Papa To Kirana

Chapter 24 The Poison of Love

For a moment I felt a strange sigh running all over my body. Alexa. From this close distance, I could feel Alexa's soft, warm breath hitting my face.

Once again, the smell of strawberries mixed with fragrant flowers was smelled by my nose.

Alexa's look was surprised and her cheeks met as red as tomatoes. A few minutes passed and we were still in the same position, unchanged.

Then, the sound of the phone ringing resuscitated us.

Alexa hastily stood up his malice and his eyeballs twitched looking misbehaved. While I took my phone.

I cleared my throat before picking up the phone, so it didn't sound clear that I was nervous either.

“Halo, Frans.”

“Halo, Balin. I called you because I want a discussion about the new menu launch in our restaurant.”

“Frans, wait a minute.”

I deliberately kept the phone away so that Frans across the phone wouldn't hear me talking to Alexa.

“Why are you still standing there? Said he was doing laundry.”

Alexa who has collected several pieces of dirty clothes, actually approached me.

Then shouted, “Balin is sick. Don't talk for long. He needs rest.”

I widened my eyes, about to close her mouth, but Alexa nimbly ran outside the room. I couldn't help myself smiling.

“Halo, Balin. Whose voice was it?” frans asked after I put my phone back in my ear.

“Oh it... That's my mother's voice,” I said lying.

“Mother? But her voice was like not a mother. Is she your boyfriend?”

“Ah, stop. No need to discuss.”

After thirty minutes, I hung up from Frans. Drawing a view towards the crib, Kirana slept there but often she moved to change sleeping position.

My eyes are heavy, and it's true what Alexa says. I need a break. And not knowing how to begin, I was immediately lulled by a dream.

When I woke up, the atmosphere in my room was quiet and dim. I wriggled under the blanket, then my hands poked, fumbling around to look for the phone I found beside the pillow.

At 17:38

The numbers on my phone clock made me stand up, running towards Kirana's bed.

The small but fat baby was not in the crib.

Deg.

My heart is racing very fast. I went around looking for Kirana in my room. But what I found was a neat room order.

No dirty clothes hanging in any place. There were no toys of Kirana scattered about. And of course, there is no dust attached to every corner of the room.

I hit the door of the room. There was no one in the living room. But I heard the sound of a barrage from the kitchen. So, I set foot toward the source of the sound.

It turns out that Alexa's voice is cooking and Kirana is tightly wrapped by a sling on Alexa's body. One hand Alexa was busy stirring the cooking in the pot.

I immediately pulled Alexa's arm away from the stove. Alexa seemed stunned by my actions.

“Hey, what are you doing?”

“Cooking,” replied Alexa with her plain face.

“Masak while carrying Kirana? What if Kirana splashes oil? If Kirana's foot accidentally nudged the hot pot how?”

Alexa looked at me seriously, her head slightly tilted as if she was researching the look on my face. I also looked embarrassed. Is there a pinch in my eye?

Then Alexa's hand stretched out, the back of her hand felt cold as it touched my left cheek.

I jerked. Something was dancing in my chest.

“Your body is no longer hot?”

Yes, I just realized. My body is lighter than it was this morning. But the problem is now that I'm enveloped in a strange feeling and don't want to go away.

Likewise with Alexa's hands that do not want to get away from my cheeks. And I finally rejected the delicate hand like it was driving away bees.

“Don't touch me! I'm allergic to women. Especially one like you.”

The tip of Alexa's lips was pulled upwards, wanting to laugh but holding her back. Then he shook his head.

“No,” reply Alexa fast. “I've cooked vegetable ginger chicken soup. You ate ya?”

Alexa turned off the stove, served the vegetable soup to a bowl, and gave it to me.

“This take!”

I just shut up. Not taking a bowl in Alexa's hands. So Alexa brought the bowl closer to me.

Smoke vaporizes from vegetable soup that is thick and yellowish. Pieces of chicken and some vegetables swim in the soup sauce.

It's appetizing. It seems.

“Come, quick grab,” says Alexa getting impatient. “My hands are overheating nih.”

“You didn't poison this vegetable soup, did you?”

Alexa sighed, then exclaimed, “Iya I love poison.”

I narrowed my eyes, and nodded. I open my mouth to speak but Alexa precedes.

“I love poison love. Satisfied!”

Alexa thrusting the bowl closer again. Even now the bowl is right under my nose.

Warm steam hit my face and the delicious vegetable soup aroma I could feel. A splash of soup sauce spilled onto my shirt as Alexa's hands shook. It seemed like he was unable to hold on any longer to hold the hot bowl.

“Quick grab!”

And I finally took the bowl. Alexa blew her palms and shook them.

“Well so dong from earlier.”

We sat down for lunch which was already late. Even afternoon. So we had lunch in a sitting position like we had breakfast porridge.

I devoured a spoon. The chicken meat is tender when chewed, and the soup sauce feels warm, thick and savory.

“Sayur sop is good right?”

I cleared my throat and acted flat.

“Regularly.”

“Kirana's body is still hot. Hopefully later tonight has improved somewhat,” said Alexa while scooping rice.

Then, Kirana whined in the lap of Alexa who was eating. Kirana's hand raised touched Alexa's cheek. The baby calls attention to the woman who is holding him.

Alexa who opened her mouth ready to devour her food finally lowered her head. Staring at the baby was full of gentleness.

Then Kirana's hands pointed towards the pot used by Alexa to cook vegetable soup. Babbling with his weak voice.

“Oh, Kirana wants to eat too? Kirana sit here first, Aunt Alexa will grab her food Kirana.”

Alexa puts Kirana in a high chair, gets out of her seat to grab something in the kitchen and puts it in front of Kirana.

“What is it?” I asked while frowning and leaning over to see Kirana's food more clearly.

The food was not the baby porridge Kirana used to eat. More like finely blended food.

“Kirana it's time to eat with a rougher texture. So I made this.”

Alexa showed me Kirana's bowl.

“This I made from potatoes, quail eggs, carrots, meat... “

“Iya, yes, no need to continue,” I said cut off Alexa's greeting.

If it continues it must come out again smart-ass mode.