Look At Me Once

Promise that!

Throughout the day, Lathifa did not focus on her lectures. All day he felt unsettled because he continued to be haunted by the words of the doctor yesterday at the clinic.

Plus, this morning Lathifa had tried to do a self-test by using a test pack that he bought on the way home. Not only one, even he uses the tool up to five at a time.

But from some of these tools only three of them show two red lines, the other line is only visible vaguely. This further burdened his mind during the course this morning.

After college, Lathifa rushed to the hospital in the middle of the city. She wanted to be sure about her pregnancy and hoped that she would not become pregnant even though she knew the possibility was slim for her.

“Excuse me, Sus. If you want to check the pregnancy should go in which direction?” lathifa asked the nurse behind the reception desk.

“Mbak can walk that way.” The nurse pointed to a passageway to the right of Lathifa. “Mbak road follow the hallway, just straight, there will be a fork at the end of the road take right yes. Later Mbak will meet mother and child ward, Mbak can register with the officer there.”

“Thank you yes, Sus.”

Lathifa continued her steps after getting the information she needed, it was not difficult for her to find the location she was headed to.

After registering, he sat in a chair where the patients waited for their turn.

Lathifa swept her gaze around, her heart felt pinched when she saw the scene in front of her, several women with enlarged bellies accompanied by their respective husbands.

‘How happy they are,’ lamented Lathifa in heart with a bitter smile etched on her lips.

In fact, Lathifa also observed some of the men were rubbing the spoiled stomach of his wife in which there was a life of proof of their love.

Without realizing it, Lathifa rubbed her stomach with her own hands. ‘If you are already here, forgive me for not being able to invite your father to accompany us.’

“Only, Dik?” asked a woman who was sitting next to Lathifa and immediately broke Lathifa's daydream.

“Eh, i-yes, Bu.” Lathifa called the woman ‘bu’ because the woman looks to be around 35 years old.

“Check pregnancy yes?” asked the woman while glancing at Lathifa's hand that had been above her queen's stomach.

“Iya, Mum.”

“Kok alone, where is her husband?” ask again with a mocking face.

“Eh, my husband works, Bu.” Lathifa felt uncomfortable with the existence of the woman.

“Oh, if her husband is not there honestly no need to be ashamed. Indeed yes young people today like-”

“Sorry, what do you mean by talking like that?” asked Lathifa nyalang cut the sentence of the woman, she caught the direction of the conversation of the mothers beside her who had bad thoughts towards her.

“No-”

“I know the direction of Mom's talk, Mom thinks that I'm pregnant out of wedlock, don't you think? Don't think all women are equal to what Mom had in mind!” lathifa exclaimed making some people turn their heads towards them.

Lathifa got up from her chair wanting to move away and move away from the woman who managed to further plunge her heart into chaos.

“Oh yes, Ma. Remember one thing! Never make bad comments to others before you confirm the truth. I'm married and it's true my husband has a job that can't be left behind, and I don't need to know that!” lathifa insisted before leaving the woman who looked angry.

“Huh! Shitty!” upset Lathifa after looking for a seat away from the woman earlier.

Shortly thereafter he heard his name being called from a loudspeaker in the room.

“Ny. Lathifatunnisa, please enter the consultation room!”

Geck! Geck! Geck!

Chequek!

The deg!

Lathifa had not yet stepped into the room filled with tools she did not know her name, Lathifa felt her whole body instantly turn cold.

Suddenly his guts shrunk, moreover he saw a white-robed figure with a white face, ayu, and a shady look of eyes sitting behind the table staring at him with a smile engraved on his ripe lips

“Please come in, Mom,” said a nurse and led Lathifa to sit in a chair because she saw Lathifa just pecking in the middle of the door.

“Happy afternoon, Doc,” replied Lathifa nervously.

Don't ask how Lathifa is feeling right now, which she must be feeling more scared and anxious.

“Do not be afraid, Ma'am. Take it easy, everything will be fine.” The doctor tried to calm Lathifa because it was clear her face was tense.

“I-iya, Doc.”

After consulting and saying all his complaints, the doctor told Lathifa to lie down and do further examination using the USG tool.

“Rileks ... just relax, Ma'am. No need to worry, currently medical equipment is very sophisticated, so there is no need to feel afraid when pregnant at a young age.” The doctor once again tried to calm Lathifa, thinking that if the tension on her patient's face came from the fear and worry of being pregnant at a young age.

After her affairs in the hospital, Lathifa immediately returned to her husband's house.

Throughout the journey Lathifa tried to think of a way to convey the news of her pregnancy to her husband and her honeymoon, but Lathifa felt heavy to break the news.

Again, she was afraid that her husband would not accept the child's existence because he knew that his own presence was never expected of her.

“Fa!”

Anisa who saw Lathifa's return tried to call out to her, but it seemed that Lathifa was completely unaware of the existence of Anisa who had been sitting in the living room.

Lathifa just passed by and went straight into her room, not even saying a greeting when she entered the house.

“What's with Lathifa?” anisa asked confusedly at the strange behavior of her honey.

At night, Lathifa looked strange. He looks more moody and more silent when preparing dinner with Anisa in the kitchen.

“Why are you, Fa? Is something bothering you?” anisa asked trying to extract information from her honey.

“Nothing, Ma'am. I'm just a little tired,” Lathifa replied lying.

“If you are tired just rest, Fa. Let me cook tonight.”

“No, Ma'am. I can still help,” Lathifa said with a smile to reassure Anisa that she is fine.

The two of them continued their cooking show, even Anisa seemed to tell a lot about their husband.

Without Anisa noticing, every sentence she spoke was able to scratch even deeper the wound in Lathifa's heart.

“Fa, I want you to promise me!” pinta Anisa was suddenly in the middle of their bustle.

“What promise, Ma'am?”

“You must promise me, Fa! You will always be next to Mas Alwi, no matter what!” anisa is serious.

Lathifa who heard this immediately fell silent, she could not open her mouth as if locked tightly.

“You must promise me, Fa!” urged Anisa because she did not get an answer from Lathifa.

“Ta-but Mbak-”

“You must promise, Fa. That's all I want from you!” said Anisa cutting Lathifa's sentence, this time Anisa's voice sounded firmly not soft as usual, even more directed like a command in Lathifa's ear.

“Mbak ...” Lathifa still could not let out her voice.

“One day if I leave you, I want you to take care of Mas Alwi, Fa. I trust him to you.”

“Do not be weird, Ma'am!” lathifa.

“We do not know the age of man, Fa. Before all that happens I want to say it to you first.”

“Mbak! Don't talk carelessly, I don't like it!”

“Fa!” Anisa cupped Lathifa's face with both hands. “I beg you, grant me this one wish, I ask for no more. Be happy with Mas Alwi, I will be happy if you can be together forever.”