SET DUSK

Part 42's

Time is rolling so fast. Ida kept setting the heart, treating the pain as if it never healed. The house that had lost its soul, as if again began to breathe with the presence of Laili and Fatimah. Laili with his calm nature contrasts with Fatimah who is more active and vibrant. The joy of Fatimah seemed to revive the atmosphere of the house that had been quiet because of the departure of Yasir and Mila.

If Laili is a calming night, Fatimah is a day of joy. The nature of Fatimah who likes to be ignorant of her brother, makes the atmosphere of the house never empty of Laili screeches.

From stature, Fatimah was not much different from Laili. Their physical appearance is similar to his brother, but the skin of Fatimah more closely follows Ida's skin is yellow.

"Lord! Can't be naughty!" laili shouted one afternoon, running after Fatimah.

Ima-the call of Fatimah-ran over to Ida.

"Why, Li?" ask Ida when she sees Laili's upset face.

"Ima pulled my doll to pieces, Mom," isak Laili thrust a panda doll that was no longer intact.

"Don't you also have a doll, why was Uni's doll taken?" ask Ida gently to Ima who is already curled up in Ida's arms.

"Ima injam," he said timidly.

"But it's broken." Laili started crying.

"Let's fix it again, son. Your sister doesn't understand yet" Ida told Laili.

"Yes, Mommy." Laili rubbed her eyes with the tip of her shirt.

"She has to apologize to Uni, yeah." Ida pulled Fatimah out of her arms.

"Af," said Ima extending her hand to Laili.

"Yes, tomorrow can't pull a union doll, yeah."

Fatimah nodded quickly. He returned to the room with Laili. Before long the laughter of the two little girls began to sound again.

Unceasingly Ida gave thanks. Their screams and laughter seemed to be the antidote to the pain Ida had felt so far Laili and Fatimah, two polar opposites, as if balancing the world Ida had once almost collapsed.

"Accoland ...." The sound of greeting in front of the door broke Ida's daydream.

"Greetings waalaikum" Ida opened the door, looking at the astonished figure of an unknown man before her.

"Gentleman looking for who?" ask Ida.

"Mak Isah still living here, Uni?"

"Yes, still. Master who?"

"Mus, is that you?" the sound of Isah from behind. His voice sounded vibrating.

"Yes Mak, this is Amak's son" said the young man in front of Ida. His eyes glazed over when he saw Isah's book walking to greet him.

Ida pulled over, making room for the mother and child.

"Malay, yuang. I thought you weren't around anymore. Where the hell have you been?" crying isah broke.

Thirteen years later Isah separated from her son. The war has left them scattered. All this time Isah's book has given up the departure of his son. Never did he expect, his son whom he had thought was gone had now appeared before him.

"I was taken to Java, Mak." sahut Musa, his son buk Isah.

"You sit down ... Oh yes ... Da, this is my son whom I've been telling you about all this time," said buk Isah as if she had just realized Ida's presence among them.

"Sorry Uni, my arrival was suddenly startling like this." Moses shouts at Ida.

"Oh! Its alright. I live first yes" said Ida.

"Thank you, Da," said Isah. A happy hue was clearly drawn on his face which was beginning to be filled with wrinkles.

"Yes, Buk." Ida smiled, feeling the happiness of the mother and child.

Ida went into the kitchen, intending to serve Moses and Isah.

"Who's coming, Da?" ask Mr. Ujang who just returned from the rice field.

"Sir, Moses the son of the Father has returned" said Ida eagerly.

"I didn't hear wrong, did I?" ask Mr. Ujang as if convincing his hearing.

"No, Sir. Soon the father went up," cried Ida.

"G ... Yes ... Yeah.." Mr. Ujang was stuck up the stairs.

"Mus, did you really come?"

Ida heard the voice of Mr. Ujang shaking, then there was the sound of crying Mr. Ujang. All the words he said.

"Please drink it." Ida put a cup of warm drink on the table.

"Thank you, Da." said Isah.

"Yes, Buk. Is it okay to stay buk?" Ida was back alone, not wanting to disturb the reunion of the little family.

In the afternoon when Burhan came home, he cheered happily when he saw Moses.

"So you're getting married?" burhan asked after hearing the story of Moses' journey.

"Yes. I can only come back here after getting time off."

"Why don't you send the news, at least by mail, don't you know how your rampage has been feeling all along" Burhan asked.

"I sent a letter, but never got a reply. I had thought Amak did not survive when Payakumbuh was attacked. But I still intend to ensure the existence of Amak first before I get married" explained Moses.

"Alhamdulillah, glad to hear, you still remember back to Payakumbuh, Mus. Amak prayer is said all along," Buk Isah shrank the tears that began to pool at the end of his wrinkled eyes.

"If I may ask you, Han. I'm taking Amak to Java. Let amak be with me. Not that I'm a kid who doesn't know your family's back, but I also want to stay with me. All these years I've been separated by rampage, not strong in my heart, Han." Moses' voice began to tremble.

"G ... It's actually a hard choice for me, Mus. Considering I have also considered your amak already like my amak. But whatever power, you're more entitled" said Burhan. Burhan's eyes began to glaze over. He saw Isah and Pak Ujang who were sitting at the end of the bamboo hall where they sat down to eat together.

"I understand, Han. But I am now assigned to the island of Java. Can't see Amak whenever I want." Moses gave the reason.

Burhan just nodded, looking like he was thinking. I don't know what's on his mind. Ida just watched in silence.

"Da, are you okay, if I stay? Actually my heart is also heavy to leave this house, but I also want to be with my son."

Ida stared at Isah's buk, the face that had been eaten that age looked hopeful. Ah, if the story was like this too, reunited with his brother and brother. Ida understands how Isah's buk feels.

"Yes, Buk. Come with Mr. Moses, is this not the answer to Mother's prayer all this time." Ida rubbed gently on Isah's back.

"You wait for my rampage before you leave, Mus. Tomorrow insyaAllah amak return to Payakumbuh," said Burhan.

"Yes, of course I have to say goodbye to mak tuo" said Moses.

When Mak Halimah came, he was no less happy to welcome the return of Moses to their home.

"When are you going back to Java, Mus?" ask mak Halimah.

"God willing, Mother."

"We go for a walk before you leave" suggested mak Halimah.

"But Mak Tuo just got home from the Gulf, isn't he tired?" there is a sense of contempt from the tone of Moses.

"Please say goodbye to you, Mus. I don't know when we'll meet again" said mak Halimah softly.

Moses looked like his own son. Moses and Burhan are almost the same age. In the past, when mak Halimah sold from feed to feed, buk Isah who always followed him where he went. When Isah was married, giving birth to Moses and his sisters, Isah had moved to the village.

Then, when Burhan was three years old, buk Isah returned to the house of mak Halimah in Payakumbuh, because his house in the village burned down when the Dutch attacked. Since then, Isah's book has always been with Burhan when mak Halimah started her business in Kuantan Bay.

***

Sunday morning, the sun was shining. Unlike the previous mornings in Payakumbuh, that morning there was no fog hanging. The sky was so bright, displaying the towering mountain of Sago as if supporting the blue sky above it.

"Well, let's go" take Halimah.

On the road in front of the house, already parked a car that Burhan used to carry his merchandise. Without waiting for long, they rushed up the car after making sure all their supplies fit into the car. The old car walked slowly, leaving the still deserted Payakumbuh.

The purpose of their trip that day to Lake Singkarak, the largest lake in West Sumatra. The journey to Singkarak winding and cool air entering through the car window, making two small passengers who from the beginning to leave always ask finally fell asleep.

By noon, the car they were riding stopped at the edge of the lake with a soothing panorama. The lake spread wide in front of them, surrounded by rows of hills as if standing guarding a lake that seemed to hold many secrets.

They roll out mats and supplies that they carry on the rocky edge of the lake. The cold air and the sound of water hitting the edge of the lake because it was blown by the wind, making Laili just curled up in Burhan's arms.

"Laili why? Come here to sit with you," asked Mak Halimah to see her granddaughter looks not excited.

"Fear" said the little girl, hugging her brother.

Meanwhile Fatimah ran by the lake. Seemed to enjoy when his feet stepped on the rock and on the broom of the lake waves.

"Union, here ... Brother, can I swim?" ask the girl in her slurred language.

"It's still cold, Ima. Later when it's a little afternoon, brother accompany swimming."

By late afternoon, they returned to Payakumbuh, after a day of enjoying the beautiful panorama of Lake Singkarak. Children who have been tired of playing water, back to sleep continue their adventure to dreamland.

****

The day that awaited Mak Isah came. Buk Isah that morning wearing brackets under a warm brown knit shirt. A yellow scarf with lily embroidery on the edges, he wrapped it around the neck to reduce the cold. His eyes watched Moses loading their luggage onto the shelf at the top of the bus between the towns.

Mr. Ujang was seen still talking to Burhan not far from where the bus was parked. Burhan's face looked serious listening to what Mr. Ujang said.

"I go, Limah," said Isah to the Halima who stood beside him.

"You are careful on the road, Sah," said mak Halimah hugging buk Isah clearly illustrated with sadness on the face of mak Halimah.

"Thank you for the help of Ibuk all this time, Buk," Ida said as the Isah buk approached her.

"Yes, Da. You're fine, yeah." Isah's buk voice choked.

Ida just nodded. After all, separation always leaves a sense of loss. Sewindu her togetherness with Isah buk, makes her feel again the presence of a mother's affection. Although he had no blood relation to the woman, bu Isah always looked at her like he was watching his own daughter.

At least parting this time, still leaves little hope, someday they can meet. I don't know when fate will bring him back together, which surely he can also feel the happiness of a mother who rediscovered her baby.