K&K (Taste Features)
16. Longs
New South Wales, December 2016
On the hot expanse of Maroubra beach, doctor Smith surfed impressively. The Maroons are having a picnic on Christmas.
Unlike other countries, Christmas in New South Wales will not find snow. There is a snow season from June to August. Summer in NSW lasts from December to February. Christmas in Maroubra is a hot summer.
Mr. Bruce is taking a sabbatical and spending Christmas until the new year with his family. The man with the appearance of the sangar turned out to be very friendly and fatherly. His body is big, thick mustachioed, his head bald. There's a tattoo with an anchor on his left arm. He loved miss Asian and doctor Smith as much as Machita and Paulo.
Four years ago, Kirana lived as a Miss Asian and lived with the Maroon family. He loved the people around him. But four times he missed alone.
Despite living with a Christian-majority family, Kirana still clings to her faith. It avoids meat**** and alcohol. It made the Maroon family understand that he was a Muslim.
Although they are suspicious of the miss Asian amnesia because they only remember their religious beliefs, they do not question further. Even the Maroons never took Kirana to church.
When the fasting season of Ramadan arrives, they very intolerantly provide iftar and sahur meals for the miss of Asia. Paulo was so eager to find information on the internet about the religion of Islam, so he could explain some things to his family and honor the path of miss Asian life.
Instead, during Christmas and Easter celebrations, Kirana helped prepare and enjoy dinner together.
Her unfamiliar face as a southeast Asian girl, makes the people of Maroubra beach guessing that she comes from Indonesia, Brunei, or Malaysia.
Kirana was happy with their religious tolerance. It's just, still he feels empty. Although at the time of Eid, the Maroon family also gave a small party to him but he missed his family. Missing the Indonesian Muslim community and neighbors and relatives.
Euphoria hears takbir and prepares cakes and food for Lebaran only in his country.
He misses being with his big family. He misses eating large assortments such as ketupat, lontong, vegetable, rendang and family arisan held every year at his eye house.
He longs to prostrate in tears before his parents when the sacred moment of silence - apologizing to the parents. He missed all the breaths of his past life.
Should he live wearing a mask constantly before the Maroons and Smith's doctor that he has not lost his memory? can he live eternally apart from his family? Kirana rubs the ends of the eyes.
He still could not accept the fact that he was mute. He was too embarrassed to face his family in such a miserable state. Her dreams of becoming a seriosa singer and a famous musician like Kezia have been lost, let alone continuing on to Juilliard.
Even Kezia's last gift necklace at the airport before leaving for Sydney was kept in a box. He felt unworthy to wear it. Kirana can't remember exactly how the plane crash happened. What he remembered when he was floating in the middle of the sea and calling his papa.
How's his family now? mama, papa, Citra, eyang and his entire extended family. Are they okay after assuming his death. Will they be able to live better after receiving two billion worth of insurance?
He had read the news on the internet and newspapers if the airline Kencana Air had stopped the search and confirmed there were no survivors.
Why was he so afraid to return to his country? to Jakarta. And to the house. Why was he so embarrassed to meet his parents when he missed them both so much? But he can't stay there. Uncle Thomson died six months ago. The tourist extension visa is over. He was tired of cats with two police and immigration because he had to go to New Zealand when his visa ran out and go back there again.
She had to pretend to be Smith's doctor's fiancee for four years and was tired of having to answer questions about marriage. He greatly appreciated the attitude of Doctor Smith, who he thought was very kind and polite when he followed Doctor Smith to New Zealand on the run and stayed in a hotel room.
Doctor Smith spontaneously chose to sleep on the sofa. If you meet with doctor Smith's relationship, the man only dared to kiss her cheek. To show the truth of their actual relationship is just fabrication. The kindness of Doctor Smith could never be countered by anything.
“Miss A, please get me meat,” reprimand Machita disperse daydream miss Asia.
At once the miss Asia or Kirana who was often called miss A nodded. At that time the Maroon family was making a barbeque party. Madam Joyce is busy making guacamole, which is now Kirana's favorite.
Paulo and Mr. Bruce grilled meat. Doctor Smith has had fun with some kids who asked to be taught surfing. They're heading to the Maroon family's.
“There can I help you with?” ask Dr. Smith on miss A.
Miss A used sign language she had learned with Dr. Smith three years ago to easily communicate with people around her. If the person being spoken to finds it difficult, he will write down a small note stored in his pocket and always carried everywhere.
“You can make a fresh punch,” said miss A using her fingers to communicate.
With deft doctor Smith grabbed the soda and teapot to make a punch. Kirana is now 23 years old, growing up to be a beautiful young woman. But he has been looking thinner lately. Seen from his cheeks that used to contain and always reddish hue looks thin until the dimples of his cheeks are more clearly visible. His long hair was cut short by a shoulder.
Doctor Smith likes it when he sees Kirana smiling, because in addition to the dimples his cheeks will look, smile and it looks even sweeter. Kirana had prepared the dining table perfectly. Waiting for the food served.
“Everything is ready?” ask madam Joyce.
Kirana and Doctor Smith nodded. Maroon's family, Smith's doctor who was bare-chested after surfing, miss Asian, some of the neighborhood children immediately sat down.
Everyone laughed laugh. The lunch was so warm and fun.
“How old are you, Doc?” ask Mr. Bruce.
“Thirty-four years, what's up?”
“When are you getting married?” Mr. Bruce chewed the meat roughly.
“Oh, who.. Would you like to introduce a sexy woman on the ship with me as a wife?” everyone laughs at Doctor Smith's jokes, except Machita.
“There are no women on my ship. Just stuff, fish, fish and fish. Do you wish for a beautiful mermaid in a fairy tale?” sahut Mr's. Bruce. Doctor Smith laughed again.
“You already have a fiancee? Or maybe a girlfriend?”
“No. But there is someone in my heart,” replied doctor Smith firmly with a fleeting smile at miss Asia.
“Oohhh...”all exclaims tease.
“Who is he? American girl? or someone in Maroubra I know?” cerocos Paulo. Machita and the others are just as curious except for the dreamy miss Asian who dissolves in her own thoughts.
“Hahahaha.. it’s my privacy, Boy,” replied Smith's doctor as he rubbed Paulo's head, leaving all disappointed including Machita who seemed agitated.
“Maybe, doctor or pretty nurse in hospital. We never saw Doctor Smith along with the girl during on the beach,” madam Joyce smiled seductively.
“Or maybe he is a handsome guy!” Mr. Bruce exclaimed then a second later a thunderous laughter approached everyone.
“Yeah. And I like tough lads like your son,” doctor Smith's tease makes Paulo misbehave and feel scared while his family chuckles.
***
“You know who the lady doctor Smith likes?” machita asked miss Asia, as they prepared for bed. Miss Asia shook her head. Machita threw his body in the bed.
“Ah, suppose I knew who the lucky lady was. I've loved Doctor Smith for more than six years,”Ujar Machita. “ Ups..” he shut his mouth.
“So, all this time you liked Doctor Smith?” ask miss Asia with sign language.
Machita, Paulo and Smith's doctors were very knowledgeable of the sign language used by miss Asia. They were so enthusiastic about learning and memorizing for the sake of miss Asia smiling shyly.
“It’s our secret. Don’t tell anyone,” whispered Machita. Face reddish. Then he told me everything about himself and Doctor Smith in the early days of Maroubra.
“Oh yes, why don't you try making social media?” tanya Machita who was surprised when miss A already has a smartphone, but did not use it for a single social media account.
Machita became a little disappointed when she had to upload the best photo between herself and her adopted sister, but could not tag.
Miss Asia shook her head with a smile. Not only did he not want to be known or known whereabouts as Kirana, the victim of the Kencana Air RQ 30114 plane crash from the group Blume Musical School.
Being the sole survivor of a major accident would make itself a delicacy of the mass media. Then they'll skin every detail of how they survived and live on Maroubra beach with Mexican immigrant families.
Too risky too.
All the illegal things he did while in Maroubra involved Maroon's family and Smith's doctor. Besides Mr.'s side job. The illegal Bruce will also be revealed. They will all enter into a vortex of danger as a result of breaking the law.
Miss Asian responded to the girl-to-girl confessions with Machita. He is more familiar and very close to Machita. You could say they were like brothers. Because Machita had never had a sister, so he was very comfortable and loved miss Asian.
Instead, he can play a good brother. However, being an older brother to Machita made him even more sad because he missed the image of his own younger brother. At least in siblings, fighting each other, quarreling in trivial matters is a spice in the brotherhood.
However, for four years miss Asian and Machita never quarreled. It was precisely that harmony that made miss Asian feel rather bland in relation to Machita. But he himself did not expect a fight with Machita.
***
