son. Not like what happened to him. Behind the pleasure, Cendana was amazed because Jati chose it. Of course not just anyone who invited here and treated the language of the heart as deep as before.

"Mother must have missed him so much."

Teak nodded faintly. "The longing that now can only be treated by his advice. To this day, I can still feel his presence here." Teak pointed at his chest.

"Thank you, sir, for bringing me here. I realized that the relationship between parents and children can be so harmonious, not as charming as I feel."

A fine wrinkle appeared on Jati's forehead hearing the sentence just now. He paid his full attention to what Sandalwood would say next. The girl seemed to want to share.

"Both of my parents still exist, sir, but never really existed. All my needs are met, but not for the invisible. I need a caress, a look, or just a good morning and a good night."

Teak hands moved stroking the back of Sandalwood.

"It can all be built from scratch. I'm sure you can. What matters is that you want to talk to them. Tell me what you want. Don't even cut it out and let it drag on."

The more here, Cendana is increasingly unable to control her feelings for Teak. That guy was so easy to sneak into a space that no one had managed to penetrate all along. Dating a teacher on your own doesn't seem so bad. Quietly Sandalwood began to build that paradigm in his mind.

***

Sandalwood has a habit of doing PR at the dining table next to the kitchen, while accompanying Auntie to prepare dinner. Usually they will chat anything, the actual moment is very want Sandalwood to go through with Mama or Papa.

"Young time, Auntie ever dated?"

Sandalwood question successfully stopped the hand movement of Aunt who was stirring the kale stir fry.

"Yes obviously never, dong, Non. His name is also young, "Aibi replied with a smile, then resumed her work.

"Auntie ever fell in love with a more mature guy?" asked Sandalwood again hesitantly.

"Cowok it's his job to protect. So it is only natural that women fall in love with men who are more mature."

Cendana closed her textbook after feeling that Bibi was not catching her point.

"I mean not only mentally mature, but also age."

"I mean older, is that it?"

Sandalwood nodded as Aunt turned to him.

Aunty turned down the fire stove, then sat down to face her young employer.

"Tumben really does not talk about guys. Falling in love again, huh?"

"Ah, no. Says who?" kilah Cendana while reopening her textbook and pretending to read something there.

"It's okay, too, Non. That's an undeniable instinct. Every human being has or will ever feel it."

Aunty's words echoed in Sandalwood's ears. Even so acute, but Sandalwood still often questioned it in silence. Is he really in love with Jati?

Before getting up from her seat, Bibi smiled widely while raising her eyebrows as Cendana raised her gaze towards her. He was still trying to tease his young master, who without feeling began to grow up. Since the drought was only the two of them in this house, it was only natural that they were so familiar.

After Bibi died, Cendana even sculpted. All of a sudden all of Jati's sweetness flashed in his mind. Then the desire to meet arose so strongly. Is this miss? Pimply. Sandalwood patted his cheeks slowly. He is not ready to deal with one of the printing machines fidget, miss.

Sandalwood's attention was distracted by the appearance of Mama who immediately opened the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of mineral water from it. Just coming home from work, he was thirsty. After gulping the contents of the bottle up to half, then returning it to its original place, Mama seemed to be about to move before even turning to Cendana. It was as if there was no one in the room.

"Tonight we'll eat together, yes, Ma."

Sukma's steps, which had arrived at the doorstep of the middle room, came to a halt. The woman who looked much younger than her age twisted her body.

"You ate with Auntie, yeah. Mama should review the location of the wedding reception of the client."

"But Mama just got home from work, time to work again?"

"Mama's client is one of the richest businessmen in the city. Everything has to be detailed. He should not be disappointed for the slightest thing."

Sandalwood rose from his seat. "Yes, your client is always more important than anything."

"Darling, why else?"

"Mom remember, when was the last time we got together at this dinner table?"

Vibration at the end of the sentence Sandalwood makes Sukma choked. He realized that his daughter was not okay.

"Why didn't Papa come home? Or maybe you don't know where Papa is? Sandana's not sure if you guys are still always exchanging news."

The words of Sandalwood successfully attracted Sukma to approach several steps.

"What are you talking about, anyway? Don't provoke Mama's emotions!"

Seeing that tension, Auntie did not concentrate on cooking. He chose to turn off the stove.

"Aware, no, you are too far trapped in each other's busyness. Mama seems to have her own purpose, and so does Papa. Although the reason is always for Dana's future, but Dana never feels really on your mind."

Sukma seemed to want to refute, but inexhaustible thought Cendana dared to say a sentence just now, making it seem to lose the ability to speak.

"Remember, Ma, no matter how successful Mama-Papa is, no matter how much treasure you collect, it will not be able to buy what is beginning to disappear between us."

"Sendana ...!"

The rising voice of Sukma made Auntie approach to stroke Sandalwood's back, trying to calm him down.

"Even the view under the bridge inhabited by families who can only eat once a day, is much more beautiful than this house."

The sukma takes a deep breath and exhales it roughly. Both of his hands moved agilely tucking the hair behind the ears.

"I guess you're just doing a lot of schoolwork to feel depressed and act like this. You better go to bed early tonight. Sorry, Mama has to go now." Sukma shifted his gaze towards Bibi before moving on. "Bi, pick up sandalwood, yeah."

Aunty simply nodded without stopping stroking Sandalwood's back.

After Mama's death, Cendana's tears broke. He put it in Aunt's arms. The girl recalled the words of Jati, that the warmth she wanted in this family could be built from the beginning. And he just tried.

***

Sandalwood tries hard to get to sleep, so that all the tangles caused by the incident at the dinner table a few hours ago can shrink. But difficult. The more he tried to close his eyes, the more drowsiness even away.

Sandalwood's eyes opened wide again, this time because they heard the sound of mobile phone friction vibrating on the nightstand. His right hand moved to grab it. Sandalwood immediately rose from his bed, sitting with his back perfectly upright because he found a video call from Teak. Sandalwood did not save the guy's contact, but now the photo filled the screen of his phone.

How'this? Lift it up, no, huh? Sandalwood bit her lower lip without knowing what to do.

***