Neighbor Husband
Episode 8 - Wedding
"Daddy, you bought a new CD?" ask Dede to his wife.
"A "CD? No puny." Ina's confused.
"Who's this?" Dede pointed at the cream-colored CD hanging near her shirt.
"Gosh, it must have been Luke's brother left behind" Ina said. He immediately grabbed the piece of cloth.
"W-what?" Dede shock's. He has never touched a woman's CD other than his wife. "Small times the size? How thin is he?" thought Dede.
"Sister... Brother Luke.." call Ina from the outside.
"Yes... Just sec..." Luke who had just finished the magrib prayer rushed forward to open the door.
"Here, got a sister left behind" Ina said shyly.
"O-oh, yeah. Thank you," Luke replied no less embarrassed.
"Hufffhhhhhhhhhh! Good thing my CD didn't crash. There's-there's something going on today" Luke murmured after Ina left.
Drrrrttt! Luke's phone rang. He closed the door and went inside.
"Assalamualaikum, ma'am."
"Vaalaikumussalam. How you doing, son?"" answer me across there.
"Good, Mom. How's mom there?" reply Luke.
"Mother is good too. Your sister came home yesterday. He had two days off before the thesis exam" replied the mother.
"Oh, thank goodness. Mother is not lonely. Right you don't want to stay with me here?" ask Luke.
Luke's father died when he was just in High School, while his sister was still in fourth grade at Elementary School. Since her sister went to college in the city, her mother has been there alone.
"Yes. Mom's okay here. The neighbors are good to you. Your uncles and aunts also visited Mother often," the middle-aged woman replied. "Mom was more worried about you. At this age you are still alone."
"Mom, why do you talk about that again? I just got accepted as a lecturer. I'm fine here."
"Son, your father taught martial arts when you were in Elementary School and Junior High School, it was to protect yourself. Not so that all men stay away from you" mother advised.
"Yes, Mom. I understand" said Luke. He could at least dispute his mother.
"One of my friends has an unmarried son. She's four years older than you, '" she continued.
"Mom." Luke knows where this conversation is going.
"He lives and works one city with you, son. Go meet him on Saturday" said the mother again.
"I don't want to be betrothed yet, ma'am," Luke said carefully.
"Do you have no pity on mother, all children your age here have brought children, you know," persuaded mother. Present, classic reason.
"If you want, I'll give you the contact. Try chatting first. How do you know you're a good fit," persuaded mom again.
"Alright, Mom. I'm gonna meet him. But I can't promise you more than this." Luke finally gave up.
...*****...
Saturday came so fast. Luke still has one more class before the appointment. The tling! a message came into Luke's phone.
"Hi, where will I meet you? You really don't want to be picked up?" satria asked, the man's name.
^^^"Meet us at the place we agreed on yesterday only. I finished my class right there, so I wouldn't be late" Luke replied.^^^
Luke feels uncomfortable when picked up by a man he doesn't know yet. They have been exchanging messages since yesterday. If online taxis were being monitored by radio and GPS from their headquarters, Luke thought.
"alright. No need to rush. I have one more patient. After that I went straight there," Satria replied.
"Hi, Luke. Sorry I'm late." A man wearing a blue shirt and jeans came over to Luke.
"Satria? How do you know it's me? What if someone's wrong?" ask Luke.
"I've seen your profile photo in the chat app" replied Satria.
"Oh, yes. I'm so stupid," Luke muttered embarrassedly. Satria heard it. "Ehmmm, you're a doctor, huh?" Luke switched the conversation.
"Where do you guess that I'm a doctor?" Satria asked back.
"So you said there were still patients" Luke replied.
"I'm not a doctor. Looks like your mom hasn't talked to you, has she?" sahut Satria's.
"Speak about what?" Luke's curious.
"I'm a psychiatrist." Luke glared sharply at Satria's reply.
"Just calm. I can't read your mind, really. We are not fortune-tellers or shamans" Satria said with a laugh.
"You said you can't read minds? But you read my mind very precisely" Luke said.
"Mahaha ... It's not like that. Many people are afraid of psychiatrists because of the bad stigma created long ago. They thought we could guess all the people's heads. No, not" explained Satria.
"Keep, do you know why I want to meet you here?" ask Luke. Satria frowned then shook her head.
"I'm sorry I'm being disrespectful. Better to be honest at the beginning. I don't want to be betrothed yet" Luke replied firmly.
"Yet? Didn't it? Do you have a boyfriend?" ask Satria. His attitude is so calm.
"none. I'm just not ready, because of something," Luke said hesitantly.
"All right, I'm not gonna force you. But I want us to stay friends. Mate or not, I hope our relationship remains good" replied Satria.
Luke was stunned by the mature attitude of the man before him. He thought it was going to be difficult.
"Order eat, yuk. Hungry here," Satria asked later.
...*****...
Dede was sitting on the terrace, looking for some fresh air. Since yesterday, the rain has been pouring down, making the air very cool. But today it is dry, like being in the middle of a desert.
A black Inova stopped at their rented yard. The faint shadows from inside the car forced Dede to sharpen his sense of sight.
"Well, Luke's tumben's coming home at this hour. It's almost nine in the evening" murmured Dede. The bright light from inside the car made the faint shadow become very clear.
Dede sees Luke talking to the young man driving him. They are involved familiarly. Of course this is a rare sight. The Luke he knew was most difficult to be alone with a man until night.
Deb! Luke closed the car door and waved before the vehicle left the cramped rented yard.
"Just home?" ask Dede any pleasantries as Luke goes through it.
"Yes" Luke replied briefly.
...*****...
One week later. "Bang, we have an invitation" Ina said one morning.
"Invitation? From whom?" ask Dede.
"From the next-door neighbor. He's getting married next week."
"What's? Luke married?" dede was surprised.
(Connected)
