Neighbors Don't Know Themselves
Part 2
As usual when her husband is out of town, Teh Mira will spend all day at my house. It doesn't matter if I'm busy doing household chores. Whether it's cooking or just mopping the floor. Even when I was washing my clothes, he would be faithfully waiting for me at the bathroom door by sitting quietly while smoking, or chatting with me to chat. He would only go home if my husband had gone home, or his children were already fussy.
That afternoon when I fell asleep in the living room, Teh Mira came. As usual, never knock on the door, let alone say hello. That's why I wasn't surprised when I found out he was sitting next to me. Apparently I accidentally woke up when his two five-year-old and three-year-old children were fighting over the ice cream that my husband bought yesterday.
"Ehh there's Mira Tea, "I said to mince words while tidying up the tangled hair. Mira tea looks gloomy with both eyes that are as moist as new crying. While the two children are still noisily in front of the refrigerator even though their hands have held the ice cream of each one. I don't know what they're fighting about.
I'm upset, really. But can't do anything. Moreover, Tea Mira like letting both. The peak when the Diva cry because of the ice cream that her brother seized, with ease Mira tea instead said; "no need to cry, take it again in the refrigerator is still there right? Ateu Citra mah has not had children, so there is no need to eskrim a lot" while chuckling at me with a face without sin. I can only smile awkwardly and say yes. Apparently this unpleasant feeling in my heart cannot prevent them from doing as they please. Lately I have regretted what I said to consider my home as their own. Only my room was safe, maybe they were still disinclined by my husband.
"Cit, can I have a favor?" Said later. Unpleasant feelings just go straight to the heart. Usually if that were the case, Mira Tea would..
"May I have pinjem money?"
Yeah, my guess is right.
"A Iwan mah custom, if out of town promise a week to go home two weeks later. Where to give money mediocre again, only three days have also run out again. He thought his children did not like what snacks? Not to mention electricity, gas, school bekel, A Iwan where to know. He also called me unappointed. Once lifted even angry. Tea drops sprain Ciitt..." It bites the lower lip with teary eyes.
Tea Mira's children were all five. The first was a 2nd grade High School boy, but I just saw him because he lives with his grandmother. The second and third women were respectively 3rd and 5th grades of Junior High School. While the fourth and fifth are the ones who are currently fighting in this house. Usually the number three Tita will mess up, but this time there is no visible stem of his nose. Only Kiran is the second child who I think is quite polite and quiet, in contrast to her sisters. While A Iwan Teh Mira's husband, worked as a trader of agricultural tools whose markets around Cirebon, Indramayu, Majalengka and Kuningan.
"How much is Tea?" my question though with a heavy heart because I am very sure my money this time will also be difficult to return as it has been. Even the debts that have not been fully paid.
"Not much, only 200 until A Iwan came home, "he replied with sparkling eyes.
"Okay, if there's no tea, "I said lying "it's only 100, and I want to buy rice. What about 50, would you? Rice is finished." Again I lied, but the rice was bought yesterday. Let it be, maybe I should start to dare to refuse even though I consider myself to be still too good.
He seems to dislike my explanation. His eyes probed, seeing whether I was lying or not because only this time I dared to refuse his request. But do not mind also Teh Mira assented it.
"Well, where is it?" He said to raise his hand. I went to the room and took a 50 thousand fraction of the remaining 700 thousand to risk the next month. The money quickly changed hands.
"Diki, Diki here." he shouted later. "Quick buy mamah cigarette half, you are the same Diva jajan thousand-thousand yah"
I'm stunned. It could be that Mira Tea is still thinking about buying cigarettes when he said he himself was in short supply. While his son who protested because he was only given a ration of a thousand, he was immediately snapped. "Udah, don't continue to snack, later be a fool you. Hurry there, then Ateu Citra kasih eskrim again. Yes Ateu yah?" Tea Mira asked for my consent which I replied by passing to the bathroom without answering anything. I quietly rubbed my stomach and said amit-amit, hopefully someday my husband and I will never do that to my children.
While preparing a meal for my husband who had just returned from work, there was a commotion that was directed towards him from the Mira Tea house. There was the sound of Tea Mira screaming at no one. At first my husband and I chose to stay silent because they did not want to interfere in personal matters. Until finally heard someone who pushed through the door of my house loudly while calling my husband's name.
"A Doni's.. A Doni, that's please Mira Tea.." Her voice sounded like that of my mother. My husband, who was just about to feed me food, was forced to put his plate down again and rushed to open the door.
"That's please first, pity Tea Mira" he said again. Without much questioning, my husband rushed to the Mira Tea house followed by me and the Mother.
There are a lot of people who are already huddled there. Maybe I wonder what happened. Some were screaming for Mr. RT and Mr. RW to be summoned. The sound of Teh Mira was still crying, while A Iwan was angry with the language that was really not pleasant to hear.
"Ti mimiti oge aing ngawin maneh siah tea, basic awewe goblog teu nyaho lucky.." then heard the sound of broken glass accompanied by people who are privileged. (From the beginning of the disaster I married you. Female policy******does not know in the lucky.!)
Several adults including my husband held A Iwan's hand in fear of anything happening to the defenseless Teh Mira. The four children were seen crying, hugging their mother. Shortly afterwards came RT sir and Mr. RW with a middle-aged man and woman who later I know is the eldest brother of A Iwan and his wife. His house is different from the village with us, but still in one subdistrict.
"So'sup Iwan, teu gableg kaera siah." he said as soon as he came. (So you Iwan, have no shame on you well)
They entered and closed the door tightly after Mr. RT told the crowd to disperse. We - including me and the mother - immediately disbanded and returned home with thoughts that raged in each other's minds.
An hour later, my husband came home. I haven't sat down yet, I asked him.
"What the hell is kang?" Kepo many.
"Udah ah, don't know anyone else's business." Answer's short.
I also immediately understood that Kang Doni did not want to talk further. Even if I force it to be useless because he won't open his mouth. Indeed, the nature of my husband like that, if not forced as before, he would never want to interfere in the personal affairs of others. I finally swallowed my curiosity deeply.
The next day I just found out from the mother that it turns out that Teh Mira is A Iwan's second wife. The house they now occupy was once a house occupied by A Iwan and the first wife who eventually relented and bought a house elsewhere. According to the mother, Aril, Kiran and Tita are the children of Teh Mira from her first husband. The son of A Iwan and Teh Mira is only Diki and Diva. But what makes me more surprised is, A Iwan was once a large-scale agricultural equipment supplier whose market share even reached East Java and the island of Bali, not just a retailer like now. But slowly his business began to go bankrupt after remarrying Teh Mira.
"Or not Tea, If A Iwan out of town it turns out again sparkle to the first wife" said the mother again.
After that incident, Teh Mira was never seen out of the house again. Even to my house which he had always considered a second home. Only his son who occasionally came to visit just ask for food as usual.
