Lovely Love

A Piece of Love for You

All eyewitnesses thought the driver was driving in a drowsy, drunk car. No one knew the accident happened because Bradley wanted to see his wife immediately, because of the roar of his love.

Bradley ordered the driver to flee the car as quickly as possible. In a corner the car turns too sharply so it gets out of control and hits a roadblock tree. The driver died on the spot. And that omission is what ended Bradley's deal with life.

In vain officers fought hard to get his body out of the car. It was in vain that an ambulance drove him lightning-fast to the hospital. He exhaled his last breath just as he entered the hospital courtyard.

Mami Bradley who was waiting in agitation collapsed when she saw the doctor shaking grimly after attaching the head of the stethoscope to her chest. His son is gone!

"He's lost too much blood" the doctor said. "I'm sorry for us."

"Mas!" Nadine screamed as she smashed into her husband's still warm body.

Papi Bradley was glued to his feet. His body feels weak. His bones seemed to be blurting. His beloved son is gone! Go ahead of them!

"I'm sorry, Mom!" nadine cried out. "I'm sorry about your wife! I'm wrong! Selfish!"

A few hours ago they were talking on the phone! A few hours ago they shared a longing! That conversation was the last conversation! That longing is the last longing!

***

Sobs dyed the quiet burial ground as Bradley's body was slowly lowered into a pit. Praise sung by a group of santri adds to the sorrow of the atmosphere. Deeply slicing hearts.

Bradley's mother's cries grew so much that a lump of dirt began to separate her gaze from the body of her son. Her husband hugged her tightly as if to give her a fuss while watching the shovel after shovel of earth thrown into the grave.

Across there, Nadine was unrelentingly mourning the departure of her husband. Deep regret swept across his dark face. The black dress she wore.

She had not given much to her husband. In their four-year marriage, she almost never played a good wife. Who fulfills the obligation without coercion. Who serve the husband wholeheartedly.

From the outside of the household they appear harmonious, harmonious, in step. But it's all because Bradley's good at theatrics!

He kept the meetings of household turmoil so as not to arouse suspicion of his parents. He silenced their questions with good news. His home life is so bad!

For years she hoped to taste happiness in a household. All affection was given to obtain a piece of love from his wife. And when Nadine was willing to give it up, it was the last time of her life! Oh, if only he knew that night's talk was an invitation to death!

"Here you go, ma'am" whispered a young woman standing beside him. "Save Daddy away. Let me rest in peace."

"Good way, Mas" said Nadine.

Her tears began to harden again as she sprinkled the white orchid onto the red mound of earth before her. That's the love that's buried down there.

Nadine did not refuse when her personal secretary helped her step up. He organizes the funeral, from the departure to the final resting place.

Nadine remained silent as a man offered condolences. He only raised his head slightly when he recognized his voice. He had no desire to speak to Gerdy though!

Right now all he had in mind was Bradley. Her husband was lying alone back there. A man who asks a little but gives so much!

Gerdy deliberately took the time to come to mourn even though he had not recovered properly.

Bradley once razed the skies of his life, robbing him of his dreams, but he also built the rubble of the hopes of the woman he loved.

He was able to offer a cup of wine of happiness that he could not serve. He is able to create all the dreams that fly in the clouds. Gerdy never intended to betray him!

"Sister's face is very pale" said Prilly who came to attend the funeral with Mami. "Sister's driving over at my house. Back and forth to Bandung was exhausting."

"I want to forget the past" said Gerdy. "Too bitter to repeat."

"When I stop by."

"Not all the past has to be discarded. Mami and I always thought that my sister was part of my family. I saw you coming with Katrin. He said you guys live together, why don't you be husband and wife?"

"You've forgiven Katrin?"

"We've reunited as a family."

"I guess that's what Katrin needs so she's finally willing to be my wife. He knows he'll never be recognized as a son-in-law, he needs the strength to travel the household ark with at least being recognized as part of your family."

"So all this time Katrin refused to be sister's wife?"

"Because he knows the challenges ahead are very tough."

"Now that challenge is partly gone."

Gerdy admits that what Prilly said is true. Their family problems are resolved. She sees Mami and Katrin getting along and comforting poor Nadine together.

The woman did not seem to be going home soon. She was still standing outside the car staring at her husband's already quiet grave.

"You go home first" Nadine muttered almost inaudibly. His eyes glared at the red earth mound in the distance. "I still want to be here."

"Your husband's departure is destiny" Katrin gently persuaded. "When do you want to stand here? Until God reawakens your husband?"

"I feel so guilty about my husband."

"I feel so guilty for you too. All these years I've been pursued with guilt, and I'm so happy to know you've forgiven me. So did Bradley. I'm pretty sure he forgave all your mistakes. She's sad that you didn't let her go."

"That tragedy wasn't your fault, Bradley knew it, '" Mami said. "If in the household many errs, he must be well aware, for women are made of the ribs of men, and no ribs are straight."

"I want you to stay at my house, to be with me" Nadine said. With a heavy heart he got into the car. Before closing the door, he looked at his brother. "Friends of your life too."

"You mean...Gerdy?" katrin's face was choked.

"Who else? I know you refuse to be his wife because of me. Since childhood you gave up on your sister. Now is the time to sacrifice for you. My love for her is only the past. What was left in my heart right now was a piece of love for my husband who was lying alone."

Katrin did not know if her heart was happy to hear that. A kind of raging feeling made his mind stifle.

Bradley's death has devastated his brother's feelings. Nadine's life is now pitch black, and Katrin knows who could be the lantern to light her up.

Gerdy's love for him is only a laceration of the past. When the past comes back with its radiance, it will not be able to withstand its glare.

And above all, Katrin felt herself too dirty to be loved. His sins are too great to forgive. He was happy that his family would accept his presence again, but not enough to erase his regret.

His last sacrifice was to lift Nadine out of her slump. And there's only one way, Katrin's gone from her sister's past life.

The past will sparkle again with Bradley's departure. Katrin is sure of that and time will prove it.

When Katrin was found dead in bed the next morning, her family thought she had a heart attack.

They had no idea that her nervousness had made Katrin lose control of taking sleeping pills beyond dosage.

They never knew how much they loved their sisters.