Revenge By Law's

ARTICLE 39

Twelve years ago 

“Hei, Cimut.”

Indira turned her face and looked for the source of the voice. In this world, only one person had ever heard mention the name and the name was addressed to him: Cimut or acronym of Cute Rabbit.

“Ivonne! Stop calling me that!” please Indira to a beautiful girl who is smiling in front of the entrance gate.

“No. You are indeed Cimut.”

The girl called Ivonne scoffed before running for being chased by Indira.

Ivonne is Indira's best friend. They have known each other since they first entered Junior High School. Most of their time at school was spent together. Only in the third grade they are not in class, but they still maintain compactness and total just in the hours of lessons they are not together.

While the call Cimut or Cute Rabbit was given by Ivonne to Indira because of her rabbit teeth plus her petite body. Despite frequent protests, Indira actually liked the call and Ivonne knew it so she never stopped calling him that.

“Do not disturb me first. I was stressed,” Indira said as she managed to catch and 'punish' Ivonne with a small pinch.

“Stres why? You haven't learned to repeat maths later?”

Indira's move stopped. His face paled and cold sweat started flowing down his forehead. “Let's do math? In my class or in your class?”

“Stupid! Our math schedule is always the same and yesterday the Tina, your classmate, wanted to borrow my notes because she said today you're repeating too.”

“Dead me! I'm not learning at all!” indira said hysterically. Suddenly calm again. “Ah, learning never had an effect. I will definitely still get a low score.”

Ivonne noticed Indira's face returning moody. “So, what stresses you?”

“Mbah Rini told us to come to our grandmother's birthday event later. It is likely that after the second break, Ratih will pick me up. I'm stressed because I've never known him in my entire life.  While mbak Ratih is stressed because he will likely meet his father there,” complained Indira. “Ah, even though we were not invited at the event.”

Ivonne understood what Indira said. Mbah Rini was their maternal grandmother who had taken them in since their mother died, although she was no longer able to care for them due to her old age.

While the grandmother in question is the grandmother of the father's side. Indira once told me that her papa very rarely met them. He only remembers meeting his father 3 times in his lifetime. And said mbak Ratih, his father never supported them. They live off the pensions of Rini's husband or their maternal grandfather.

“Ya already, don't go,” Ivonne's advice is relaxed.

“You are delicious, easy to say that because you are not the one who experienced it,” said Indira. “Enak once had a normal family like you. There are papa and mama who care about you.”

Ivonne smiled, but Indira felt that her smile was bitter. But, Indira pretended not to notice it.

Indira did not know, if the smile was the last smile she saw from the face of her best friend.

                  *

Ratih's mother took Indira who looked clumsy in the middle of many people. They did not expect that his grandmother's birthday would be this lively. Indeed, they have heard rumors that their parents are wealthy successful businessmen. Because of that status, they did not approve of their only son marrying a poor woman like the mama of Ratih and Indira.

This is further compounded by the absence of a boy that can be given by the mother. Their papa family still adheres to a patriarchal culture, in which the male as the highest power holder and the main heir of the family, both in terms of name, property and honor.

Upon hearing the story, Indira plants a feeling of guilt for being at the root of her family's destruction. Fortunately, Ratih realized this and always said that it was not his fault at all, but the fault of those who because of cultural demands, forget that a child, be it a man or a woman, is not his fault, it is a precious gift from God.

“Before mama pregnant you, they have often quarreled, not infrequently papa hit mama to battered. It turns out that papa is still in touch with his extended family and they always instigate for papa to divorce mama. However, for the sake of children, mama survived and was reluctant to divorce,” explained Ratih at the time, which made Indira's heart a little calm.

The party atmosphere was getting lively and the two brothers still did not get a welcome from anyone. They truly felt alienated in the middle of the sea of humans.

“Mbak, we just go home, yuk,” said Indira who was already at the peak of her discomfort. The coach agreed.

“Good, now we will get acquainted with Oma's favorite grandson. His precious grandson from his only son.”

Ratih and Indira turned their heads towards the host who had just said that. The grandson in question must be them because their papa is the only boy in the family.

But something very surprising happened. They saw the father on the podium to approach his mother while holding a boy. Behind him follows a woman.

“Wah, it's only fitting that all this time he abandoned us. Turns out he already has a new family,” grumbled Ratih. “Ah, I am very upset to remember that my mother survived not to divorce for us, while she easily erased our existence in her life. Mama should have heard Mbah's advice to report the man for torturing her.”

Ratih takes Indira away from that place. However, before leaving, Indira had looked at each other with her papa. It was only a few seconds, but that moment became the beginning of his hatred. Since then, he has been reluctant to regard the man as his parents.

                  *

Ratih and Indira get off the bus with haggard faces. An hour's journey feels much longer for them, especially when remembering the events at the birthday party. They were angry with their papa, also felt sorry for the late mama.

“How's the show? They're being nice to you?” ask Mbah Rini when welcoming his two grandchildren.

“This is all because Mbah told us to the cursed party,” the scolding of Ratih who directly walked into his room.

The calmer Indira recounts everything that happened at the party. Although he was surprised, Mbah Rini behaved normally as if understanding the situation.

“Indeed, men are weaker than women. When they lose a life partner, they find it difficult to survive so they rush to find a replacement. Unlike most women who are able to survive alone, even if charged with the existence of their children. The unfortunate thing about your papa is for abandoning you. If he wants to get married, please. But, he should still take care of you.”

“Maybe he will have trouble getting a mate if we are beside him,” chirped Indira.

The day is getting late. He was also preparing to take a bath so that he could learn to repeat history tomorrow. He did not want the mess he did in the math replay this morning repeated again tomorrow.

“O yes, just heard, there was a student in your Junior High who was found suicidal. You know?”

“I haven't heard from you. I'm from earlier this afternoon out of town.”

“True too. I met your English teacher at the shop. He who told you about the news.”

“Oh, bu Sri,” says Indira. “The mother said the name of the student who killed herself?”

“If not mistaken, his name is Ivonne.”

The heart of Indira seems to stop suddenly, then beat faster than usual. His breathing began to tighten and sweat started to come out from the pores on his forehead. Then he rambled, praying that the Ivonne in question was not the Ivonne he knew.