Look At Me Once
Semusim Passes
A man with an unkempt appearance, hair that was no longer neatly combed and fine hair that he was allowed to grow just around his jaw was standing in front of the window with his blank look.
His sad eyes continued to look straight out there, looking at the increasingly heavy rain accompanied by thunder and flashes of light that were earthy.
He looked at the black cloud clustered up there, nature seemed to represent the content of his heart that was sad. He closed his eyes and then slowly he took a deep breath filling his chest cavity which felt increasingly tight.
Long he stood there, maybe more than an hour. Until a slow clap on his shoulder resuscitated him from his long daydream.
“Eat first, Al! At least fill your stomach even though some bribes so that you do not fall ill,” said Umi Hanifa gently, illustrated by the look of sadness on her old face that saw the appearance of her son who was very chaotic.
“Let's go, I'm not hungry yet, Umi.” Alwi always refused if told to eat, making everyone worried about his condition.
“Al, do you want to see Anisa sad when you see you?” asked Umi Hanifa, Alwi turned her eyes to look at the figure who was lying weakly on the bed in the room.
“you don't neglect your health, Al. If you are sick, who will take care of your wife?” umi Hanifa warned her stubborn son.
“I'm fine, Umi. Umi need not worry about me,” replied Alwi softly, he then stepped his feet closer towards his wife lying down.
The swift rain that night was completely unable to melt the cold and pitch in the recesses of his heart, the pale face of Anisa and some wrinkles because it was rarely getting treatment further slashed his happiness.
Alwi tidied up Anisa's hair that slightly poked out of her head cover, she stroked the white tapered face. How sad his life is now, he has not been able to find the existence of Lathifa, Alwi was surprised by the truth of Anisa's disease which had been kept tight by the woman.
6 Months ago,
A week after Lathifa's departure, Anisa is increasingly searching for the existence of her honey. He blames himself, he feels sinful to Lathifa, should not he drag the young woman into his troubles and destroy his future.
Because his search did not produce any results, both Mr. Akbar and Abi Husein both also helped direct their people to find the whereabouts of Lathifa and her mother.
“How, Pa? Any word on his whereabouts?” anisa asked after waiting for almost a month.
Mr. Akbar was only able to shake his head slowly, as powerful as he was looking for the existence of Lathifa in all directions. But lost to the earth, Lathifa and her mother completely disappeared without leaving any trace.
Anisa turned to look at her father-in-law, at this time they were all gathered in the living room of Alwi's house.
“Excuse Abi, Nis. Abi's men could not trace the whereabouts of Lathifa,” Abi Husein said regretfully.
“Astaghfirullah, Mom! Where else should we look for Lathifa?” ask Anisa frustrated.
“We will definitely find him, Honey,” said Alwi reassuringly, although he was also as worried as his wife. However, Alwi tried to look tough in front of his wife.
When everyone was not speaking, Ijah went in from the outside telling him that there were people looking for Alwi and Anisa.
“Who, Mbok?” alwi and Anisa asked at the same time.
“No idea, Den, Ma'am. A man came he said carrying news from mbak Lathifa,” replied mbok Ijah made everyone rush out to meet towards the living room.
In the living room, a man about 40 years old was already sitting waiting for his host. The man in a neat suit with a tie hanging around his neck, was like an office worker.
“Assalamualaikum,” greet the man politely welcome the arrival of the host.
“Wa’alaikummussalam,” everyone answers at the same time.
“Where is Lathifa, Sir?” alwi asked impatiently after everyone sat in their respective seats.
“Sorry, are you Mr Alwi Husein Ibrahim and mother Anisa Putri Akbar?” asked the man staring at Alwi and Anisa alternately.
“He's right, sir. What do you need to find us? Is it true that Lathifa sent you to come here?” asked Anisa politely.
Everyone was speechless to hear the man introduce himself as a lawyer, Alwi felt apprehensive and started to fidget in his sitting.
“Mother Lathifa sent this to you.” Mr. Bambang put a brown map on the table and thrust it for a young married couple in front of him.
“What is this, Sir?” anisa asked with a puzzled face, she grabbed the brown map.
“Mother Lathifa has sent divorce papers to the religious court for Mr. Alwi Husein Ibrahim,” said Mr. Bambang made Anisa immediately dropped the map from his hands.
“A-what do you mean by Father?” tanya Alwi was no less surprised.
Alwi took the map and opened it impatiently, he took out a sheet of paper printed clearly that the paper was a notification letter for him.
“I-this is impossible-” Alwi who previously tried to be calm in front of everyone, instantly he could not hide his surprise. His face paled with teary eyes.
Seeing his son and son-in-law both surprised, Mr. Akbar grabbed the paper. Abi Husein picked up the map on the table.
“What is this?” abi Husein asked after taking out the thick envelope, I don't know what was inside.
“For what money is this much?” abi Husein asked confused to see the money with a lot of it.
“In the statement of Lathifa's mother, he wanted to return the money he had received as a wedding dowry of Lathifa's mother with Alwi's father,” explained Mr. Bambang to make everyone widen their eyeballs.
“I-ini-” Anisa stared in disbelief at that pile of money. “Where did Lathifa get this much money?”
“Mother Hana sold her family restaurant, and asked me to refund this money and the rest to meet the salaries of the employees.”
“Where are they now?” asked Alwi emotion, he could not control his anger if there were no father and father-in-law there.
“Sorry, Sir. I also do not know the whereabouts of Lathifa's mother and Hana's mother. I only met them a few times,” obviously Mr. Bambang made Alwi even more frustrated.
Alwi realized when he heard the chanting of sacred verses recited by his mother, Alwi looked at the figure of the woman he respected was sitting on the sofa while reading the mushaf belonging to Anisa.
...لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا ۚ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا اكْتَسَبَتْ ۗ رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِنْ نَسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَا إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ ۖ وَاعْفُ عَنَّا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا ۚ أَنْتَ مَوْلَانَا فَانْصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ...
For a moment Alwi was calm, his fear and timelessness would lose Anisa a little fading from hearing the verse read by her mother.
A verse that explains that Allah will not burden a person beyond his ability. Verse that contains a prayer to the Creator of the Universe, ‘Yes our Lord, do not punish us if we forget or we make mistakes. Our Lord, do not burden us with a heavy burden as You have burdened those before us. Our Lord, do not give us what we cannot bear. Forgive us, forgive us, and have mercy on us. You are our protector, so help us to confront the infidels.’
Umi Hanifa finished her reading, but she realized that Alwi was watching her.
...فَإِنَّ مَعَ ٱلْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا * إِنَّ مَعَ ٱلْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا...
“You remember that verse, Al?” asked Umi Hanifa softly.
Alwi nodded his head slowly. “Surah Al Insyirah verse 5-6, Umi.”
“Because really after the difficulty there is ease. Verily, after the power of Allah, there is ease. Believe me will , Al,” Umi told Alwi to encourage his son.
After making sure her son was better, Umi Hanifa said goodbye to Alwi.
“Umi go home first, Al. Tomorrow morning Umi will come again, do not forget you spend this meal!” order Umi Hanifa before leaving her son.
Alwi stared at the disappearance of her mother who disappeared behind the door, after her mother died, Alwi again looked at Anisa's face again and again without pause. He never tired of looking at his wife's face.
“Syafakillah, yes zauwjatii.” Alwi kissed Anisa's forehead. “Ana uhibbuki fillah,” whispered Alwi right in the ear of Anisa who was still asleep.
