Lovely Love

Oath of War

The opportunity arises when Abi calls her home. It is not usual that he gathers all the family members. There must be an important issue to be addressed. 

The presence of Karlina and her parents made Gerdy a little tense. He had already decided to admit frankly in case the girl leaked about her secret marriage.

Gerdy won't expose Karlina's disgrace with that video of the shawl. He felt quite his name was ruined. He did not want many names to collide which eventually led to grudges. His life is getting harder.

They waited for his presence. Gerdy sat down quietly. Seeing the face of his parents so clear, it seemed not to talk about the matter. They do not know the disgrace that befell this house.

"Abi and Umi want to go to the Holy Land" his father said. "First plotter."

Gerdy was silent for a moment. Sacred Land? Where do people worship? Unleash all identity to unite to worship the Divine?

"When did it go?" ask Gerdy.

"Next week" Abi said, taking some keys out of the briefcase and putting them on the table. "Keep well. As the firstborn, you're responsible as long as Abi isn't around."

Gerdy looked at his father in confusion. "What's this key?"

"Strank lock. The whole family's treasure is stored there."

"Pig." Unaware Gerdy was holding his arm. "Abi has no intention of staying in the Holy Land, right?"

His father smiled faintly. "Of course not."

"What did this key do?"

Abi looked at his son for a moment. Such dim eyes roused another feeling in Gerdy's heart.

"Just in case," whispered Abi heavily. "If anything happens to Abi and Umi, to the treasure justly."

"Pig!" Gerdy can't hold back his feelings anymore. He hugged his father as if he was going to be separated forever. "I wish Abi and Umi well."

"We can only hope, my son," Abi said in a trembling voice. "Only God knows what will happen."

Those words left Gerdy stunned. What if God wants something else? Not just calling them to the Holy Land? Calling him also to the afterlife? That means the door of forgiveness is closed forever. He could only rest in the tower of sin without a word from his mother's father.

But if he were to recount this disgrace right now, they would definitely cancel his departure. He doesn't want that to happen.

"Pak Lurah will help all matters concerning the needs of our family" Abi said. "Your future wife will take care of all the kitchen needs. So he's going back and forth to this house a lot."

Their departure to the Holy Land coincided with the execution of the semester examinations. So Gerdy needs help to manage the plantation and household needs.

"You just calm down to face the semester exam," said Umi. "Don't think about the work at home. You must graduate on time because Umi won't delay your marriage."

Gerdy and Karlina glanced at each other with eyes that only the two of them knew the meaning.

Gerdy looked at his mother. "Wouldn't you wait for Karlina to finish college? She's too young to get married after high school."

"Umi wants you to take Karlina to S2 school in the Netherland later, all cooking school there. Umi is worried that if you live alone, you will fall into a free life. The Netherlands is a very free country. Umi's been there. Rotterdam is a romantic city. Well, you guys can have a honeymoon there."

"This umi..," said her husband smiling. "We'll soon be going to the Holy Land, even talking honeymoon."

"What's wrong with talking about our son's honeymoon?" Umi Balik. "They're getting married soon. Abi better recommend romantic cities in Europe where our honeymoon used to be."

"Went to the same city anyway, Umi?" groggy. "The honeymoon of Abi and Umi has been a long time, has emerged exciting new cities for tourist destinations."

"Age may change but favorite destinations for honeymoon do not change; Paris, Barcelona, Venice, Cornwall."

"That's where your honeymoon used to be" Abi said. "They both have different destinations. It's their business later. Let's just get the money ready. Tonight we will discuss our preparations for the Holy Land. Oh yes, Mr Lurah, is there anything to say?"

"Enough," said Mr. Lurah short.

Mr. Lurah smiled warmly. "It's okay, sir. We are partners working in the village. We should have helped each other. Especially if we are soon to be besan. If I have a rush to the city or district, I will leave the responsibility to control the business of the Father and the needs of the ratiban to Pak Sekel."

Sekel was the secretary of the village, the second person in the local government.

"Well, right," said Umi. "I've spoken to Ms. Sekel and she doesn't mind helping to take care of the kitchen needs during the ratiban."

"Good then" commented Mr. Lurah. "The ratiban's way is seven days, isn't it, sir?"

"I leave all that to Mr. Lurah. I've prepared the cost in anticipation of the citizens who come."

"Citizens must be booming, sir. Father of prominent figures in our village. Ratiban I think can get to the road, maybe my path is closed during the ratiban lasted."

"Please arrange that problem. I guess the ratiban later should not interfere with the comfort of people in driving on the highway."

"Of course not, sir. The road is empty when Isya is near. After all, had anyone driven, they would have stopped to follow the lamentation."

The ratiban event is a series of remembrance and prayer activities for the safety of pilgrims during the Hajj pilgrimage in two holy cities, Mecca and Medina.

In this village usually if the characters hold a ceremony assyakuran residents flock to come. If the commoners, at least a few dozen are present, it includes the Ijo flies.

There is an impression they came not because sincere, but because of the contents of the glass.

"At first I was surprised to be called Abi" Gerdy said during a dinner with Karlina at a cafe in the satellite city. "I don't think I want to talk about this."

"I know you must think I've complained" said Karlina coldly. "I swear my brain is still sane."

"I just hope you report" said Gerdy. "I'm ready to take all the risks. I won't reveal the video of the sham. My name is drowning."

"Then delete the video footage."

"For reassurance that your boyfriend isn't running away from responsibility."

"Don't you see our parents' familiarity? I don't dare imagine that we failed to get married."

"I can't possibly part with Nadine."

"I didn't ask you to part with your wife."

Gerdy looked in shock. "You mean we're getting married without me divorcing Nadine?"

"For men there are rights, right?"

"What about Robby? You don't love her anymore?"

"I have more doubts today."

"You want us to marry without love? Are you happy to live in such a household?"

"Over this time we've been in a relationship without love."

"I'm so sorry for everything we've been through. I wish I were a good memory for old age. I don't want to torture my wife. My life will be ruined."

"Our lives are ruined."

"Then we fix it so that our lives don't stay in rubble."

Gerdy knows why Karlina is willing to be a second wife. He does not expect love from her. He just wants to have his body to meet the inner needs.

Something impossible happened. Her parents must have given her an ultimatum to vote, and she already knew who was eliminated.