Mahabbah Love Khalisa

170

"This is the first time I've been here." Azfan looked at the vast expanse of apple trees before him. Although he had visited Malang several times but Azfan never went to places other than mosques and hotels. Usually after completing the study Azfan will go directly to the airport and go home that day. But because this time Azfan invited Khalisa and Azka, he took the time to come to the apple tree tourism in Batu City.

As Azfan promised Faiz when they met at the Nabawi Mosque, Azfan would attend the study in Malang.

"Then we have to pick up the apple until we are satisfied." Khalisa Kanda.

"Because this is Umma's favorite fruit." Azfan was already holding a basket to hold the apples they picked. "I'll pick up a lot."

Azka ran ahead of Abi and his Umma, staring in awe at the lush fruitful apple trees with few leaves. Azka seemed enthusiastic about exploring the apple orchard because this was her first experience.

"Be careful, baby." Khalisa warned Azka who was quite far ahead there.

Azfan can reach apples easily because most of the trees are not too tall. He picked a ripe apple and put it in a basket.

"Umma want to try?" Azfan gave an apple to Khalisa.

"Later, not washed yet."

"It's okay, it's been washed by rain this morning." Azfan bites him first to convince Khalisa that the apple will be eaten. He had made sure himself from the officer before entering this plantation that the apple is safe to eat directly from the tree. "The water that came down from the sky has washed away all the dirt in this apple."

Khalisa laughed receiving the apple from Azfan, he devoured it with a big bite because since entering this garden area he had wanted to eat it but hesitated.

"The one below can't be taken?" Azka half-cried, about to pick up the apple that fell on the ground.

"Don't baby, that one ain't good."

"But I can't take the one on the tree." Azka stretched out her hand upwards, she was still too small to reach for the apple on the tree.

Azfan smiled at Azka, he put a basket in and carried Azka.

"Try the pecker."

Azka grabbed two apples at once and picked them.

"Well, Umma's son can take it himself." Khalisa clapped for Azka. "You are still carrying Azka."

"Thank you Bi." Azka kissed Abi's cheek.

"Everything dear." Azfan kissed Azka's reddish cheeks several times.

"Umma not kissed?" Khalisa pretended to put on an upset face because Azka only gave Azfan a kiss.

Azfan brought Azka's face closer to Khalisa. Azka kissed Khalisa on both cheeks.

"Azka wants to kiss my sister too." Azka Pinta.

Azfan also lowered Azka from his sling. Azka kissed Khalisa's stomach which began to look distended into the age of 5 months.

"The apple is for one sister." Azka gives one apple to Khalisa, he accidentally takes two for himself and his sister in the stomach. According to Azka if Khalisa eat it then his sister will also eat.

"Thank you Koko." Khalisa ruffled Azka's dense hair with anxiety. Azka looks impatient to meet his sister, he always invites a sister chat in his Umma stomach.

They continued to explore the apple plantation area until the basket was full. Sometimes they take pictures as mementos. Khalisa has a special photo album of the three of them, now he likes to print photos and compose them in the album. Soon they will be the arrival of new members, Khalisa can not wait for the birth of his baby.

They sat in one of the gazebos scattered outside the garden area. Khalisa and Azfan ate the apples they picked while Azka was busy flipping through the storybook on her lap.

"Cock didn't eat the apples?" Azfan asked Azfan, who only bit the apple and returned it to the basket.

"No way." Azka shook her head, she did not really like fruits. However, Khalisa always taught Azka to eat with balanced nutrition even though Khalisa had to outsmart it by forming fruit resembling animals or other things, the important thing is Azka would eat fruit.

"Why?"

"Mr."

Khalisa and Azfan laughed at Azka's reply. Azfan always speaks Indonesian with Azka, while Khalisa occasionally teaches Azka Mandarin. But Azka could still speak Javanese because Safa and Marwah taught her.

"Don't take the ijo, take the slightly red one." Khalisa chose apples for Azka.

"No, no Umma." Azka shook her head strongly, she remained unwilling.

"Yes no, Umma does not mean Azka." Khalisa succumbed not to force Azka to eat apples. They can take him home for souvenirs.

"Make Abi." Azfan took the apple in Khalisa's hand and devoured it.

Khalisa smiled broadly at Azfan eating the medium-sized apple voraciously.

Azfan did not want to make Khalisa sad because Azka refused him so he took the initiative to replace Azka eating the apple even though his stomach was full.

"Sugary."

"Oh yeah?" Khalisa picked the right apple.

"Sweeter Umma anyway."

Khalisa chuckled, it sounded like a high school boy but he was still made to blush. Khalisa lowered his head to hide his reddened face.

******

Khalisa scratches a pencil over a sketchbook, he draws a robe with a ruffle accent on his arm. The gentle breeze that blows with the warm afternoon sun makes Khalisa feel at home here.

Because it was a male-only study, Khalisa waited in the park near the mosque. Azka also joined Azfan but Khalisa did not feel lonely because he could hear the voice of the husband from where he was sitting.

"Thank God! And whosoever is grateful (to Allah), then verily he is grateful unto himself; and whosoever is not grateful (quimphur), then verily Allah is Exalted, Exalted in praise."

"Your Abi voice always makes Umma pound." Khalisa rubbed his stomach, he was not alone. There's a fetus in Khalisa's stomach that's always with him.

Khalisa never felt anything changed after almost 5 years of marriage. His feelings for her are still the same as when he first fell in love with Azfan. His love will never change eaten by time.

Khalisa looked around, the place was getting crowded by evening. Khalisa started to fidget because many people around him.

Khalisa's life is no longer the same after the kidnapping incident, he who initially liked interacting with many new people is now no longer. Khalisa is uncomfortable when in a crowd with strangers, especially men.

Many food vendors around the park are like Puthu Lanang, Malang Meatballs and various types of chips. Khalisa had already spent a packet of potato chips that Azfan bought for him. Azfan was worried that Khalisa was bored while waiting for him so he bought a lot of snacks for his wife.

Khalisa's pregnancy this time is different from the previous two pregnancies. Khalisa always wants to eat at all times, it makes his weight go up 5 kilograms. Khalisa ate whatever was presented before him.

Khalisa was surprised when suddenly there were two men sitting next to him. Khalisa spontaneously shifted his seat to the end and cleaned up the drawing tools that were originally beside him.

"Sorry, you can sit here, because there is no other chair." Said one of the long-haired men.

Khalisa nodded slowly and smiled faintly, he could not resist because this chair was not his. This park is a public place that anyone can come to. Khalisa shook his hand as the man's cigarette smoke was carried by the wind on his face.

Khalisa screeched when the man's arm came into contact with him, he spontaneously got out of the chair.

"It's okay, Ma'am, just sit down." Say that man.

The long-haired man reminded Khalisa of Revan. Their hairstyles are exactly the same. It was impossible for Revan to be alive, Khalisa saw with his own eyes when Revan fired a gun at his head and fell. There's no way Revan's suddenly alive anymore, this isn't a soap opera. Khalisa can't think clearly now.

Khalisa stepped away from there because he started to feel uncomfortable. Khalisa was looking for an empty chair but as far as the eye could see, there were no empty seats for him, everything was filled. Maybe because it's a weekend, the place is crowded with visitors.

Khalisa was furious, wherever he stepped foot he saw a horde of strangers. Khalisa turned his head towards the mosque, hoping Azfan would come to him soon.

Khalisa embraced his sketchbook, like a child separated from his parents and lost. He was sweating coldly looking around him.

"Oh sorry!" A man accidentally bumps into Khalisa until his sketchbook falls.

"It's okay." Khalisa took the book.

"Your books are dirty." The man was about to clean up the dirt stains on Khalisa's book. "What if I replace the new one."

"No need, the shit can be cleaned."

"I'll transfer it for the price of this book."

"No need, thank you." Khalisa was about to leave from there, his book was only hit by a small amount of soil.

"Wait." The man held Khalisa's hand.

Khalisa swerved and immediately shook off the man's hand, "sorry, don't touch me."

"I just want to change your book."

"I said no need." Khalisa's tone is rising.

The man chuckled closer to Khalisa.

Khalisa took a step back, his head was dizzy because of this crowd. Her gaze is twitching. If you remember Khalisa never came out alone after the kidnapping, is this the first time. That's why Khalisa's feeling riled up.

"Aah!" Khalisa squealed loudly when someone pulled his hand. Khalisa almost brushed it off but after finding out that it was Azfan, he let out a sigh of relief. "Pig."

"What's wrong?" Azfan looked at the man near Khalisa.

"It's okay, let's go." Take Khalisa, he doesn't want to be here much longer. "Where's Azka Bi?"

"There's a car with Mas Faiz, Umma why?"

Khalisa rubbed his wet cheek, unconsciously it turns out he was crying when the foreign man held his hand. Khalisa was still traumatized by the incident, he became more sensitive.

"Umma don't be afraid, there's me." Azfan pulled Khalisa into his arms, he knew Khalisa was scared when he was in the crowd. "Sorry Umma."

Khalisa buried his face in Azfan's chest, his body trembling with fear. But he was relieved that Azfan had come.

Azfan will always be the protector of Khalisa, from the first time they met until now and in the future.

When they first met, Azfan helped Khalisa dry his sketchbook that was hit by the drink. Then Azfan came when Khalisa and Rindang met the man who abused Rindang. Azfan was the first to come when Revan abused Khalisa in the basement of Casey Avenue.

From the past until now Azfan has always been the first person to come when Khalisa needs him.

"Titip Khalisa yes, he lives alone here."

Azfan still remembers what Renata said at that time, without Renata asking for it he would always protect Khalisa. Azfan will risk anything for Khalisa—the woman who made him fall in love, the woman who has struggled to give birth to her child. Azfan will use his entire life for Khalisa.