Rose Scented Woman
Continuance
The sun is on the straight point of the head of the inhabitants of the earth part of Jakarta, many have not been out of work, not yet time to eat, but some have added rice twice. Women are reluctant to come out at times like this, he said the sunlight does not nourish their skin, afraid the color turns darker, when the original is dark. They deny the truth to be recognized as beautiful women.
Mira comes home from her job, tired of serving one customer who is never satisfied. The house looks more tidy, like there's a maid in it.
“You've gone home Mira?”
“But.”
The stale base that is always spoken by the Indonesian people, if he has not returned, will not he not enter the house and unlock from the outside?
“How do you work?” ask again.
“Good.”
“You do work at night? Night shift huh?”
“Depends on customer.”
“Did the job not burden you? Whenever and wherever you need to stay ready to serve?”
“I like it.”
Mira asks Lastri when will he ride? Because the cost of the hotel reduces its monthly ration. Joko is getting stingy lately, whether his work is starting to decline or his wife who has experienced an increase. Mira didn't ask much she just enjoyed.
“Not yet to know, is there no vacancy in your place?”
Nothing, Lastri could not possibly want to be a servant like Mira, for her religion is the price of death, so Mira used to know her.
“You don't pray Lastri?”
“After.”
“Since when did you delay your prayer?”
“Since you went to work.”
“You ran away from home right?”
“How do you know?”
“The villagers are not good at keeping secrets Lastri, the first night his neighbor alone he can know.”
“That's all you know Mira?”
“I don't like to interfere in other people's affairs, so don't take me in your affairs.”
Not only does Mira know about Lastri's departure, Mira even knows what she's hiding in a headscarf that extends almost to that knee, but she is silent, lazy to deal with tears and other lies.
“Mira, I opened your fridge earlier, I was hungry, so I cooked.”
Mira nodded, it was no big deal.
“Sore this I will walk out to see if there is any work for me.”
“Sore is still three hours away, you threw it away for free.”
Lastri understood his point, maybe his presence was never desired Mira, as he felt himself. He always troubles others as well as himself.
Hot streets, Jakarta dust is very stifling his chest, not to mention the tall buildings that make him dizzy. Vehicles are crowded, but like parked in the middle of the road.
Lastri goes inside a restaurant, asks if the owner needs a dishwasher or not, walks again to meet the clothes shopkeeper and comes out carrying a rejection.
Continue so until seven o'clock at night, he was hungry, the cooking he cooked did not have time to eat for lunch, displeased with Mira whose facial features are not pleasant.
He looked at the streets of the capital that began to show the flickering beautiful from the crossroads. His face withered, disillusioned with reality, he did not get a job that afternoon. The unmarried woman lamented her fate, feeling the most pain in the world.
Almost three weeks passed Lastri never got a job, Mira had taught him how to make a good CV, no calls. Lastri was still hitchhiking and eating, occasionally asking what company Mira worked for.
“I will count my debts Mira, during life and eat here.”
Mira doesn't care about it all, she's got a lot of money. But he had to go out to work, no longer accepting guests in his private room, because there were uninvited guests who did not return home.
Friday afternoon, Jakarta was very hot, Mira bought rujak through an online application, not long ordered about 15 minutes until her order arrived.
“You bought it two Mira? I'll also count this as debt.”
“You know how much it costs?”
“Can I have your mango Mira?”
“Take it, I don't like young mango.”
Mira prefers papaya, the smell of tai is very appetizing.
Everyone has the same thoughts about distended-bellied girls, often nauseated and fond of young mangoes. Mira had guessed that as the reason for running away from home.
“Who's father?”
Lastri choked on an impromptu question, he was not at a question and answer event with a billion prize.
“Who's father?” Mira asked again.
“What do you mean Mira?”
“You know what I mean, who's the father?”
No answer, Lastri stopped chewing the young mango and tried to hold back his tears.
“If you don't want to talk, pack your things. I don't want to share the roof with those who don't want to share the story.”
“Don't Mira, I beg.” Lastri flinched and immediately kowtowed at Mira hoping not to be sent off.
Mira brought him back to sit next to her, wiped his tears and gave a safe look for him to tell stories.
“I didn't know I'd think like this Mira,” Lastri started telling stories.
“He always asked me Mira, I refused until when he thrust his phone at me I was no longer able to reject him Mira.”
“What did he show you?”
“He recorded me while I was taking a shower Mira, I didn't know it was going to happen nor did he know how to do that Mira. I always take a nude shower, it makes me ashamed of Mira.” Lastri cried, hoping that the story could be trusted and made him not expelled, but Lastri too early concluded.
That night Mira was friendlier than usual, trying to sharpen her acting talent. Lastri confidently felt he had managed to take Mira's heart.
Various dishes of village style lined up on the dining table, Lastri has officially become Mira's maid, the payment is three meals a day and a bed with the host. But no one expected that morning that there was a guest who opened the door as if he was the real host.
“Mas, why are you here? I said we met at the hotel.” Joko did not make a comment on Mira's words, entering with courage and confidence. I don't know what the plan is right now, it seems like he is starting to miss the atmosphere of the apartment that has a distinctive rose aroma from Mira.
“Good morning.”
“Eh good morning sir.” Lastri stood up and did not eat, he wanted to go let the owner of the house and guests still consider him a maid.
“Let's have breakfast together, I'm also hungry.” Joko pulled up a chair and ate with a meal, it turns out the village cuisine is still quite delicious for bald men like him.
They eat breakfast together, like a man poligating his wife, looking happy according to the views and fantasies of Joko.
“I think Mira is hiding another man in this apartment, apparently a woman.”
“My nose is not striped like you.”
“Did you see my nose striped Lastri?”
Lastri shook his head, still trying to look calm in front of Joko. The hungry look of Joko began to be seen, he had finished two dishes but had not been in bed with Mira or Astuti at home.
After the meal, Joko told Lastri to go to the market or minimarket, whatever the point is not to go home before the three millionth of his gift runs out.
“Why did you come here?”
“Of course I miss you dear.” Joko opened his shirt, impatient.
“I don't want.”
“What's wrong with you? Almost two weeks we haven't made love, you're like you're not the Mira I know.”
Mira did not answer.
“Well if that's what you want, it's up.” Joko takes the shirt back and leaves, but Lastri still spends a quarter of his money.
Mira is not tasteful because her monthly date has arrived, she likes to make love just like Joko, she also feels like being entered like other fertile women, but he hated making love with blood that the pious said was dirty blood. Mira is not strongly religious, nor does she maintain health like most doctors, she only feels disgusted if her bedsheets are always replaced three times a week while with Joko are stained with a lot of blood.
Joko did not return home to continue with his legal wife, nor seek another worker because it was still very early in the morning. Joko stops at a minimarket, wants to find some soda, he does not like to get drunk even though he likes to look for women who are drunk.
