Look At Me Once

Go home

As a crowd dressed in black filled the Athaillah Islamic boarding school, everyone was mourning the return of one of the pesantren families.

In the pesantren yard also stood some neatly arranged tents to protect the mourners from the hot sun that afternoon. Special funerals attended in droves of Muslim women from various cities and organizations to deliver the return of one of Allah's servants to Him.

The night before,

The atmosphere of the all-white room was very gripping, the sounds of the chanting of the holy verse of the Qur’an filled the silence of the night.

This afternoon Anisa's state was still stable, but after performing the magrib prayer congregated in the room, suddenly Anisa's condition decreased dramatically. Many times Umi Hanifa tried to contact Alwi's phone but there was no reply from her son.

Mr. Akbar sat on the sofa with a small mushaf in his hand, while the Umi Hanifa and mama Humaira sat opposite each other on the left and right side of Anisa's bed.

Umi Hanifa also taught with the right hand that continues to hold the hand of her daughter-in-law, she chanted the holy verses with all her heart. His voice sounded soft and soft but it also sounded very heartbreaking to anyone who listened to him. Umi Hanifa never stopped her reading.

Similarly, Humaira's mother who had not been able to hold back her crying, she did not want to miss reciting Quranic verses for her daughter while continuing to look at Anisa's face, he did not want to miss reading the Quran, even though his voice was hoarse it was barely heard anymore.

While outside the room, many people who took part in teaching for Anisa. There are Abi Husein, Ustadz Hamdan, umi Maryam, Zahran as well as some ustadz and ustadzah hut who came with Zahran to visit Anisa. They were sitting in waiting chairs in the hallway right in front of Anisa's room.

“Ma ..” call Anisa slim.

Mama Humaira who noticed a small movement of Anisa's lips stopped her reading and rushed her face closer towards her daughter.

“Yes, darling, mama is here,” said mama Humaira, her hands faithfully clutching tightly the fingers of her increasingly thin daughter.

“Ma,” call Anisa back, slowly she opened her eyes slowly, very slow and heavy but Anisa kept forcing her so that her beautiful eyes could be opened to see the existence of people who had just recited prayers for her.

Though unconscious, Anisa faintly hears people endlessly praying for her with recitation of Quranic verses that reconcile her heart.

“You want what, Darling ... just say it.”

“Ja-don't hate mas Alwi,” Oozing Anisa disjointed. “He's innocent.”

“I forced him to marry Lathifa .. don't also hate Lathifa, he's a good boy.”

“Honey, don't think about it, we don't bother about it anymore,” replied mama Humaira calming her daughter.

Anisa again closed her eyes making mama Humaira feel increasingly anxious about the condition of her daughter.

“Anisa wants to go home, Ma ... Anisa tired,” raved Anisa with her eyes closed.

“Yes, we'll be home later, baby. You healed first, yes ..”

Mr. Akbar approached his daughter's bed and stood beside his wife, with teary eyes he patted her gently on the shoulder channeling strength to the mother who was grieving for her daughter's condition.

Anisa re-opened her eyes slowly as she felt the presence of her first love. “Pa ..”

“Ya, Dear ... Papa is here,” replied Mr. Akbar affectionately, his hand moving gently rubbed his daughter's head which was still wrapped in a veil.

“Pa, promise ... papa will find Lathifa for me, I want her to reunite with mas Alwi. ”

“Sayang ..”

Anisa's breathing squeaked, her voice faded, faint inaudible if not close to Anisa's face.

Everyone in the room could no longer fight their fears, preparing for anything that might happen.

Mama Humaira hysterically saw Anisa's body still motionless, she slightly shook Anisa's body to restore her daughter's consciousness. “Honey, wake up. Look at my mom again, baby ... Mama is here.”

“Ikhlaskan a-ni-sa, Ma .. tu-gas Anisa su-dah finished in this du-ni-a ..”

“No, Dear. You can't leave mama.”

Mama Humaira was devastated, she did not expect the time to go so fast. It feels like just yesterday she was pregnant and gave birth to her daughter, just yesterday she took care of and raised her little daughter.

“Ban-tu a-ku un-tuk-pat-kan sur-ga ...”

The bodies of mama Humaira and Umi Hanifa froze to see Anisa's face getting pale as she endured a very severe pain. Although Mr. Akbar felt the same way with the two women, but he tried to stay strong for his daughter.

Anisa's breath was wheezing, her little lips were moving like they were about to say a sentence, but the pain became her obstacle.

Mr. Akbar spontaneously cupped his daughter's face which slowly turned cold, immediately he closed his lips to his daughter's ears. Saying a sentence that leads every Muslim to return to his presence.

“Laa-ilaaha-illallah ..” is heard softly Anisa's voice follows and says the same sentence as her father.

A moment of crying broke out in the room when Anisa fell limp with her eyes closed tightly after saying the words of God.

“Wake up, Anisa ... O Allah, Anisa my daughter, do not leave mama,” scream mama Humaira can no longer think clearly, her cries burst into silence resuscitate those who wait outside the room, and the, moreover, the medical team who suddenly ran flocked into Anisa's room.

Mama Humaira cried out in tears wailing in pain that rained down on her mind when the doctor finished confirming Anisa's condition. Anisa's body was still in her mother's arms, her white lips were already turning blue with a smile etched on her face. His body temperature had been cold and his pulse was no longer palpable.

“Innalilahi wa innailaihi raaji’un ..” said Doctor followed everyone in the funeral room.

Doctors tried to use a pacemaker, but fate said something else. God loved Anisa more, and God had lifted up all the pain that Anisa had been feeling.

“Anisa Princess Akbar bint Akbar Arrasyid, on Friday, March 10, 2023 at exactly 19:45 WIB, has died.”

Although Anisa's body has been buried, until the evening before, there are still many guests coming to pray for Anisa.

Elsewhere, in front of the ICU. A middle-aged couple with tired faces engraved on their faces were staring at someone lying helplessly inside.

With a body filled with bandages that wrap the body, as well as the number of medical devices attached to the body to help the owner of the body maintain his life. A young man who has just lost his lover, but fate does not give him the opportunity to accompany his wife in her last time.

“If we hadn't let him stay with Aliya, Bi. Maybe all this will not happen to Alwi,” softly umi Hanifa looked at her son who was struggling with his death.

Abi Husein hugged his wife's fragile body. “Don't say so, Mi ... The Prophet forbade us to dream. We just pray, ‘qadarullah wa maa I afa’ala’ for everything that has happened has become a provision of Allah and Allah has allowed the scenario to happen to our son.”

“Alwi shouldn't have harbored the wounds that have lingered in his mind until now alone, Bi.”

Alwi had an accident when his mother was about to give news about the departure of Anisa, Alwi had not had time to know about the departure of his wife.

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

Lathifa was silent looking at the house standing firmly in front of her, she could not believe that she had to return to the city in too short a time for her.

Although he is currently in the suburbs, but the distance of the city where he lived before is not far, only about 35 KM and takes about an hour drive to his hometown.

Lathifa felt hard to return to the city, she wanted to forget her past. But circumstances forced him to face this problem, his presence was not accepted by the residents in the village where they lived almost half a year.

“Come in, Fa. Aren't you tired of doing long walkers?” asked a woman who had just come out of the house, a young woman with a neat appearance in her elegant dress style.

“Eh, yes for a moment, Ma'am,” replied Lathifa stuttered, she still feels awkward with the owner of the house.

“Outside the air is cold, Fa. Not good for pregnant women directly cross paths with the night air.” The woman walked over to Lathifa who seemed reluctant to enter the house.

“Why stay still?” asked the woman to grab Lathifa's wrist.

“Ehm-”

“Do not hesitate, consider it your own home,” said the woman quickly before Lathifa gave an excuse.

The woman named Ayu led Lathifa into her house, Lathifa could only obey and follow her steps.

“Is it okay if we hitchhike at Mbak's house?” lathifa asked quietly, she did not know the figure of the woman next to her.

“It's okay, Fa. After all I also feel happy, this house will not be quiet anymore, there are you and also Hana's mother who will accompany me,” Ayu replied kindly.

“Thank you, Ma'am. I promise I will quickly find a rented house for us to live in later.”

Ayu stopped her steps, she turned to face Lathifa. “Fa, my mother-in-law left you to us. Me and Bram also do not mind and have agreed to mother's request.”

“But, Mbak-”

“Never think of leaving this house, Fa. You just focus on the baby in your stomach.” Ayu gently rubbed Lathifa's big belly with a fluffy smile on her face.

“Come, I'll show you your room. Hana's mother was already inside the room.”

The two young women walked into the house that Lathifa was going to live in in front of her.

‘Hopefully all will be fine.’