Not a Choice

25

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

...~ After drifting away, this feeling is more and more convinced that you are the best figure in destroying my life ~...

...__Arunika Pramesti__...

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

There was only silence, shortly after Khan so innocently asked about the grandfather and grandmother intended by the person whom Khan had met several times. Runa looked at Ata sharply, while Sandy sighed deeply. Ata was silent. No longer daring to let out a word looking at the angry gaze that Runa gave her.

“Mas, can you bring Khan in first to the house?” pinta Runa after she can master the emotions that surround her soul due to Ata.

Runa feels Ata is outrageous. Ata too interfered with her life after so long gone, today she ruined all the things that Runa kept tightly.

“I go inside first. If there's anything, call me!” Sandy patted Runa's shoulder slowly. He believes, Runa is able to face Ata.

Khan himself looked confused to see the three adults who were struggling. Seeing his mother holding back his anger, Khan no longer asked about it, although Khan was very curious. He bowed obediently, occasionally he glanced at Runa who was still staring intently at Ata.

“Is there anything I don't know, Run?” ask Ata after Sandy and Khan's departure.

“What do you know about my life?” circus Runa.

Seeing Runa who seemed to want to skin him alive, Ata tried to get closer to calm Runa down. Just a step forward, Runa told him to stop. Ata also according.

“We need to talk, Run,” persuade Ata.

“Nothing to talk about anymore. It's all over when you cut our relationship. So I hope you leave this house as well as from my life and Khan.”

“Khan my son, Run. How can you tell me to go from my son's side?” Ata growled furiously, “enough all this time you hid Khan from me. From now on, I'll stay by Khan's side. After all, Khan my son, my flesh and blood. Don't you forget that, Run!”

“Enough! I'm sick of what you're talking about, Ata! As if you were the best father in the world. But actually not. Now please, go! You don't know anything about me and Khan, so don't disturb our lives anymore.”

“Then from that give me a chance to get to know Khan and also take responsibility for everything. I still love you, Run. Forgive my old mistakes. Let's start over again from the beginning. Me, you, and Khan. I'm sure the three of us can live happily. I also want to be called father by my own son,” pinta Ata memelas.

“It's not that easy, Ta. My pain will not pay off so easily.”

“I know. But at least allow me to endure the little bit of pain that I have inflicted on you. I promise, from now on I will always try to make you and Khan happy.”

Silence, there was no reply from Runa. Runa just bowed bitterly. All the shadows of his past re-spin in memory. All the pain that he could barely bear in the past again gnawed at his heart.

“Run, please give me a chance. I also want to feel like Khan's father. It's not just Sandy. I'm more entitled to Khan than Sandy. So please, tell Khan that I am his real father. The person he most deserves is called father.”

Hearing the word 'rights' spoken from Ata's mouth made Runa smile lightly. “Hak, you say?” runa asked as she stared intently at Ata, “you are only Khan's biological father. Besides you mean nothing to Khan. As Khan was in the womb, it was Mas Sandy who gave him attention, fulfilling all of Khan's needs. Mas Sandy took care of Khan when I was helpless after giving birth. He who you say is nobody who doesn't feel disgusted when changing Khan's diaper also cleans Khan's shit. Teach Khan to talk and walk. Reading, writing, and counting. Not you. Everything Khan eats is from Mas Sandy's sweat, not yours!” firmly Runa, “then, what rights do you ask, Byakta Kalingga?”

“That's all because I don't know and you don't tell me. So don't throw all the blame on me. You also contributed to this error!” Ata also ignited emotions over Runa's words.

“Therefore, you'd better go. It's my fault, isn't it? So let me endure it myself. I don't need your sympathy. Me and Khan don't need you!” said Runa coldly. Once again he stared at Ata hatefully before he left Ata in the courtyard of the house. Not forgetting he locked the door.

“Are you okay?” Sandy approached Runa who was leaning against the door. Runa simply nodded in response. Outside of Ata, he cusses himself.

“Shittt!” His clenched hand hit the air. “Sials. I shouldn't blame Runa.” Now he realized that he had been wrong in speaking because he was consumed by emotions. “However, Khan should know if I am his real father,”.

***

Two days after the incident, Ata continued to seduce Runa, so that the beautiful woman would tell Khan that he was the father of the handsome boy through WhatsApp messages.

However, Runa was reluctant with Ata's attitude that forced her will. Runa chose to ignore the message from Ata. The man did not lose his patience, he even appeared in front of Runa suddenly while picking up Khan at school.

"Runa, come on, tell Khan that I'm his real father,” pinta Ata to Runa, but the one who was spoken to was silent regardless of what the interlocutor said.

Runa looked at Ata sharply and full of anger.

"Is that all you can do, by coming and destroying everything I have arranged neatly and well? I fought for Khan to grow properly. Like a child his age. But look, you ruined everything. Is that what you want, Ata?" in a fit of anger, Runa replied to Ata's request.

Even with a soft voice, but it sounded so sharp in the ears of the selfish man. Runa should be able to suppress the intonation of his voice, since they are in a public place.

The silent Ata no longer answered what her beloved woman had said. If indeed in Runa's mind he was a selfish figure, then he would really be a selfish figure. Ata dark eyes. He was tired of persuading Runa. He will do what he thinks is good.

A step forward towards Runa and whispered softly, "I will still tell Khan who I really am and you will just follow everything I planned.”

Runa gaped in disbelief. He saw Ata approaching Khan who had just come out of the school gate.

"Hi, Khan,” said after being next to Khan. “Om want to talk to you for a minute, can you?” ata asked while taking Khan to sit in the waiting chair.

"Om, what do you want to talk to me about?" Khan asked back.

Runa who saw Ata and Khan sitting immediately approached them with pale faces. Ata glanced at Runa who shook her head in disapproval, but Ata did not care. Then turned his eyes to Khan again.

"Actually, om is Khan's real father. Khan's real father, not Sandy's." Ata immediately introduced herself to Khan without further ado and full of confidence. Ata hopes to get a good response and in accordance with her dreams. Khan would hug and call father to him, but Khan's reaction was unexpected. The boy squinted his eyes and looked up at what he had just heard.

Runa looked at the two men of different ages before her with a pushy look. Both of his eyes were already glazed. His heart was broken upon hearing Ata's confession. He was afraid that Khan would hate him, because he had kept it a secret. Runa was in a dilemma, the selfish man had destroyed everything without remaining.

“God, why did all this happen? What do I have to do after this?” runa groaned in heart. He is no longer able to speak. His tongue feels ugly. Only tears represented his current feelings. He cried not because of weakness, but when everything can no longer be dammed by storing pain. With this situation he learns to be an adult, always accepting the situation without blaming reality.

...*****...

...To be continued...