Les Laches

The First Person He Called Angel

Less than a month had passed since the day of Meda's visit to the Tian house. During this period, the communication of the two continued even though they had never met again in person.

That night, after dinner with his parents and younger siblings, Tian checks his phone in case Meda replies to his message. However, there was only a message from the Whatsapp group that consisted of Safira, Hera, and Tian himself. Safira sent a message asking about what dress-code Tian would wear at the Meda family dinner. Tian did tell me about his closeness with Meda with his two friends. Of course the news about the dinner that was planned to be held tomorrow did not escape their hearing room.

Tian thought about the answer to Safira's question seriously. Safira almost never commented on her dress style unless Tian planned to go to events she thought were important. Tian himself did not think the dinner was important, only that his focus was on something else. One of them is how to bring yourself in front of Meda's parents.

Because of the importance of the event in Tian's eyes, he did not even want to rely on tips from Google to find answers to the question. His two best friends could have been expected if only the two were not too busy teasing Tian when he brought Meda's name between them. Finally, the remaining options were only old man Tian.

Bella's reaction was not much different from Tian's two best friends, only that the woman was much more mature to put aside her excitement and focused more on giving her daughter some comfort. Instead, Adler was a little annoyed when he heard Tian was close to the young man he had just met while going to Cuba. Not much different from Diro, he also did not get much impression when the young man stopped by his house with a group of friends Tian before leaving for Cuba.

As a result, he interrogated Tian about the ins and outs of the Meda family and what he had done during a visit to their home. Tian told me everything about the Meda family, as well as about his visit to the house witnessed by Diro, their family driver.

"If Papa is still not sure of my story, Papa can ask Mr. Diro."

Adler frowned for a moment before letting Tian return to his room. According to him, if Diro does not report anything negative during his departure to France, it means there is nothing to worry about. Bella gave a small laugh before gently rubbing her husband's head. In his heart, he was grateful to be reunited with Adler who was so fond of himself and his two daughters who were not even his own flesh and blood.

In his room, Tian opened the mobile phone which shook several times as he was in front of his father. Two messages appeared on his screen. One message from Sapphira demanding an answer from her and a message from Meda asking Tian to call her if the girl had not slept. Tian's heart melted, the young man seemed to have eyes that could read his soul from afar judging by the way he knew that there were many things Tian wanted to convey before Tian revealed them.

Tian hurriedly replied to Safira—'s message with the promise that he would make a group call after this—before searching for Meda's contacts and pressing the call button. The connecting tone rang three times before finally Meda's voice greeted on the other end of the phone.

"It's a good thing you haven't slept" Meda said.

Tian could hear Meda laughing softly across the phone.

"What's up, Med?" tian asked as he tried to refrain from prancing around happily when he heard Meda's voice return after more than a month they hadn't met.

"I want to hear your voice" replied Meda who was immediately greeted with a soft snort by Tian.

"Seriously." Meda added softly hearing the incredulous response from the girl. "As soon as I got home from Cuba, the burden of my work increased. Not only from the stacks of work during my vacation, but also from the portion of my team work that has not been completed since last year. In fact, the beginning of a year like this should have my division has started to develop new targets and work programs after depositing the year-end report."

"In other words, you are busy and do not have time to enjoy life let alone meet me on holiday?" Tian tried to summarize the young man's grievances in one sentence.

"Exactly. And don't mention the holidays in front of me that even have to be overtime until Sunday night."

Tian groaned with concern, making Meda who was across the phone wish that the girl was right in front of him so that he could freely vent his anxiety.

"So, tomorrow ...."

Tian was a little hesitant to bring up the topic because if Meda was that busy, she would definitely not have time to celebrate her birthday and have dinner with her family. Suddenly, Tian felt disappointed. The meeting with the Meda family did make him nervous, but hearing the dinner together was canceled apparently also did not provide a relief effect for Tian.

"Quiet down. All work is done and all reports will be paid to my team members. So, tomorrow I can take my leave." Meda's answer made Tian sigh in relief. "Why?"

Tian shook his head slowly. However, when he realized that Meda could not see his response, he hurriedly replied. "No papa. I thought you called because you wanted to tell me the show was off."

Meda gave a small laugh hearing there was a slight sulking tone in the voice of the girl.

"I told you I called because I wanted to hear your voice, right? I feel like I'm back to health after hearing your voice."

Meda saw the reflection of her face that was smiling itself from the glass of her study. Realizing that he looked like an idiot when showing such a face made him give a warning to himself not to do it in front of others.

"Are you okay?" tanya Tian was worried when he heard Meda's last sentence.

"I wasn't. What is called overtime must make anyone exhausted both physically and mentally" replied Meda.

"How do you want to? Mentally, physically, or both."

"Both. But, seriously .. You make me feel so much better. Your voice makes my healing and stress release process work optimally," chuckled Meda.

"I must have gone mad because I felt good to hear your conversation." Tian chuckled.

"That means your heart knows that what I'm saying isn't nonsense like the mobs you've probably heard before." Meda took a long breath. "This is why you make me feel busy this month is worth my time."

"OK deh. Skip about that. Now I want to hear your story about your mom and dad." Tian finally brought up the topic.

"Why my mom and dad?" ask Meda confused.

"Yes, I just want to know how best to behave in front of your parents."

Meda laughed softly. "You're pretty much acting like you normally do and I'm sure my parents will feel the way I feel with every look at you."

"Uhhhh! You don't give me any hints with advice like that, Meda. Give me the real answer!" tails Tian.

"Then the question is more specific, dear." So anxious, Meda let loosely used a call that only she dared to use to name Tian's contact.

"Specific questions such as what is my father's favorite food? Or who's my mom's favorite artist?" Meda added quickly to overcome her awkwardness.

Tian also cleared his throat, to cover up his happy laughter thanks to the call given by Meda, before replying. "There are certain dress-code that your parents don't like?"

Meda thought for a moment. "Mother likes women whose legs are level and slender. I hope you can get a clue from there because I don't understand women's clothing myself."

However, Meda immediately regretted after saying so. He was worried that tomorrow the girl would appear at his doorstep in a skirt or mini-pants to show her the gap in her legs. The sight will of course be greatly enjoyed by any healthy man, including himself. However, his father always tells him that if one day he wants to date a girl, he, he must put himself in the position of the girl's father who will never be willing if his daughter is touched or even glared carelessly by men who have not officially interfered with her. Hence, he always tried to remind himself not to lose control while on the Tian side. The thing that Meda was unable to guarantee was that Tian appeared before her with an appearance like he had previously imagined.

"Tomorrow I'll pick you up, okay?" Meda tried to counter attack the answer she had previously thrown without a second thought. Asking the girl not to perform according to what she imagined even when the girl was not necessarily actually doing it would feel very strange and awkward. Therefore, Meda intends to see for herself how the girl looks before deciding on her next move.

***

Just an hour before his family's dinner began, Meda parked her motorcycle in front of the veranda of Tian's house. Adler, knowing the arrival of Meda through intercom, awaits her arrival right in front of the entrance. Meda got off her bike and kissed Adler's hand after removing her helmet and jacket.

"Night, Om." Meda greeted Adler with a bright smile.

Adler was a little surprised to see absolutely no doubt and uncomfortable feeling from Meda when he saw her waiting at the door. As if what he did would not make the young man feel watched and not free to make out with his daughter. What Adler does not know is that Meda is actually a little awkward to see her presence at the door, but the reason for her concern is much different from what Adler thought. Meda was racking her brain about how to warn Tian if the girl actually appeared in the clothes she was worried about. If Adler had known how Meda's brain worked, he would never have wasted his time worrying about his daughter.

Tian comes out of his room right after Meda finishes answering Adler's questions regarding his work. The two men sitting in the living room were compactly throwing glances at the sound of Tian's footsteps descending the stairs.

"Which mom, Pa?" tian asked as he circulated a look for his mother figure.

Adler and Meda both noticed Tian's appearance from head to toe. The girl was wearing a white blouse with a balloon sleeve with the lower end inserted into a bluish high-waisted jeans. He curls the ends of his hair that is usually straight and wears eye makeup that makes his wide eyes look sharper.

"In the room."

Adler replied after giving the pass value on the appearance of his daughter. He threw a glance at Meda to see how the young man looked when he saw Tian look safe like that and again he was surprised by the relieved smile that was plastered on the young man's face. In the end, Adler gave up on finding fault with Meda and gave her a plus point for earning her trust.

"Jaga Tian is fine, yes," Adler asked as Tian disappeared in search of his mother.

Meda nodded steadily. "Surely, Om."

A few minutes later, Tian is back out with Bella holding a cute toddler who inherits Adler's blue eyes. From there, he guessed that she was Marcela, Adler's only biological daughter, the result of her marriage to Bella. Meda moved involuntarily approaching the little girl and teased her with a strange expression and slurred voices. Meda's fondness for young children did not surprise Tian, but it was a novelty for both parents. Especially when Marcela who is usually not approachable issued laughter in response to Meda's behavior.

Everyone in the room caught Marcela laughing. Bella glanced at Adler as if convincing to give her daughter's blessing to the young man's relationship. Adler only smiled faintly before finally nodding weakly.

"Be careful." Bella advised as the bike driven by Meda glided through the dimness of the night.

***

Meda stopped her motorbike in front of her garage and took Tian by the hand to guide her into the house.

"Mom!" call Meda as she steps up the stairs.

A woman wearing a button-up wrap dressed in a dark brown strip emerged from behind an open room that showed a small portion of the dining table scene filled with various types of cuisine. Meda once said that her mother was the most beautiful person in the world she had ever met and Tian once laughed at her for thinking that it was the way Meda showed how much she loved the woman who had given birth to her.

Now, when Tian saw with his own eyes how the word beautiful was too simple to explain the image of the figure before him, he almost scolded Meda for not trying harder to convince her. The woman who was called Meda by the name of the mother had the beauty of an aristocratic woman who was gentle and firm. The dark brown hair of the middle framed the entire perfection on his face. Shady almond-shaped eyes, a sharp nose, high cheekbones, full lips, and a chin that makes it reminiscent of the figure of Angelina Jolie.

"Tian, right?" The heavy voice of the woman contrasted slightly with her gentle nature, but according to Tian it was precisely that aspect that further reinforced the charm of the woman who introduced herself by the name of Verdita.

"Yes, Mom." Tian returned the smile of the woman who was now grabbing him into that tight embrace.