My Choice of Woman

Episode 22

“Mbak Farah don't feel disgusted with me?” ask Rahma.

The question surprised Farah.

Why should Rahma submit this statement?

“Means?”

“I'm pregnant without any marriage, I'm a bad woman Ma'am, I'm an adulteress!” rahma replied crying.

Farah felt sorry for what Rahma said.

“Mbak Rahma, it can't be like that. Never say those harsh words. Pity if the baby in the womb hears all this from his mother.” Farah looked at Rahma.

“This is the fact, I am a prostitute. I'm a sinner!” Rahma crying.

“Mbak Rahma should calm down. Ma'am, I don't care about the past. All I want Mbak can be better than the past Mbak that's it,” said Farah.

“Mbak Farah is good to me. And now I regret Ma'am, why I could fall into that abyss of demons,” Rahma replied.

“Mbak Rahma, pregnant because adultery is indeed a great sin. But this baby in the womb is not to blame. Maybe this is God's way of stopping this adultery. If Mbak is not pregnant, maybe Mbak Rahma will not stop to commit this sin,” explained Farah at length.

Farah hugged Rahma.

Rahma froze, silently trying to digest the words Farah said. Rahma was down wiping away the tears that were soaking her cheeks.

“If Mbak Rahma deigns to tell you, I will be happy to listen to him, maybe Mbak Rahma needs to share to bear this burden,” bargained Farah.

Rahma nodded. I am grateful that You have met me with this kind woman.

Rahma fixed her seat, she drank the avocado juice. One sip that refreshes the throat.

“You know Ma'am, there are three people in this world who are very good to me. The first mother of the orphanage, Sister Farah and Akmal.” Rahma opened her story.

“Hah?! Brother Akmal?” ask Farah in disbelief.

Rahma nodded, He closed his eyes, exhaled, his lips smiling, like remembering something. A pleasant memory.

“When I was 10 years old, after my family died from a great fire that hit a densely populated settlement that made me a kara, I was forced to live in an orphanage. The home is on the edge of town away from the hustle and bustle of vehicles. Like a village. When the trees are still shady, many small children play in the courtyard of the orphanage, full of cheerful laughter.”

***

“This is the child of a fire victim, his family has died due to burning. He also has no relatives. So he will stay here,” said the father in a brown uniform handed him an envelope containing all the biodata of the girl.

The mother of the parlour checked all the fittings. He looked at the boy. Pale, gloomy, looking down at the floor he was on, and more silent.

“Well, there is still room for the poor boy,” said the mother of the home, as she cleaned the papers and put them in an envelope.

After handing the girl the father in a brown uniform said goodbye.

The girl hugged her little bag containing clothes that she could still wear. The mother of the parlour invited the girl to occupy her room.

“What's your name Nak?” ask the house mom.

“Rahma.” The girl answered briefly.

“From now on Rahma lives here. Soon lunch time, later I will introduce Rahma with friends here,” said the mother of the home.

Little Rahma just nodded.

Her life in the home was very boring. Rahma was just daydreaming and silent. No friends of the home would accompany him. If there is certainly Rahma immediately refused their invitation to play.

When he was on a swing made of used car tires, suddenly a 12-year-old boy approached him giving something wrapped in the crackle.

Rahma received the crackle.

“From now you're silent. I didn't ask you to talk. My name is Akmal,” said the boy. He also put out his hand.

“My name is Rahma,” she said while shaking Akmal's hand.

From that moment Rahma became familiar with Akmal and was willing to open up. He went to the same school with Akmal just a different class.

Rahma and Akmal's familiarity became commonplace by the residents of the orphanage. Even if they are inseparable. Where there is Akmal there must be Rahma, and vice versa, where there is Rahma there is also Akmal.

When they were teenagers in white-gray uniforms, they talked under a large tree.

“How to have a family?” ask Rahma.

“Now, it must be fun. There is a father who will always fight for the happiness of his family. There is a mother who is good at cooking and teaches about all to her children,” Akmal replied. He smiled widely.

“I have long missed the time Mal,” said Rahma.

“Sometimes you will have a family. Very beautiful family,” reply Akmal.

“After graduating from school, will you leave this home? Forget this parlour, or maybe you'll forget me too?” asked Rahma who was starting to worry about such a fast turnaround of time.

“I will not forget this home and its inhabitants. I got a scholarship to study in a big city, I don't want to miss this opportunity. I want to have a better future than this,” explained Akmal.

“Are you going to forget me?” asked Rahma who looked down.

“No. Later I will come to pick you up,” said Akmal.

***

“Means, you guys grew up together in that parlor?” ask Farah who is curious about Rahma's past story.

“True Mbak, I used to have an orphanage with Akmal. Since graduating from High School, Akmal continued college and I worked as a cashier in one of the minimarkets,” replied Rahma. He breathed a long and heavy breath. “Until one day I was plunged into a vicious abyss, it changed all my life order,” Rahma continued.

Rahma looked down, her eyes closed. His tears flowed in the corner of his eye forming a grain of particles that were ready to fall soaking down his cheeks. The painful memory.

***

After graduating from High School at the age of 18 years young, Rahma decided to work. He was accepted to be a minimarket cashier whose name is no stranger to the ears of the community, even its branches have mushroomed in various regions in Indonesia.

A year Rahma became a cashier with wages paid according to UMR in the city, actually Rahma's salary is more than enough to meet the needs of life. But it can't be enough to live a lifestyle.

Rahma is surrounded by hedon friends who have to be stylish for the upper class. Inevitably he had to follow the habit of hedon in order to get a friendship.

When Rahma often invited her friends to visit the nightclub. Plain Rahma just wanted to be invited to spend money, especially at the casino table.

“I have no money, I do not follow,” said Farah when she refused the invitation of her friend named Susi to enter the nightclub.

“I also have no money at all. But later I will get money at the club that night,” replied Susi.

“You want to gamble?” ask Rahma.

“No, I will earn money in a fun way,” replied Susi laughing.

Susi gets away from Rahma's boarding house. He finally stood up and followed Susi.

“I don't think you want to come,” said Susi.

“I also need money,” replied Rahma.