Love Aksara

64. Gathering

"Where do you know where Dea's father is?" Ressa asks her stepbrother, Aruna. The father's son with the deceased's first wife before marrying his mother. They met at Aruna's apartment, only three years old.

"Then, just wait for the right time to see him. I hope he meets his daughter."

"Tante, when's it coming?" Sapa Deandra, the teenage girl hugged and kissed Ressa. They did not meet for long because Aruna lived in Sydney. Everyday at home his mother taught him about Indonesia, so he was not awkward to say it.

"Must be, you're getting bigger and prettier. Your Daddy must be happy to see you."

"Truely, may Daddy accept me as his son." Hope the twelve year old girl. Since birth she does not know who her father is, Aruna always tells about the father of good things. There was no hatred growing in his heart, only longing to meet and hug his father.

If father had married he would have accepted. Being considered a child is enough for him. But her mother said her father was not married, so she had a chance to unite her parents.

"Definitely Honey," Ressa hugged her niece proudly. He could not blame Dea's father, as Aruna was the one who chose to leave when the man wanted to take responsibility.

"You don't want to visit Ru's father and mother?" Ask Ressa.

"After I met Dea's father, I went to see them."

Ressa nodded in agreement, "after meeting Daddy you want to go to school here what is the return to Sydney?" Ressa stared at her nephew's cheerful eyeballs.

"I want to stay with Daddy if he wants to, Auntie." Reply Dea with a sparkle.

"May your daddy still take responsibility, dear. If not, you have us here. Don't be sad" comfort Ressa. "If you are Ru, go back to Sydney?"

"Mommy doesn't want to marry daddy. Not that Mommy said, I just inherited daddy's blood, that mommy didn't marry him I wasn't his mahram."

"That's right, honey, but Mommy can't make it, right? If Daddy already has a wife or lover how? Mommy won't take away another woman's happiness." Clearly Aruna was gentle, Deandra nodded in understanding.

Ressa smiled faintly at the mother and child's conversation. Aruna educated Deandra very well, until the boy was very wise and mature at his young age.

"Just relax, I'll make daddy marry mommy," he said confidently while playing seductive eyebrows. Ressa and Aruna chuckled amusedly at the girl's behavior.

"Whatever's best, Auntie will support you." Ressa pinches his niece's cheek.

"Majib," Deandra winks at the aunt. The smile reminded Ressa of someone, very similar. The facial lines are similar too.

The pregnant woman shook her head slowly with all her ridiculous thoughts. Where could that have happened. While Dea's father is still unmarried, perhaps due to regret in the past or entangled in a love that freezes the heart. Or something else, Ressa doesn't know what it is.

"You can marry another man Aru, no need to wait for Dea's father. It's not like you said you didn't want to marry her because you didn't love." Ressa said after they only lived together.

"I don't want to disappoint Dea, Sa. After Dea met her father I just thought of it. I don't want Dea to be wasted on marrying a man who can't accept her like her own daughter" Aruna explained.

Ressa nodded in understanding, Aruna was really better alone than tortured later. "May you find the right father for Dea later, even if it's not her father."

Only the support Ressa can give her brother. After quite a long chat and take off kangen he said goodbye home.