Not the Story of Siti Nurbaya

Dinner (Part 2)

Before leaving the house Syifa locked the door first. After that Zikra reached out his hand and was immediately greeted warmly by Syifa. Along the way to the roadside fried rice cooker located at the end of the road, the two of them joined hands like a pair of young people who were dating.

Finally they arrived at the intended place after traveling a distance of approximately two hundred meters. A cart made of wood and framed glass in the storage of eggs, vegetables, egg moe, kwetiau and others. 'NASI GORENG PAK MIN', the sentence was written on a glass wall that was deliberately written with a large character.

Nothing special about that place. Only heavy tarpaulin and used cloth banners are not used for the bulkhead. A long table measuring one and a half meters, and several plastic benches placed on the right and left side of the table.

Syifa immediately sat on the chair that was on the side of the table. Zikra sat in the chair opposite Syifa. Coincidentally tonight, Pak Min fried rice shop is not being crowded until both of them are free to choose the place at will.

Sometimes the sound of vehicles that happened to pass. As if giving the impression of a lot of breaking the silence of the day that has gone up at night.

"Sir, fried rice is special two, yes." exclaimed Syifa half-screaming. "one is spicy, the other is moderate." he deliberately ordered two different flavors. At the moment, he wants to feel food with a different sensation.

"Want to eat here, or get wrapped up?" ask Mr. Min before making a Syifa order.

"Eat here, sir." replied Syifa quickly.

"okay." Mr. Min immediately lowered the cauldron that was a sizeable size from the roof of his wagon. Actually Mr. Min has two cauldrons of the same size. But have a different task. If that cauldron that he just dropped for frying. Means the other cauldron is used to cook fruitful food. The goal is that the cauldron he uses is not sticky.

The sound of the stove was lit, the clink of the surface of the cauldron that got friction from the samsi used by Mr. Min, plus the sound of hot oil used for frying eggs and sauteing spices, as if creating its own rhythm fills the simple space that Syifa and Zikra are inhabiting. The aroma of fried rice specialties pierced the nasal cavity. As if stimulating the worms that are together in the stomach to wriggle shows the action. Then he nodded and demanded to be fed.

"You want to eat spicy, Yank?" ask Zikra.

"Yes. My mouth is again bland, so let there be a slight biting taste." replied Syifa origin.

"What the hell are you, Yank. If it's just biting, why not say the same to me? I'm sure I can ..."

The Syifa reflex pinched Zikra's arm until it shrieked in pain.

"Aw! Pain, Yank..."

"You, that's why you need to take care of it..."

"What style? Silat style?"

"Stop! Stopit! Don't drive!" sergah Syifa forbade Zikra to continue his speech. He feels careless when discussing personal issues in public. Zikra only snorted silently while flicking his lips until it looked forward a few millimeters.

"The aroma of cooking is good, maknyus." Syifa switched the conversation.

"Aren't you nauseous anymore?"

"The wealth is not. My stomach feels comfortable with this smell, hhmmm..." Syifa breathed in the air deeply.

"I think tonight you're a little weird" Zikra said suddenly.

"Hmm, weird?" Syifa frowned until both of her eyebrows clutched together.

"Yes. The smell of cooking you say is delicious. Keep me, you said it stinks when I'm out of shower. My scented bath soap period loses the same smell of spicy cuisine anyway, Yank..."

*

At the same time in a simple rented house. Mother, Ade and Dad were enjoying their dinner which was very far from luxurious nature. Just pack rice with side dish tempeh and know a piece of bloated fish.

Lately Ade has been protesting. The boy was eager to eat his favorite fried chicken flour. Since moving to Batam until stranded in this rainy city, the food has not been tasted again. Not because there is nothing, but indeed the money that Mother has is only enough to buy packaged rice. If you want to buy it, the woman has to spend more money for a pack of rice that she usually buys every day.

Mother must be smart to manage money to meet the needs of life every day, and pay the rent so as not to delinquent. Otherwise it would have an impact on the three of them. Moreover, you have to go to the hospital to check up and therapy every one month.

"Mother .... when can Ade eat his crispy chicken? Ade was tired of eating this - this continued every day." the boy sulked. Pushing his food away from his face.

Father just silently looked at the behavior of his youngest child with a sad heart. He who is now transformed into a weak man and unemployment is locked in helplessness. If he had appreciated what he already had, his fate and his wife would not have been this miserable. He used to be too selfish to only attach importance to his own feelings that were so dissolved in grief when his mother died. Days to weeks do not go into the office just put forward his crybaby nature. Eventually he was dishonorably fired by his superiors. After that, he was easily fooled by the seduction of his old friend to work in one of the famous companies in Batan. But all of this is just a mirage. Now there are only regrets that always come too late.

"Ade.. dengerin Mother yes... Eat the rice first. Mommy promised to buy Ade crispy chicken tomorrow, yes." persuade Mother meekly.

"No way!" pekik Ade balked. "huuu... huuu.." the boy's cry finally broke.

Mother's heart was filled to hear the soft cries of her youngest child. My father was saddened by his helplessness.

"O Lord, how long have you given a servant such a trial? Please, take care of all this." Father's mind is soft.

*

Syifa looked impatiently devouring the fried rice that had just been placed on the table by Mr. Min. While the cutlery and fork have been gripped in his right and left hands since.

Zikra just smiled at his wife's childish attitude.

"Read the prayer before eating." exclaimed Zikra reminded Syifa who was about to eat fried rice was impatient.

"Oh yes." Syifa hurriedly read the prayer quickly in her heart. "amen!" he ended his prayer. Without waiting any longer he directly stuffed the hot fried rice into his mouth.

Zikra chuckled to see Syifa almost shed tears as her mouth was overheated.

"Slow down, blow the food first so it's not too hot."

"Yes. I forget it's still hot." he said with a busy mouth between chewing and trying to cool the food in his mouth. His hand kept fluttering in front of his mouth.

Connect ....

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Happy reading!

Hi readers 🙋... 🙏 sorry new so early update in author still not good body 🥶. Hopefully the readers can all still enjoy the storyline. 🙏 Thanks for all the readers who always faithfully read this novel. 5、Luv u all! 😁🤗️