SET DUSK

The Part 41

After the funeral, Ida just sat in the corner of the room where Mila used to play. He did not touch the food provided by Isah's book, and refused to be fed by Burhan.

"Da, until when do you want to stay like this?" burhan asked in a huffed tone.

Ida was only stunned to see Mila's toy scattered in the corner of the room. Never did he imagine Mila would leave him so soon as Yasir did.

"Da, I'm talking to you." Burhan's tone of voice began to rise.

Ida looked at Burhan. During their marriage, only then did Burhan speak to her in a high tone. There was anger from the eyes of her husband. Feeling hurt.

"Master is mad at me?" Ida looked at Burhan with teary eyes.

"Yes, as long as you're like this!"

"I am still unable to accept all of this, Sir," said Ida.

"You think I can easily accept this?"

"It's all my fault."

"Da, stop assuming this is all because of your mistake. The life is only the power of God."

"Sir, God punished me because I ignored Mila, I was too late to take care of Laili," Ida again sobbed.

"Although this is a punishment, you should correct yourself, not constantly blame yourself. Laili was crying, you ignored. You lamented who was gone, but you wasted what was left."

Burhan's words felt like a slap to Ida. Burhan leaves Ida. Let Ida digest the words she said. Trying to slightly treat the anger in his heart.

The sun began to sink, the light that entered the room began to disappear. Buk Isah entered the room, closed the window that had opened. Instantly, the atmosphere of the room was only illuminated by the light from the oil lamp that was lit by Isah.

Buk Isah sat down near Ida, putting a tray filled with food. The aroma of the spice from the soup Isah carried tickled Ida's sense of smell, forcing her stomach to respond with a voice.

"You eat yes, Da. Your stomach can't lie." Buk Isah smiled gently at Ida. The light of the oil lamp that is not so bright makes the wrinkles on the face buk Isah more clearly visible.

He looked at the face of the woman in front of him. Murat was worried that it was clearly drawn in those eyes. He regretted his attitude that had made others difficult.

"Yes, Buk." Ida finally opened her voice.

"Gentleman where?" tanyanya.

"Burhan is resting in Halimah's room."

"Have you eaten?"

"Here, it was noon."

"Where is Laili, Buk?"

"Together Burhan. You eat, I'll prepare a place for your studies." Buk Isah left Ida alone in the room.

Silent ambush. Ida felt foreign to the atmosphere of the house that was suddenly quiet. There was no sound of Mila. Usually, before the magrib, the little girl prepares to pray magrib together, busy asking to wear sarongs and mukena.

"Yes Allah ... What servant is not worthy of Your care, until My Lord returns to take it so soon," he groaned, again the warm liquid obscured his eyes.

Ida was choked when she swallowed the rice she was bribing. He forced his stomach to accept what he put in his mouth. Started to lament Burhan's words, trying to rearrange a broken heart. I don't know what God meant by this game of fate.

The voice of azan magrib resounded, and there was a faint sound in Ida's ears. He got up from his seat, stepped out of the room to take ablution. When he opened the room door, Burhan had been standing in front of the door. His face was tangled, in his eyes still traces the remains of dried tears.

"Let's pray, Da," he asked.

"Yes." Yeah." Ida nodded slowly.

The ablution water that swept over her limbs slightly melted down the pain Ida felt in her heart. Cold water that touches the skin feels to cool the contents of his head that had felt hot.

The sound of the chanting of the holy verse that Burhan read as a prayer priest, made Ida more aware of the pointless sadness. God only gave him the temptation to see how strongly he could accept the decree of fate. Death is the closest thing to man.

"O Lord of the universe, forgive the soul of Your fragile servant. Forgive the servant who still has not been able to accept your destiny with a spacious heart, the servant is just an ordinary man with all the weaknesses of the servant heart," said Ida in her heart.

"Master, I'm sorry," soak Ida gathered in front of Burhan.

"There's nothing to forgive, Da. You have done nothing wrong" said Burhan in a choked voice.

"No parent is able to release their baby willingly. But you have to know, everything in us is just a deposit, so you don't have to lament if the owner asks for a return" Burhan continued.

Ida's getting sobbing.

"Nobody forbid you to be sad, but you must not torture yourself. There's still Laili who needs you."

That night, Ida learned to recite. To take away what is not his, to be taken back by the true Owner, with a willingness.

***

"Amak, amak sick?" laili asked when she saw Ida who fell asleep after breastfeeding Fatimah, Laili's sister.

"Hm ... No ... Why, Son?" Ida woke up from sleep.

"From that moment on amak sleep," said the girl with a worried look on her face.

"Hehe ... Amak is just sleepy, because the night often wakes up changing sister's diaper. Laili's eating?" Ida rubbed her son's curls gently.

" Already, it was bribed by Grandpa Isah," said the girl crawled up into Ida's lap.

Laili's face was more similar to her brother's. Heavy black hair wavy. The tan skin is ripe, his smile is also exactly like Burhan's smile with dimples on the left of his cheeks.

"Sister is asleep?" continued.

"Here you go, let's play outside. Let sister not wake up again."

"Yes! Laili wanted to tell the story of Sabai Nan Aluih," the girl pinta spoiled.

"Laili's not tired of hearing that story?"

"No ...." Laili shook her head quickly.

"Well, let's sit here."

Laili took a position to turn her back to Ida, because Ida used to tell stories while leaving Laili's hair.

"Sabai nan Aluih is a beautiful girl who is kind-hearted, meek in speech, yet she is courageous in defending the truth[1]...." Ida started her story.

"Amak is also like Sabai nan Aluih, huh?" the girl said when Ida finished telling her.

"Haha ... Where it may be amak like Sabai nan Aluih. ..." gelak Ida heard the plain speech of her son.

"Said Abak, Amak used to go to war" said the girl.

"Yes, but Amak doesn't hold a weapon like Sabai."

"Then what did Amak do when he was at war?" Laili turned to look at Ida's curious face.

"Amak used to treat the wounded."

"Like mantri?"

"Yes pretty much the same."

"Amak mantri?"

"Haha ... No, amak only helps mantri treat the sick," explained Ida.

The little girl just nodded in understanding.

"When do you come home, Mom?" ask Laili later.

"Maybe tomorrow? Wh why? Laili miss?"

"Yes ... Abak promised to take you to the night market" said Laili with sparkling eyes.

"Oh yeah?" Ida responded with an enthusiastic face.

"Yes, my brother will buy Laili a doll and take a ride boyan kaliang [2]."

Celoteh Laili is not as happy as her brothers, but Ida is grateful at least she is still given the opportunity to take good care of Laili. He brushed off the worry that was starting to lodge in his heart. Worried that Laili has the same fate as her sisters.

I don't think Ida's eyes are getting warm. Remember how crowded the atmosphere of the house is if Yasir and Mila are still alive. The atmosphere of the house has never been the same since they died. Although Laili was able to treat his former sense of loss, but there is still a room that feels empty after the death of Yasir and Mila who are still not able to be replaced.

"Why are you crying?" Laili looked in wonder.

"Well, amak doesn't cry, ravenous eyes just sting." Ida forced her smile.

"Lord, I don't know until when this heart is really able to release sincerely the departure of Yasir and Mila. ..."

*****

[1] Sabai and Aluih. This story tells about the heroic action of Sabai Nun Aluih in avenging the death of his father to his enemy, Rajo Nan Panjang.

[2] Boyan kaliang \= a kind of reanglala made of wood moved by a group of people pushing one of the seats.