SET DUSK
The Part 26
Ida stopped her movement to fix the clothes she was going to put in a bag, when she heard a knock on the door.
"Yes." There was a sound behind the door.
"Yes, Mai." Ida stepped to the door.
"Have you finished?" ask when Ida opens the door.
"Live a little more, Mai."
"When are you leaving?" ask amai while walking to the chair in the middle room.
"Maybe tomorrow afternoon. Is it okay Amai Ida stay again?" asked Ida slowly staring at the increasingly old face of amai.
All the hair covering the head is bleached. The eyelids that once perfectly framed his eyes, now looked as if the curtains covering half of his eye beads had also turned gray.
Amai pulled the betel leaves that had been chewed, put in a small container made of copper on the table.
"Not to think about it, Da. Now your duty goes where your husband goes. My obligation is complete. There is and without you, I must continue to live until my time is up." Amai leaned his back that was increasingly bent to the back of the chair from the surian wood he was sitting on.
"Yes, Mai. After all, Ida has also rarely been with Amai, yes," pleaded Ida.
"Hahaha that's not what I meant. We in the world have our own duties with a predetermined time limit. My job is done to get you married. Now it's your turn to do your duty as a wife. It's not your duty to think about how I'll move on with my life, you don't need to think about it."
Ida was stunned to hear amai's words. Trying to digest the meaning of every sentence that his grandmother conveyed.
"When did Sutan Pamenan return from Rengat, Da?" ask amai later.
Ida thought for a moment, who was asked. Then he laughed, though,
"Haha, I always forget the title of Mr. Burhan, Mai. Probably tonight she's back."
"You remember the title of your husband" pampered later. His hand took some betel leaf from the carano* rolled it with betel chalk then began to chew back the new betel roll.
That afternoon Ida and Amai spent the afternoon exchanging stories that they had not been able to tell.
At night, when all the residents of the house were asleep in their sleep, Ida was still awake. As he was about to turn off the oil lamp on the small table beside his bed, he heard a knock on the door.
"Assalamualaikum, Da." Burhan's voice was faintly heard outside.
Ida rushed out of the room, lifted the wooden crossbar that covered the door, and opened the door.
"Greetings, sir," said Ida.
Two months she had changed status to be the wife of Burhan Sutan Pamenan, but there was still a sense of nervousness when having to meet her husband.
"You're going to sleep?" burhan asked to look at Ida who had scrunched her hair.
"No, Mister. I'm waiting for Master to come home. Do you want me to make you a drink?" tanya Ida still kept her head down.
"Yes" Burhan replied briefly.
"Then, I'll stay behind first" said Ida. She passed by when she saw her husband answer with a nod and walked into the room.
Upon his return, Ida brought him a glass of drink whose smoke was still billowing in his hand. Put the drink he brought on the bedside table slowly.
"You're sleepy, Da?" ask Burhan.
"Not yet, why did you ask that?" ask Ida to wonder.
"I was just going to have a conversation with you" Burhan said, staring at Ida.
His pair of sharp eyes stared fixedly at Ida's face which was still lowered.
"Yes, sir," said Ida. He sat next to Burhan.
"Wouldn't you look at me, Da?" Burhan's voice again broke the silence between them.
Slowly Ida lifted her face, looking at the face of the man who had become her husband. The dim light from the oil lamp, making Burhan's facial line with a sturdy jaw, more visible firm.
"I'm just making sure you don't hate me." Burhan's cold voice made the cold atmosphere of the night even more piercing.
"I've never hated Mister, it's just that I didn't want to be with Mister."
Burhan sighed. He did not take his eyes off his wife's face. Trying to find a little answer from Ida's attitude that seems to always avoid it.
"Why?" sama later.
Ida squeezed his hand, trying to find the strength to convey what he felt. Trying to organize every word that will be said.
"Because I don't know the Master yet, I'm the son of a destitute man. I'm afraid it will be a game for you, sir," he said later.
"Hahaha, so that's what makes you want to end your life, you're afraid of living miserable with me, Da?" This time Burhan laughed at his wife's honest answer.
The tension that had been stirring in his face slowly dissipated.
"I just feel depressed about my family's decision" Ida said.
"I was given no choice" he continued.
Burhan was stunned, lamenting every word that came out of his wife's lips. Then he grabbed his wife's body trying to give a little peace to the woman he had married.
"I can't promise you'll live happily with me, Da. But at least you give me a chance to prove your fears are unwarranted" he said.
Ida flinched, not knowing how to respond to what Burhan said to her. Trying to calm the mixed feelings in his heart.
"Have you finished fixing your stuff you're bringing tomorrow?" burhan asked after a pause of a while.
"Here you go, sir." Ida pulled herself from Burhan's arms.
"Then let's rest first."
Not waiting long, Ida fell asleep so easily. His feeling is light. At least for now, all the prejudices that had always worried him could be cleared for a moment.
☘️☘️☘️
The afternoon after the Ashar prayer, Ida and Burhan say goodbye to amai and Tini. He left the house he once thought was hell. But this time there was a slight heavy feeling that he felt. Especially seeing the body of amai who is increasingly bent. A long wood that used to be used to hit Ida's feet when amai was angry, now switch functions to hold her body.
"So goodbye, Mai," he hugged Amai.
"It's so pretty you are today, Da," she ignored Ida who seemed to be holding back the water that had hung in her eye sockets.
Amai clapped Ida's hands. Pay attention to his grandson who that day wore yellow brackets with brown batik cloth and matching scarves covering his hair that was neatly coiled.
"We're saying goodbye, Mai." Burhan.
"Yes, please take care of my granddaughter, Sutan," said amai with her raucous voice. His gray eyes gnawed as if he wanted to sweep away the sad speck hanging there.
"Yes, Mai" said Burhan.
"Come, Da," asked Burhan when Ida's luggage was finished he loaded onto the bendi.
The dam they were riding moved slowly leaving the old house amai in Kubang Putih. The anxiety about his new life made him nervous. He looked closely at the figure of amai which was getting smaller as the bendi moved away.
*Carano \=container where to store betel, usually made of brass or copper
