Paper Dove

FIRST KISS

I held Jeni's hand as I got off the plane. Jeni still can't believe I spent the money just to have lunch with her in someone else's country.  

" Juan, is it like you're wasting money out of boredom?", he's still blabbing softly near my shoulder. 

We walked still holding hands. He slightly clung to me avoiding the gazes of some of the reporters who were trying to take our photos. Since our wedding day, no word has been heard about my change in status. But in recent days news of us started to blow and some journalists were trying to find a photo of Jeni. 

" My money won't run out just from eating with you", I quickly replied in a whisper while continuing to carry it in my grasp. 

"Where are we going now?" Ask again while looking down avoiding the blinding camera light.  

"home. I want to lie on the bed, I want to rest ", I answered while opening the car door and leading him in. He did it without much protest. 

All the way back to the hotel, my lady kept raving about this and that. Sometimes I respond, but sometimes I just listen. I'm getting used to his existence and all his chatter.

The last few days I realized that we were getting used to touching, holding hands, occasionally Jeni awkwardly hugged me if she was happy. I didn't put any distance between us, I let it all flow like water.

Arriving at the hotel room I sat in my work room. It hurts my head, my body hurts and I feel a little dizzy. I let out a long sigh, I walked into the kitchen and opened the P3K box. Take pain medication and swallow it. 

Then I walked up to the room and found Jeni there drying her hair. He saw me for a moment.

“ Juan your face is pale, are you sick?”, he asked. 

“ It's okay. I just need Jen” to rest, I answered and fell asleep on my bed without chatting with her.

In the middle of the night I was really sick and had a high fever. In my sleep I had nightmares as usual. Dreaming about a woman walking leaves red footprints on the floor. The woman walked away from me who could only stare at her back, her blood-red footprints scattering on the floor. He turned around and saw me. I recognize this face, this woman is not a Dew but Jeni.  Jeni smiled at me, holding a small knife and looking a speck of blood on her shirt. The blood widened, soaking all over the white clothes. Jeni seemed to be swallowed by the red color of the blood.  

I shouted to him, but my voice choked. "No Jeni, Jeni. please.. Anyone please. Jeni quickly ran away. 

" Juan.", Jeni shook my body quite strongly.

I opened my eyes and saw him sitting on the side of my bed. My tears immediately fell upon seeing her, I was shocked by my own dreams. I clasped his arm scrutinizing every inch of his body, ascertaining whether there was a speck of blood there, through clutching his face in my hand. The dream felt real to me. 

"Juan, I'm fine. I'm here, I won't run away from you Juan", Jeni stroked my face trying to calm me down.

I looked at him with hunting breath in fear. Jeni hugged me, she patted my back slowly trying to calm me down. 

" I'm here Juan. I'm not going anywhere. And I'm fine ", he said. 

I returned his embrace tightly without making a sound, it felt like my voice had disappeared out of nowhere. And that night Jeni took good care of me. I kept holding her hand until I fell asleep. 

***

The next morning, I woke up with him asleep in my arms. I looked at him deeply, remembering my own dreams. I'm afraid my karma will come to this woman if I love her. I started to like it from when. 

" Juan... Juan.".", Jeni was making a fuss early in the morning for looking for me.

"Yes... Why are you so noisy this morning?", I answered while putting on a tie.

" you're cured?", Jeni directly placed her palm on my forehead. A while later he muttered to himself "Oh already, good-natured" he said confidently.

I laughed at his expert-like behavior.  I grabbed her hand and pressed it against my cheek. “ I'm still sick”, I said while looking at him. 

“ I'm sick”, I said again clasping his hand on my cheek. 

He looked at me, his face red. “ I ... I will take care of you Juan”, he said while looking at me. 

“ Yes, take care of me. I need you beside me, I am sick “, I said in a pitiful voice. 

He grabbed my face and looked me in the eye. “ I am a healing angel. I will heal you”, he said again with a sweet smile that has always bothered me lately.

My heart trembled at his words. I looked down and kissed her lips, I was tempted. He quietly accepted my kiss, then closed his eyes. 

I let go of my kiss and noticed her sweet face. I smiled, wanting to feel like I kissed her again but I held myself back.  

“ Want to see when you will close your eyes?”, I whispered slowly. 

Jeni was shocked and immediately opened her eyes. He looked at me wrongly, then immediately turned to run into the room and closed the door behind him. I smiled seeing his behavior. 

I knocked on her bedroom door slowly “ Jeni I go first huh. I'll call” later, I said.

There was no reply from inside the room, I smiled and then went to the office in a very good mood.

***

I smiled to myself in my study remembering what happened this morning. I want to tease her more than this. My phone's shaking, Bella's calling.

“ Hello Bella “, I replied. 

“ Sister, is sister with sister-in-law now? ‘, ask Bella.

“ No. What is it?”, I was curious.

“ Wow, looks like mommy really came to see sister-in-law at the flower shop. I came home from school and stopped here to meet her, but the store employee said sister-in-law went with someone”, explained Bella. 

“ Are you sure? where did they go?”, I asked directly standing from the chair.

“ I don't know. But according to them the sister-in-law went with the mothers with socialite looks. Who else if not our mommy. Big sister quickly search, mom must be intimidating him now”, Bella sounds anxious. 

“ Yes, I will look for it. You don't have to worry about Bella. The nature of your sister-in-law is as strong as steel she will definitely fight”, I calm Bella even though my own heart is anxious. “ You keep waiting there until they come back, I will look for mom”, I continued.

“ Oke”, Bella replied briefly. 

I hung up. My mom really doesn't like Bella, she still wants to impose her will on me. I stood up and Doni stood up.

“ Doni find my mother's whereabouts. They took Jeni. I'm afraid he's intimidating Jeni”, I order. 

“ Good tuan”, replied Doni immediately

****