My Imam, my army

11. happy or sad?

"Hey why are you, crying?" this question was asked when he finished telling the story. Dirga could see if Salsa's tears were seeping a lot over the girl's cheeks.

Salsa did not answer Dirga's words, but the girl sobbed. If his position is in Ara. His heart will surely be broken. But one question on his mind. Why did Ara do this ridiculous thing? Until he would commit suicide if Dirga did not marry Salsa.

Salsa brushed her blanket away while rubbing her tears violently. Both of his legs were pointing down, but Dirga held him back.

"Where are you going?"

"Salsa must see Ma'am Ara, sister. Please step aside,"

"You haven't recovered yet, Sal."

"Salsa does not care, the pain in my body can still be tolerated. While the heart of Mbak Ara has been destroyed," said Salsa while brushed off the muscular hand.

"Free,"

Salsa frowned confusedly.

"Ara's gone to Los Angeles, now,"

"Tap-"

Dirga won't let Salsa protest any longer. He took the girl back to put her in the bed again. Salsa was suffocated. But his entire body was as lifeless stiff. There was a flow of electricity that shocked his entire body to make it vibrate greatly. This time she was so intimate with a man. This is all too hard to guess. Salsa still calls this all with dreams. But still when considering Dirga married him just because "forced" to make his heart hurt. Like a knife piercing his heart and then crumpled and crushed.

"Even if our marriage is forced, I will learn to love you, Sal. Because I don't consider marriage a game. This is the sunah apostle, right? And the sunna of the Apostle is not a game."

For some reason the warm feeling slipped into the whole body of Salsa when she heard Dirga's words that were so soft for her. But, it still did not remove the wounds lodged on Ara. That girl must be tormented. How does Salsa behave? A smile or something?

"You have to rest a lot, to recover quickly. And get ready after leaving the hospital later," said Dirga who made Salsa frowned confused. The girl had not had any eye contact with Dirga at all.

"I can ask you one request, please?" ask Dirga suddenly.

"What?"

"Please promise to learn to love me, Sal. Even if my heart still has Ara, we'll wipe it together. I promise you, I'll make you happy,"

Salsa had forgotten the heartache that had lingered in her heart because of Dirga's words. Unknowingly, Salsa nodded weakly and said, "Yes, Brother," in fact, Salsa has been harboring this taste for seven years, Brother. Salsa already loves Sister.of course this sentence is carried on in the heart.

Dirga smile. Salsa was strangled by Dirga's sudden, sweet smile. All this time, he had never seen that smile. Dirga's face always showed an authoritarian look.

"Now eat this first, yes. You haven't eaten, have you? I'm bribing, will you?"

Salsa's heart beats faster. I hope his heart doesn't come out. Dirga's words made Salsa tick.

Salsa shook her head, "Salsa eats alone," and the atmosphere suddenly became awkward.

"Two requests, shall you?" dirga asked suddenly who made the chewing of bread in Salsa's mouth suddenly stop.

"Never think that I will leave you. Once you're in the circle of my life, forever you'll stay there and not be able to get out," dirga said while opening the lid of a bottle of white milk that he bought at the minimarker near the hospital and then handed it to Salsa.

He could see Dirga's hardness on the side of his bed. Salsa's cheeks were already flushed with embarrassment. Where did he get the courage from?

"Your cheeks are red, Sal."

Oh my God, which chainsaw? Make me cut my throat. Melt aing's heart, O God....

Dirga extended her sturdy hand towards Salsa's flushed cheeks. But instead it floated in front of Salsa's face. And tadaaaaa!

Eyes meet eyes. This is their first view of Allah Swt. Subhanallah, what a beautiful moment like this. Dirga was stunned staring at the sad bead of Salsa's eyes. This was the first time Dirga had looked at a female bead. Moreover, the woman in front of him was already legitimately his wife.

"Can?" ask Dirga in doubt.

"Don't, Brother."

"Why?" Dirga looked disappointed and lowered his hand.

Salsa looked down with a red face like a tomato.

"Salsa is ashamed.." - the great-grandson softly. Dirga cringah and chuckling amusedly saw Salsa's face getting reddened by her cheeks. Unable to stand, he held both of Salsa's cheeks and carried them to his face. Eyes meet eyes again. Dirga smile. He was looking forward to a moment like this to be able to touch Ara's face after she had become a mahram. But God has predestined all this. It can only touch the face of Salsa, not Ara who is actually the girl in her love.

Even though his heart still holds the name Ara, he will try to learn to love Salsa. Because Salsa's his legal wife. For whatever reason, Dirga did not want to marry Salsa. He was afraid of hurting the girl. Marriage forced. Especially this is Ara's request. Ara will kill herself if she doesn't marry Salsa. At that time Dirga was so confused. He loves Ara, but is forced to marry Salsa. The most complicated position Dirga ever had. Until he decided to tell his complaint to Allah Swt. Of course, he prayed istikharah. After the salat istikharah, a glimmer of Salsa's face appeared. Thought Dirga was the answer of the Almighty. And this is the path that led him to marry Salsa.

Oath to Allah, he will try to love his wife at this time. And of course trying to take Ara off. For it is his duty now, to make his wife happy. He never thought marriage was a game. He only wants to get married once in a lifetime.

Dirga got up from his seat and approached the basket of Salsa. It precisely makes the girl distraught herself on her bed.

"Ka-kak, what, what?" salsa asked nervously half-dead. Salsa dared to swear, if he was like a man who had run for 50 kilometers. Maybe his heart was running beside him.

Dirga hugged Salsa tightly. The girl looked surprised instead of playing. His heart rhythm raced faster.

This is not forbidden, a hug with your own husband? Someone please tell me if we're already mahram....

Salsa was still speechless not returning Dirga's embrace. This was the first time he had been held so tightly by a man other than his father. But, this one who hugged her was her own husband. First love! The long-awaited love of seven years! She is very happy to be a wife of Dirga. But this is not the way to get Dirga.

"Welcome to my hearth, my princess," she whispered in the ear of Salsa, covered in purple hijab.

Salsa is in the heart. Her body was limp hearing Dirga calling her princess.

Dirga still hugged him tightly and muttered some chants of the holy Quran right in the ears of Salsa. Making Salsa's nervousness slowly fade away. Dirga kissed Salsa's forehead for a moment, then rubbed the soft top of Salsa's head.

If Dirga came out at this time, Salsa dared to swear that her tears would be jostled out. Not a heartache cry, but a cry of newness.

All women must dream of a good priest candidate for him. Later will lead himself to his jannah. Hope is simple but beautiful.

O Allah, Salsa's heart melted this.