SET DUSK

The Part 25

After saying goodbye to Ros, Ida, who was picked up by Tini that day, left the hospital. Back to the house in White House. Along the way home, Ida still saw the remains of buildings destroyed by the Dutch attack. Some are starting to be repaired, but others are still left alone.

Ida remembers all her journey during these two years, starting from her desire to avoid her matchmaking process, she left home. Give his time to the country. See how much this nation has to sacrifice to get a word of freedom. Free from the oppression of the invaders.

Ida's heart was sore, when he helped fight for the freedom of his country from the invaders, he was not even able to fight for his own freedom. His freedom to choose the person who will accompany his life. He felt he was not given the freedom to choose. The choice he faced was too difficult for him.

"Union, does the wound still hurt? Uni face pale," said Tini disperse daydream Ida.

"No. I'm fine."

"From this moment I noticed, Uni daydreams."

"Perhaps because of the effect of the drug, my head still feels heavy," said Ida trying to dismiss her sister's concerns.

"Then, the Union rest."

"Yes" he answered briefly.

Arriving in front of the house. Ida stopped for a moment. Look at the old house in front of him. The doors and windows of the house are wide open. Sayup-sayup he heard the voice of Mak Dang who was talking, with whom, Ida not so clearly heard the voice of the interlocutor Mak Dang.

"Come, Uni," invite Tini to hold Ida's hand.

"I-iya," said Ida nervously.

"Oh, no need to worry. Mak Dang will not scold you, he also regrets scolding you," said Tini as if understanding her brother's concerns.

"Yes," said Ida, then followed Tini walking into the courtyard of the house.

"Assalamualaik." Tini said hello first.

"Waalaikum salam." Mak Dang and Amai answered simultaneously.

"Onde, it's my granddaughter's home." Amai hurriedly greeted Ida who appeared behind Tini.

"Now...." Ida greets Amai and kisses his grandmother's hand.

"Mak Dang," continued Ida greeting her mammoth. He did not dare look at his mother's face.

"You're well, Da?" tanya Mak Dang welcomes his nephew.

"Already, Mother." An awkward atmosphere was clearly felt between them.

"Where are you going, Mak?" ida tried to remove the awkwardness.

"G ... Yes, your mother is visiting her mother to Padang Panjang, she sends greetings to you."

"Yes, Mommy."

"You sit. There's something we have to talk about" Mak Dang said, letting Ida sit down.

"Yes, Mother" said Ida briefly, then sat in the chair in front of her mammoth.

"I'm sorry, because all this time I've been too hard on you. I realized, what you did the other day wasn't because you wanted to defy, but because you felt depressed." Mak Dang stopped talking.

His usual eyes look fierce, today look shady. Mak Dang rubbed his face, then his hand stopped on his thick mustache, looked at Ida for a moment, then continued speaking.

"I'm sorry if I haven't been a good mom to you. All this time I didn't guide you well, like a mother should have done to her niece."

Ida couldn't believe what she was hearing. He raised his face that had just looked down. Looking at the expression of his mother, trying to reassure him what he heard and saw was not a dream.

" You can't believe that your uncle is talking, Da," kekeh "shows off half the teeth that have been lost from their place.

Ida replied with a stiff smile, biting her lips. Confused to answer what. Then Mak Dang laughed, removing all awkwardness created.

"I've heard from Amai, do you want to continue the wedding plans with Burhan?" ask Mak Dang later.

It was always like a knife sliced through his heart when it was discussed. Although he had decided to accept his family's decision, his little heart still felt the pain.

" Yes, Mom," he answered slowly.

"Amai asked me to maliepek tando, but neither I nor Amai have the money to pay the fine." Mak Dang seemed to regret himself.

"No need, Mom. I accept whatever the decision of the family, I don't want to be the cause of any more problems in this family" Ida said slowly.

Mak Dang turned his head on amai, as if making sure that his ears did not hear wrong.

"Actually, Ida has already accepted this decision, Gus. But I'm still trying to find a way, so that Ida does not drag on in her sadness.

"I didn't listen wrong?" Mak Dang seemed to seek reassurance for what he heard.

"No, Mother. Maybe Burhan is my soul mate. Because I tried to run away, but still the road dragged me back on the road to this marriage" continued Ida with a raucous voice. He tried hard to hold back so that his tears did not need to fall in front of Mak Dang.

"That's it, Gus. Ida must still be tired, let her rest first. You don't have to re-question the decision anyway, it'll just add to the burden."

"All right, you're resting." Mak Dang finally stopped the conversation.

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Two months after her return, Ida's wedding preparations began. All the sapasukuan family* began to prepare all the needs for Ida's wedding. All the procession before the wedding has been done.

Approaching his wedding day, the backyard of the house was transformed into a kitchen. Women in the family came to help.

Two large furnaces have also been prepared to cook rendang and other dishes that will be served to guests.

The usual amai house felt spacious when they occupied three, the day looked crowded. Pelaminan has begun to be installed by the men in the middle room of the house. Various ornaments to decorate pelaminan have also been installed adding to the vibrant atmosphere of the throne of the future king and queen that day.

The walls of the house are not left covered with red and golden yellow fabrics. The house that had looked cold, looked so festive by the decorations that had been installed.

Bainai**night procession not to be missed. The elders in Ida's extended family came, giving her prayers and blessings. Supposedly the night of the bainai is a joyous thing for the bride-to-be, but Ida is still not able to feel the happiness in her heart.

"Eh, why did her son*** pout constantly," teased one of her common cousins when she saw Ida just ducked during the night procession.

"It wasn't my face like this before, was it, Tek?" ida covered her heart with a forced smile.

"Oh, yes. But at least you'll show your happy face, Da. You'll marry a rich man's son, it's not hard for your life." His amber cousin, who was in his forties, advised him.

"Yes, Tek," Ida said briefly.

The low noise of laughter and family chatter that helped prepare Ida's wedding reception that night, made her feel more isolated among people who had blood line with her.

Making him more immersed in the flash of his journey with his best friend, people who have no blood relationship with him, but make him feel able to blend in with them. Makes him feel accepted.

Ida felt the time playing fast. All of a sudden, he was faced with the big day of his life. The day he starts a new life with a man he never knew. The man he only knew from the word of mouth to the mouth of his village residents.

Talempong sound****too disperse Ida daydreams. Ninik's voice mamak his family and Burhan's family reciprocated pantun heard in the yard. Ida that day looks elegant in a red velvet wedding dress. His hair was neatly curled, covered with velvet scarves in matching color with the clothes he was wearing.

His wrist was decorated with a large bracelet made of brass. Ida twirled the bracelet she was wearing to relieve the nervousness that had suddenly lodged in her heart.

The cold air at the foot of Mount Marapi that morning was not so pronounced for Ida. Sweat drenched his body, his palms had also been drenched in sweat. Ida then switched to squeezing the end of the shawl she was wearing to relieve nervousness.

Ida circulated her gaze throughout the room. The usual room occupied amai has been decorated in such a way. A large bed was installed complete with the slowness right in the middle of the room. Ida sat on the edge of the bed, staring out at the open window. The morning sky in Kubang Putih looked so clean, there were no clouds visible hanging.

Low boisterous voice in the courtyard as if unable to repel the desolation that was still lodged in Ida's heart. He stared at the sky, hoping that all this was just a joke that he would laugh at.

Before long the low boisterous sound of talempong and the voice of the reply pantun is no longer heard. Change the voice of the chant of the holy verse followed by advice delivered by the buya Nasir Religious leaders in his village.

Nasir's soft booty voice was soothing when giving marriage advice. Ida tried to listen to every word he said.

"Slits are God's secret. No matter how far you travel, God will still lead you into the hands of those who have been written for you. But on the contrary, if he is not your soul mate, no matter how strong you embrace him, he will still leave. In a household, the feeling of affection is very much needed. You have to cultivate that feeling. Many marriages have no initial feeling of love, often over time that feeling will grow, if you respect and love your partner."

Sentence by sentence delivered by the mother of Nasir so hit in Ida's heart. The feeling that had made him depressed, because he married on the basis of coercion to try to leave him aside. He recalled his journey to avoid this marriage, but in the end he was no longer able to resist the fate that had been written for him.

After Nasir gave marriage advice, before long the hoarse voice of Mr. etek, his brother's younger brother began to read the kabul ijab, which was immediately answered aloud by Burhan's heavy voice.

"I accept the marriage and marriage of Rosidah Binti Hasril Sutan Pamenan with her mascarina which is above cash."

"Huh?" The voice of the ruler broke the silence.

"Well!" two witnesses at the same time.

"Thank God....." There was a murmur from the whole family.

"She, let's go out" called Tek Em, her slave cousin approaching Ida who was still sitting on the bed.

Ida got up from her seat which was directly guided by her etch walking out of the room.

"Congratulations, Da," tek Em said with a smile with sparkling eyes, rubbing Ida's back.

Ida steps out of the room, meeting the man who has made a promise to tie her in the sacred bond of marriage. Thought of the man he had always avoided. Sitting cross-legged with full charisma in front of his grandfather. His sharp gaze glanced towards the daro child who had just come out.

"Please sit next to your husband, Da." Tek Em leads Ida to sit next to Burhan.

Ida said she was sitting next to the man she would accompany her for the rest of her life. Trying to accept his fate with airy Dada. Because he knew that this was not the end of his journey. This marriage, is the beginning of the long journey until later tread the twilight.

*sapasukuan\=.

** bainai night \= The procession pairs the mashed henna plants on the nails of the bride-to-be. This procession is also a form of blessing from the family to the bride.

*** daughter daro \= bride.

**** talempong \= Minang instruments that resemble bonang musical instruments on gamelan.