Look At Me Once

Past Times

"I won't hesitate to burn this house down!" yelled Rendi with a reddened face.

"Hold your temper, Ren!" village Head's Order.

"Listen lo-lo on! I'm not afraid of the same thing as prison. I used to go in and out of jail!" threaten Rendi with bulging eyes.

No one dared to speak. Not out of fear, but they must be careful to face people like Rendi who are desperate to do anything without fear of the law in this country.

The Village Chief glanced at Hadi and Hana then turned towards Rendi. "Why are you angry at Mr. Hadi for no apparent reason?"

"What is unclear? Obviously he's been cheating, he's lying to my mother by swapping my mother's land for this land!" said Rendi in a loud voice.

"What do you mean, Ren?" Hadi knitted his brows in confusion.

"Don't be a fool! You're the one who fooled my mother by exchanging this land for land in that village!"

"You misunderstood Ren, your mother first offered to exchange land and they agreed to each other. In fact, the land there is twice as big as this land" explained Hadi.

"Liar! You're happy, because this land is in the city center and the sale value is also doubled from the price of land there."

"Then what do you want, Ren?" ask Hadi calmly.

"Gue wants to calculate the price of the two lands and you have to pay for the shortage!" firmly Rendi.

"But, this land has been certified on behalf of Mr. Hadi. So, legally it is legal and the property of Mr. Hadi" explained the Village Chief.

"Gue doesn't want to know! Anyway I want to count!" reject Rendi.

"Can't do that, Ren! Even the land was sold by your mother for the cost of leaving for her Hajj decades ago" said Hadi a little emotion.

"Gue said I don't care. You can make a land certificate without my knowledge, without my consent as his son!"

Rendi remained still bracing with her wish. He does not accept and does not want to accept defeat.

In the past, when they were little, their parents agreed to exchange their land for each other. By reason of mother land Hadi is in the interior of the village and is still vulnerable if you want to build a house. So, her mother Rendi offered her land in exchange for Hadi's mother's property because it was located near the city and it was safer to build a house.

Who would have thought if now, the land that has stood a house on it and became the residence of Hadi, is at the center of society, on the right stands a large Mosque, and the, it is close to Village Hall, close to the School building, and lined with several shophouses and cafes on the main road before entering the street of his house.

While the land that used to belong to Rendi's mother who has now moved ownership, only surrounded by a few simple houses and some vacant land that was made into plantations by the owner. That's what makes Rendi dark eyes and dominated by his sense of rhythm.

"This land is 600 m² I give a price of 200 million because the sale value is higher. And that there is an area of 1,200 m² the price is 100 million because it is accommodated so the price is cheaper" said Rendi.

"Can't begi-"

Rendi cut the speech of the Village Chief. "You're silent! My business is not the same as yours, as long as I am still kind enough not to destroy this house and its surroundings, then don't ever get in the way of my intentions!" firmly Rendi.

Hadi coded everyone to stay calm and follow Rendi's will. Not that Hadi is weak and silent when oppressed. However, he can still think rationally to avoid unwanted things as much as possible in the future.

"If you want this land, take it! Me and my family will leave here" Hadi said, clasping his wife's hand.

Everyone who was in the room was shocked and looked at him with questionable eyes, yet no one dared to let out his voice.

"Gue doesn't want you to leave this house. You people think I'm kicking your family out!" reject Rendi.

"Then ... What do you want?"

"As I said. You pay the price of that land!"

"But Ren-"

"Gue doesn't like rejection! If not ... do not expect your family will live a quiet life!" threaten Rendi's.

After discussing and determining the date for the trial at Village Hall, Rendi finally agreed to give Hadi two weeks to pay the remaining land money. On condition, Rendi should not disturb Hadi's family anymore.

"My business is done here. I'll wait another two weeks, watch if you're lying!" Rendi pointed at Hadi with her finger and then she snatched away just like that making everyone shake their heads in wonder at Rendi's attitude.

"Sir, however, Pak Hadi's position here is superior to Rendi. I have a certificate on this land. Even if this issue has to be brought to the legal path, one hundred percent I am sure you will win this case," explained the Village Chief.

"Let it, Mr. Lurah, surrender does not mean defeat. I just don't want anything to happen in front of him. Treasures are not everything, treasures can still be sought. But the safety of my family is paramount."

"Pak Hadi don't worry, we will support you if the matter gets to the legal table. We will help find the best lawyer to help you" said the Village Secretary.

"Thank you everyone for the help, but I'm confident in my decision. This land is a gift from my grandfather to my mother and aunt. It's not good to fight over the inheritance of the parents."

...*****...

Brak!

Prangs!

Pyars!

Just now the imam of the Mosque said his greetings after performing the Magrib prayer, they were surprised by a noise from the outside, precisely from the courtyard of Hadi's house.

Everyone rushed to look outside fearing that something bad had happened to Hadi's family. However, arriving at the mosque foyer, everyone was fixated and no one dared to go near and stop someone who was rampaging blindly there.

Just last day he agreed not to disturb Hadi's family, the night he acted by making a commotion and chaos in a drunken state.

Hadi family who usually pray together choose to pray at home. Since the incident that left them a little traumatized, Hana told Lathifa to close all the doors and windows of her house and lock them.

"Lathif, the mother will accompany the father in the room, pity the father still looks very frightened. You go to Akbar's house, tell him you're rampaging outside!" hana said with a trembling voice but she was forced to look tough in front of her daughter.

"Good, Buk."

Lathifa went outside through the back door, she scanned around. He walked down a small street with minimal lighting on the edge of the river behind his house. His heart was beating so fast as if it wanted to come out of hiding.

With a small run, Lathifa finally arrived in front of Akbar's house with a loud breath.

"Assalamu'alaikum ...." Lathifa went straight into the house without waiting for the owner to let her in.

"Wa'alaikummussalam" said a woman who came out of one of the rooms.

"Bak, where's Akbar?" lathifa asked with a panicked face.

"There's in Tif's room, what's up? Why are you breathing so hard?" asked Akbar's wife unnoticed by Lathifa who was busy pacing back and forth walking in the living room.

"What are you looking for me, Dek?" asked Akbar who went out of his room.

"Mas. Th-that, that guy, Mas. It's in the house raging." Lathifa spoke with a straw, her face pale, her heart pounding even more as she explained her om existence.

"Later to go to your house, will you go home now or with me later? You take it easy, Dek," said Akbar trying to calm his distant cousin's sister.

"I-I'll just wait for you."

"Wait a minute! Sit down, I'll change.

My wife came out of the kitchen with a glass of water and gave it to Lathifa. "It's a drink, Tif."

Lathifa returned home together with Akbar. But the existence of Rendi was no longer visible, there was only chaos that he left in the yard of the house.

The fence next to the house made of wood had been uprooted and lay scattered on the ground. The lights of the front fence of the house are shapeless leaving broken glass scattered over the paving of the house.

Last night Hadi and his family could not sleep well, even some residents were seen watching on the porch of the mosque or on the terrace of Hadi's house afraid that Rendi would be desperate to do bad things again.

In the afternoon, Rendi came and collected the land money to Hadi, Hadi was only able to give money of 10 million, Rendi did not mind it, she received it with a smile and left Hadi's house just like that.

"Sir, where do we get money within 2 weeks with that amount?" hana asked that night in their room.

"Father is thinking of selling this land and this house, Mom. Later we can stay in the restaurant, and the rest of the sale of the house we can save and some for additional capital of our restaurant," said Hadi, he sat on a mattress leaning on the head of the bed.

"Mom will support all of your decisions. As long as it's still in the good and for the good of us all."

Almost every day, Rendi always passing by riding his motorbike in front of Hadi's house, as if he was stalking and watching Hadi. Make Hadi and his family not free to do their activities.

Until the appointed day arrived, Hadi and his family came to the Village Hall with the money he had promised.

Rendi accompanied by her two sisters and her mother were present to witness the handover of the land money.

The village also presented two police officers to be witnesses and several village devices also became witnesses.

After signing the letter of agreement stamped, and several photo sessions as documents and evidence. Rendi and her family left the Village Hall with triumphant smiles.

...*****...

Rusdi rested in front of Hana who was sitting turning her face the other way reluctantly looking at the person in front of her.

The sound of crying filled the entire room, Lathifa was crying in Anisa's arms, while Rusdi was crying in front of her bud who was also crying without a sound. Rusdi's wife also cried in front of budhe from her husband.

"Budhe, forgive Rusdi. Rusdi had no idea what had happened to the Budhe family. I'm sorry Rusdi failed to educate Rusdi's sisters, Budhe." Rusdi regretted his family's mistakes.

Rusdi spent too long in Dubai for a dozen years. He came home after news that his mother was very ill and wanted to see him while still being given the chance.

"There's nothing to forgive from you, son. You're innocent, you don't have to apologize to this budhemu." Hana let out a long sigh and wiped away the tears that fell down her cheeks.

"Budhe, now what should Rusdi do?"

"Wake, Son! You don't have to do anything. Keep doing good! Don't follow the pleasures of this world."

"Budhe, Rusdi wants to meet pakdhe. Rusdi really wants to apologize to Pakdhe. Mother is sick, she hopes before God calls her, Mother wants to meet and apologize to Pakdhe Hadi," said Rusdi and returned to the place where his wife followed.

"Your father is not here, son."

"Where is pakdhe, Budhe? Rusdi will come to see him."

"Your father is calm in nature, son. Pray for your Father to be given a place by Allah. Budhe sure, your sir must have forgiven everything." Hana closed her eyes, a drop of tears dripping down her cheeks.

"A-Is Pakdhe Hadi dead?" tanya Rusdi wanted to make sure.