SET DUSK

The Part 30

"When do you plan to go to Kuantan Bay?" Ida turned to face Burhan. He stopped the movement of his hair.

"You're tired of seeing me, Da?"

Burhan who was almost asleep turned to Ida.

Ida's face only looked like a silhouette as Ida sat back against the light of an oil lamp that was hung beside the dressing table. He could not see his wife's expression clearly.

"That's not what I mean, I'm going to cook you a pack on the way. What do you want to make sir?"

Burhan sat down from the position he had been lying in.

"Whatever you're gonna do for me, I'll take it, Da." A big smile spread across Burhan's lips. The dimple of his cheek was printed deeper and deeper on his left cheek.

It feels like a tipper. His usual wife who was stiff and seemed to always dodge, had already begun to open her heart.

"Then I go to the market for shopping."

"Why don't you ask Isah's book to do some shopping?"

"I'm not happy I asked Isah's book, sir. I also want to know the area around here."

"Then let me take you. I'll show you where amak's regular shopping subscriptions ...." Burhan stopped his sentence.

"But are they still there? Since last year I have not been to the market again" continued Burhan with a slightly hesitant voice.

"Where are they really?" ask Ida curiously.

"After the Dutch entered the end of 1948, the market was empty. No one seems to dare to sell either."

Ida moved to sit next to Burhan. Burhan looked at Ida, puzzled.

"Sir where does the aggression take place?" tanyanya.

Burhan took a long time, looking at the face of his wife who looked interested. Then smile.

"It's different if it's a former fighter," he called.

"meaning?" Ida showed a confused face.

"If I tell people, they're not so interested. While you, quite the opposite. I don't usually want to sit next to me if I don't tell you to," Burhan said.

"Haha ... I was curious, all this time I only felt the condition of the war in Padang and Bukittinggi only. So I also want to know the conditions elsewhere."

This time Ida looked long into Burhan's eyes expectantly. I hope Burhan will tell his story in a time of aggression.

" I was here at the time." Burhan stopped talking. Waiting for Ida's reaction.

Ida's eyes opened wide. He changed his seat to face Burhan.

"Then?" Ida was getting impatient.

"You curious?"

"Yes, why is the story just a piece like that?" skink.

"Try it while you massage my back," Burhan grinned.

"So this story has its pay?"

"Yes, I don't want to give free."

"Master's husband is stingy," said Ida.

"Later change," Burhan persuaded.

"Reverse" Ida ordered.

"So you want to?" Burhan seemed to distrust his hearing.

"Yes," said Ida briefly.

Burhan peeked at his wife's cheek. Although it was not the first time Burhan had kissed her, but this time there was another feeling that she felt. Cheeks heating. It was fortunate that Burhan had already turned around, so he was not too embarrassed if Burhan saw the change in his face.

"December of 1948, I don't really remember the date. The Dutch began to attack the city, destroying several important buildings here. Later sometime I invite you around to see the building that was the target of the Dutch attack." Burhan began his story.

"Yes. Then?" chase Ida started massaging Burhan's back.

"Show you massage ya, Da. It's delicious," said Burhan, as he felt his wife's hand start massaging his back.

"Continue story. It's not a free gift."

"Haha ... You're also a stingy wife," said Burhan.

"Yes already. Then don't continue. I'm gonna go to bed." Ida stopped her massage and shifted her seat.

"Haha ... Don't sulk like that, Da." Burhan pulled Ida's hand back.

Ida sat back still with her face bent, waiting for the continuation of her husband's story.

"Dutch at the time, also imposed a curfew. Almost every day we see dead bodies. The Dutch were completely blind in their cleanup. Indiscriminate, misstep a little life stakes."

"Then where are you?"

"I brought Amak escape to Simalanggang with buk Isah and pak Ujang." Burhan stopped talking, like there was a sting hanging in his eyes.

"After ensuring amak was safe, I returned, joining BPNK ...."

"What is BPNK?"

"BPNK stands for State and City Guards Agency, consisting of young people in Payakumbuh." Pause a little long. This time Burhan was as though he wanted to continue his story.

"What's going on?" tanya Ida turned her face towards Burhan.

"We often guerrilla to attack the Dutch headquarters. As a result, the Dutch became more violent. They caught every young man they suspected, I got away. Unfortunately some of my friends were caught, they were led to the bridge in Batang Agam which we saw yesterday when we were going to the market ...."

Silent. Ida could already imagine where the Burhan story would go. There was a sense of regret in his heart asking the condition of Payakumbuh at that time. He cursed himself, why he even opened the wound. Not only Burhan's wounds were open, the wounds in his heart were also open. Unlocking any point of injury memories of the loss of a loved one during a time of Dutch aggression.

"Sorry, Da. I can't go on ...." Burhan's voice sounded hoarse.

"I'm sorry, there's no intention of me opening a wound" Ida said.

"Yes, it's okay. Not to just forget the struggle yesterday, but I still have not been able to treat my heartache, Da," said Burhan lirih.

"Yes, I understand."

"Maybe later, yeah. We tell each other our grandchildren" Burhan grinned, though there was still a slight wound hanging in his eye.

"Yes" Ida said briefly. He was still carried away, he was still unable to manage his heart.

"I'm sorry, sir," he said later after laying his head against a pillow.

"For what?" Burhan stopped his steps, blowing on the oil lamp.

"Because I've ruined your mood" said Ida, more like a mutter.

"Don't think about it, let's take a break."

--------------°°°°°°----------------

"You're fine at home. If you want to go out, ask Isah's book to accompany it, "Burhan said.

"Yes, you be careful on the road." Ida shines a light on Burhan.

"Just pray all my business is done quickly. Maybe I'll go home with amak."

"Will I come back here?"

"Yes, but you don't have to prepare anything. Usually it's only a day two here" said Burhan stroking Ida's cheek gently.

"Good." Ida was downcast, holding her face that was starting to turn red.

Burhan boards a freight truck that has been waiting for him on the front street of the courtyard of the house. The top shelf of the 1948 Chevrolet truck was filled with Burhan merchandise in the form of spices, coffee beans, and sato [1].

This time was the second time Burhan left Ida to trade after marriage. Like something made her feel heavy taking off her husband. After a whole month she was always with Burhan, making her get used to her husband's presence.

There was a desolate speck infiltrating into his heart after the truck carrying Burhan started to drift away. Ida walked into the house, closing the door slowly. His eyes were still fixed on the road, either hoping to see what from the street.

Ida walked towards the kitchen. As he passed by the room next to his, he saw the door open. There is a book of Isah who is busy sewing something with a sewing machine.

"What's sewing, Buk?" Ida approaches Isah's book unaware of his arrival.

"Oh, Ida." Buk Isah stopped his foot that was bumping the pedal of the sewing machine. Instantly the roar of the sewing machine stopped.

"Have you left, Burhan?" ask Isah to turn her body to Ida.

"It has. What's she sewing?" Ida repeated the question.

"Oh, this ... I'm sewing clothes. You can sew, Da?"

"It can, but it hasn't been very good." Ida sat on the chair beside Isah.

"Later if you want to sew, just use this machine. Your in-laws already let you wear it."

"Yes, Buk. I don't have a cloth to sew yet. Just keep sewing it up buk." Ida glanced at the closet next to Isah's buk. A slim cabinet in the form of a wooden shelf, like other furniture in the house, made of teak wood that is twisted.

Ida approached the closet. On the shelf of the closet was lined neatly arranged books, literary books and books.

"Whose book is this, Buk?" ida asked in amazement without taking her eyes off the books.

"Had Burhan's brother. This was his office." Buk Isah again stopped his foot movement on the pedal of the sewing machine.

"Can I borrow it, Buk?" Ida looked expectantly at Isah's book.

"Can you read?" ask Isah in amazement.

"Can, Buk. So can I borrow it?"

"Yes, you read it. I couldn't read, so the book was just a show for me" said Isah.

Ida's face instantly turned bright. He chose the book he was going to read. His eyes were fixed on a book with the title "Unforbidden Love". Ida left Isah's book, went into her room.

That day, Ida spent time in the room reading the book she brought from the next room. He came out just to eat and occasionally to the water.

After the prayer, Ida continued reading the book, but because she was no longer able to withstand her sleepiness, she fell asleep in front of her dressing table.

The morning after the dawn prayer, Ida who was about to help Isah cook for breakfast, suddenly felt dizzy. Cold sweat poured out of his forehead.

"What's the matter, Da? Your face is pale right," asked Isah with a worried face.

"I don't feel well, Buk. Maybe because yesterday over time read," said Ida lirih.

Before long, he hurried to the bathroom. He felt his stomach turn over. When he came out of the cubicle, Isah was already standing in front of the door.

" Have you come to the moon, Da? " ask Isah with an expression Ida does not understand.

"It looks like this month hasn't, Buk."

"How long have you not been on the moon?" search buk Isah.

"I don't really remember. Why Buk?" ask Ida wonder.

"Maybe you've started to conceive." The smile of Isah's bouquet spread on his tapered face featuring teeth that are flushed because they often chew betel nut.

"Oh ... Is that so, Buk?" Ida is like confusion. Unknowingly his hand rubbed his stomach.

"Let me call mak Saroh, the child shaman behind ya, let him make sure it is true whether you are pregnant. Now you just sit down, don't cook," throw out Isah's buk.

"But, Buk ...."

"Here, there you go up rather than you get dizzy here." Buk Isah returned to expel Ida.

Ida walked slowly up the stairs to her room. His feelings began to erratic, worry began to run through his mind.

[1] Sato\= tobacco leaves that are not too dry are dried.