My husband is not the CEO
Thirty Seven
Caramel POV
The distinctive aroma of the old books instantly burst out as I opened the door of one of the apartment rooms converted into a workspace. Rows of books neatly arranged on one side of the wall, 80% of the books belong to Rafka. I don't like to read at all, on my face there's no sign of nerds.
I don't like the smell of these books, I'm just bored and don't know what to do. I wanted to get out with Jane and Kayla but the more we got here it was hard to decide when to meet because of each other.
Rafka was serious in the corner of the room struggling with his laptop, not even he lifted his face from there for a moment when I entered this room. I want to bother him, it's the weekend why he has to work on the day off. What is the salary to have to work even during holidays. The salary is enough to buy an apartment in the class of Kempinski Residence. I admit his salary is much more than mine. But for what salary much if he does not have time for me. Of course to buy your skincare that can not be called cheap. Where did that sound come from? It was like I was at war with myself.
My finger touched the row of books, usually in a movie or novel should I find an old photo tucked in one of the pages of the book. Did I expect to find any old photos of me that Rafka could have kept besides my farewell photos? My chest feels warm every time I remember how cute Rafka was to me.
My gaze narrowed at the smallest book among others, he was tucked among the thickest books of Rafka's. I was tired of looking at the tome at work, so I had better borrow the thin book even if I didn't know what it contained.
"Eh sorry-sorry!" I squealed spontaneously as the books on the shelf fell to the floor as I managed to pull the books.
I glanced at Rafka who finally raised her face and saw me surprised, she immediately got up running towards me.
"What's Caramel?" He said in a panic, "are you okay?"
I shook my head slowly, I thought he was panicking because the neatly arranged book had suddenly fallen but Rafka was worried about me. I hold a smile, this time has floated Car, so weak you!
"You surprised me." Rafka breathed a sigh of relief and pulled me over.
"I'm okay, seriously." I convinced Rafka once again. I hid the book behind my body. Why would I do that? I don't know I was just curious about the contents of the book because it looks different from the others.
"I'm sorry I'm busy you must be bored, let's go out after this," Rafka crouched down to tidy up the scattered books.
"Where are you going?"
"Where are you bored." Replied Rafka without seeing me, my smile restrained, I should not be too easily made flattered by Rafka. After all, Rafka is usually insensitive to my feelings, today she may be possessed by demons from a horror film I watched last night so she becomes more sensitive.
"Replace your clothes while I rearrange this book."
"Why should I change my clothes?" I see my own clothes, these are the most comfortable clothes in the whole country. Pink cotton pajamas with line motifs all over its surface, these are my favorite pajamas—ah no—all pajamas are my favorite.
"Replace with longer." Decisive Rafka without seeing me, what else can I do other than according.
"okay." I hurriedly left Rafka and closed the door to get changed.
Tumben Rafka sensitized, there is a good thing I dropped his books if not sure I will stay in the room until the hour, until Upin & Ipin graduated college with cum laude predicate.
"If there's nothing special about this book, watch out." My grouse while opening the first page of the book that looks like an ordinary notebook but strangely I am still curious about the contents. I locked the closet room just in case Rafka suddenly entered then she wouldn't know if I took her book.
I frowned reading the contents of the first page.
Caramel Indira Aditama, 16 years old. Fear dark. Well-favoured.
My smile slowly expands reading the next page, if at a glance it is just like a regular streak. But all of it has to do with me, from perfume brands, film genres, songs to the Starbucks I used to order.
"Well, you stalker." I was excited to open the next page.
It's only fair that Rafka knew everything about me, she recorded everything in this book. Then why did Rafka never dare to appear before me, was she that ugly? seems not. If now my Rafka leaves in the crowd on women, no one will be able to resist it.
I closed my eyes trying to remember the figure of the man who gave me the candle that night, I wonder what Rafka was like in the past.
"The caramel!"
I gasped at Rafka's voice from outside. I immediately stuffed Rafka's notebook into one of the closest drawers.
"Not finished yet?" Rafka's voice is getting closer.
Why is he so quick to organize books while I have not had time to choose the clothes I will wear.
To make it faster I chose jeans located in the top fold with a short-sleeved shirt top. I didn't know where Rafka was taking me. Just be careful if he just invites me around the apartment complex until I have to change all clothes, I will not give him rations tonight *eh.
"Your pants aren't too tight?" Rafka looked at me, he stood at the door and immediately asked such a question. Can I not wear jeans now? do I have to wear a negligee?
"Why?"
"Wouldn't that make our baby squishy?"
I turned my head to clench my lips with all my might so as not to let out a laugh. Can he think like that, my stomach is still flat like this why these pants will squeeze our baby? I wanted to hug Rafka after coming out of the closet because I was flattered by her notebook but after hearing Rafka's words I wanted to throw her innocent face with the AC remote that happened to be near me.
"Are we sure we're going out?" I ignored Rafka's question just now, really I'm not eager to explain about the fetal relationship and jeans are actually not too tight this.
"Of course." Rafka nodded.
"How are you doing?" Why should I ask that, how about Rafka change her mind and go back to her study. Caramel, what a bodo!
"Nothing, I can finish it tonight which is important we come out so you don't get bored." Rafka commented on the sweet smile, very sweet like prickly heat, sugar which strangely does not cause harmful side effects for me.
"Where do you want to go?" Rafka grabbed the car keys that were hung near the door of the room.
"Your fucking men!"
Rafka and I gasped at the sound of women screaming from outside, my mouth was open to answer Rafka's question closed again. You look at each other for a split second at what's going on out there. This apartment is very wide, the distance between the doors of one another is also quite far, so loud the sound can penetrate the walls of our apartment. Maybe he was using a loudspeaker.
"Rafka don't." I held off Rafka's hand that was about to come out.
I was also curious but did not want to interfere with their affairs.
We were just about to peek out of the door hole when an object suddenly hit the apartment door followed by the sound of broken glass.
"They threw our door in a glass?" I was surprised as I looked at the same Rafka as I had no idea what was really going on outside.
"These girls you're changing now Mas!"
The deg!
I pretended not to know what the woman was talking about when my heart told me that she was talking about me. Although rarely chatting but I know that the owner of the voice is Adena—wife Rama.
"Because you calm down first, don't make a fuss here, other people can be distracted as much as you scream."
Rama's voice made me even more sure they were in a big storm even I don't know what they've thrown at our apartment door.
"I can't see anything from here." Said Rafka, "you're just here let me check it out."
"Follow." I tightened the grip on Rafka's arm, my coco soul thrashing around wanting to immediately see the dramatic scene unfolding outside.
"You're here, I'll just be a minute." Rafka let go of my hand, she opened the door leaving me alone.
"Well this is her husband coming out, where your wife told you to get out here let me teach you a lesson!"
My hand spontaneously turned the doorknob hearing Adena's voice again hunting, what does she mean she said that to Rafka. What kind of lesson he would give me, I had enough to study 12 years plus 4 years in college. Is he going to teach me a lesson on how to take people's husbands?
"You dare to show me my front face!" Adena pointed at me with a face full of anger as soon as I came out. Didn't Adena just ask me to come out why now she's saying that.
I saw a purplish-red liquid splattered right in front of the door along with shards of shard. It turned out that Adena threw a bottle of wine at our door, really he was very rash regardless of the problems that befell them.
"What is this, solve your own household problems not to disturb the peace of others, this apartment is not only yours." Rafka's voice was cold but it was able to make the people who heard it goosebumps. Even my fur sat on my feet to hear it. Rafka never let out such a cold tone when talking to me, this is more sinister than the jumpscare that usually appears in horror movies.
"Which has been there since you've been alive I don't know!" Adena's eyes reddened, her appearance looks chaotic with her eyes as if she had cried.
"Because you're nothing." Tegur Rama's.
"What, you think of that girl? I think you've missed him yes but what, you still like to see the photos of you two first. Which woman is not hurt if her husband likes to see photos of his ex-girlfriend!"
"OK I'm sorry, you calm down let's go inside." Rama's tone of voice was low.
"It's all because of you!" Adena ran brandishing the scissors right at me.
I spontaneously shrieked and closed my eyes tightly, everything happened in a matter of seconds, I could not avoid.
"Don't touch my wife!"
I opened my eyes to Rafka's voice. My breath was restrained to see Rafka managed to catch Adena's hand, the scissors slammed to the floor so as not to touch the surface of my skin even a little.
"Rafka." I exhaled a loud breath after a few seconds of holding it. I thought I'd get stabbed by scissors right now, good thing Rafka was protecting me.
"Are you okay?" Rafka was holding both my arms, my body was limp as if it was losing the bones that supported it. "Let's go in." Rafka took me in.
At first glance I saw the face of Adena's shock after her action failed. What does that expression mean? it seemed like his common sense was returning, he looked deathly pale looking at me.
I didn't feel the crystal dripping as I closed my eyes. It's too soon, I haven't prepared myself. I can't even believe that the friendly, motherly figure of Adena was about to attempt murder on me. There was no other reason, it was impossible for him to point the scissors at me without the intention of hurting me. What if there wasn't Rafka, I would've been—
"Drink." Rafka sat on the floor giving me a glass of water.
"I'm scared." Overshipped.
"You relax, I'm here, I won't let anyone hurt you." Rafka sat beside me, she pulled me into her warm embrace.
My body trembled and sobbed in Rafka's arms. This is not the first time I have experienced a bad event. Still remembering in my mind how Rama's face when he was about to hug me in the elevator, I wanted to vomit when I imagined it again.
Now that I am not alone, I am responsible for the life in my womb. They will not only hurt me but also my stomach.
Before I was pregnant I wasn't worried about anything like that but now things are different.
"Ouch!" I frowned when my stomach was cramping, my crying became more and more a—shok mixed with pain, this is more pain than abdominal pain when it came months. Or my body starts to weaken with age. The doctor said the pregnant woman was sensitive, small things could make her cry, apparently the speech was right.
Rafka lifted my body and laid it on the bed, she also loosened my pants.
"Take it easy." Rafka said in a soft voice, very different from the tone of her voice when speaking outside earlier. "The doctor said you shouldn't be tense."
"I told you not to wear these pants, look take them off is hard." Rafka pulled my pants, which is exactly why he did it.
"Don't let go." My love.
"I'll throw it away if you put on these pants again." Rafka threw my jeans on the floor, ah that's expensive Ka!
"I'm ashamed." My screams, I covered my face in shame. Now that it hurts to be embarrassed, I want to faint and wake up and forget all about today.
