Mahabbah Love Khalisa

172

The view of the rice fields with yellowing began to welcome Khalisa and Azfan in Mama Khalisa's hometown. In addition to rice, there are peppers, corn, cucumbers and long beans that have just flowered.

As a child Khalisa remembered the rice fields were much wider. Now part of that area has been turned into housing. If they look to the north then they can see the view of Mount Raung which stands solidly dark gray.

Khalisa once told Azfan about this place when they were on their way to Bantul first. Because Khalisa's grandparents had moved to Ica and Daniel's house, their home in the foothills was long abandoned. But Khalisa has promised to bring Azfan here.

"Let's get down." Azfan stopped his car and took Khalisa down to breathe fresh rice air.

Khalisa turned around to see Azka sleeping on the carseat and Zunaira beside him. Previously Zunaira was so eager to join but after until he fell asleep.

They tread carefully in the rice fields to feel the breeze and the chirping of birds that fly once they alight on the leaves of rice. When the owner cheered, the birds flew back.

"Mom, do you want to harvest?" Khalisa greeted a middle-aged woman who was holding wood with the ends plasticized to repel the birds.

"Yes, are you Khalisa?" The mother narrowed her eyes in order to see the figure that greeted her more clearly.

"Well, do you remember?" Khalisa stepped into a bamboo hut located on the edge of the rice field.

"Certainly remember, you're Mr. Yusuf's grandson Ica's son."

Khalisa reached out to shake hands with the mother. Azfan smiled, no wonder Khalisa easily opened a chat with others. Azfan was happy to see back Khalisa's smile after days of his wife just crying and keeping quiet.

"True ma'am, I'm going to Grandpa's house but stop by here for a minute."

"That's who?" I pointed to Azfan who was standing not far behind Khalisa.

"Oh, that's my husband."

"Well are you married?"

"Yes Mom, my first child is three years old, the second is still here." Khalisa rubbed his stomach, as he wore the wide robe of his distended stomach invisible.

"God, long time no news of you apparently already want to have two children."

Azfan greeted the mother who was sitting in the hut.

"Now the people of the city are indeed many who play into the rice fields, he said bored the same view of tall buildings, that they are also far from Jogja just want a photo of the rice fields." He pointed to the two people he had seen from earlier moving from one rice field to another. They never seem satisfied taking pictures with various poses.

Khalisa laughed and looked at the two men and women who were busy taking pictures, indeed who wanted to travel long distances just to take pictures in the middle of the rice field. Is not in Yogyakarta also a lot of rice fields scenery that is no less good.

"Well, isn't that Jason ya Bi?" After seeing her for longer, Khalisa realized that the person who was taking the picture was Jason dan-

"And temen Umma?" Azfan doesn't really remember the woman who was with Jason because Khalisa's friends are so many.

"Clarin?" Khalisa left the hut after saying goodbye to the mother. He stepped closer to make sure that they were Jason and Clarin. Khalisa doesn't know that they know each other.

"Clarin, is this you?" Khalisa was surprised, it was really Clarin. He didn't think they could meet here. After graduation Khalisa never heard from his friends including Clarin.

"Loh Khalisa." Clarin was no less surprised to see Khalisa. "Cock you here?"

"You forgot, this is my hometown, I should ask why you're here - and Jason?"

Jason and Clarin looked at each other and smiled meaningfully. Clarin wore a white dress with a brown belt while Jason wore brown knee-length pants combined with a short-sleeved white shirt.

"You're like someone else prewedding."

Clarin laughed, because he and Jason were wearing the same color of clothes, so there was nothing to hide. Not only that, the hair color of both is also the same, namely light gray and blue. Clarin and Jason came here to take prewedding photos.

"Isn't it?" Khalisa turned his back in disbelief, "can you?"

Clarin invites Khalisa to sit in one of the empty huts on the edge of the rice field while Jason takes care of his photography equipment. They do not use the services of photographers, although a bit complicated but they enjoy this process.

Clarin told me that he and Jason had accidentally met at a photography event in Jakarta. Jason was at the event. Clarin was impressed by one of the photos of buffalo wallowing in the mud under an acacia tree. The sunlight that pierced the acacia tree looked very beautiful.

"Who's the photographer?"

"I."

Clarin gasped as someone suddenly looked behind him, a pale-white man in front of him.

"Jason." Jason reached out a hand that Clarin inevitably greeted. "That's a photo of a wild buffalo in Baluran National Park."

"So that's why you guys took her prewedding photos in Banyuwangi?" Khalisa responds to Clarin's story. He really did not expect that Jason would marry Clarin. Both are people he knows. Just like Huma who suddenly married Hamiz. Their love story is full of surprises. Khalisa believes a person whose heart is broken by feelings will eventually find a mooring of love. The Lord prepared a wonderful gift for those who would be patient through the test.

"Some of it, besides, there's a lot of good places here." Clarin throws a gaze at Jason who is putting a camera into the car assisted by Azfan. "We have made a list of places to visit, do you have any recommendations?"

"Let me see your list."

Clarin gives Khalisa his phone where he has written a list of places to visit with Jason. They both like to travel, that's why rather than just a vacation then all the prewedding photos.

"All the good places are here." Khalisa said after seeing the list.

"Oh yeah, sure there's no more?"

"If I say Bomo beach will be considered promotion again." Canda Khalisa because he did not see Bomo beach in the list that Clarin wrote.

Clarin laughed, "if there's a time I'll definitely be there, she said the sunset there was so pretty."

"Honestly yes."

"So I can't wait to go to all these places." Clarin tapped on his phone screen.

Azfan looked in the same direction as Jason, only his gaze focused on Khalisa who was busy chatting with Clarin.

"Finally you find someone who can make you fall in love." Azfan Murmuring.

Jason chuckled, "maybe because they look like L—eh but that doesn't mean I can't move on from Rindang but it just so happens that they look alike."

"I know." Azfan patted Jason on the shoulder.

Jason had felt a tremendous heartbreak when Rindang suddenly broke it when their relationship was fine. Jason grew desperate after knowing Rindang would convert.

At that time Jason was so eager to be with Rindang back, finally he decided to shahada. But it was contrary to his heart. Jason couldn't force himself— sacrificed his trust to get Rindang back.

Jason's hopes were dashed when Levin told him he was getting married to Rindang. He closed his heart for a long time until fate brought him to Clarin. Jason—'s dream lover - someone who can go to worship in the same place in a similar way. Jason did not want to waste any more time, this time he wanted to have a serious relationship.

They put photographic equipment in Jason's car and followed Clarin in Khalisa to a hut on the edge of the rice field.

"It's a good thing that Azfan helped." Jason sat next to Clarin while Azfan sat next to Khalisa.

For a moment they fell silent to enjoy the view of the expanse of rice fields before them. This kind of atmosphere could really be the medicine of the world frenzy.

"Where are you going?" Khalisa broke the silence between them.

"You need to rest at the hotel tomorrow and go to Baluran, I want to go to the place in the photo." Answer Clarin.

Jason looked at Clarin in disbelief, as his girlfriend still remembered the place where they knew each other.

"You want a picture of a buffalo?" Jason responded.

"Maybe?" Clarin looked at Jason.

"That should not be a danger, usually visitors should not enter the savanna area." Khalisa.

"Well, he can't believe I said it." Jason elbowed Clarin, he had said something similar to Clarin before.

"If Khalisa says I believe."

"My face is a liar's face?" Jason pointed at his own face which made Khalisa and Clarin laugh, while Azfan only smiled - he rarely laughed off let alone in public. Azfan can laugh if only alone with Khalisa-si shy pure.

"No, I mean Khalisa is a Banyuwangi."

Jason pretended to put on an annoyed face because Clarin didn't believe him.

"Circe!"

Their attention was shifted when they heard the sound of screaming from the direction of Khalisa's car. Zunaira waved at Khalisa.

"Ce, Azka wake up!"

Khalisa immediately went from there to hear Zunaira's call, he opened the car door and found Azka was awake. Khalisa took off the belt on the carseat and carried Azka.

"Azka nyariin Umma huh?"

Azka clung to her Umma without answering as she was still not fully conscious. Azka closed her eyes again in Khalisa's sling.

"Thank you, Ai Unai, take care of Azka." Khalisa said to Zunaira who also got out of the car.

Khalisa takes Azka to the hut to greet Clarin and Jason as well as Zunaira who follows his Cece.

"Oh my goodness, Azka!" Clarin mentowel Azka chubby cheeks that appear reddish when exposed to sunlight.

"Udah gede dong Aunty, eat a lot now." Khalisa peeked at Azka who started to raise her head and look at the surrounding scenery.

"Baby's Carry." Azka pointed at Azfan.

"This is Abi's carrying." Azfan took Azka from Khalisa's sling.

"What if we eat together, I bring a lot of food in the car, you guys haven't eaten yet, right?" Khalisa remembered his grandmother had brought him a lot of food before they left. Khalisa did plan to eat on the edge of the rice field since from home. Khalisa did not know whether this cravings symptoms or not, he had never wanted anything strange even while pregnant Azka.

"Jason and I haven't eaten yet, I skipped breakfast to look slim on camera."

Khalisa took food in the car with the help of Clarin and Zunaira who always wanted to take part in adult affairs. Since Khalisa went to college, Zunaira has loved helping her mom do homework.

"Thank you dear." Khalisa said to Zunaira who helped him bring mineral water.

Khalisa opened the food box he brought from home. His grandmother cooked corn rice, asem vegetables, fried fish, tofu and tempeh, cucumber and basil lalapan complete with sambal terasi. No one can resist the pleasure of a combination of asemi with a terasi sambal.

"Well, look at it." Clarin can't wait to eat them all and Jason.

Because since Khalisa's pregnancy has a good appetite, his grandmother brought him enough food for him and Azfan.

"This is Abi's sambal." Khalisa opened another sambal container for Azfan.

"Make a husband different?"

"Not that, Mas Azfan can't eat spit."

Clarin was a manggut-mangut, he thought Khalisa made a special sauce for Azfan.

Persawahan and Mount Raung become the perfect scenery to enjoy this simple dish. Plus the breeze that wiggles the rice plants.