My Lovely Driver's

12

[I want to meet you. When is there time?

- Natasha - ]

A message was sent through a messenger app after Nata got Lukman's number from Rian. Actually doubt the message will be answered. He did not dare to expect much, other than to meet and parse the word sorry.

Seeing the look when in the lobby of the TV station earlier, it was clear Lukman did not want to make a hard effort or anything to just attract the attention of Nata back.

Radit came to pick her up while carrying a bouquet of roses with a square greeting card that read “Happy Birthday” in a bright red heart emblem, with the letters I and U flanking her left and right.

Lukman turned his head for a moment with a face that was somehow, and then just waltzed.

On the way home, Nata chose to pretend to sleep in the car. Because he accidentally saw a small red box sticking out of Radit's pants pocket when he lowered his head into the car. Somehow Nata had a hunch Radit would propose to him with something behind the box. Today is just a matter of days before the promised two years. At least pretending to be asleep managed to save him this afternoon. But I don't know about dinner later, which is only a few hours away.

Nata glanced back at the flat object, but there was no reply from there. Then trying to close his eyes on the bed, Nata was not eager to return to the office today. 

“Oh Lord, what should I do”

The woman muttered with a pillow that covered her face. Up to the 30th dimenit, a brief sound came from the handle.

[No need to tell me who, I still keep your number for me to look at at any time ]

Instead of hoping for the next sentence to be sent, it has been a dozen minutes later even “Lukman is typing” does not appear.

Before parting this afternoon, he knew the disappointment in Lukman's face was more dominant.  Radit's arrival makes their conversation even have to end before the apology can be unraveled.

[You haven't answered my question, when can you meet? ]

[For what? Want to give me an invitation? ]

Lukman throws his gawai into the bed. After a series of events that made him very busy in the office and his meeting with Nata. Now some messages are starting to mess with his mind.

However, Lukman has promised not to meet Nata for 3 years, or Retno threatened not to give any chance at all. But finding a man who claimed to be Nata's future husband, Lukman felt defeated. There is no need to follow the rules of the game Retno, after all he has lost.

The father's words filled the chamber of his head - two years ago--

'You don't mess around with Lukman. Did you not learn from your father and mother. Don't force things too much!'

'Everyone has a different story. Who knows, God sent us to correct the story. Maybe the ending is different' 

'Anyway you don't mess around. All medical expenses when Dad was sick for the good of Mr. Idris and Retno. Our lives improve when we meet their families. You've never been in love before'

'Indeed, when you fell in love with mom, you did too? Before falling in love?'

'That's why I want it back on my son! The pokonya stay away from Nata, if you still think I'm your father!'

The debate of the night ended when Lukman saw his father's eyes begin to turn red, then the clear water came down from his eyes. He had never seen his father cry for decades, the last time his mother left and the divorce papers came home.

After the debate that day Lukman promised, he worked hard to change things. Didn't see Dad until he was better. He only calls her once a day. But how hard he tried, Lukman chose not to tell me anything. 

The man barely had time to spare for extra money. Become a driver ojol to increase business capital. Even he had been in the opname several times due to fatigue, Lukman harbored everything alone.

In his mind he just wanted his father to stop being a driver, then fund the father to continue the mushroom breeding business that he had just one year in the business. Later, if this business succeeds he wants to invite father to continue it. And stop being the driver of the Nata family.

[Maybe there's still something we can talk about. At 8 I wait for the regular park. Or not at all! ]

That call had to turn into a threat.

Nata is determined to come tomorrow - Saturday - to the place he chose. If Lukman comes, maybe he can talk about what they really want.

But if not, Nata is preparing for a man as good as Radit.

***

Nata still glanced at his salary from behind the dining table when the mother was cool to chat with Bu Sukma. But until two hours after the last message he sent, Lukman has not responded to anything. 

“I didn't know we could cook this well.” Puji Sukma after tasting Soto Banjar at the dinner table. There are so many dishes served by Retno to welcome them tonight.

“But this is nothing compared to Soto Banjar cuisine your mother used to” Retno then seemed excited nostalgic, telling how wonderful their youth used to be.

Audrey tasted everything on the table voraciously. While Nata finally chose to invite Salisa to sit on the edge of the rear pool, after eating the main menu. 

Hope there is no serious conversation that must be faced with restraint in the dining room. Thankfully, Radit hasn't revealed his nose yet. He will come a little late following his mother and sisters who arrived early.

 “You like to play pool?”

Nata finds Salisa playing her foot in the water. The girl nodded with an expanding smile, then patted both of her hands. Pleased signal.

Women who are only early 20 years old have a look like people with Down Syndrome mostly. Small nose, narrowed eyes, flat cheeks, growing short, even Salisa appears tired in walking because of the unbalanced posture of his legs.

It is said that in the past said Sukma, his daughter was sentenced to be disabled since in the womb. During Salisa's pregnancy, she experienced fatigue to severe stress. Repeatedly appearing spots, midwives visited by Sukma suggested to be aborted. Because after the examination, the fetus is known not to develop normally. The analysis will be born defective.

20 Years ago, medical devices were not as sophisticated as they are today. Sukma does not know what to believe from which angle, because the surrounding community knows the expert as a psychic, in addition to his main profession as a midwife.

Finally Sukma chose to trust the God who gave Salisa dirahimnya; because he believed that he was able to take care of him. Absolutely do not want to precede God's desire by agreeing to her husband's request to deliver the fetus, even though he will give birth to a defect.

Who would have thought, Salisa managed to be born without physical defects as convicted, but instead chromosomal defects. Not to mention the anatomical abnormalities of the heart make it weaker at the beginning of his life.

And Sukma made it through his toughest years so well to date, seeing Salisa grow up beyond his expectations. It's just that he still has trouble communicating smoothly, as experienced by all people with Down Syndrome.

And congenital heart disease that he suffered, Salisa often felt pain in the chest, shortness of breath, tired quickly, even had several times fainted when a lot of activity.

“I take a drink first yes. Bentar aja”

Nata got up from Salisa's side. Leaving the girl who was still busy with the splash of water.

He saw Sukma from a closer distance while side by side with his mother.

Both are very beautiful for women their age.  But Radit's mother has a different aura, still looks graceful despite her age that has exceeded half a century.

His face reminded Nata of a senior artist in his 80s, who is now a member of parliament. 

Nata heard the roar of a car entering his yard. Radit finally came. Nata sped his steps back, with two glasses of juice in his hand. But Salisa was not there at the beginning.

“Salisa?”

There is no lawfulness.

Nata turned the view with an angle of 360°, until he found a corner of the pool. There's a bubble on the surface of the water.

“Astaghfirullah Salisa!! Ma'am, Salisa Ma'am...!! Tolooong....!"

Radit who had just come, immediately ran towards the source of the shout. Finding his sinking sister he immediately jumped up to find Salisa's body that almost gave up down there.

First aid is not much help. Salisa was taken to the hospital.

And there they were, for an unknown period of time.

Nata did not leave the emergency room for a minute, he felt all this because it was his fault to leave Salisa unattended, until it was fatal like this. The girl had severe hypoxia and all the other assumptions that the medical team was reviewing.

“Im sorry Nata, Aunt.”

Nata sniffled near the entrance. He promised not to go anywhere until Salisa came out of the emergency room safely.