Replacement Ribs

4. Quarrelling

Tristan stopped his steps and looked over.

"It's not important for you to know" the man replied.

Kirana sighed softly "If indeed Mas Tristan already had another choice, why not the only woman that Mas married?"

"Because you want the Mentari." Tristan's answer was enough to make Kirana understand that Tristan does have another woman. He smiled bitterly. Unbeknownst to him, he has entered into the relationships of others. He should have found out more about Tristan. Her mother-in-law's explanation that Tristan never had a special relationship with a woman is not entirely true. Then what does it mean that Tristan said last night that Elita would never be replaced by any woman. Just some bullshit? Or maybe she was just a date? Bad thoughts come back to haunt Kirana.

"Until when should you keep lying to Mentari?"

"That's my business. Just do your job as a mother. Isn't that why you accepted Mama's proposal?"

Kirana tongue instantly. What kind of marriage will they have next? It turned out that the situation was much more complicated than Kirana had thought. Not only build a spirit without love. But also on the wounds of a woman. Kirana feels like a bad person who shatters the hopes of other women.

"I'm sorry. If I had known earlier, of course I would have refused this marriage. But now, that pledge has been spoken. I am your wife. Legal in the eyes of the law of religion and the state. I don't care how far along your relationship is. End please. I can understand if Mas has not been able to accept this marriage completely. But not with any other woman among us."

The corner of Tristan's lips lifted. "What do you expect? Love grows as time passes? It will only happen in your dreams!" tristan resolute.

"Then do you think how will we survive to make Mentari happy? Keep pretending like we're happy when we're torturing our own feelings?" reply Kirana no less firm.

"Anything I'll do for Mentari. And I won't force you to survive if you can't."

Kirana runs out of words to argue.****** was rudely escaped from her olfactory organ. Kirana stared blankly at Tristan's back as she climbed the stairs. The wall was too strong to be broken.

Kirana massaged her suddenly throbbing head. The burden that befell him was too heavy to sustain. He walked with a trembling body to Mentari's room. Lying down next to her sleeping little girl.

Mentari's face is like his mother's incarnation. Pointed nose, round eyes with thick and neat eyebrows. Her lips are thin. Just different hair. Elita's hair is slightly wavy, while the straight and bushy Mentari is downhill from her father. Kirana put away the strands of hair that covered the pretty face of Mentari.

"Starting wants to have a mom. Mentari wants to be picked up by Mama like friends. Not picked up by Mr. Cip."

Kirana still clearly remembers the beginning of her meeting with Mentari. The first day he taught as a new teacher at a Kindergarten School. Kirana finds Mentari sitting on a park bench. Sobbing while wiping her tears. Almost all the students have gone home. Only a few students remained who did not include Mentari. Until all the students have been picked up, Mentari is still left behind at school accompanied by Kirana. Kirana also found out the contact number of Mentari's parents. It turned out to be his omnum number given by one of the teachers. And Mentari was late picked up because his car had problems in the middle of the road. Kirana finally drove Mentari home on her motorcycle. Since then, their relationship has been getting closer.

Being married to a widower and having to be a connecting mother never crossed Kirana's mind. But on Mentari, a sense of motherhood just appeared. Desire to give affection to a child. Although his age is still young.

Even his decision to marry without consideration of parents got opposition from his mother. That's why Kirana's family only came when the meeting and immediately left to return to her hometown after the event was over. To this day, the relationship between the two is still cold. Kirana doesn't have the guts to call her mother yet. And all is at stake for a little boy he's only known for a few months.

"Mother!" A distinctive hoarse sound of waking up is heard.

"Mother why are you crying?"

Kirana did not even notice that the corner of her eyes was dewy.

"What time?"

"Yes. That's Mother's wet eyes."

"Oh, this is Mother evaporating. Sleepy." Kirana wiped the clear spot on the corner of her eye with the tip of her veil.

"If you're sleepy why don't you sleep?"

"Later. Mommy wants to cook for lunch."

Although her head was still a little sore, Kirana inched down from Mentari's small bed. He went to the kitchen to prepare the afternoon. Mentari had said if he wanted to eat spinach and fried chicken.

Kirana frowned at the name that was plastered on the screen.

"Mas Baraka?"

With doubt Kirana receives a call from a village friend who is also throughout the school has always been her upperclassman. Because they went to the same school. And separated when Baraka graduated and continued his education in Surabaya. It is said that Kirana had heard from one of her friends if Baraka liked her. But Kirana ignored because the man had never revealed his heart. Even impressed to keep a distance with Kirana.

All these years of not meeting, of course Kirana was surprised when Baraka contacted her. Asking around the news is like an old friend not meeting. Baraka sounds a lot changed. A little talkative and good at making interlocutors comfortable to talk. Kirana laughs occasionally between their conversations.

"OK on, Mas. Later sometime if I go home we discuss further," said Kirana before finally Baraka ended his call.

Kirana had not even stopped smiling as she turned around and was about to save her phone back. His body froze when he found Tristan standing in front of him. I don't know when her husband was where he stood. Kirana was too engrossed in chatting with Baraka to the point of not realizing it. Tristan's sharp gaze always made Kirana shudder.

"M-This was …."

"No need to explain anything. I don't need your explanation." Tristan opened the refrigerator that had been covered by Kirana's body to fetch cold water.

"Mas, can't you talk, don't use muscles?"

Tristan glanced at Kirana while gulping water from inside the glass.

"If you can't think of me as a wife, think of me as a friend. Partners to care for and educate Mentari. That's enough, "Sirana continued.

"As far as you."

Nah! The glass glass was placed roughly onto the same table.

Without them realizing it, Mentari was watching the conversation of the two from the living room sofa.

"Papa Mommy fought?"

"No. Who told? Papa was joking with Mother. Isn't that right, Bun?" Tristan forced himself to smile at Kirana.

"Ah, yes. Kidding." Kirana replied with the same smile.

"Kok Papa said it's tight? Mentari does not like that Papa is angry with Mother."

"Pope isn't angry, honey."

"If you are not angry, Papa hugs Mother, dong,"

Tristan was stunned to hear Mentari's request. A ridiculous request that he could not possibly make.

"Hug it later, yeah. Mother has not taken a shower. Smell asem!" Tristan's answer made Kirana go wide. Then grunted annoyed by her husband's taunts.

"Papa's coming to the office again, yeah. I'll see you tonight Papa."

Mentari dodged as Tristan approached about to kiss her cheek.

"Don't kiss, the smell of asem!" said the little boy.

Tristan also breathed a rough breath. As a result he poked his daughter's cubby cheek then passed leaving Mentari who was still pouting.