Reaching the Moon

Chapter 30

The wedding ceremony between Nizam and the Moon has ended as the sky darkens. Unlike weddings in general, the pageant session between the bride and groom is skipped by Nizam on the grounds that the Moon is still shy. He did not want others to know about the true state of the wife. Not because of shame, but he wants to keep his feelings.

The two brides arrived at Boy's residence at about 8 p.m. Nizam invited Moon directly into his room to rest. While in the room, awkwardness and nervousness immediately enveloped the new couple.

"Ma-mas Nizam wants a bath? Let me prepare the warm water first, well," said Moon stuttered without daring to look into the eyes of the husband.

"Ah, i-iya," Nizam replied briefly as he stared at the departure of the Moon into the bathroom. Do not ask how his heart is at this time, it is definitely like a drum that is pumped so fast and strong.

Nizam sat his body on the edge of the mattress and examined some of his pictures with the Moon sent by Nizwa. Unknowingly he pulled both ends of his lips staring one by one at the photo.

"You're so beautiful" the man looked at the photo of the wife that was deliberately enlarged. "But the longer I look at your face, the more familiar you feel. Did we meet long before our meeting last year?" continued monologue.

The sound of the bathroom door opening made Nizam reflexively put his phone on the nightstand, then turned to look at the Moon who had just come out of the bathroom.

"Please take a shower, Mas Nizam," said the woman.

"Yes, thank you, well," Nizam replied, then immediately took his shirt and towel, then went into the bathroom.

About 20 minutes Nizam cleaned himself in the bathroom, now he came out in pajamas while drying his wet hair with a towel. The man's face increasingly looks handsome and fresh, plus the aroma of his fragrant body makes the Moon more wrong behavior by looking down and playing his fingers.

"If you want to take a shower, I've prepared some warm water for you, too,"

Nizam is approaching the moon. However, the woman took a step back, then said, "I-yes, thank you, Mas." With quick steps, the woman walked up to her clothes and went into the bathroom.

Nizam was not offended, he understood the attitude of the Moon like that. He knew the woman was still timid and awkward about their current circumstances. Moreover, the impromptu marriage that Nizam decided would make anyone need time to get used to, including himself.

Thirty minutes passed after cleaning. Nizam who had been sitting on the sofa had now noticed the Moon who was also sitting on the bedside doing nothing. It was a bit strange to see the woman's behavior.Living in the room with the man she called her husband is not the first time for her, but the first time, but from the gesture of his body as if what he was experiencing at this moment as if it was a new thing the first time he felt.

Nizam got up from his seat and walked toward the moon. The man took a sitting position right next to his wife. He glimpsed the woman with a feeling so nervous, even though all the nervousness he can hide very well.

"Are you hungry?"

"No, Mas."

Silent moment.

"Are you okay if I sit this close to you?"

The moon did not answer. He was just silent mer3mas his fingers were on his lap.

"Moon, now I'm your husband. I'll treat you like a real wife. I will take care of you and make you feel safe. So you don't have to be afraid." Nizam spoke so softly as he changed his position to face the Moon.

"Now, please be honest. How are you feeling right now? Are you afraid of being around me?"

The moon quickly shook. "No, Mas. Actually ..., actually I feel safe when I'm with you, Mas," said the woman slowly.

Nizam smelled his smile. "Alhamdulillah, then what if I touch you? I saw your hands shake just now when we exchanged rings."

The moon turned towards Nizam and then bowed. "So when you touched my finger, my heart immediately beat. Fear, anxiety, and anxiety approached me at the same time. I don't know if it's because of my traumatic reflexes, or because I'm nervous."

Nizam nodded slowly in response to the words of the Moon. "What if I check it?"

"Checking?" The face of the Moon immediately raised, until accidentally both his eyes beads were rubbing against each other with Nizam's eye bead.

Nizam nodded with a smile. "Like this." The man immediately grasped both hands of the Moon carefully.

At first, everything felt fine, but after a few seconds had passed, the Moon's hands began to tremble. Not only that, the face that is now no more makeup polish looks more pale. The woman's tears also began to trickle down her cheeks, until the Moon involuntarily withdrew her hand quickly.

"I'm sorry" said last month to get out of bed and go to the bathroom.

Nizam who saw everything could only waste his lacklustre sluggish breath. "It doesn't seem as easy as I thought."

..

The night was getting late, Nizam was still awake while looking at the Moon who slept beside him although a little distance away. After discussing the comfort of his wife, they agreed to sleep on the same mattress as long as there was no physical touch like today. However, just as he was about to go to sleep, the man's attention was distracted instead on the wife's frowning face and the sweat that began to drench her temples.

"Mama .., papa ...," he said softly, but it could still be heard by Nizam.

Nizam got up from his sleep and approached towards the Moon as the woman began to move restlessly in her sleep.

"Mama ..., papa ..., don't go, Moon is afraid."

"Mama ..., papa ..., don't leave the Moon alone." The sound of the moon grew more and more frightened.

"Sssst, Moon, calm down, you're safe now" Nizam whispered a little near his wife.

"Hiks, hysterics."

Nizam is further confused when he sees the Moon crying and is difficult to wake up. How not, only this time he was faced with people who have PTSD disorders like his wife.

Not wanting to be missteps, Nizam finally contacted Khaira to ask for directions, even though she was still in one house with her mother. There was no other choice, he did not dare to leave the Moon alone in such a state.

"Don't panic, son. Stay calm, then gently wake up the Moon. Use a calm and attentive voice. Oh yes, do not touch it suddenly because it can trigger a very strong response on the Moon later. However, if circumstances require you to touch it, then do it gently and slowly."

"Good, Mother. Thank ye. Sorry for interrupting sleep, Mother."

"It's okay, son. Does Mommy need to go to your room?"

"No need, Mother. God willing Nizam can handle it."

The call ended, Nizam who had been a little away to talk to his mother now came closer, then spoke softly near the ears of the wife.

"Darling, you're fine now, there I will take care of you. Now arise, that you may know that you are no longer alone."

Nizam's efforts this time succeeded. The frown on the Moon's forehead slowly began to fade. His body that was moving restlessly began to calm down. The Moon's frightened voice was now changed with a smooth snoring sound.

Nizam breathed a sigh of relief when he saw his wife regained her composure in her sleep. The man's hand was raised towards the woman's face in a beautiful, shady manner. He wanted to touch the face of a woman who was halal for him, but again he paled.

..

The current time shows at 03:00 in the morning. The moon was awakened by a thirst that made her throat slightly dry and itchy. He turned to the bedside where Nizam had slept before, but could not find the man.

The moon walked out of the room to find the husband who he did not find in every corner of the room, as well as taking drinking water. The sound of clinking dishes heard from the kitchen further strengthened the suspicion that her husband was there.

The Moon's guess is accurate. At this time, Nizam seemed to be eating alone at the dining table.

"Moon? You thirsty?" nizam asked after swallowing his food when he saw the arrival of the Moon.

"Yes, Mas. Mas Nizam why eat this hour?"

"I want to fast, do you want to fast with me?"

"By, Mas."

The moon is now sitting opposite Nizam. The two ate sahur together to fulfill the sunnah fast on their first day as a couple.

☘☘☘

A month has now passed. Nizam takes Moon to live in their new home the day after they get married. During that one month, they lived as husband and wife, but there was no physical touch at all.

Nizam's patience and kindness really made the Moon feel happy. Plus the habit of the husband who routinely performs the fast of David, the fast of Ayyamul Bidh, and the fast of monday-thursday, increasingly makes Moon admire her husband. Although in fact sometimes he felt sorry for the husband because until now, he could not carry out his duties as a full wife.

"Hey, Moon! Daydreaming from earlier, again thinking husband, huh?" noda Nizwa with his cry.

Yes, every Saturday, Nizwa often comes to accompany Moon at home so as not to be lonely when Nizam is late coming home from work.

"Eh, sorry Nizwa," said Moon with a red face.

"Ciee, when you look at your face, it seems like you've started falling in love with my sister, haven't you?"

"Absmacked, really. Mas Nizam is very fast."

"Love is also not papa times, after all you are halal," said Nizwa, but immediately fell silent when he realized something. "Wait a minute, you said that Brother Nizam was fasting?" The moon nodded in response to Nizwa's question.

"Magical, yeah. Even before marriage, he rarely fasted, you know. Fasting the most monday-thursday, that too if you have time."

"So, you mean, Mas Nizam just diligently fasting after marriage?"

"Yes." Yeah."

The face of the Moon momentarily turned sad to find that fact. The fact that resuscitates the woman will lack it.

☘☘☘

Elsewhere, a hijab-wearing woman, complete with a mask and glasses covering her eyes came out of a bus. The woman's smile never disappeared behind her mask as she sensed the smell of the city air where her loved ones lived.

"I'm back, Nizam."

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