Look At Me Once

Both are my wives

Alwi woke up when he heard the sound of dawn, several times he blinked his eyes to adjust the intensity of the light that entered his retina.

Alwi was glued to the sight before his eyes, black eyebrows curled over eyelids that were still closed complete with dense black eyelashes, natural red tiny lips, lentic black, a nose that is not too sharp but fits complement her beautiful face.

Although without the polish of the makeup tool even a little on his face that was yellow, with a piece of cloth that was still wrapped hiding his crown. Alwi had never seen his wife take off her headscarf in front of him, even in a state of sleep.

'Beautiful.'

"Astaghfirullah, what are you thinking, Al?" alwi said then shook his head.

Alwi felt his right hand numb, and like he was burdened with something heavy, "Ck, how dare he make my hand as a pillow." Alwi pulled his hand violently and pushed his young wife away from him.

"He-" Alwi paused his intention to scold Lathifa, he remembered their position when he woke up.

It was not Lathifa who held him and made his hand a pillow. But on the contrary, Alwi embraced Lathifa so tightly and made it a bolster. Alwi got off the bed and rushed to the bathroom.

Alwi washed his face with cold water and rubbed it repeatedly. Seeing the face of his young wife up close made him remember his conversation with abi Husein and Umi Hanifa yesterday.

The flash back on.

After finishing discussing about the work with his brother, Alwi drove both his parents to the airport.

Abi Husein and Umi Hanifa came to Indonesia because they got a wedding invitation from abi Husein's best friend in East Java, they only lived for a few days in Indonesia.

And it succeeded in making Alwi surprised, but not for Anisa. Because Alwi is still hiding his marriage to Lathifa to all his extended family.

That was the reason why not a single Alwi family attended the sacred event.

The car they were riding in drove slowly amid the density of city street traffic.

Raiyan was sitting in the steering wheel, Alwi was sitting in the passenger seat next to the steering wheel. Abi Husein and Umi Hanifa were sitting side by side in the back seat.

Sometimes they talk about things about business and life in modern times.

"When did you marry Rai?" ask Umi Hanifa to Raiyan.

"Later if Rai has met Rai's soul mate, Umi." Raiyan replied casually.

It was not disrespectful, only Raiyan had heard such questions often. Understandably, at his age of almost stepping on the head of three, the man was still loyal to his single status.

"When will that be? You are 28 years older than Rai, Alwi alone is almost 7 years of age their marriage," explained Umi Hanifa.

"Try asking Alwi, Umi," said Raiyan as he glanced at his best friend, hoping that his boss could help him answer questions from his boss' mother. But Alwi just shrugged his shoulders, a sign he did not want to interfere.

"Akh," shouted Raiyan feeling his head being pummeled by his boss. "Sorry, Boss. Joking," said Raiyan without sin.

umi Hanifa and Abi Husein just smiled at the behavior of the two men in front of them.

"Don't marry just because of age. Marry if you are sure that heaven will be closer to you. Remember that! A mate is not about who he can be fast, but rather solidify himself obediently to be able to get the right match," explained Abi Husein .

"No, Abi said. Abi the best, only Abi can understand Raiyan" Raiyan said with a smile.

"But ... there is a tapi Rai," continued Abi Husein .

"Well, what is Bi?" asked Raiyan enthusiastically.

"You need to know! Until then, you won't find and get a soul mate, if you don't have any effort at all to make it happen."

"Can't you do that, Bi?" ask Raiyan.

"Stupid is like sustenance in human life too. If there was no effort at all to obtain it, it was impossible to instantly exist, or fall from the sky, it was impossible. Indeed, the soul mate is in the hands of God, but we are commanded to try" explained Abi Husein .

"Oh, so yeah. Thanks for the knowledge, Bi." Raiyan nodded his head.

"Don't just want to be good! not wanting to try and go through the process, he suddenly wants his soul mate immediately in front of his eyes" said Umi Hanifa .

"Well, if it's Umi, then" said Raiyan, glancing at Alwi.

"Whom are you?" ask umi Hanifa.

"Tuh, Umi's most handsome boy in all of Egypt, not just once, even twice," said Raiyan, intending to joke and get a sharp look from his boss.

"What do you mean, Rai?" ask umi Hanifa .

"Emh, i-that means delicious Alwi, Umi. First, without any effort, uh suddenly his soul mate is in sight" said Raiyan.

"Keep that twice what do you mean?" omi Hanifa's birthday .

"Yes, Umi. Emh, Alwi got a special soul mate. Already beautiful, shalihah, lecturer, a hafizah anyway. Twice is good without effort, Umi," said Raiyan, occasionally he glanced fearfully at his boss.

"Alhamdulillah, if that is .. has been the provision of Alwi, Rai," said Umi Hanifa .

'Huft' Raiyan sighed in relief. 'Alhamdulillah, thank goodness. If not ... can-can cut my salary this month, Raiyan stroked his chest, the other hand is still focused on holding the wheel.

Alwi glanced at the glance of his assistant, he held back laughter looking at the pale face of his best friend.

"Al, what's the name of the girl who lives in your house? Umi forgot," asked Umi Hanifa .

"Lathifa," replied Alwi briefly.

"Oh yeah, if you see, she's actually a nice girl, pretty, very young."

Alwi and Raiyan again glanced at each other, worried about the conversation of the Grand Lady of the Ibrahim family.

"Umi wanted him to focus on his education, and no longer needed to work."

"What do you mean Umi?" alwi was confused.

"So, Umi had spoken to him, umi told him to stop working and focus on his education. And as for the cost issue, umi wants you to help her, you can, right?" ask umi Hanifa .

"Yes Umi," replied Alwi. 'without being asked Al has done it, Umi, ' he continued in his heart.

"And the problem of residence, he should live in a dormitory provided by the university only," explained Umi Hanifa .

Again Alwi and Raiyan glanced at each other, as if talking through the look of their eyes. Occasionally raise one eyebrow and raise their shoulders.

Abi Husein who from the beginning only listened to his wife's conversation, it turns out he secretly observed the movements of the two young men in front of him through the front rearview mirror. And suspecting that there was something they were hiding from him.

"It wasn't Umi's intention to throw him out, Al. It's just, it's not good for a girl to live one roof with a man who isn't her mahram. There's also your wife's heart you have to take care of her feelings." Umi Hanifa looked at her husband's face as if asking for an opinion on his attitude.

Abi Hussein nodded his head and smiled.

'There's your wife's heart you have to take care of her feelings. And both are Al's wives, Umi.' Alwi fell silent and chose to focus on busying himself with the phone in his grasp.

Flashback.

After taking the wudu, Alwi went outside from the bathroom and saw his young wife was still soundly sleeping.

Alwi walked outside without any intention of waking his wife.

Alwi went to the little mushalla beside his house, he carried out his duty to the Creator and poured out all the turmoil in his heart to his Rob.

Alwi, who was still sleepy, decided to lay his body in the corner of the mushalla and closed his eyes.

In the guest room, Anisa folds her face and puts her mushaf on the nightstand. She then put back on her scarf headscarf preparing to make breakfast.

Arriving in the kitchen, Anisa did not see Lathifa.

"Where's lathifa, Mbok?" asked Anisa to mbok Ijah who was busy preparing the ingredients to be cooked.

"Maybe not awake, Ma'am. Do I need to wake up?" ask mbok Ijah.

"No need, Mbok. Maybe he was exhausted, usually at this hour he was already in the kitchen" said Anisa.

Finally Anisa made breakfast only by herself with mbok Ijah. Even until all the dishes had been served on the table, Lathifa had not been seen out of her room.

"Do I need to check Lathif's mom into his room, ma'am?" ask mbok Ijah who has finished with his work.

"No need, Mbok. Better to eat breakfast first! Later if Lathifa has not come out, let me ask mas Al later," said Anisa.

"Well by yourself, Mom?" anisa asked because she saw her husband coming alone.

"Well, who does it have to be, honey?" alwi asked confusedly and then immediately sat down on the dining table chair.

"Where's lathifa, Mas? Since morning has not been seen," said Anisa while preparing food for her husband.

"Sleep" replied Alwi briefly.

"She's not awake yet?" anisa did not believe it.

"Hm.

"Why not wake up, Mom?" Anisa was about to leave the dining table.

"Where are you going, honey?" ask Alwi.

"Waking Lathifa, Mas. What else?"

"No need! Later also wake up alone, here sit down and eat!" alwi's orders.

"But Mas-"

"Here sit down! Maybe he was just tired, later also wake up alone," said Alwi without realizing the change in the look of his wife's face because of his speech.

Anisa was sitting next to Alwi, during the meal there was no talk between the two of them.

After eating Alwi pamit leave for the office. Shortly after her husband's departure, Anisa rushed off to campus.

Due to the rush and her slightly chaotic mind, Anisa forgot the existence of Lathifa who was still asleep. He also forgot to ask Ijah to wake up Lathifa.

...*****...

The sound of a cell phone ringing repeatedly disturbed the hearing of a girl who was still sound with her sleep.

His hands fumbled in all directions to look for the existence of his favorite flat object.

After finding it, without seeing the name written on the screen, he shifted the red button and ignored it.

A moment later his phone rang again. Lathifa shifted the green button and stuck it in her ear.

'Wake Lathifa!' yell out a voice across there.

Lathifa immediately opened her eyes wide. He stared at the name written on his cell phone screen.

"Sir Nisa, what's wrong?" lathifa asked confusedly.

'You're not awake yet? What time is it, Fa!'

Lathifa kept her phone away from her ear and glanced at the watch on her phone screen which showed it at 11:30

"Astaghfirullah, Ma'am! Oh my God I'm bad luck! How's this? Where are the lecture hours," panicked Lathifa.

After disconnecting her phone, Lathifa rushed towards the bathroom, she simply brushed her teeth and washed her face.

An hour would not be enough if he had to take a shower. Luckily Lathifa did not have to bother struggling with makeup tools, because she never dressed up.

Lathifa snatched her backpack, stuffed some material books today, not forgetting she put her wallet and cell phone in the bag.

Mbok Ijah who saw his young mistress coming out of his room, felt astonished and confused.

"Bak Lathif just woke up? Breakfast first, Ma'am! Let mbok prepare," said mbok Ijah.

"No need, Mbok. I was in a hurry, thank you," Lathifa picked up some of the fruit on the main dining table.

Due to the road access from her room to the outside of the house, Lathifa had to pass through the main dining room, not the round dining table that Lathifa, Anisa and Alwi used daily. The main dining room that only every big family of Ibrahim used was visiting.

Lathifa drove his bike a little tight, the hot sun during the day had no effect on him.

Duars.

Lathifa motorbikes lose their balance, lucky with deft Lathifa managed to get the balance of the motor back.

Lathifa pulled the bike over and went down to check the tires.

"Ck, fuck. Why should it be now?" lathifa's shout made some road users look towards her.

Lathifa rear motor tyre ruptured. At a time like this, Lathifa instead vented her frustration to her husband.

"Basic refrigerator! Because of him I woke up late! Because of him last night I couldn't sleep well! Because he didn't wake me this morning! Uhh! It's a cold fridge!" pissed Lathifa.

"Is there anything I can help you with?" ask a man in a torn jeans suit and a leather jacket complete with a full face helmet in red-white-black match with his motorcycle.