Not a Choice

24

...******...

..."What we plant, that's what we'll reap"...

...Kalinga Byakta...

...*******...

Tomorrow, early in the morning Ata was back to prepare to meet Runa and his son. After knowing the truth about who Khan is, Ata gets more excited to meet Runa. Grateful, this time there was no voice of David lecturing him. So, he was freer to meet Runa.

Alea was forced to come back with David, because of some work that he could not delay. However, he promised to keep asking for the certainty of Ata. Alea was sure, surely Ata would still choose him.

Without thinking, Ata immediately went to the restaurant. He guessed, Khan must have been there to accompany Runa at the restaurant considering that today is Sunday .

Ata got out of the car as soon as she saw Khan playing with Runa. This time he did not see a man named Sandy there, making it more free to approach Runa and Khan. "This is my chance to take your heart back, Run," Ata muttered.

Khan's laughter began to sound crisp as Ata's steps began to approach. When he got closer, he looked at Khan's face. David said Khan was a small form of himself. Why was it that when he first met, he didn't realize it?

"Dad?" Khan shouted in excitement as soon as he saw a man coming. "Bun, I've come." Khan was still yelling while tugging at Runa's clothes, while Runa was fixated on seeing the man approaching towards them.

Ata was happy when she heard Khan calling her father. He even smiled widely and wanted to immediately bring Khan into his arms.

"Hi, Khan!" greet Sandy, sounding right behind Ata.

Ata immediately turned around and how surprised she was, upon seeing Sandy already standing behind her. I don't know since when the man came, Ata didn't realize it. Maybe he was too happy to see the joy of his son. However, the happiness he felt before faded instantly, when he found out who Khan called father. The name was not for him, but for Sandy who was behind him.

Immediately Khan ran past Ata and slammed into Sandy's arms.

"Khan ...," call Ata lirih when she sees how close Khan is to Sandy. Khan who heard his name called turned towards the source of the voice. "Khan remember your face?" ask Ata.

Hearing Ata's question, Khan seemed to think. "Em, looks like Khan's seen Om."

The call 'om' to Ata, made him want to immediately tell Khan who he was. However, for now he was still able to endure it. Ata is convinced, Runa will not hide forever the truth about who Khan's real father is. Someday, Khan will know who he is.

When Runa doesn't tell him right away, it's the one who has to tell Khan who his real father is. No longer caring about anyone, sooner or later Khan has to figure it out.

Ata walked closer to Khan. "You want to play the same Om, right?"

"Stop!" hold Khan. He looked towards Runa. "Bun, om this is evil, isn't it? Can Khan play with this?" ask khan to Runa.

I really want Runa to answer no. Ata is the father of Khan. It is impossible to keep them away. This is what Runa was afraid of. Ata's presence in her life is beyond plan. He never thought that Ata would come back and meet him.

"A-I ...," doubted Runa. "Khan dear," call Runa to her son who is still in Sandy's arms. It was Runa who wiped her tears.

"Om, don't make Mother cry. Khan loves Mother. Om why is evil with Mother, to make Mother cry?" cecar Khan on Ata.

"Call me Father, Khan. This is your father, your real father." Ata wanted to scream and make it clear who she was. However, all was only the voice of his heart. The envy of Sandy because Khan called 'father' while he was called 'om', made him want to rebel and explain everything to Khan. His heart was so sliced that every Khan called him 'om'.

How could his biological son call himself 'om' while calling others 'father'? Khan is his biological son, but is reluctant to recognize himself as a father. Is this karma for Ata? Is this the reward for everything he did to Runa?

If indeed Khan has not been able to accept himself, he must approach Runa's parents. At least Runa's parents would have agreed if he married Runa. After all, Khan was his son with Runa. Of course Runa's parents would not reject that truth. He could use Khan as an excuse to marry Runa.

"Okay, Khan, I'm sorry, yeah. Sorry for making your mother cry" Ata said. "Gini, as an apology, I want to take Khan on a vacation somewhere. Khan wants to, right?"

The word holiday Ata made happy twinkle in Khan's eyes. He immediately took off Sandy's embrace and walked over to Ata. "Vacation, Om? To where? Khan wants to, dong?"

"But there are conditions."

"What's Om's condition?"khan asked enthusiastically.

"First of all, Khan had to call him father. The second, Khan must invite the mother to come with us," Ata pinta with a glance at Runa and Sandy.

"Em, Khan doesn't want to call 'father'. Khan's father is one, Sandy's father. If the second condition, Khan will ask the same mother, surely mother would want. Where are we going, Om?"

"We're going to Surabaya, Khan. Later there we meet Khan's grandmother and grandfather. They must have met Khan. Khan's been there?" Ata glanced back at Runa. There was a bit of shock on Runa's face that made Ata a little overwhelmed with awkwardness.

"I guess surabaya?" Khan seemed to think when he heard the word Surabaya. "Bun, have we ever been there? Does Khan have grandparents there?"

Runa was still speechless when he was reviled by Khan's question. He's still considering how to explain everything to a Khan's age. Will he understand the complex story of his parents? Is he able to understand his situation?

"Is not our family Father, Mother, and grandmother Mira? Then, who are Khan's grandparents in Surabaya?"

That's right, Ata's guess. Hearing the question coming out of Khan's mouth made Ata think about the reason for Runa's existence in Wonosobo. He felt awkward with the words of Khan who seemed like he did not know Runa's parents. In fact, Khan did not even know if he still had grandparents.

Didn't Runa tell Khan about his family in Surabaya? Even Ata was increasingly confused when Sandy was seen silent to hear Khan's question.

...******...

...to be continued...