L A T E

13

Fara opened her eyes slowly, then yawned. He thought of a cell phone lying right next to his head.

Fara narrowed her eyes as the flat object lit up, the light feeling less comfortable for Fara's newly woken eyes. Fara saw a digital clock on her phone. The time shows at 17:30, which means Fara woke up on time. Slowly Fara lifted her body, her originally sleeping position became seated. Fara yawned again, making the feeling of laziness increasingly become in him. With a heavy heart Fara came down from her bed. Half-conscious Fara walked towards the bathroom. Fara turned the door knob in front of her. Fara's feet felt the coldness of the bathroom floor that was slightly damp. Immediately after, Fara stuffed her entire body into the bathroom and rushed over to clean herself up.

***

Fara rubbed her wet hair with a towel. His right hand grabbed the handle of the closet door, then opened it. He let the maroon-colored towel hang on his head. His hand moved to pick up a shirt. Fara closed the door of her wardrobe when her business was done. Fara moved her legs towards the bed. The moist towel was placed on the seat right next to it. Fara just put the neatly folded T-shirt on the mattress. His hand moved to release the T-shirt that was currently attached to his body. Fara picked up the shirt that chuckled on the mattress after previously putting the shirt she had just removed in a dirty clothing container. Wearing a white t-shirt with a black screen printing motif in the form of a small check mark right on his left chest.

Fara picked up the comb that was on the table. In his comb slowly straight black hair that was half wet. It felt neat enough, Fara ended his activities. He brought the comb back to its original place.

Still wearing the same training pants Fara walked towards the door, then opened it. Fara came out to continue her journey after she had previously closed the door of her room. Fara's feet slowly stepped down one by one the stairs. When he reached the last step of the stairs, Fara immediately turned to go to the dining table.

Fara found her father sitting down while playing a cell phone. Nearby there is a cup filled with liquid that Fara thought was a warm tea made by her mother. Fara always comes after her papa. He never came before his father came. Though only eating, but the papa is always present earlier than the set time.

Fara sat himself in the place he used to. As usual, there was no chatter between the Father and the Son. Fara felt awkward with her male parents, so she kept quiet. There is no material to talk about anyway. Fara is not the type of child who passionately criticizes all her school activities, and it seems that her father will not be interested in all of Fara's activities.

Abhipraya picked up the cup that was near him. Disrupts the warm tea slowly, while his eyes are still glued to the cellphone screen. The cup returned to its place, before long Abhipraya's ears caught the sound of the chair being pulled. Abhipraya glanced briefly at Fara who was already seated. There is no conversation between the two. His youngest son was always seen to keep his distance from him. Yeah, not how. It's just that they're not like Father and Son. They ask each other the news almost never. Abhipraya was fine with Fara's attitude as long as her son did not fight her and made her angry. Abhipraya himself is also a man who does not talk much, he is not good at finding topics to start with. Do you know what happens if two people who do not talk much are met? Of course, shut up and wait for someone else who will melt the atmosphere.

However, the "someone else" was not yet present between Fara and Abhipraya.

Actually Abhipraya was astonished, it was unusual for his eldest daughter to come at the very end. Abhipraya also does not find Rere who usually helps his wife in the kitchen. Abhipraya just kept quiet, thinking that his first child was busy with his college business because he was nearing graduation.

Unlike Fara who knows why Rere has not come down to eat—Fara just plain, no wonder. He quite understands why Rere is doing this.

Fara found her mother who was carrying a container full of rice. Immediately Fara stood up to help bring the others. Fara walked towards the kitchen which was not too far from the dining table. He took a plate full of fried tempeh with his right hand, while his left hand took another plate containing salted eggs that had been released from the shell and divided into two.

Fara passed by her mother who had returned to the kitchen to take other food. The two dishes contained the side dishes to the dining table. Fara still did not find Rere's presence at the dining table. Fara did not bother, she immediately returned to the kitchen to pick up other materials.

Dilla's hand was full of a big bowl of rawon. Fara who again cross paths with her mother can smell the delicious smell that comes out of the rawon brought by her mother.

Fara found four stacks of dishes with four spoons on the top plate. Beside him was a small bowl of sambal and another small bowl of sprouts. Fara took a stack of dishes.

"Let's just mama, you bring sambal with the sprouts," said a sudden voice.

Fara looked back, and found her mother who reached out to her. Fara moves things from her hands into her mother's hands.

Dilla smiled briefly at Fara, after which she passed away from there.

Fara still hasn't found Rere at the dinner table. Fara placed the two small bowls on the table, arranging them so as not to take up too much space.

Fara walked towards her seat. However, before his ass actually touched the foam chair— Papa's speech stopped him.

"Fara, call your sister. Tell it down, it's time to eat."

Fara looked at her papa for a moment. Without refuting Fara immediately passed to call her sister. Fara was ordinary, she was not irritated, maybe just lazy.

Fara climbed the stairs one by one. When he reached the second floor Fara immediately approached the door that was right next to his room. Fara knocked on the wooden door twice, nothing said. Fara waited for the person in the room to open the door.

After a long wait, Fara knocked on the door constantly and did not stop, as if challenging, who would give up first. Is it Fara who will be exhausted before Rere opens the door? Or was the exasperated Rere opening his door because of the constant knocking?

And the winner is ...

... of course, Fara.

Rere stared dislikefully at the creature standing before him. While Fara stared flatly at Rere who had an annoyed expression on his face.

"Eat. Papa told me," said Fara, then leave immediately.

Rere looked at Fara's back, then grieved. Actually he doesn't want to eat, it doesn't taste lust. It was better for her to sleep, but Rere wasn't that brave to go against her papa's orders. Rere out of his room. He closed the door and immediately set his foot in the same direction as Fara.

Fara and Rere had already arrived at their destination. Both of them sat in their own places. Fara looked hungry at the food on the table. While Rere who was originally pouting was already smiling widely.

"Sorry, Rere continued to do the task, until he did not remember the time," said Rere who of course lied.

"Yes, not papa. But don't make it a habit. Must know the time, when the time to rest, when the time to work." Abhipraya said understandingly to Rere.

Rere nodded in understanding in response.

"Come, eat! Rere is laper!" exclaim Rere who again lied. A smile still faithfully perched on his lips while his eyes looked (soaked) engrossed in venturing into all kinds of food at the dinner table.

As soon as Rere said that line, everyone who was at the dinner table took turns taking the rice and the side dishes.

***