Not a Choice

26

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

...“If a mother is able to bet her life for her baby, then a father is able to sacrifice everything to make his child happy.”...

...~Byakta Kalingga~...

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

After a few minutes of silence, Khan finally started to speak and ask all the truth to Runa.

“Mother, what does this Om say, if Khan's father is this Om, and not Sandy's father?” Runa who got the question from Khan momentarily fell silent. The clear thread was increasingly wetting Runa's face. Seeing her mother crying, Khan began to approach her mother and embraced Runa's body affectionately. Runa was now sitting crouching to align his height with Khan.

“Im sorry mom, Khan. Forgive mother.” Runa continued to cry and only that word was able to be spoken by Runa.

“Mother don't cry! Khan is sad to see mother nangis.” Khan patiently stroked and wiped the clear circles that soaked Runa's smooth cheeks.

Seeing Runa who continued to cry and was unable to explain who she was to Khan, Ata got a little upset and finally spoke.

“Iya, Darling. Om is Khan's father, so from now on Khan must call om with the title of father,” Ata explained with a smile full of pride, because it has managed to reveal who he really is in front of Khan.

“Enough, Ta! Let me explain it to Khan.” Runa who was originally crouching then stood up. Because Runa felt Ata was already quite outrageous.

“I want you to explain to Khan now! If I was actually his real father. And I don't want to wait too long,” urged Ata on Runa.

“I need time, Ta. I need time to talk to Khan. Because explaining something this big to Khan is not easy. So, please go!” Runa tries to banish Ata subtly, so that Khan does not need to see their quarrel.

“Alright, I love you for one day, after which I want my son to know me as his father. Not that guy named Sandy!” firmly Ata.

“Sorry, Ta, I can't promise. I don't want to confuse Khan with all this and I don't want to force him to understand what's going on between us. Sorry I have to go.” After saying all these things Runa went with Khan, and left Ata who was silent alone.

“Good. Go, Runa. But I'll never give up. I will keep fighting until I can have you again with the fruit of our love,” muttered Ata with a smile.

“If a mother is able to bet her life for her baby, then a father is able to sacrifice everything to make his child happy. That's my resolve, Run. I'll make you too Khan happy with me,” Inner Ata.

***

On the way home, it felt so quiet. Runa and Khan did not make a sound after a debate between Runa and Ata. The boy sat quietly in the bonnet of the matic motor driven by Runa.

“Delay. Mother do not be sad, yes. If you are sad, Khan is sad. What else if you cry,” said Khan while hugging the waist of his mother to seek comfort after a long time they just silence.

“Not Dear. Mother is okay, really. Mother crying because mother dear and afraid of losing Khan,” explained Runa while advancing his motorbike at medium speed.

“Mother?” Call Khan in his soft voice.

“Iya, Darling,” replied Runa.

“Mother, Khan promise. Khan will always be there for Mother. Khan will never leave Mother, no matter what happens. And about the om that was at Khan's school. Even though he said that it was Khan's father, Khan still felt Sandy's father was the father of Khan, because the one who was always there for Khan and the mother was Sandy's father, Sandy's father,” said Khan while tightening his arms.

“Thank you, Darling. Thank you, Khan. Because Khan has loved Sandy's mother and father sincerely,” said Runa while stroking the back of Khan's hand that was holding her.

Without feeling like their journey was over. Runa and Khan enter their home.

Khan began to enter his room, changing his school uniform with the usual home clothes he used daily. While Runa, he went straight to the kitchen to take a glass of water and immediately sipped it to find freshness. Hope by drinking cold water can melt his hot heart. Then prepare lunch for Khan.

It seems that today's incident makes Runa feel a little tired, and today he decided not to go to work, so he also asked Mbak Wati to take care of his restaurant that was never empty of visitors.

***

“Sorry, Mr. Sandy, all day Bu Runa did not come to the restaurant, he said he was tired. So Bu Runa entrust the restaurant to me,” explained Wati when Sandy asked about the whereabouts of Runa.

After listening to the explanation from Wati, Sandy immediately rushed to Runa's house, which was not too far from the restaurant.

After arriving at the courtyard of Runa's house, Sandy's heart was filled with joy. Because, the person who had been longing for was in the yard enjoying the beauty of the afternoon.

“Dad ...” Khan ran up to Sandy who was in front of him when he realized Sandy's presence.

Sandy who saw Khan running towards him immediately spread out both hands, preparing to catch and hold his beloved son.

“Wah, dad's son is already big, yes. Dad until not strong, loh, carrying him,” Sandy said as he started carrying Khan like an airplane.

“Khan, right, diligently drink milk and eat vegetables, Well, so Khan fast big,” said Khan with a small oddity when Sandy began to kiss his stomach like he was tickling it.

“ Daddy's son is great, huh, anyway. Father's son's best.” Sandy began to kiss Khan's puffed cheeks, then lowered the little boy.

“Come, we meet the mother, it looks like the mother will be jealous if you see Khan constantly hugging father.” Sandy started walking towards where Runa was.

Runa who saw the interaction between Sandy and Khan also her feelings became warmed. Because all this time only Sandy was able to understand and understand about his condition and Khan.

“Run, are you sick?” ask Sandy

“No, Mas. I'm fine, why, Mas?”

“No papa, but strange, not usually you nitipin resto to Wati.” Sandy looked at Runa with a look of disbelief.

“Tadi Ata came to Khan's school, Mas, and she told Khan everything. He said he was actually Khan's real father.” Runa's eyes looked back dewy. Runa looked at Nanar Khan who was playing alone in his yard.

Runa told Sandy everything that happened today without her reducing or exaggerating. Sandy who listened to Runa's story became furious about Ata's attitude.

Unexpectedly that afternoon Ata came to Runa's house and at that time he met with Sandy, a rival man to get Runa's heart. Khan who saw Ata's arrival immediately ran to the back of Runa's slender body to hide.

“You what else did you come here, Ta? I think our conversation was pretty clear this afternoon. So I beg you to leave here immediately,” said Runa firmly.

“I came here to ask permission to spend time with Khan. I will invite him to play and buy all his favorite toys, ” Ata explained with ease as if between them nothing happened.

“Sorry, Om. Khan never goes with strangers,” Khan said from behind Runa's body.

“Om is not a stranger, dear. Om is your real father. Father actually who Khan had.” Ata begins to approach Khan, but Khan keeps hiding and moves away.

“Neg. Anyway Khan does not want to go the same Om. Om the bad guy. Om has made mother sad,” said Khan.

“Khan's coming with dad, yeah. I'll buy you everything Khan wants. Father promised, father will not make mother sad again,” beg Ata, but the request Ata impressed a little pushy so that made Khan cry.

“Khan won't, you can't force Khan to comply with all your wishes, Ata. She's still a kid.” Ata's coercion of Khan made Sandy inflamed.

“Who do you dare to organize me?! Here you have no rights. Only me and Runa have the right to organize and give affection to Khan,” said Ata with a face full of anger.

“I would-be husband Runa. Me and Runa are getting married. So don't ever be as happy as you yourself pestered Khan's life. If you do not accept, please take the legal route over Khan. But remember one thing! Me and Runa will not be silent. We will both fight for Khan,” Sandy said firmly so as to make Ata clench her hands.

...*****...

...to be continued...

...Well, it's getting hotter, right? Yok, add hot in the comments column 😂...