Love At the End of Ramadan

Chapter 23. Forgive

"I don't want to see that guy's face Ram. I don't want to!"

Kirana screams hysterically when she is reunited with Arman for the first time after the tempest hits her family. After Kirana vented all her anger before Arman, Rama and Aisyah tried to bring Kirana's body away from the living room. They took Kirana to a back garden filled with towering ornamental palm and spruce plants.

"Ran, I can feel what kind of hurt is eating away at your heart, but at least you appreciate your father coming. He has good intentions to meet you Ran."

Rama, who was standing behind Kirana's back, tried to give an advice to his future wife. Although it would be difficult to open the heart and mind of someone who is emotional, but he believes that Kirana will definitely hear his words.

Kirana smiled cynically, though she could not deny that her heart was throbbing pain. The painful events that he sought to bury deeply now seemed to return to the surface with the sudden arrival of Arman.

"There is no more good left of that man Ram. He is a wicked man who can exchange the happiness and wholeness of his family just for a moment's pleasure. He's Ram's bad guy. He's a bad guy."

Rama took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. It took extra patience to extinguish the flames of anger that were burning in Kirana's heart. Burning away his patience and forgiving soul.

Rama looked back a little, with a gesture of asking the mother what she should do. In the end, Aisyah gave a signal for Rama to retreat and let herself try to persuade Kirana. As if understanding what Aisyah hinted at, the young man moved away from Kirana's body and Aisyah began to approach her future daughter-in-law.

Slowly, Aisyah held onto Kirana's shoulder. That's what made Kirana's body a little surprised.

"Eye?" shrieked Kirana from being so shocked by Aisyah's sudden arrival.

Aisyah smiled and rubbed Kirana's shoulders gently. "Son, we're sitting there yuk!"

Aisyah pointed towards the gazebo which was in the corner of the park. This middle-aged woman believed that by taking Kirana to sit, this sea of emotions that drowned her body could slowly recede. So that calmness and peace of heart can be felt.

Kirana seemed to think for a moment. The woman's mood was completely shattered after the father's arrival. Until he doesn't know what to do to get back to the way things were. However, in the end Kirana nodded her head and approved Aisyah's speech to sit in the gazebo. The pair of future in-laws and daughter-in-law swung their footsteps and sat in the gazebo.

"Everything we experience, must leave a wisdom, son. Wisdom is so valuable to make ourselves much more qualified. Be it the quality of our relationship with our fellow human beings and our relationship with God Subhana Wataa'alla."

"Would a man with the title of cheating father get an apology from the family he has left behind, Umi? Does he deserve it? Raina feels very inappropriate."

Kirana chimed in Aisyah's words with a giddy look ahead. The pieces of memory that had only just happened a moment ago, were now back dancing in his mind. That makes it hard to forgive and accept back Arman's presence.

"Son, every human being will never escape sin and alpas. They are tested in their own way. And that's all your papa is facing. Your father was tested by the sudden presence of a woman in his life. And in fact he was careless, so that he fell into sin and blasphemy."

"If it's like that, wouldn't it be inappropriate for him to get an apology from me or my mom, Umi? The mistake he has made is huge and it is impossible for me to forgive."

Aisha smiled meaningfully. He again rubbed the shoulders and back of his future daughter-in-law lovingly. He understood that what Kirana experienced left a trauma, but Aisyah always believed that Kirana would return to forgive the father.

"Son, the hatred that is entrenched in your heart will only make your feet feel so heavy to move forward. That hatred might turn into a grudge that could possibly be one of the barriers to your own happiness."

Kirana began to be interested in what Aisyah said. He was a little aware that what Ayesha said was indeed true. Even though he is now on the straight path, but somehow sometimes there is something still stuck in the heart. He only realized that it all came from the hatred that is still lodged in the bottom of the heart to the father.

Kirana stared at Aisyah's face with teary eyes and a nose that began to flower with tears. "Mom..."

Again Aisyah just smiled meaningfully. He grabbed Kiran's hand and he held her fingers tightly.

"Free yourself from the shackles of hate and vengeance, son. By forgiving, inshaAllah your mood will be much calmer and lighter. And remember, there will always be a second chance for sincere people to improve themselves. Umi reckon, your papa is currently in that phase. Seeking to eat real life. To get what real happiness is."

"Umi's convinced that you're one of those forgiving women, son. Umi is also convinced that in fact, you love your father so much and miss the atmosphere of the house as before, when before the storm hit your family."

****

Aisyah was still faithfully walking while holding Kirana's hand. When they arrived at a glass door that connected the central room with the backyard, Arman suddenly half-running towards Kirana. In front of the child, he shed his body and rested under Kirana's feet.

"Ampuni Papa, Ran. Forgive Papa. You can do whatever you want to forgive Papa. That way, Papa no longer has the burden to live Papa's life."

The clear thread from the corner of Kirana's eyes trickled back. The voice of the father sounded raucous. His chest is up and down. He was sure, if at this time the papa was also feeling tightness in his chest.

"Wake Pa. Don't be like this!"

Arman shakes. "No Ran, Papa is guilty to you and your mother. It's all Papa's fault, Ran. Papa apologise!"

Kirana's body slightly bowed. He grabbed both shoulders and tried to get him to stand up. Now Arman has stood up straight but still lowered his face. Sure enough, the man was crying.

Getir, that's what Kirana feels right now. He was very sick with everything that the father had done but he also could not bear to see this man shed his tears. Regardless of the mistakes made by the father, the man is still the best man in his life. Without him, he might never have had the perfect life he had.

Kirana tries to make peace with destiny. All of this must be resolved immediately. I don't know what will be the end of this solution. But whatever it is, Kirana has chosen to sincerely forgive the father.

"Kirana has forgiven Papa. But for Papa's wish to return to this family, Kirana left everything to mama. Because after all you are the one who suffered the most from the affair that Papa did."

Arman shook his head. "No Rani, Papa will never hope you can accept Papa's presence again. Papa has lost everything. And Papa will accept all the consequences Papa has to accept. It was Papa who lit the fire and Papa who was ready to burn. Most importantly, you forgive Papa. That's enough."

Arman's tears flowed more and more, which made Kirana also cry. His love for his father exceeded the pain he felt. That's what makes him not bear if he had to see the father living alone.

Santi, who was sitting on a wheelchair near the stairs, was also unable to contain her sadness. The woman was crying too. Just as the princess felt. His love for the husband is too great and it is impossible for him to see the destruction experienced by a man who has twenty-seven years accompanied the journey of his life.

"I've forgiven you, Pa. If you want to go back, the door of my house and the door of my heart are still wide open for you!"

Santi's words made Arman shocked to death. He turned around and saw the woman who was still his rightful wife smiling at him. Spring, the man rested under Santi's feet.

"Thank me Santi. Forgive me..."

This room was suddenly filled with an atmosphere of incredible novelty. Everything in this room was shedding tears. Tears were happy because in the end, this little family was able to regroup together.

Life is a choice. When a husband cheats, a wife has two choices. Keep continuing the household nudge or ending it. And Santi chose to forgive and continue his life journey with Arman.

.

.

.