SET DUSK

The Part 36

"Assalamualaikum, Union."

The greeting in front of the room door made the attention of Ida who was breastfeeding Yasir distracted.

"Today!" screech with a stifled voice.

A happy smile spread on Ida's lips, seeing her sister's presence. Since two months ago, Ida has not met Tini again.

"Who are you here with?"

"Sama mak dang and mak tuo. They were in front of the meeting with Mak Halimah" said Tini.

"Oh, madam came here too. I thought you were the only one here."

"It just so happens that the dang mak is in the village, when mak Halimah reported that it will hold a show down the Union children's bath. Is the Union finished breastfeeding? Can I carry my nephew?"

"G ... Ja. My name is Yasir, tek. Goshen ... This is your etch, Tini," said Ida handed Yasir to Tini's lap.

"Bazel ... How handsome a bujang etek's son." Tini stared at the astonishment of her nephew's face.

The little baby wriggled in Tini's lap, then went back to sleep.

"I'll see you first, Tin?" ida got up from his seat.

"Yes, all of Yasir I brought out, huh?"

"Yes." Yeah."

Ida stepped out to meet the dang mak. After he married, this was the first time he was reunited with his mother.

"She" cried mak Halimah when she saw her daughter-in-law coming out of the room.

Mak dang and mak tuo who were talking with mak Halimah turned to Ida. They smiled in greeting to Ida.

"Mom" said Ida to his mother and wife.

"Alhamdulillah, be healthy you yes, Da. My heart is happy to see you now. Where's my grandson?"

Mak dang's face is usually seen sangar in Ida's eyes, the day looks more shady.

"Alhamdulillah, Mother. Thank you for visiting Ida," said Ida with a raised smile.

"Here's Uni's bachelor son, Mak." Tini appeared behind Ida with Yasir in her sling and sat down beside mak tuo.

"What a granddaughter is so handsome, what's this called?" tanya mak tuo, the wife of the dang took Yasir from Tini's sling.

"His name is Yasir, Mak Tuo" said Ida.

"I'll go back, yeah. You continue to talk," said mak Halimah.

"Yes Uni" said mak tuo to mak Halimah.

"Smart you're looking after my niece, Sutan. We used to be potang-panting facing this one daughter," swelled mak dang to Burhan.

"Haha ... Thank God that Mak etek saw it that way" Burhan said.

Burhan's laughter that day seemed so loose. There was a chill in Ida's heart when she saw the laughter on her husband's face. Burhan looks more dashing wrapped in dark blue, his curly hair neatly combed. As usual, the dimple to the left of her cheek adds to Burhan's charm in her eyes.

"It's just right that Ana won't let go of this man" Ida chuckled inwardly.

"Try Sutan pay attention, usually where ever this kemakanku want to smile like that when with me," pointed mak dang.

Realizing that he was being talked about, Ida was wrong, her eyes rubbed with Burhan's gaze, making him even more misbehaved.

"Well, please eat Min, Engku ... Far away from Bukittinggi, must have been hungry," Mak Halimah came carrying a plate full of goat saplings, saving Ida from her misdeeds.

Trying to eliminate his embarrassment, he helped mak Halimah put a plate containing the sassy that her in-laws brought between the rows of plates that were served in the middle room.

"Ondeh! This is your amak cuisine that is always waiting for customers if in feed, Sutan," exclaimed mak dang excitedly to Burhan.

"Ah, too much this Engku," said mak Halimah.

"I'm not making it up, since you've not been selling at Bukittinggi feed, there's nothing else that can match your cooking," said mak dang.

"Yes Uni, let alone the tambusu gulai [1] Uni. I've tried to buy in a place that people say is the most delicious, it still loses the taste of Uni cuisine," said mak tuo mak dang's wife.

"Haha ... So big head I'll be flattered like this. Well, eat it."

"It doesn't eat?" ask mak tuo.

"I just finished eating. You accompany your mother to eat yes, Da. You haven't eaten in the morning."

"Yes, Mother," said Ida.

The hot day did not affect Ida's feelings. The peace he felt made his heart feel cool. He hasn't felt that peaceful in a long time. For the first time, he really felt like he had a family after the death of his parents.

"Alhamdulillah, treated my longing in the cuisine of amakmu, Sutan," said mak dang after finishing eating.

"Alhamdulillah, amak cuisine is still missed" Burhan said.

"Oh yes, Da. Insha Allah next month ninik mamak we are going bethong [2] for Tini's wedding. With your condition now, you don't need to go back to the village, you just pray that everything goes well," said mak dang turned to Ida.

"Alhamdulillah ... with whom, Mother?" ask Ida excitedly.

"The youngest son is Datuk Marajo who migrated to Sidwomen," said mak dang.

"About when is baralek [3]nya, Mak? Hopefully later I'll be strong to go home when the baraleknya."

"Fast after the feast, hopefully no one will argue when the beretong later."

"Congratulations, Tini. Hopefully everything goes well" Ida said turning to Tini.

"Yes Uni, please pray."

"Have you met the man?" whispered Ida later.

"Thank God, you're married to someone you like" Ida's tease guessed her sister's heart.

Tini simply replied with a nod and a smile.

Happy and sad mixed in Ida's heart. Happy soon to be her only sister, getting married and starting her new life. It is sad that only my mother and their extended family will take care of all the preparations for her wedding.

Those who were orphans and strays, were completely dependent on the mercy of his extended family alone. Although amai has always taught not to rely too much on the mercy of people, but in reality at times like this, the truth is, there is nothing they can hope for other than the willingness of their extended family to help organize all the traditional processions before the wedding.

*****

In late July, almost a year left Kubang Putih, today Ida set foot again in her homeland. A longing poured out from his heart as he inhaled the smell of straw from the freshly harvested rice fields, and the scent of burnt grain.

Time is like stopping in White. Nothing changed there, from the road he took to the old house where he had been living, to the rows of houses along the way. His village was still the same as last year, just like the last time he left the place.

"As recently as yesterday we passed this road huh, Da." Burhan's voice rattled Ida from her daydream.

"Yes, Sir."

"Last year, we went both, back three. Hopefully next year, come back here four, yeah" Burhan grinned.

"Haha ... Hopefully," Ida blushed.

Arriving in front of the house, the atmosphere of the house is crowded. Like last year, the members of the extended family as they please have started to prepare everything necessary to hold a party.

"Sutan Pamenan, just arrived?" greeting one of Ida's distant cousins rushed to greet Burhan as they got off the bendi.

"Yes, Engku. How's Engku doing?" welcome Burhan.

"Alhamdulillah good ... Ah Ida! I barely recognize you."

"To my husband you remember, why did you forget me, sir," pleaded Ida.

"Your race changed far from the last I remember, Da!" gelak.

"En! Thank God, the Union has arrived. Let's get Uni in first," cut Tini.

"I go in first, sir," said Ida to her cousin.

"Yes, your mother has also come from this morning."

"Here Yasir I'm carrying, Ni," Tini bargained with Ida.

Ida moved Yasir Carefully from his sling. The little baby was still asleep despite changing hands.

"Geez, the more handsome the bachelor child is," Tini cried half-whispering afraid to surprise the nephew.

Climbing the stairs of the house, Ida's feelings are increasingly raging. Hoping for peace to be welcomed at the door with his signature laugh, featuring a row of teeth reddened by his habit of chewing sugi [4]. Ida's steps stopped in the middle of the stairs. Inhaling the strong air around him, trying to relieve his beak so as not to feel tight.

Burhan, who was behind Ida, noticed the change in his wife's face. As if understanding what Ida was feeling, she gently rubbed Ida's back.

"Come, Da," Burhan half-whispered.

"Yes, sir," said Ida, trying to strengthen herself.

"Accoland ...." Burhan said his greetings first when he reached the door.

"Waalaikum greetings ... Alhamdulillah has arrived to my niece and daughter-in-law," welcome the dang mak.

After chatting with the dang mak and some of her other siblings, Ida went down to the kitchen. As at the time of the wedding, the back of the kitchen was fitted with a tent with two furnaces and a large pan for cooking.

Ida looked at every corner of the kitchen, the bamboo hall where amai used to weed the ingredients is still in the bottom corner of the stairs to the kitchen. Nothing changes from the atmosphere of the kitchen, only the absence of amai that makes the kitchen feel different.

"Amai, forgive Ida. Ida has wasted the presence of amai," Ida said in her heart.

*****

The wedding day finally arrived. Talempong sound and saluang make a festive atmosphere of the house. The sun began to move away from his quarrel. The still-loyal dew residing on the leaves reflected a golden light, adding to the cheerfulness of the morning's atmosphere.

A happy hue clearly emanated on Tini's face. No worries hang in there. Ida smiled to see Tini's face so radiant. Supposedly, a year ago he was also like that, waiting happily for the coming of the bridegroom who would bind him in a sacred promise.

"city ... Come in," said Tini when he saw Ida watching him in the doorway.

"How are you feeling?" asked Ida as she sat next to Tini.

"Haha ... I don't know, Ni. I'm nervous," teased Tini trying to shake off her nervousness.

"Hehe ... At least you married a man you really like."

"Is the heart of the Union still unable to accept Mr Burhan?" search Tini when hearing Ida's words.

"I've accepted it. As you said before, my heart is covered in prejudices, so I don't see Mr. Burhan's kindness. He loves me with all his heart." Ida's smile grew.

"Alhamdulillah, I think the Union is still not able to accept the reality" Tini kekeh.

Ida replied to her sister with a faint smile. If given the opportunity to return to the lamp-time, it would be like he returned to the time he was sitting in the room where Tini is now. Waiting for Burhan's arrival with a happy feeling, not with a depressed feeling like he used to feel, but Ida realized there was no point looking back if only to regret what had happened in the past.

Ida went to the window, when she heard the sound of a welcome for the groom's family. As he looked up at her, his eyes were rubbed with Burhan's eyes fixed on her, a smile on his lips.

"Oh my God, why is this heart still choking irregularly every time it looks at me" Ida cried in her heart.

He returned Burhan's smile, moving away from the window. Neutralize a heartbeat that seems to race to pump his blood. Ida is like a girl who is kasmaran, fell in love with a man who had made a sacred promise to her a year ago.

"Thank God, even though this feeling was late, at least the time I was given the opportunity to be happy" Ida said in her heart.

Seriate.......

[1] Tambusu gulai \= cow's gut gulai filled with spiced egg shakes. The tambusu look is almost similar to sausage.

[2] Beretong \= one of the stages in the application procession. In this beretong procession, the families of both parties soften the procedure when holding a wedding party.

[3] Baralek \= wedding party.

[4] Sugi \= betel leaves are rolled with betel nut and betel lime, when chewed will produce a red color.