My husband is not the CEO
The Seventy Seven
In Caramel's life there is never a word to give up if he has wanted something. Caramel will fight hard to get it because he believes all the things in the world we can be not solely because of luck but because of effort and process that is not easy.
The scenery that is now in front of Caramel is the result of his efforts with Rafka—, a 7-square-meter outlet that is among a row of other fashion tenants. Although the room was still empty but Caramel was proud to see it, he was never this happy to see the empty room.
"But sweet!" Caramel hugged Rafka from the side very tightly, her eyes even glazed over from being too happy. They fought together to realize Caramel's dream of having his own outlet.
Finally after going through an uneasy struggle they managed to rent one outlet at the south skywalk Pondok Indah Mall. Caramel sells all of her clothing, bags and branded shoes to rent the outlet. Caramel also sells Tiffany & Co jewelry that he once loved very much. Caramel is aware that if he wants something then he has to sacrifice, the things in this world we cannot have fully. Ah, since marriage Caramel has become wiser.
"I can't wait to see Caramel Sleepwear on display here." Rafka rubbed Caramel's hair staring at the proud wife. There is nothing happier than seeing Caramel smile.
"Keep the Caramel Sleepwear nameplate installed over here." Caramel pointed to the top of the outlet that would later become the Caramel Sleepwear store.
"You're gonna be so busy."
"But you and Arnesh are my priority." Caramel holding Rafka's hand went into their empty outlet, not even a chair. Later Caramel will paint the walls with white and gray, he will also replace the floor with clean white granite that will give the impression of luxury. Caramel already has interior design designs for the store.
"Because all this time you have always been full of my needs so I have no right to ignore you, my main task is your wife and Mama Arnesh."
"Then I have to better understand your situation as a wife, Mama who also has to work." Rafka looked around the building that is not too big, he was also proud because Caramel managed to achieve one dream.
"Rafka." Caramel suddenly turned around making Rafka surprised.
"Hm?" Rafka was clumsy, why was Caramel looking at her so seriously.
"You were born without the slightest sense of selfishness." Unknowingly Caramel tightened her grip on Rafka. Truly Caramel wanted to cry from earlier but he tried to hold it because it was outside a lot of people. Caramel was not an easy person to cry on but the sight of the empty building suddenly made her emotional.
"Maybe it's because of the first child so I'm used to caving in on Febi since childhood."
Caramel nodded as she swallowed her saliva trying to swallow her tears back, why did she become this crybaby. It's not okay, isn't it too early to feel too happy.
"And because of my only child I'm being so selfish."
"That's why we were found." Rafka rubbed Caramel's wet cheeks. For a timid and kuper like Rafka, marrying the woman he once only loved secretly is a miracle. Rafka used to think this would only be one-sided love until the end of his life. But God's scenario was so beautiful that Caramel and Rafka were reunited at the temple.
Caramel smiled broadly wiping her tears violently, despite having held her all that tear power it shed as well. It was a happy cry that Caramel would remember for the rest of her life.
"That's Mama." Caramel stepped out of the shop looking at Mama and her Papa standing in front there. They were so excited to take Arnesh around the PIM for the first time.
"It's like Arnesh's diaper is full, he's getting restless." Mama Caramel.
"I'll change it in the car." Caramel lifts Arnesh from the stroller to check the diaper of the little guy. "Mama's son looks poop deh." He kisses the cheek of the adorable Arnesh bully.
"Well, let's go to the car." Take mama Caramel.
"Then let me lock the door." Tukas Rafka lets Caramel get to the car first so Arnesh's diaper can be replaced immediately.
"Thank you, Pa." Caramel reviews her smile at Rafka and passes from there.
Arriving in Caramel's car immediately changed Arnesh's diaper that was full. He had all Arnesh needs ready in the car because they would be out long enough. In addition to completing the business of renting the store, they have also made a lunch appointment with Indi and Danu at the mall.
Caramel rubs Arnesh's pantyhose with wet wipes and applies cream to prevent diaper rash. Caramel returned to wearing Arnesh's pants after she had finished changing her diaper.
"Mama and Papa have lunch here?" Caramel turned to her papa who was standing next to the car while her mother stuffed Arnesh's dirty diaper into a plastic bag.
"No need to go home." Answer mama Caramel.
Rafka came with two paper bags in her hand, "this is Mama's groceries?" He handed the paper bag to his father-in-law.
"Well, where is it?" Mama Caramel was surprised because she forgot her groceries.
"Mama left it in front of the store."
"Oh my goodness, thank you Ka, Mama forgot." He patted his own eel, "to already have a grandchild so senile."
"Means ask for one more grandchild." Tympal papa Caramel.
"Ready Pa." Rafka's reply quickly made Caramel startle.
"Papa's proud of you." Papa Caramel patted Rafka's shoulder twice with a knotty smile that adorned her face.
"What the hell are you ready for!" Caramel protested, it feels like just yesterday she gave birth they have discussed grandchildren again. Caramel does want to have many children but not so fast, Arnesh not even 3 months.
They laughed at Caramel's reaction. Because Caramel was an only child, they wanted to have many grandchildren. Caramel realized that being the only child is sometimes sad, no siblings can accompany him to sleep or various stories while at home.
"Yes, if so, Mama and Papa go home first." Mama Caramel rushed to attach her sling bag and got out of Rafka's car.
"Be careful, you guys." Papa Caramel kisses Arnesh first before leaving.
"Oma go home, baby." Mama Caramel did the same to Arnesh. Despite being together all day with Arnesh, they never felt enough.
"Ma, Pa be careful ya on the road." Rafka kissed her in-laws' hands one by one.
They split up in the Mall parking lot. Caramel and Rafka will go to PIM 3 for lunch with Danu and Indi. If Caramel has many friends until he is confused about having to fulfill an appointment to meet, another thing with Rafka who only has one friend. Caramel more refused the appointment to meet with his own friends but not with the invitation of Danu and Indi because he greatly appreciated Rafka's only friend.
"Andu and Indi have already arrived in Meradelima." Said Caramel to Rafka who started running his car, he saw a short message Danu on Rafka's phone.
"We'll be there in 5 minutes." Reply Rafka is still focused on driving.
"OK" Caramel put Rafka's phone in an empty seat beside her. He sat in the back seat with Arnesh at the Carseat given by papa Rafka.
Some time ago Caramel asked permission to use carseat given by Bayu and Sandra when carrying Arnesh out by car. At first Caramel thought Rafka would not allow it. But unexpectedly Rafka immediately allowed Caramel to use the baby carseat, just with a nod without any sentence.
"Caramel Master!" Indi waved at Caramel who had just arrived with Rafka and Arnesh in the stroller. Danu had already ordered one table for them since he and Indi arrived first.
"How are you doing?" Caramel hugs Indi kissing the right and left cheeks like most women when meeting.
"Okay Ma'am, Arnesh is big all of a sudden." Indi pokes Arnesh's cheeks wriggling inside the stroller.
"Mas Rafka." Indi shook Rafka's hand.
"You're wearing a jacket over a gini hole." Danu was surprised to see Rafka wearing a jacket when the sun was hot, later in the afternoon also the weather forecast said there would be no rain. "Your race?"
"I've pesen rice kecombrang same aserem vegetables." Danu ignored Rafka's words mocking her with worms.
"You know what Rafka's favorite is." Caramel smiles proudly at Danu, of course as his only friend, Danu knows Rafka's favorite food.
"From the time of the new order until now Rafka is still loyal to the same vegetable asem, not at home in the restaurant he ate it yes vegetable asem." Danu started babbling.
Rafka did not react to Danu's remark, he only glanced at Danu for a moment without commenting.
Their table is full of traditional Indonesian dishes where it is Rafka's favorite food. Tombrang rice, green chili squid, oreg tempe complete with serundeng to shrimp crackers. Not only asem vegetables, they also get tofu and tempe bacem, fried chicken and tucked sambal which are very suitable to be eaten together.
"It smells so good." Caramel swallowed saliva looking at all the food presented on the table, he could not wait to eat them all. "Even though I love chicken KFC but still kayak gini cooking makes rice continue."
"Again mbak, make a diet fail." Sahut Indi's.
"How was your treatment at the clinic?" Caramel took a piece of chicken thigh for Rafka.
"Thank you Ma." Rafka said with a faint smile by Caramel.
"Lumayan sih mbak, start dating again like it used to be a virgin." Indi giggled at Danu who was actually forced to comply with her request to go to the clinic to tighten the stomach after giving birth. "Eh, but how did you know?"
"Rafka who told me."
"Mas Rafka wants to take the way to get there?"
"It depends on me anyway, he doesn't mean it."
"Jeez, I am so jealous of my husband like Mas Rafka." Indi deliberately exaggerated his tone insinuating Danu.
"Oh you want to marry someone like him?" Danu pointed at Rafka's face, who had been quietly enjoying her lunch.
"Why indeed?" Indi raises an eyebrow looking at Danu.
"It won't be strong to have Rafka's husband, his behavior is like a robot so, in this world only Caramel can stand him." Danu nyerocos with mouth full of food.
"You are also." Tympano Caramel.
"It's different that I'm just a temen." Danu does not want to lose, he is indeed a hobby of bullying Rafka who is never guilty.
"Don't get me wrong Rafka is sweeter than you think, and mighty." Caramel deliberately whispered while saying the last word.
"Oh yeah?" Indi.
"Then, just talk to someone else." Finally Rafka made a sound.
They were silent according to Rafka's words and focused on eating in the middle of the restaurant crowd that afternoon. At lunchtime the restaurants will indeed be crowded by visitors.
"I think Arnesh is thirsty." Indi saw Arnesh who started to bend his lower lip about to cry.
"Arnesh's thirsty?" Caramel turns the body looking at Arnesh who whines kicking his stroller. "You want nen?" He lifts Arnesh's body from the stroller and is forced to stop eating his new two mouthfuls.
Rafka opens her jacket and attaches her to Caramel, "use this to cover Arnesh." That means not Arnesh but Caramel's chest that will open during breastfeeding. That is the reason why Rafka wears a jacket despite the blistering weather. Rafka believes Caramel will need him at a time like this.
"Thank you, yeah." Caramel was stunned but he hid it because he was ashamed of Indi and Danu when he was really fascinated by Rafka's treatment to him. Rafka is not good at saying romantic sentences to Caramel, but the small treatment he often shows makes Caramel melt, toppled, drifting up to the planet Mercury.
"Tuh Mas, look at Mas Rafka very attention as Mbak Cara." Indi elbowed Danu's arm.
"Darling, aren't I more concerned with you?" Danu grabbed Indi's hand and held it.
"What the hell is a dreadful dreadlocks doang." Indi immediately let go of Danu's hand.
"Don't fight." Caramel looks at the pair Indi and Danu.
While Caramel breastfeeds Arnesh, Rafka feeds Caramel to keep his wife at lunch.
"Just a few weeks without meeting Arnesh, he already looks very big lo Mbak, very different as the picture at birth." Indi.
"Maybe it's because Arnesh was born prematurely so it looks completely different."
"But we are all grateful that Arnesh grew up healthy and normal."
Caramel nodded, to him Arnesh was a miracle because he could be born alive after he was adrift in the ocean.
"Caramel Sleepwear when is it officially open?" Ask Danu.
"Not sure yet, but I want to open it as soon as possible, I can't wait to see the visitors who will come later." Caramel's eyes shone imagining the Caramel Sleepwear store would officially open.
"I'm the same Danu must have comeng dong Mbak."
"Don't you have all the Caramel Sleepwear collection?" Danu glanced sharply at Indi who really likes to shop—, of course, it's a common trait that women have.
"Yes, we have to come, don't you Ma'am?"
"It is mandatory, because I will be out many new products that exclusively launch in physical stores, have never been in online stores."
"You're not patient."
Danu surly saw Indi enthusiastically waiting for the opening of Caramel Sleepwear store, it means he must be ready to drain the contents of his wallet to dry.
Caramel: Rafka take pictures of me dong!
Rafka: well dear.
Rafka: Do not forget to wear a mask yes :)
Reader: Okay handsome
