Look At Me Once

The Dark Night

“Mbak Anisa not coming home huh, Mbok?” ask Lathifa while preparing dinner with mbok Ijah in the kitchen.

“Do not know, Ma'am,” answer mbok Ijah. “Maybe Anisa mbak stay again in pesantren,” added mbok Ijah.

“Ehm, what is Alwi mas too?” ask Lathifa quietly.

“No, Mbak,” answer mbok Ijah fast. “Den Alwi has been home since this afternoon.”

“Oh...” Lathifa looked a little disappointed, she hoped her husband would also stay at the boarding school.

“Why, Ma'am?” tanya mbok Ijah who saw Lathifa was silent.

“Eh, it's okay, Mbok.” Lathifa picked up the plate containing the side dish and brought it to the dining table.

While mbok Ijah looked at Lathifa carefully and felt that there was something different from his master. ‘There is a strange thing about Lathifa, but what is it?’

Mbok Ijah immediately threw away his strange thoughts, he resumed his activities.

After finishing preparing the food menu at the dining table, Lathifa intends to find the whereabouts of her husband who has not met since. But she had to undo her intentions when she saw her husband who had been seen from the end of the stairs was about to go down.

Alwi just walked past Lathifa without reprimanding his wife, he passed to the dining room followed by Lathifa who tailed behind him.

“What time are you home?” alwi asked coldly after landing his body on his chair.

“Jam 5,” replied Lathifa while taking the rice and side dishes to her husband's plate.

“Current the task?”

“Yes,” Lathifa replied briefly, their conversation sounded stiff and awkward, Lathifa did not dare to talk longer.

Alwi stared intently at Lathifa making the woman feel uneasy. “What?” lathifa asked with a slightly trembling voice.

“No. Fast eat!” alwi orders, he wants to ask the man who was with his young wife at the restaurant but he paused again.

Both of them enjoyed dinner in silence.

“I will sleep in the upper room,” said Alwi after finishing with his meal.

“Toward the food just spoke!” alwi Reprimand.

“You're the first one to talk to me!” lathifa is not to blame.

“Eat a lot!” alwi's orders before he left the dining table and let Lathifa finish her meal alone, she did not want to be carried away emotionally facing her young wife who she considered still childish.

...****************...

Although the sky had turned dark, Anisa still looked busy helping various preparations for the event at the boarding school.

Zahran who had noticed that his cousin had not rested, approached Anisa and intended to tell her to finish her work.

“Rest first, Ma'am. Mbak Anisa has been busy helping since last afternoon,” said Zahran who felt sorry to see Anisa too busy themselves.

“It's okay, Deck. Lagian is also not tired yet, kok,” Anisa replied while smiling at Zahran.

“Mbak Anisa tonight want to stay again in pesantren?” ask Zahran.

“Ya, why? Can't?” anisa asked with a slightly angry intonation, but Zahran knew that her brother was only pretending to be angry.

“Think-maybe, Ma'am. Who would dare to ban Mbak Anisa, the important thing is Mas Alwi has allowed it.”

“Pastinya already dong, it is impossible not to ask permission first same mas Alwi.” Anisa answered steadily.

“Oh yes, Ma'am. Anisa's sister has never met Zahra, the day after she will come with her husband's family. Mbak Anisa will certainly be surprised to see it, his face is very similar to Mbak Anisa,”, said Zahran memgebu telling about his sister who only some time ago only knew of his existence.

“Oh yes? How similar is he to mbak?” asked Anisa curiously.

“Yah ... very similar, the day after you just see for yourself.”

Anisa asks Zahran to tell her sister, Zahran happily obeyed her brother's wishes until he forgot his original purpose of telling Anisa to rest.

They are both dissolved in the conversation that is quite fun and even forget if time continues to run until the night gets darker.

While far away, in a luxurious house in the middle of the city. Just like Anisa, Lathifa and Alwi were unable to fall asleep. They were busy with their respective thoughts and certainly in different places because Alwi chose not to sleep one room with Lathifa that night.