Sense of Sense

1930

Safira linked the fingers, squeezing until her knuckles were flushed. Repeatedly the woman set her breath silently, repeatedly she glanced at the face of her beloved husband to get steadiness. However, the anxiety did not completely disappear from his face even though he tried well to hide it.

19:30, a few seconds passed when Zain ended the reading on his Iqra and continued with a closing prayer and after that Ashqar asked all family members to sit face to face. Ashqar and Sapphira face off against Alvin and Zain.

In fact, what Safira promised this afternoon must be delayed by nine hours. Not only because Safira is waiting for the right moment, Mbak Jum for example, and also he must discuss with Ashqar. They draw up points that must be discussed, determine what does not need to be said so that what they will convey can be accepted by children, especially Zain.

“Mas Alvin, how's the school? Smoothly?” ask Ashqar, open the conversation.

“Ba .. ik.” Alvin hesitated. “What's up, pah?”

“Papah just ask. Can't it?”

Alvin shakes. “Bby, kok.”

Alvin still looks confused. After praying isya and teaching, they will usually be asked to do schoolwork or study material this morning and will only chat when going to sleep.

“We chatted for a moment, huh? Mas Alvin and Mas Zain no PR, ‘kan?” ashqar asked and answered the headbands of his two sons.

Then Ashqar looked at Safira for a moment. He immediately realized that the anxiety had not disappeared from his wife's mind since noon even after they had chatted to discuss this.

Ashqar turned his attention back to Alvin and Zain. Then with a calm expression that he had arranged, Ashqar began to speak. “So noon Mas Zain asked something equally mamah and papah, Mas Zain remember?”

Zain did not answer. The boy looked at the ceiling of the house with his face tilted and then seconds later expressed his approval.

“Zain remember, pah. He said to wait for Mas Alvin to go home from school, but why has Malem not been told?”

“Sorry. Papah same mamah forgot,” said Ashqar. “Papah equally mamah want to explain something, the question that Zain asked the same mamah and papah. So ... listen carefully, yes?”

Ashqar once again looked at Sapphira and saw that his wife's expression had not changed much. So he deliberately grabbed Sapphira's right hand and squeezed it gently. That made Safira a little surprised and shifted her focus to him for a bit.

Ashqar then smiled a faint smile, as if reminding Sapphira of what they were facing right now. As soon as Sapphira gave a subtle nod and the look in her eyes softened, Ashqar again put his attention on their two sons who were waiting.

Ashqar hurriedly shook his head. “So noon Mas Zain asked about stepchildren with papah and mamah.”

“Oh, so ...” Alvin glanced at Zain.

Ashqar was silent for a moment, observing Alvin's reaction. This is a sensitive topic for them as Alvin is the only child the Baswara couple already understands about this. However, when Alvin did not show much change in expression, Ashqar decided to continue.

“So now we want you to listen carefully. Mas Alvin and Mas Zain should know that you two are papah's children are equally mamah and we are very, very dear to you both.”

Ashqar stared at Zain's goal. Now is the real challenge.

“Mas Zain, stepchildren are called children who are not the biological children of their parents. Zain inget with Aunt Nita?” Zain nodded, though his expression became confused. Then Ashqar grabbed his son's left hand and continued, “Tante Nita was the mama of Zain.”

“Kok, how come Zain?”

“Yes, Aunt Nita is Zain's biological mother. You used to―”

“Ngak!” Zain pulled his hand violently and went into Sapphira's lap and hugged her beloved woman's body. “Mahnya Zain ya mamah. Not Aunt Nita.”

Zain's sudden reaction took the other three people by surprise, especially Ashqar. The man had expected that Zain would definitely refuse, but he did not expect that Zain's response would be this harsh.

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