Kuyang Dribble

159. Bereft

Tired of waiting for Bayan to speak, Fikri also ventured to touch the father's arm.

"Dad ..," called Fikri in a low voice but managed to make Bayan surprised.

"Yes my son" said Bayan.

"Dad why ?" ask Fikri.

"Dad gapapa really, do you look weird in your eyes ?" ask Bayan to ask.

Fikri shook his head at Bayan's question.

"I'm the one who asked, why is it that Dad is back with me" said Fikri with a smile.

"Oh yes. Sorry I forgot," Bayan said reluctantly.

Momentary silence. Then Bayan looked at Arafah with teary eyes. He glanced at Fikri as if asking him to look at Arafah as well. Fikri understood and looked at Arafah.

Suddenly both of Fikri's eyes rounded in disbelief. He saw his son frozen. The breath of Arafah that was once in order was no longer heard. His stomach and chest movements while breathing were no longer visible. It was then that Fikri realized that Arafah had left.

"Inna Lillahi wainna ilaihi rojiuun ... Arafaaah ! Idanng !. Wake up Naaakk ...!" fikri screamed while hugging Arafah.

The sound of Fikri's screams shocked Anna and Ayu. The two jumped down from the sofa bed and rushed over to Fikri who was hugging Arafah.

"What's Bi ?. Arafah why ?!" ayu asked worriedly while shaking Fikri's shoulder.

Instead of answering Fikri just raised his head to stare at Ayu. At that time Ayu saw her husband's face had been covered in tears. And a moment later Fikri shook his head at the sign that something had happened to their son.

Ayu who understood her husband's gesture also screamed. He hoped to save Arafah, so he took the child from Fikri's embrace.

"Arafaye ... Dear. This is Ummi Nak. Arafah wake up. Arafaahh ..," call Ayu while kissing Arafah's face.

Not getting a response from his son, Ayu also brought his ears to Arafah's chest and face. Apparently Ayu wanted to feel Arafah's heartbeat and breathing. But when he did not find what he was looking for, Ayu cried loudly.

Anna who originally wanted to ask was no longer able to hold back her tears. He immersed himself in Bayan's arms and cried when he knew the grandson was gone forever.

A doctor and two nurses entered the room. Apparently when Fikri was busy crying for his son, Bayan had pressed the emergency button to call the medical team.

"Excuse me Mom, let me check on Arafah's condition" the doctor asked.

Reluctantly Ayu let go of her embrace. But Ayu insisted on holding Arafah to make the doctor a little difficult to check Arafah's condition. Fikri who stood beside him could not persuade Ayu to release Arafat. He actually got a sharp gaze from Ayu to make him sigh in frustration.

After a while checking Arafah's condition, the doctor sighed while shaking his head.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Ma. We tried our best but Ananda Arafah went to the Lord's Day before We got here. Ananda Arafah died about ten or fifteen minutes ago" the doctor said in a regretful tone.

The doctor's words made everyone in the room pronounce the word simultaneously.

"Inna Lillahi wainna ilaihi rojiuun ...."

Fikri looked at the wife who still held Arafah. He saw the sadness on Ayu's pale and puffy face. Fikri extended her hand to touch Ayu's shoulder.

"Honey .. ikhlaskan Arafah yes," pinta Fikri with a raucous voice.

Ayu nodded while shedding tears. No words came out of his lips because Ayu was busy hugging and kissing Arafah.

"What are you guys doing ?. Instead of helping the patient's family, instead of huddling there," said the doctor with a facial expression of dislike.

"Sorry doc. We're just recording the time of the patient's death. If you look at the words of the doctor, it means the patient died at 00.15 minutes. Please correct if we're wrong" said one of the nurses nervously.

"Rubber. Now please help the patient's family to take care of the body yes," said the doctor.

"Okay doc" said the two nurses together.

The doctor smiled and turned to face Fikri. He told Arafah the procedure he had to undergo before he was allowed to go home. Fikri seemed to nod his head while rubbing his face several times.

Meanwhile, Bayan is trying to calm Anna. When hearing the talk of the doctor and two nurses, it made Bayan's heart throb pain. How not. Baby knows what happened. Because Arafah actually died when the clock showed the number 12.00, just when the female stealth figure came and took her away.

Bayan indeed woke up as if what he witnessed was just a dream. But Bayan is convinced that everything is real, including what the demon woman said. Remembering that makes Bayan even sadder. He closed his eyes and tightened his embrace on his wife.

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Arafah cemetery that was held after Zuhur prayer was running smoothly.

After the prayer ended, one by one the residents left the cemetery. Bayan, Nathan and Nicko as family representatives were seen shaking the hands of residents while thanking them.

Anna and Ramadanti are seen sprinkling flowers on top of Arafat's navel. While Fikri and Ayu appear to stand firm while staring at a tombstone bearing the name Arafah.

"Ummi gapapa right ?" ask Fikri worriedly.

"Gapapa Bi's. Ummi was just thinking about it. Ummi's sins must have been a lot. And surely that sin can make Ummi go to hell later. But Allah is All-Good. God calls Our Children first so that Ummi has charitable savings that can help alleviate Ummi's hymn later. Are not the Children who died in the womb of their Mother and Children who died as children will pick us up and take us to heaven later ?" ayu asked with a trembling voice.

Ayu's words moved Fikri. If when losing his fetus first Ayu is very hiteris, but in this loss Ayu actually looks calmer. Fikri also saw Ayu could still smile when she received the condolence expression from the citizens earlier.

"Ummi's right. We accept and are grateful for the qodo and the qodar of God that applies to us. Abi believes God's decision is the best for us" Fikri said as he gently embraced Ayu.

Ayu nodded and smiled in Fikri's arms. Verily Ayu has been preparing for this loss ever since Arafah went missing from being kidnapped a few days ago.

At that time two nights in a row Ayu wept for her fate. But a hint came when he had just finished praying. Ayu seemed to be led to be ready in the face of loss. And knowing that his firstborn also went to fulfill God's call, Ayu seemed more prepared.

"How about we go home now, kids. We have to prepare for a lecture to pray for Arafah and his sister tonight !" said Anna a little loud to make Bayan, son and daughter-in-law surprised.

Everyone looked at each other then nodded.

"Mother's right. We're going home now, baby," Fikri asked, breaking her arms.

"Yes Bi" said Ayu with a smile.

Then Fikri took Ayu's hand and took her step away from Arafah's tomb. Bayan and his family followed behind while planning many things for the study later tonight.

Before getting into the car, Bayan turned once again towards Arafah's tomb.

"I'm sorry Opa, son. Opa was forced to do that because Opa didn't want you to suffer later. The curse will only make your life miserable. Opa only intends to help you stop it from the beginning, but Opa did not think that the effects would be like this," Bayan's inner riled.

Bayan recalled the brownish white powder he had put in Arafah's food container. The powder came from the dusk-giving thing he had destroyed. Bayan did what should have been at the direction of Dusk the night before his departure. But Bayan did not expect if due to sprinkling the powder he would lose Arafah.

Bayan turned his head when he heard the sound of a car horn. Bayan rushes into the car which starts moving slowly leaving the cemetery area.

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