Mother To Ananda

CHAPTER 10

     "Well?" Salman asked Retno in a huff, Retno smiled with an adorable Salman reaction in her eyes. Salman puts his curly hair back, completely leaving his job. Salman was leaning on his chair while folding his hands in front of his chest.

     Retno opened the last conversation in her whatsapp app. He moved towards Salman. Salman stared at Retno with a frown as Retno thrust her phone at him. Retno nodded in response, then Salman took Retno's phone, read a lot of chat sent by someone stored under the name Adli. Salman's smile puffed up when he realized the message was not reciprocated by Retno.

     "If you want to smile yes smile, Mas" said Retno who found Salman obliterated the smile on his lips when he realized that Retno looked at Salman with a smile.

     "Who is smiling? I'm not jealous."

     "Yes I know, I'm not it, You answer yourself that you're not jealous." Retno chuckles to find Salman misbehaving. He sat down on the sofa again. His eyes could not be separated from the man in front of him who had managed to steal his heart in that short time.

     "Adli was the first person I trusted to know my condition Mas," Retno smiled towards Salman. He breathed a heavy sigh before continuing the story that he did not want to remember. "But Adli was also the first to say that I was crazy."

     Salman immediately went to the sofa to sit next to Retno, when he realized that Retno was fidgeting her fingers. "Not to be told, I'm okay."

     Retno shook her head, showing that He was okay. Salman took Retno's left hand for her to hold, intended to give her strength, and avoid Retno injuring herself like the other day.

     "She was terrified of writhing Me, Mas," Retno rubbed her cheeks violently as she felt her tears well up.

     "He squirms I'm rich in squirming I'm a germ that must be cleaned immediately. She mutusin Me right then and there," Retno smiled cynically remembering how Adli was so disgusted to see her. Someone He wanted to make a backrest even saw it so contemptuously. Salman embraces Retno's shoulder bracing, his right hand rubbing Retno's cheek gently. Salman could not imagine how difficult Retno was going through those times. Salman kissed Retno's head, inhaled the fragrance from Retno's shoulder-length hair, He loved this woman more and more, this strong woman who was able to get through her own problems. For now, maybe Retno just needs him to accompany her to see the recovery of the anxiety disorder that Retno experienced.

     Retno, who was jolted because of Salman's treatment with a beard was shocked, he slightly distanced his body to look into Salman's eyes. When he did not find

what He thought was in Salman's eyes, he immediately smiled broadly.

     "Thank you, Ma'am" Retno said so sincerely. The clueless Salman simply blinked his eyes.

     "You will remove my doubts once more." Retno stroked Salman's cheek gently, He was happy, Retno did not find a look of pity in Salman's eyes. He hates so much, if one looks at him with pity. In fact, what He found was the look of the eyes of admiration from the eyes of the lover. Can he geer for now?

     "Why are you smiling?" The astonished Salman even smiled, although he did not know the reason why Retno smiled. The important reason he smiled was because he saw Retno smiling. He is happy, simple as that.

     "You know, Adli was also the cause of that time I doubted you." The statement immediately made Salman release his embrace on Retno's shoulder. He looked at Retno in disbelief.

      "You still love your ex?"

     "No!" Retno published both of her eyeballs, the reaction she gave to Salman's far-fetched question. Salman silently curled a triumphant smile on his lips. Proud of his incredible charm. (Wuek) 👅

      "I doubt you, for fear that you will run away to see I'm crazy," Retno chuckled to see Salman shook his head firmly, not accepting with his words. "But I have accepted you, Mas. Then I believe in you."

     "If you may know, since when have you been rich in gini?" Salman looked at Retno's bead deeply, as if diving into a bead as black as that night. It's time He found out how the beginning of this anxiety disorder Retno experienced. However, little by little Salman can guess.

Retno glared, trying to remember. "Since I was second grade High School," Retno let out a longer sigh, her eyes blinked a few times, a sad smile etched vividly on her thin lips.

     "Dad, the first man I ever loved, was friendly, warm, strong, smart, decisive." Salman smiled at how Retno admired him.

     "You have a sister?"

     Retno nodded in response. "Five years older than me."

     Salman smiled, rubbing the top of Retno's head. He told Retno to continue her story. Salman again put the puzzle together in his mind, the parts that were originally vague, seemed to be getting clearer one by one.

     "Dad is more affectionate Sister Anti, She pinter, obedient, meek, very different anyway with me. Until," Retno took a drink at the table in front of her, spending one glass of water until only a quarter was left. He felt his throat very dry now. He will, however, soon, for the first time, open up the disgrace of the family that his Father said He should keep close. Activities that never escape the observation of Salman. Retno's hand that shook when taking a glass, did not escape the observation of Salman.

     "When the third grade of High School, Ms. Anti was caught pregnant out of wedlock with her boyfriend who was also one class. Father's world seemed to collapse, the child He had always been proud of in front of his brothers and friends, betrayed his trust." Salman removed the clear liquid coming out of Retno's eye. Retno sighed many times to stop her crying that was about to explode. Salman patiently waited for Retno to continue the story, He was sure if Retno shared the burden that he had been alone, would be able to reduce a little anxiety disorder. He just needs to be patient, without pushy, without trying to stop.

     "Dad changed. Dad was a pendiem. I became overprotective. Dad became a cold figure who did not want to be denied. I no longer want to hear the opinions of others. Dad..." Retno decapitated her sentence, She felt her chest throbbing in pain considering how her father's figure had turned into the cold figure it was now.

     "Father start nentuin I have to enter SMP and SMA where. Nentuin I have to go into what major. Surein if I have to be a Doctor like Mbak Anti's ideals." Retno smiled miris.

     "I who was always the shadow of Mbak Anti, in one blink of an eye must be the cloning of Mbak Anti who was forced exactly how. I'm not as smart as Mbak Anti should be a smart man no matter what. I had to bury my fondness for art, which Dad disliked for wasting time. I had to give up my school days to play with my peers, because Dad said useless. I must always learn without knowing time." Retno could no longer hold back her crying. He cupped his face with both hands. Salman stroked the tip of Retno's head patiently. Waiting for Retno to calm down again until ten minutes passed, Retno again lowered her hands and tried to ease her cries.

     "But, I'm happy, in this way I can be a proud son of Dad, I can make Dad smile proud because I found again the figure of the child He wants. I don't want to upset Dad for making me the Anti Ma'am figure you like."

     "It must be heavy for you."

     Retno forced her smile. "It was originally, but I got used to it. Perhaps due to that over-stress as well, my anxiety disorder slowly appeared."

     "Sorry dear, but, why are you now able to become a teacher instead of a doctor like your Father wants you to be?"

     "I'm a dissident," Retno chuckled lightly, "because I've grown up many times yes, so I've dared to make decisions as I wish. I've begun to dare to express my own opinions and desires."

    "Your father?"

     "Anged for sure, but little by little I received even though many jokes and sneers that I often say. Pay a little, no future, do not use intelligence. Smart people have to."

     "Is that also your decision, to choose to stay alone?" ask Salman carefully.

     Retno nodded confirming, "I don't want my relationship with my father to be more tenuous, so I'd better stay alone." Retno smiled bitterly, "every day we fight."

Retno smiled at Salman, feeling grateful for wanting to hear her boring life story. "But, thank you, I'm so relieved after suffering this to you.

     "You should know that by now I'll be the number one supporter of whatever your decision is as long as it's good, and will be the most loyal listener whatever story you're going to tell," salman said sincerely to make Retno smile perfectly.

     How is this man in front of him so charming and makes Retno's heart full that it feels like he wants to explode?

     Maybe after this Retno will justify the words of his father who is often said, that Retno is a careless child because it always prioritizes emotions rather than brain calculations. Evidently, because now Retno is advancing and kissing Salman's lips even though only a glance.