My Bow to the Destiny of Love

Father's Tomb

Ghibran watched Chayra who was sitting pensively staring at the tomb in front of him. The more he noticed, the greater the love in his heart for the woman.

There was a haru smile arising from his lips when he saw Chayra who was seen trying to look tough and hold back tears.

After reading the closing do'a, Mr. Ismail invited his nephew to return home. Seeing no reaction from Chayra, Mr. Ismali approached while rubbing Chayra's head.

"We're home, son. Next time we come again to see your Father."

Chayra looked up at Mr. Ismail who was standing to his left. "Just a minute, Abah. Ayra wants to say something to you."

Mr. Ismail smiled blandly. "Yes already, son, then. Abah wants to go to Datok Tomb first. Come on, Ghibran, let Ayra stay here for a second."

"No, Abah. Ghibran also wants to tell you something."

Mr. Akmal knitted his brows. However, he eventually nodded and walked away from Chayra and Ghibran. Walk towards the Tomb that became the main Tomb in the cemetery area.

After the departure of Mr. Ismail, Ghibran and Chayra just silently looked at the Tomb in front of him. Both of them seemed reluctant to start talking.

The ghibran finally took a deep breath. "Assalamualaikum, Father." Said suddenly.

Chayra immediately looked at the man beside her in surprise.

Ghibran smiled looking at Chayra's gaze. "Father, forgive Ghibran for coming to visit you. Hopefully, Allah SWT put the Father in the most beautiful place by His side." The ghibran took a breath.

"I'm sorry Ayra too, Father. Ayra rarely visits my father. Supposedly, Ayra comes every day to visit Father." Tears began to flow down Chayra's cheeks. "I'm sorry Ayra because Ayra can't be your best son."

The ghibran smiled blandly at Chayra. "Father, Ghibran loves Chayra Azzahra, his daughter Father. Ghibran wants your blessing from Father. Ghibran will marry Father's daughter. Ghibran hopes, with the presence of Ghibran in Zahra's life. A ghibran can be a man who can protect him. A man who can wipe away his tears of sorrow. The man in whose place he rests in both joy and sorrow."

Chayra smiled at Ghibran. "May God accept our plan. Take a quiet break. Ayra pamit, sir. Ayra also wants to go home to visit Mom. God willing, if Ayra has returned to this Pesantren, Ayra will come to visit the Father again."

Chayra got up after finishing her sentence. He turned his head towards the main tomb that Mr. Ismail was visiting. However, he gasped in shock when he found Mr. Ismail was already standing behind him. "Eh, Abah is here. Ayra just wanted to come to Abah."

Mr. Ismail smiled. "You done, son?"

"Yes, are we going home, Abah?"

"Wait for Ghibran first. You're the one who took him, when you're gonna leave him now?"

Chayra smiled grimacingly. "Not intending to be like that either, Abah.."

Ghibran looked up at the two people in front of him. "Is it finished?"

"We are waiting for Ghibran Abdullah to finish confiding in his future father-in-law."

"Huh? Really so. Sorry to keep you waiting." Ghibran rose, rubbing his neck misbehaved.

"If you're halal, you can come here every morning hand in hand."

"Aamiin.." Ghibran and Chayra spoke simultaneously.

They looked at each other in shock at the cohesiveness that happened unplanned. Smile after a few moments of looking at each other.

"May God make our way easier." Ghibran.

"Aamiin.." it was Mr. Ismail's turn to say.

After exiting the cemetery, Mr. Ismail invited Ghibran and Chayra to sit in a small garden near the Tomb.

"You got a schedule on campus, Ghi?"

"There, Abah. But, the schedule will be after the completion of Zuhr prayer."

"If you are, Ayra?" Mr. Ismail turned to look at Chayra.

"Same as Ghibran's brother, Abah. The lecturer is him."

"Oh, that's the story. You're not gerogi, Ghi, teach your future wife?"

"Initially gerogi. But, now I can tell the difference, where I have to keep my attitude and where I have to look at her as the woman I love."

"But Abah saw that your eyes couldn't look at Ayra as an ordinary woman or a student. You always look shy when you look at my daughter." Mr. Ismail patted Chayra's shoulder.

"Yes, his name is us humans, Abah. Love grows in our hearts. There's always a sense of vibration when looking at the woman we love."

"Your answer sounds very wise, son. It fits in so Father like this." Mr. Ismail moved to pat Ghibran on the shoulder.

"You don't want to talk about something for a second? Let Abah accompany here."

Chayra and Ghibran glanced at each other. Chayra looked down as Ghibran's eyes pierced into his eyes. "We'll just go home, Abah. Ayra does not want to be interrogated with Ummi later if it is too late to go home."

"No way, son. You're with Abah too."

"Eh, yes. How I almost forgot.."

"Then we go back now." Mr. Ismail is leading the line.

Just a few steps, he stopped and told the Ghibran to walk ahead. He walked at the back and Chayra in the middle.

* * *

That afternoon, on his return from the campus, Chayra sat pensively by the fish pond. The time that had indicated five o'clock in the afternoon, did not make him intend to reenter the house.

Saras and Tania who accompanied him occasionally looked at each other because of astonishment to see this one friend. It was daydreaming, but it smiled a few times while biting its lower lip.

The drying of his phone made him a little surprised and ended the imagination that was filling his brain.

"Assalamualaikum, ma'am." Chayra placed her index finger in front of her lips. Hinted at Saras and Tania not to be noisy. Saras and Tania never made a sound.

Saras and Tania shrugged each other's shoulders. Increasingly do not understand the attitude of Chayra who looks too happy.

"............."

"God willing, the day after tomorrow, Mom. Ayra will go home alone because Abah and Ummi are very busy here."

"What do you want to go home for, son? You haven't had the day off."

"There's something really urgent that Ayra can't get across on the phone, Mom."

Miss Santi breathed out violently. This daughter, if she wants, is very difficult to resist.

"Are you sure, son, you want to go home by yourself? Don't you want to wait until Abah and Ummi you can drive you home?

"No, Ma. Ayra is big now. Must be able to take care of yourself. It's not good to depend on others."

"But you have to be careful, son. I'm just worried."

"Yes, Mom. God willing, Ayra can take care of herself."

"..........."

"Yes, Mom. Assalamualaikum.." Chayra put her phone back in her bag. Staring at Saras and Tania who were still confused to see his attitude.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

Tania gawking. "We're just confused to see you, Ayra. Just been busy by myself. Not caring about our existence. We really, feel like a statue that is decorating the happiness of a Chayra Azzahra."

"Do we know what makes a Chayra Azzahra look so happy this afternoon?" Saras cupped Chayra's cheek.

Chayra knitted her brows in wonder. "My feelings are ordinary. You see it from which point of view, so ask it like that?"

"Seeing from any point of view, one can already guess that you are indeed happy, Ayra." Tania again gawked.

"Is that right?" Chayra smiled as she fumbled her cheeks.

"Yeah, your cheeks are on all red blushing events." Tania poked her lips. "What happened to you, Ayra?"

"Me? Bi khair, Alhamdulillah.."

"Fuhh, you two why the hell? You're Tania too, why intimidate Ayra. I think people are envious of seeing happy people."

"O Allah, Saras. Why is your mouth so bad, anyway? I do, just want to know and feel the happiness that Ayra is feeling."

"You sure you are, Nia?" Saras stared into Tania's bead of eyes. As if not willing to lose, Tania glared at Saras.

"Why are you? Yes, I'm happy because..." Chayra stopped her words.

Saras and Tania turned to look at Chayra. "Because of what, Ayra?" Ask both of them simultaneously.

"Say, Ayra. Don't make us die of curiosity." Tania pulled Chayra's hand to face her.

"Because..." Chayra looked at her two friends doubtfully.

"What..?"

"Sir Ghibran will propose to me."

"What...???"

* * *