Ninth Month

Siti Nur Maria's

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Maria was working on her flower arrangement when someone walked into the green house. He wondered, who is visiting? Maybe someone will take a bouquet, but they promised to take it in the afternoon, not this afternoon. Maria was about to greet him, but was undone because the middle-aged man who met was seen admiring the beauty of the flowers around him. Mary smiled, who was not fascinated by the beauty of this garden. His son worked very hard to grow these flowers.

"It's so beautiful, I'm so lucky to be able to come here at least once" the man murmured.

Maria immediately sharpened her observation as the man muttered the word in Indonesian. Maria was so enthusiastic when she found out that the person who was visiting her green house was Indonesian.

"Excuse me, can I help you?" greet Maria friendly.

The man was a little surprised by Maria's call, he turned to Mary.

Maria momentarily observed the man in front of her, this man resembled someone. At first, he was a little unsure, but just as the man was about to ask, the dimple on the man's right cheek was printed clearly. An expanding smile adorned Mary's face as she looked at the dimples. As expected, this man was a person he knew, a person who had been everything in his life long ago.

"Excuse me, can I meet you...."

Not yet finished the question the man asked, Maria immediately cut the question enthusiastically.

"Hasan, is that you?" ask Mary in disbelief. He can't remember the last time he met Hasan, probably when Rayan was a kid. Hasan may have grown fat over time, but Maria still can't forget the dimples that are just one in her right cheek. He used to make fun of Hasan because his dimples were not a pair.

Maria immediately put the daisies she was holding onto the table, she took off the gloves she was wearing and extended her hand to Hasan to shake hands.

Mr. Wibowo's face looked a little confused. Could it be that Hasan has forgotten me? maria's mind was sad, although sad she still put on a face full of smiles and waited for Hasan to welcome his hand.

Hasan was seen walking closer, Maria had thought Hasan would welcome a helping hand, but it turned out Hasan stopped in place. Maria thought Hasan remembered her. Their story had indeed ended badly, could time have not healed that wound?

"Mary.." called Hasan slowly, he had fallen down as if his knees could no longer support him, he saw Mary with tears in his eyes.

Maria couldn't tell what tears were? but he was very sad to see the tears that flowed on the cheeks of the man who had filled his past.

Maria calmed Hasan down and forced the man to move to a more comfortable place, there were several chairs on the table where the flower arrangement was, she asked Hasan to move there. He poured a glass of water and placed it in front of Hasan, patiently waiting for the man to calm down while continuing his work, he had to hurry because this flower arrangement would be taken late afternoon for the wedding, Rayan was already working on a small arrangement while the larger series became his responsibility.

"How are you?" hasan asked started the conversation after feeling calmer.

"As you can see, I'm fine right now, what about you? Did that bring you here?" ask Maria while staying focused. This time he was scissoring white roses and skillfully placing them. Stringing flowers had always been her favorite, even when her mind was unstable, her hobbies remained unchanged.

"Me, can I see Hendrayan?" hasan asked a little afraid that Maria would refuse his request.

"Of course, soon Rayan will come, she is picking up the kids at school."

"Marya?" call Hasan slowly.

"What's wrong? Say, I'm fine," actually Maria also felt heavy having to confront directly with her past, she was very afraid of having to go back to the mental hospital, but since she was declared cured, she was very afraid, he always repeated the scenario of this meeting in his opinion. Because he knew sooner or later this meeting would happen as well, and if that time came he should be able to deal with it, for the sake of his sons, for the sake of his grandchildren.

"Why didn't you come?" asked Mr. Wibowo carefully, about the past, he wanted a direct answer from Maria.

"I should ask you why you didn't come. I waited for you from morning until night." said Maria emotion, she had been waiting that long, how could Hasan tell her that he had not come.

"I waited all night until morning, you didn't come" Mr. Wibowo said.

"Who said that I made an appointment at night. I exactly told Aunt Romlah that I would come in the morning."

"But, aunt Romlah also told me clearly that I should wait for you at 7 p.m. I even arrived early,” said Mr. Wibowo did not want to lose.

"How can you?" maria muttered finally, "did they intentionally do it to us then?"

Mr. Wibowo shook his head in disbelief. Was everything that happened back then just a misunderstanding? How could? Is there anyone who did it intentionally? This fact hurt him, he fought so long to forgive Mary's betrayal. But at this time, he could not mention which betrayal, because everything that happened at that time was just a misunderstanding.

"So, who did it?" ask Mr. Wibowo stammering.

"It doesn't matter who did it, it's all in the past now" Maria replied as she finished her work, staying for a while the flower arrangement would be ready. He had to prepare lunch for his son and grandchildren, he also had guests now, it was possible that Hasan would be willing to eat with them.

"Maybe if this misunderstanding does not occur, at this time we can still be together," said Mr. Wibowo.

"I don't have to wonder anymore, I've spent a lot of my life in a mental institution, I really don't want to."

"The mental hospital? wh-wh-what for? you..." Mr. Wibowo did not continue his words, he was a little confused.

"I was a little stupid back then, because loving you too much made me end up in a mental institution."

"No way!" deny Mr. Wibowo, who should be disappointed and depressed is himself, not Maria, whom he heard Maria had been engaged to a rich man.

But is that really true? Deny Mr. Wibowo in heart.

"Hasan, let us overcome this, I have forgiven all the misunderstandings that have occurred between us. Our destiny is finished, each of us has obtained a life of our own."

"I'm sorry" Wibowo said, not knowing what else to say. He did not expect Mary to be in a mental hospital because of her actions.

Mr. Wibowo reminisces about his love story. Siti Nur Maria is her first love, they are dating since the first year of High School, they are a matching couple, they both remain unwavering even though Maria's family disagrees. He fought so hard to marry Mary. But he heard that Mary had given up fighting for their love. After a misunderstanding blows due to their failed meeting, he hears Maria getting engaged, wanting to prove that he can move on, he marries Rini, who becomes his current wife. Perhaps because of hearing of her marriage, Mary suffered and ended up in a mental hospital. But the last time she saw Mary, she had a son and was pregnant. Then what happened, should not Mary be happy with her marriage?

"What's wrong, everything has passed, let what happened in the past remain the past” concluded Maria. He stood up while looking at his finished work, “ Rayan is coming soon, will you come to lunch together? Maybe you miss your grandkids too.”

“Can I do it, I dare not, I drove my grandson abroad and refused to admit it.”

“Your dosage is pretty much also turned out?” taste Maria.

“Are you not mad at me?” ask Mr. Wibowo astonishment.

Maria who had been trying to hold back her emotions from earlier instantly exploded.

“You, you know how much I want to hit you, why are you so mean to me, now you are so mean to my son, tell me why you met him? You've driven him away so far. Why else would you go to him?” mary shouted furiously.

“I'm sorry, I didn't know that Rayan is your son, I really don't know,” said Mr. Wibowo apologized, “I just found out today that Rayan is your son.”

“You did not only expel my son, you also expelled my grandson, but in their bodies your blood flowed, why are you so cruel,” cried Mary, unable to beat Hasan. He was very angry, his son had suffered a lot because of Hasan's actions. Mary may have forgiven Hasan, but she could not forgive him for his sons and grandsons.

Mr. Wibowo holds Maria's hand to stop beating her, “forgive me Maria, if I know that Rayan is your son, I would like if Rayan takes revenge on me, but why should he hurt my daughter. My only daughter.”

Mary wept, to be honest she also knew the actions of her son who demanded revenge for Hasan's actions. Everything that happened to Rayan and Intan is the fruit of his story and Hasan. All this is karma. It was as if everything had been related by fate.

“I promise I will make up for all my mistakes, please find me with Rayan for my daughter, please,” pinta Pak Wibowo.

“Mother... “ call someone who suddenly goes into the green house.

Mr. Wibowo, seeing someone coming, Maria didn't hear it because she was busy scolding him, but she knew who was coming. Yes, the one who walked towards him was Rayan, Rayan walked straight towards him quickly, and unceremoniously immediately raised her endless fists.

Maria immediately tried to hurt them but apparently Rayan did not want to hear it, until the voice of the little girl forced Rayan to stop the blow.

“Papa... “

Mr. Wibowo saw a crying little girl calling for Rayan, papa. He closed his mouth and shed tears of disbelief, the little girl must be his granddaughter, her face looks exactly the same as Intan as a child, “cucuku...” call Mr. Wibowo when you see Rayan taking his grandson away.

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Rayan arrives with the children from school. He looked at the twins affectionately, the twins Ruby and Rudy grew into beautiful children. Ruby has grown into a beautiful girl, with clear black eyes, fair skin typical of Javanese girls, as well as long black hair. How Ruby looks like Intan.

While his hero, Rudy, he grew up to be a smart and deft child. His hair is slightly brown with a smooth texture, just like Rayan's, Rudy has sharp dimples on both cheeks, making him look sweet when smiling. His body is slightly taller than Ruby, while his posture is thin like his cousin, Samuel, the only son of Ema puppet.

“Why does the gate open, who is visiting?” rayan murmured while parking his car into the yard.

“What's up, Pa?” asked Rudy when he saw his astonished father.

“Oh, there's nothing dear, take your sister into the house, change clothes and we'll get ready for lunch, Papa will call your Oma,” his orders to Rudy.

Rudy then complied and went with his sister into the house.

Rayan rushed to the green house, because she knew her mother must be there. But when he saw the door of the green house open wide, he immediately ran inside. She was afraid something might happen to her mother. Moreover, the voice of his mother shouted in a high tone. He was worried that his mother's depression relapsed again, even though his mother was declared cured 5 years ago.

“Mother... “ shouted Rayan.

Rayan saw her mother was with someone. But when Rayan saw who was with his mother, Rayan was immediately overwhelmed with emotion and rushed towards the old man and, “buagh...” without a second thought, he immediately raised his fist blindly.

“Rayan... “ cry Maria stops her son.

Rayan did not care about her mother's screams and continued to beat Mr. Wibowo mercilessly.

“Papa..” call Ruby while crying, she is terrified to see her Papa hit someone. It turns out that Ruby followed her Papa into a green house.

Rayan awoke from her emotions when she heard her daughter crying, she then released Mr. Wibowo and turned to hug her daughter.

“Pardon dear Papa, Papa scares you,” whispered Rayan while calming her daughter. He then carried his daughter outside the green house, he must have forgotten to give the house keys so that Ruby followed him here.

Rayan first had to keep Ruby and Rudy away before she asked Mr. Wibowo for an explanation.

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