Just a Bond

All Disappointed

“Let Farhan alone explain, Najwa. Your task is done.”

I gulped at the sound of agitation coming from outside the room. That's Mas Gibran's voice. Justright. When everyone in the living room turned to the door, including me, I saw that Najwa's first brother was standing there with a flat face. Especially when his gaze collided right with me, his gaze was extremely sharp and shrunk my nyaliku. Slowly but surely, I began to break out in cold sweat, plus I saw Najwa's second brother standing next to Mas Gibran there.

Finish your story now, Farhan.

Not only that, what was even more surprising was that Rifka and her husband were also behind them. Oh, there's one more. My sister-in-law is also coming. Their children are not brought, it means it is intentional so that the conversation between people today is not constrained.

"Sorry, Farhan. Everyone has to be involved here, because we deserve to know," said Mas Gibran, who inexplicably seemed to understand what I was thinking. But okay, these are the consequences that I have to accept.

"Mas, why is there a mas and mbakmu?" ask Dad about ... Mas Reza's. Yes, it must be Mas Reza because Mas Gibran is his brother. He looked at his children who were still standing in front of the door— like school children want a ceremony. When his handler turned to his fourth daughter, he asked, "Keep Rifka with Rifki, what's wrong? Why didn't you come home and tell me Dad?"

I saw Mas Gibran telling the couple to come in and greet Dad first. The four of them came in. Mas Reza, Mas Gibran, and Rifki, also shook Mr. Ma'am Diva and Rifka, shake Mother's hand. Mas Gibran, Mas Reza, and Mbak Diva then sat in an empty seat to the east. While Rifka and Rifki were sitting to Dad's right.

"So, what's up? Reza, why are all your brothers here, son?"

Except for Weny and Wildan, Dad.

"He had something to do with Najwa and Farhan. I'm sorry for not immediately telling Dad about this matter" Mas Gibran replied. "The intention was yesterday so that their problems could be solved alone without involving others. But, the problem is quite complex and it does need to involve a lot of people. Including the Rifka."

Dad nodded to Mas Gibran's answer. Then he turned to look at Rifka and Rifki. Although without a sound, the glance clearly showed a signal of a request for an answer from them.

"I don't know what's really going on, Dad." No, it was not Rifka who answered, but her husband. "But when Mas Gibran said I had to bring Rifka here to solve the past, I thought there was something important. So I brought Rifka right here."

Mas Gibran's actions deserve thumbs up. He was very quick to arrange this meeting, but I have not told him that I will be here today.

My gaze was no longer on Rifki, but on Rifka. The woman who had filled my heart in the past seemed to be silent, and if I looked in more detail, her eyes were wet; her face was sloppy. Did she cry? But because of what? Is it because her two brothers have interrogated her? Or because her husband—as usual? Oh, I just realized his son wasn't taken.

"There are still people here, Mas. If you want to talk later, yes, after our problems are over."

Ah, what a ridiculous thing I did. Can I even pay attention to other women at a crucial time like this? But wait, I immediately turned to the person who reprimanded me just now. My eyeballs were rounded when I noticed Najwa's teary gaze.

Astaghfirullah, forgive me, Najwa.

I made a mistake again. Worse in front of my family, certainly my wife. What will he think of my attitude? I still seem to care about his sister. That's just reflex. I'm sure he must be heartbroken, even though the outside seems unconcerned. Want me to explain that I'm more disturbed by her dewy eyes, not about Rifka. But, there are more important things that I must finish first, and have been reminded back by my brother-in-law.

"If you are a man, tell my father the truth, Farhan." Mas Gibran followed me more and more.

Come, Farhan. Youcan.

Some time passed by with silence, I lowered my head with two hands clenched on either side of the body— set myself to open everything at this moment.

After feeling quite ready, I started talking, "Dad, I-I don't know if Dad will forgive me after this or not. But, with a full and sincere awareness of my heart, I apologize for tyrannizing my son during our stay together. I've tortured him by ignoring him."

I closed my eyes after saying that. It turns out that I am still not ready to accept the consequences of my own actions.

"You—" I don't know what happened to Dad, which I heard after his sentence was not finished, was the voice of Mas Reza who told him to calm down by taking a strong breath and exhaling slowly.

Quite a while back in silence, I glanced towards my parents. "Father, Mother, I also apologize for indirectly humiliating you in front of your best friend. Because since I got married, I've been back in touch with Rifka."

Mother's cry instantly broke a moment after I said so. Truly, it feels so painful to hear Mother's roaring cry followed by moaning. The heat that radiates on the cheek due to the spontaneous slap of the Mother earlier, there is nothing compared to the pain due to Mother's crying. I seemed to have lost the courage to lift my face to pray to them, especially when my hand that was about to reach Mother's hand, was brushed aside violently.

"Just as you guys look strange when Mother stays at your house," said Mother with a choked voice. "Why would you do that, Farhan? From which side do you have any thoughts of wrongdoing with your wife?!"

Nonexistent. For now—after the truth is revealed—there is no reason to treat Najwa like that.

"Why have you never told the same story as Mother, Najwa? You even follow along to defend this uninitiated child?" mama's Dischar to Najwa. However, the woman did not answer.

"Mother is disappointed with you, Farhan."

Be ill. That's how I feel. But even more painful was when I saw that my father was silent. His vulnerable face looked grim, his head immediately lowered. If Mother will directly express her feelings, Father is silent. That's even more worrying. I'm afraid you're down, or worse, depressed because you're so depressed. Oh, my God, don't let that happen.

Not yet finished with the pain of seeing the response of the two parents, the voice of my in-laws who returned to sound after some time of silence, further adding to the pain in the chest.

"Where's your brain, Farhan?" His voice was full of emphasis—sarat will anger. "I think my son is really happy living with you. But what is this?"

Truly, this is the real destruction— as I see all faces filled with tears, a look of disappointment, and anger becoming one. I could only wail alone, enjoying the very sad outcome of being the mastermind behind all this chaos.