Last Prayer

Funeral

The cemetery is colored with sobs and haru from mourners who took part in delivering Heru mas to his final resting place. No exception Aris. Although I saw him crying with a stifled sob, there was almost no sound. But the tears that had run down his cheeks, and the swaying of his shoulders from the unstoppable hiccups, showed how devastated he was to lose Heru's mas.

Mounds of land studded with flowers and inscribed with the name of Heru mas on the tombstone that has been planted, accompanying the steps of mourners who one by one leave the tomb.

"Auntie ... Sorry I'm late! Kirain mas Heru at the aunt's house. But mbak Lastri directly gave the address of Heru mas and his wife contracted, it was already until it was deserted, so he was told the neighbors mas Heru buried here, I came straight here."

A tall woman wearing a pasmina veil on her head who still had blond hair and her lentic bangs, approached my mother-in-law. Not so clear, because his position was sideways and almost behind me.

"No papa Mira, who are you here with?"

'Mira? Who's mira? What Mira do I know? Mira's my schoolmate? Ahh, maybe only the name is similar.'

I had thought that the woman who approached my mother-in-law was my friend Mira during High School. But soon I'll take it off, because the one called Mira, isn't the only one in the world.

"Name ... Can I hold the wood?" asked Aris who made me turn to look at the tiny figure who was pointing at a tombstone bearing the name mas Heru.

"Of course you can, Aris ... Just say a prayer to Abi, son!"

My voice seemed to make the woman look at me.

"Wulans?" said confused.

I was also confused, the figure of the woman in front of me is really the Mira I know. A friend from High School who was also kind enough to offer me a job in his office.

"Mira's? MashaAllah ... It's true, you? Oh, God ..."

My mother-in-law who previously did not know me and Mira knew each other showed a face that was also no less confused.

"You know each other?"

"Yes aunty, I happen to be my friend Wulan in high school who will soon be my employee" said Mira with a smile.

"Name ... I'm going home. I'm tired, umi."

I haven't been able to ask what is the relationship between Mira and my mother-in-law, suddenly Aris whines asking me to go home soon. Aris doesn't usually complain of fatigue. His face was pale and sweaty. He looks so tired. His eyes were still swollen, increasingly making his tiny face look sad.

"Yes, kid. Just a minute."

I who had been standing before the tomb of Heru mas, now shuffled with my knees. The gravestone bearing the name of the man who had been my priest for 5 years, I rubbed gently, then I held it tightly. I could not help but tear my eyes as I stared and read the name written on the gravestone I now held.

'Mas ... I believe you are one of God's chosen servants. Ever since, in every bow I bow down, your name has always been mentioned. Even when you are now gone, I will still say your name in my bow, slipping your name in my prayer. May Allah put you on His most beautiful side, O Lord! Allaahumaghfir lahu, Allaahumma tsabbit-hu, Aamiin Allahumma Aamiin.'

*****

"Name ... Wake me when I arrive. I don't want the exhausted umi holding me while I'm asleep." said Aris as she lay her body in the front seat of the car that had been set on the backrest to be comfortable in bed by Aris.

"Yes. Later when it arrives, the grandmother will wake Aris. Aris sleeps, yeah! Let's just get there, Aris is fresh again."

Aris nodded. I smiled to see him nod with eyes that were almost closed. Before long, I saw that Aris was completely asleep in her sleep. When I saw my mother-in-law who was focusing on her drive, I remembered Mira.

"Mom, sorry. What is the relationship between Mira? What are Mira's relatives mother and mas Heru?"

Mom was a little jolted at my question. I, who saw my mother-in-law's reaction, was immediately confused. Then, my eyes collided with the eyes of the mother who looked at me from the rearview mirror in the car. His gaze seemed like he wanted to tell a lot, but was held back. I don't know what's on my mind, I'm really confused.

"Mom?" ask me again when mom is back looking ahead of the road.

"Let's tell me at your house, yeah. All of us talk to Mira too."

"With Mira? Mira's coming home?" ask who then looks back.

My curiosity is becoming. When my mother-in-law just nodded and turned to look at me from the rearview mirror.

"Wulan, later a week after Heru left, after the graduation ceremony was over, you and Aris stayed with the mother only, yes! I want to spend the rest of my life with Aris, with you too."

My mother-in-law's voice made me forget for a moment my curiosity with Mira.

"Why did mom say that? No one knows about age, Mom. Yes, God willing, ma'am. Aris and I will go with Mom. Aris would definitely be so happy to be living with her mother, grandmother!"

"Just because we no one knows when death comes to us, mother will take advantage of the time you have to continue with you. Heru is eager to make you and Aris happy. Although Heru has not been able, the mother will continue her desire to make you happy. Because you deserve to be happy! Sorry mom, Wulan. I'm sorry for the mother who has been so cruel to you!"

My mother-in-law, who had spoken while occasionally looking at me through the rearview mirror, now I see her turning her gaze forward with an occasional bow. Her face is sad. The eyes that I saw were already glazed, starting to break into clear circles that were slowly dripping down his thin cheeks.

"Mother ... Already, mom. Don't keep apologizing. Don't cry anymore. The past, let it pass. Why cry for the missed, if in front of what we will go through is happiness? You have to forget all the guilt in your heart. Because of me, I never blamed my mother. Now I just focus on driving, don't mind much, mom. I'm fine, ma'am. I never felt zolimi."

He nodded. I saw her hands taking turns wiping away the tears that had already flowed.

"Name ... Thirst ..."

Suddenly Aris woke up asking for a drink with her eyes still half closed. His hand continued to rub the eyes that seemed to be still difficult to open. While my mother-in-law swiftly took the mineral water that she had previously prepared in between the door of her car.

"Sound, Wulan. Dibukain, I'm hard notya" he said as he thrust bottled water at me.

I opened the bottle cap seal and then I inserted a straw before I gave it to Aris. His pale face smiled as he sucked up the water that was releasing his thirst.

"Not arrived yet, Grandma?"

"Not yet, any minute. After the next red light, take the left continue to enter the intersection, it's already the alley of Aris' house, straight up a little until deh. Wh why? Aris wants a quick break, huh?"

Aris just nodded while handing over the bottle of water that he had almost half drunk.

*****

When it arrived, there were still some mourners eating the dishes available. It has become a habit of neighbors and relatives here, eating dishes that are already available after taking part in the burial. But it is not the bereaved family who prepared it, but the Neighborly Shaman and close relatives whose costs were taken from the local RT cash.

Just as I drove Aris to her room for a break, Mira came up to me hugging me tightly.

"Russia ... I'm sorry!"

"Ehh, why apologize, Mir? What mistake? What is to be forgiven?"

I don't understand what Mira's apology means. His tight embrace and so warm, made me fall asleep in his silence. Long enough we hugged, until he let go of his own embrace.

"Why, Mir?"

"I'm sorry, Lan. I really don't know if the candidate was Heru mas, you. I don't know if all this time the wife of Heru mas, you. If only I had known, I would have seduced Aunt Rani into blessing you guys."

"You mean, you're ...?"

"Yes, Wulan. Mira is the woman who used to want mother to marry Heru. Because of mother's admiration and love with Mira all this time, you have to swallow bitterly from the attitude of the mother who always hated you. But believe me, Mira is not as evil as mother, when mother forced Mira to join in trying to tempt Heru who has become your husband, Mira firmly refused. Although I know, Mira is very loving and wants Heru to be her life partner. He tried to shake it. Until now Mira chose to remain single, because her love for Heru she could not lose."

"Auntie ... It's been. Don't talk about it anymore."

Hearing the truth that my mother-in-law revealed, it felt like this chest was choked to something that made me stop breathing for a few seconds. Mira, my friend, turns out to be the woman I've been comparing to. It is only fitting that my mother-in-law does not accept me, that Mira is far away at the top, and that I am left at the bottom of the mud. Instantly I cry. Crying because Heru prefers simple women who are not attractive like me than Mira who has everything. Even Mira's pretty face I'm sure no man can resist it. But mas Heru, the man of my pride, resolutely rejected it in order to live with me.

'Mas Heru ... I love you more, mas. I feel like I really lost you!'

\=\=\=\=\=\=\=\=\=\=