Not a Choice
21
...******...
...“A mother can do anything to protect her child. They will be a tough woman to fight for her son.”...
...~Arunika Pramesti~...
...******...
Runa's body shook violently behind the door. His sobs were red, so as not to cause a commotion until Khan woke up. That feeling of tightness still rolls the heart. Now, Ata already knows everything, no matter what steps she will take forward. He'll talk to Sandy.
Runa was still curled up in the living room with an empty mind. The hour hand that kept rolling without Runa noticing was already pointing at the number five. The pretty face looks haggard because the eyes do not want to be closed at all. Lucky today was Sunday, so he did not have to rush to wake Khan up to go to school.
With a gontai step, Runa headed for the kitchen to find food that he would process for breakfast. The refrigerator he opened and turned zonk. There's nothing there.
“I forgot to shop.” The face was increasingly bowed lethargic when he found the refrigerator only contained one egg. Runa decided to cook fried rice as breakfast, but he still had to go to the Bu Sri stall that sold vegetables to buy chili peppers as well as other ingredients.
Runa rushed to get the wallet and went outside the house after washing her face. To his surprise, he found Ata who was still silent at the door of his house. Ata who heard the door open immediately opened her eyes. Both eyes look blotchy. So did Runa's eyes.
“Ngapain you are still here?” Go and never disturb my life again.”
The words of Runa who kicked him out made Ata smile cynically.
“Do you think I'll just leave after knowing the fact that Khan is my son? Don't be crazy, Run. I won't let go of that opportunity again.”
Ata took a step forward in front of Runa staring at the girl who once filled her days beautifully. His hands extended behind his ears smoothed out a black mane that prevented him from looking at Runa's beautiful face and continued his words, “Why did you hide Khan from me? Why didn't you tell me that there was a fruit of our love growing in your womb? Why, Run? Why are you doing that?” tanyanya while looking at Runa with sadness, “if you were honest from the beginning, we should have lived happily together. I cannot be separated from my son. Run, I missed you. Let's start all over,” Ata said while lifting Runa's chin.
“Cih!” Runa brushed off Ata's hand on her chin. It felt so disgusted to be touched by the man again after his words last night. “Are you handing me the mistake? Isn't this all because of you, asshole? If I hadn't been lulled by your seduction back then, my life might have been much better. However, Now that I am even grateful for the presence of Khan, I feel not alone in this world.”
Both Ata's eyes closed while clenching both hands, even until his knuckles turned white. “But you purposely hid a fact of this magnitude to me, Run. I didn't expect you to be so selfish in making a decision!” ata furious.
“ Would you be responsible if I told you about my pregnancy?” runa asked back while folding both of her hands on her chest. Tears that have come down since. Slowly dry up and replaced with a face full of anger.
“Of course!” answer Ata with confidence.
Ata's answer made Runa smile on her side.
“Are you not obsessed with your dream of going to college in the UK. Then, are you sure you will give up your dreams and prefer me who is containing your flesh blood?!”
Ata's throat was choked. The man was in his place. Runa's words seemed to skin herself. Ata aspired to study in the UK to finish S1. As if fate sided with his dream, he also had the opportunity to get a scholarship at one of the best campuses in the world. It is her fault that she deliberately kept it a secret from Runa and made the decision to end her relationship with Runa at the wrong time.
“From the look on your face, you can't even answer, even though I just told you to choose. You are selfish just being selfish. Just so you know since I tested positive for pregnancy, I've been looking for your whereabouts. I contacted David to look for your whereabouts, but unfortunately, you have already left for London.”
“From that day I promised to forget you and take care of my own child as best I could. You ended it all that time, and threw all the consequences of that dirty deed only at me. You never thought about any of that, did you? All you think about is how to pursue your dreams. So, you have absolutely no right to my son.”
Runa let out all her disappointments during this time. The pain he had endured for so many years now seemed to have escaped from his cage.
“You don't even know how my life was after that. How am I supposed to face everyone's insults for conceiving out of wedlock? How do I deal with an unusually heavy pregnancy. How am I supposed to fight desperately for the little life that will be born in this world? How am I supposed to fend for myself so I can feed my son? Do you still want to blame me for all this? If so, you are truly the scumbag guy I have met.”
Runa's voice sounded heavy, indicating that he was trying desperately to control his emotions.
All this time Ata did not expect Runa to experience a very difficult life. Still unmoved in his place, Ata slowly approached Runa, but the woman's speech before her made the man freeze on the spot.
“So now go, I beg you! Don't give new wounds again, really I can't afford it,” said Runa.
“Good. I'm gonna go. But I ask, don't stop me from being near my son. Or else I'll take custody of Khan from you. However, I am also entitled to her!” said Ata.
“A mother can do anything to protect her child. They will be tough women to fight for their children. So did I. I've bet my life for his life, don't bother my son or I'll kill you.” Runa left Ata who was sculpting after locking the door of her house.
...***...
Runa could not focus on her work. His mind raged with Ata's speech last night. He would not let anyone take Khan from him. For Runa, only the current Khan family he had. However Ata insisted on taking Khan, Runa would not let that happen.
Even until Sandy entered her room, Runa did not welcome the man.
“Hai, any problems?” ask the man in black shirt chime in the beige Chinos pants. Since his arrival he momentarily noticed Runa on the sofa while guarding Khan who slept in the place because tired of playing lego.
“A-ehm, that ... when did you come?”
Sandy glanced at the clock hanging on the wall of Runa's room, “Fifteen minutes ago. It seems like there's something you're thinking about. Tell me, who knows I can help. Because, since I just saw you daydreaming,” said Sandy stood up from the sofa and stepped in front of Runa's desk and landed her ass on one of the chairs there.
Runa also told him about Ata's arrival and spoke candidly about Khan to him. By telling Sandy the story, Runa hoped that she could share her burden with the man before her.
At first, Sandy was surprised by Runa's frank remarks about Khan's real father, but after hearing the anxiety that caused Runa to daydream earlier, she understood. For, which mother willingly lives apart from her child after being dumped by her lover.
“You don't worry about that. I assure you, Ata won't easily take Khan from you. Especially wanting to claim custody of Khan. That's not easy. Didn't that jerk from the beginning dump you. Although he's Khan's biological father, he has no right to take it from you. So, what's the restlessness for. I will protect you and Khan from Ata. Don't think about Khan. That's my business! Now it's better, we're having lunch. Your staff said, since last afternoon you have not eaten anything.”
Runa nodded as well. For a moment, he could relax a little more after dividing his load to the man in front of him. Sandy also went out to tell Runa employees to deliver food into his room because they could not leave Khan who was still sleeping soundly.
...*****...
...to be continued...
