Restore Your Smile

Planning for the Future

James woke up from his sleep. The sunlight had already penetrated from behind the window curtain. What time is it? He asked in his heart.

He saw his watch. The numbers there already show nine o'clock past. Tumben Celine didn't wake him.

James stretched his body a little bit. Last night he couldn't sleep. After almost dawn, he fell asleep. Indeed, as luxurious as the rooms of people, it is best to sleep in their own room, James thought.

Then James took a bath to refresh himself. After that, he came out of the room. The hallway around his room was quiet. And so he went downstairs.

After reaching the last rung of the stairs, he still did not see anyone. Where is Celine? Or mbok Yani?

James did not dare to ask the location of Celine's room in order to maintain politeness. But he also did not expect that something like this would happen. Like an abandoned child in an uninhabited mansion.

He continued his steps towards one of the rooms he knew, the dining room. As soon as he opened the wooden door that closed the room, he saw Celine sitting on the same chair she had been in last night. While the seat of his seat, already occupied mbok Yani.

Celine seemed to be enjoying her breakfast. While mbok Yani is more visible accompanying Celine to eat while chatting.

"Good morning, Bang James .... Come, here! Breakfast together, "take Celine with you when you see the person who opened the door.

"Morning, Lin ...." James returned Celine's greeting with a smile.

"Morning, Mbok .." said again, when he was in front of the dining table.

"Morning, Son James .... Come on, please sit down. Breakfast first, "take Mbok Yani while getting up from his chair.

James this time chose to sit next to Celine. "Yes, Mbok. Thank you, "he replied.

"What does James want for breakfast? Let Mbok ask to be made, " asked Mbok Yani.

"What breakfast line?" James asked Celine.

"Fried rice with half-cooked eggs. Bang James wants this too? I want others to too. Noodles or fried vermicelli, or sandwiches can also be. Or maybe Bang James wants pancakes ..."

"Ga. Same with Celine, Mbok, "cut James.

Mbok Yani smiled at the youth's awkwardness. He continued his question, "What does Nak James want? Milk, tea, coffee, or juice?"

"Beautiful tea is warm, Mbok. Sorry to bother you," said James.

"Don't think about it .... It is Mbok's job. Excuse me first yeah .." said the old woman as she stepped out of the room.

After Mbok Yani left, the two of them stayed in the room.

"Well, James can't sleep? Tuh ... his eyes are like the eyes of a panda .." said Celine with a worried look.

James smiled. "Gapa .... Relax .... Bang James is so ordinary when sleeping in a new room."

"Celine's food just woke up. Celine thought, Bang James must have had a hard time sleeping last night, " said Celine as she chewed her food.

James smiled again at the reply of the girl in front of him. She stroked Celine's hair and said, "Have .. eat first. Don't eat while talking, you'll choke!"

After a while, James realized something, "Where is Papa Celine? Don't you have breakfast?" tanyakanya.

"If it's morning, we'll eat by ourselves, Bang James. Each has its own schedule. Especially on Sunday like this. Usually at this hour you have eaten and are engrossed in his study, " replied Celine.

James just nodded in understanding. Just then a waiter came carrying a push-table with food and drinks ordered by James on it. Mbok Yani is seen walking behind the waiter.

The servant presented James' order in front of him. Meanwhile, Mbok Yani again sat in the chair opposite to James and Celine.

"Let's eat, son James." Mbok Yani invited James to enjoy the dishes that have been served.

"Yes, Bang James. Don't be shy, "Celine continued.

"Yes, " replied James short.

After taking time to pray for a while, James said, "Eat first, Mbok .... Lin ...."

"Yes .... Please ..." reply the two women of different ages almost simultaneously.

James began to take a spoon and put the fried rice in his mouth. Instead, Celine's plate was already empty and now Celine was just quiet in place to accompany James to a meal.

"What time is Bang James's plane?" celine asked filling the void between them.

"Hour 12s. The plan was up, Bang James immediately left. Uda check-in via application anyway .... So you can be more relaxed. Celine, what's the plan first?" James asked back.

"Ga exists. Celine will take Bang James to the airport, " replied Celine.

Then Celine let James enjoy his meal in silence. After James finished his breakfast, the two young men paid their respects to Yani and left the dining room. They went back to their rooms to get ready.

After everything was neat, they went downstairs and met papa Celine in her study.

"Have breakfast?" ask Mr. Adipratama.

"Already, Om, " replied James shortly.

"Yes. Be careful then. From now on, if you come to this city, do not book a hotel. Just stay here. Don't forget to ask your parents about our discussion yesterday." Mr. Adipratama reminded James.

"Good, Om. Thank ye. Excuse me first .." said James.

"Yes, please, " said Mr. Adipratama.

They also came out accompanied by Mbok Yani to the front of the fence. After leaving Yani, James and Celine leave the Adipratama residence for the airport.

...****************...

After returning to his town, James found time to discuss what Adipratama had discussed with his parents. And in this PKW time, the right time according to James to tell the problem.

"For the target to get married, Mama agrees. But for a proposal or engagement with the intention of just tying Celine, isn't it too soon? You've only been dating this month, right?" asked Mama Ratna who was not exhausted by the request of Mr. Adipratama.

"Make among them, it's common, Ma .... There are even those who have been betrothed from babies just to strengthen the business between families you know ...." Papa Heru reminded.

Hearing that, Mama Ratna just sighed. A different world with a different mindset.

"Have you talked about this to Celine?" ask Papa Heru.

"When papa Celine asked this, Celine was there to listen, too, Pa .... But this is all James' own thinking, because we have never discussed anything at all about the things that were, "James replied.

"The most important thing is the agreement between the two of you first. Especially the domicile. That's gonna be a tough conversation. Papa-Mama is only supportive. We just had to come there and make a formal proposal, right?" lang Papa Heru's.

James remained silent. He realized the truth in his father's words.

"What are you planning, James?" ask Mama Ratna.

"As James told Celine's dad, she wanted Celine to be the one who was losing. Everywhere is the rule, the wife who follows the husband. So, James' plan was to try to persuade Celine."

"I think it's heavy, James. Moreover, we are the Denger himself right, Celine's struggle in order to be recognized as the heir of what it is. The present moment once it's acquired, we're instead asking him to step back?" Mama Ratna tried to get her opinion out.

"Even if you want to be based on logic, you should be the one who gave up, James. Not Papa demeaning your work and efforts all this time well. Papa is also an educator. But compared to Celine, jobs like ours are easier to find, because they only concern your family. As for Celine, she is responsible for all employees of the company which can be thousands of you know, ", added Papa Heru.

James was silent again. He can understand the mindset expressed by his father. But what about his ego? Is it because of Celine's higher position and having greater responsibilities, she has to go against Eastern customs and culture? Where should he put his pride as a man?

He was the last son of his family. It is customary rule that the last boy must take care of his parents until the end of their lives. If he is the one who relents and lives in another city, what about his parents? Does he have to leave that responsibility to his brother? Isn't that selfish as well?

Seeing his son who was silent, Papa Heru closed their speech. "Yes, think about it first and talk about it with Celine. Hopefully between you can reach an agreement well ...."

Because it was the next time, James tried to discuss the problem with Celine via phone.

"What did Celine say to Bang James? It was Bang James' personal opinion. What about Celine herself?" james opened the conversation.

Celine's cheeks are red. He had never imagined their relationship if they were married. But seeing James' earnestness to her, Celine was happy.

"To get married and to get engaged, Celine agreed. Married in about 2 years and fiancee in about 6 months, right?" the answer.

"Yes, " replied James smiling happily, imagining Celine would officially be his.

"How about domicile?" ask Celine.

James' smile suddenly disappeared. Sensitive issues will be addressed.

"If according to Eastern customs and culture, it should be the wife who follows the husband. Isn't that right, Lin?" james replied carefully.

"Yes. Usually that's. But with Celine in shape now, it's hard to do, Bang James. Because this concerns the good name of papa among shareholders. Just now that they trusted Celine, the present Celine had to resign? Isn't that Celine herself who smeared papa's face?" Celine asked back.

James remained silent. He has already calculated that. "What's good about it?" james asked more like a mumble.

"Well, Bang James moved to work here, how is it?" celine proposed carefully while reading James' expression.

"It's against customs and culture, Lin .... Bang James was the last boy. Already according to the rules of Bang James who must take care of Papa-Mama, "said James raised the reason.

"But at least Papa-Mama still has Alex's bang. If papa Celine only has Celine, Bang James, "celine refute.

James remained silent. She understood Celine's condition was more complex than her own. But he still wants to try to argue. "Stay means Bang James is selfish, Lin.... For the sake of his own interests handing the responsibility over to Alex's bang."

Replace the silent Celine. After a while, Celine sighed. "Yes already. Let's postpone discussing the domicile. After all, the problem was only thought about if you wanted to get married, right? We'll focus on the fiancee's show first. Come to think of it for another 6 months you know .." proposes Celine.

James also took his breath. Inevitably, he had to agree with Celine's proposal. For a while, let it flow first as it is. Who knows, things will change. Rather than them having to break up now because there was no deal, it was more terrible for James. And it seemed, Celine felt the same.

...****************...