SET DUSK

The Part 54

"Da ... Don't you want to rethink my request?" shamshir asked when they had reached the front of the alley next to the tomb that led to Ida's residence.

"Sorry sir, that's my last decision. Right now I just want to think about the kids."

"But we can still meet, right?" Shamsyr stared at the woman sitting next to him who was still looking down.

"If you can, you won't have to see me again. Other people know I'm a widow, I don't want to be gossip," said Ida slowly. There was a bitter feeling when he said that sentence.

Shamsyr rubbed his face, driving away the anger that hung there. Looking up ahead. The afternoon sky began to redden, the warm air was not able to warm the heart of Syamsyr in the slightest.

"Thank you for delivering me, sir." Ida's voice jerks Shamsyr. He looked at Ida with a wounded face.

Ida slid down from the car regardless of Shamsyr's gaze. Syamsyir came down, took Ida's trading basket which he placed on the rear passenger bench. Staring fixed on Ida's face that began to be consumed by age and full of burden. He wanted his heart to protect her, but his heart had hardened like a stone, unwilling to accept his presence again.

"We accept our way of life like this. Not everything that we expected should be realized. Perhaps one day you will find a woman who is able to divert your heart from me," comfort Ida when she sees Shamsyr's face like a broken person. His usual sparkling eyes always looked gloomy as if they were losing light.

"Yes, hopefully so," said Shamsyir lirih.

"Goodbye" said Ida, leaving Shamsyr still unmoved from its original place. Actually, his heart was also hurt when expressing his rejection. Then a thousand if it reverberated in his heart. If only it had not been like this when he was reunited with Shamshir, but he immediately cleared it. His heart was no longer able to accept the hope that was repeatedly broken. He was no longer able to hang his happiness expectations on anyone other than his children, his strength to be able to continue to survive in the midst of trials that alternately whack.

***

"city ... Sampeyan don't want to work at people's houses? Housework was so," asked Ningrum one morning approaching Ida who was drying clothes in front of her residence.

"So you mean, Ning?" ask Ida.

"Yes that means it. So, is it not possible?"

"Any job is halal, I want Ning. Is anyone looking for a talisman?"

"There, my jamuku customer. Doctor's family. If you want, come with me now. His mother wants to be quick."

"Awhile, Ning. I'll take a shower."

"Yes, don't be long yeah, I'll have bad luck around."

"Yes" said Ida rushing back into the house.

Ningrum had been waiting in front of the door when Ida finished packing. He was wearing a purple kebaya that still looked rather new with a lily flower motif. Her hair that had been neatly curled, she covered it with a pink scarf.

"Beautiful is also Uni when it is neat like this," praised Ningrum smiling brightly.

"Ah, could have been you Ning," kekeh Ida.

They arrived at a house with a very large yard. The house with salem paint has a tall roof resembling a pyramid and wooden pillars supporting a lower roofed veranda. Its spacious courtyard, overgrown with several large trees adds a cool effect to the house.

The distance between the gate and the house was quite far, so Ningrum had to ring a small bell that was hung on the fence. Before long a beautiful woman who was quite old came out of the house. Walking gracefully and a warm smile blossomed kindly on her lips. The woman who turned out to be the hostess let them in.

"Mom, am I staying okay, Mom? I have to go around" said Ningrum after introducing Ida to Rastri's mother.

"Oh yes, Ning. Thank ye. May your trading sell all today yes," said Miss Rastri.

After talking for a long time and asking some questions, Rastri decided to accept Ida to work and asked to move to her house. Although the work is only as a khadimat, Ida is grateful that at least she does not have to spend the cost of renting a house and does not need to hot-worship her merchandise. The residence provided by Bu Rastri is also very comfortable.

Living the days of working at Rastri's house, made Ida feel as if God had answered her prayers all along. He no longer had to endure hunger pangs when they had nothing to eat. Moreover, Laili and Fatimah have also worked in the bakery, making their economic conditions begin to improve.

The desire to return to the village was forgotten because he felt he had found his new life in that place. Until one night Laili told him that there was a man who would propose to him.

"Name bang Basri, Mak. He's a Bukittinggi guy too. If Amak allows it, he'll see Amak this weekend."

"Well, time passes. Just yesterday it felt like I gave birth to you, Li." Ida looked at Laili's face. No more plain faces for her little girl. The face has been replaced by the face of a young woman who is ready to marry. Indeed, the age of Laili is still relatively young, still seventeen years, but the trials of life that suffered from it since childhood, making the girl has matured beyond her age.

"Has your heart fixed with this man?" Ida's heart was a little worried, if Laili only felt a momentary feeling of love. His age is young, the times still feel the beauty of attention from the opposite sex.

"My heart has been steady, Mother. That's why he wanted to see Amak, to declare that he was serious with me. There's no way a guy who's just messing around would be like that, right, Mak?"

"Yes, I hope he's the mate God chose for you, Li."

"Yes, I ask for Amak's blessing." The happy hue was clearly emblazoned on Laili's face. Ida could not refuse her son's request.

"But Amak can't decide for himself, Li. If marriage problems like this, we must involve mamak ninik in the village. Later try to ask permission from Rastri to go home. Besides, Salma's gonna be on the graduation exam any minute soon, will you be patient, Li?"

"Yes, Mom. But at least bang Basri first acquainted with Amak, can ya?" pinta Laili with a blushing face.

"Yes, we'll try to find the right day to meet, yeah."

Ms. Rastri looked heavy about to take off, when Ida asked to stop to go home. Rastri's affection for Salma added to the weight of his heart to release them.

"If Salma had stayed with me, what, Da? God willing, I will love Salma like my own son," Pinta bu Rastri.

"I'm sorry ma'am, it's not that I'm going to disappoint you ... But it wasn't until my heart left Salma. These kids are the life force of my life. Maybe people think I'm selfish for keeping them in my difficult life ... It's just that my heart can't afford to part with my children."

There was a feeling of worry that Ida felt. As if he was in his position first, he wanted to give Salma a chance to get a more decent life, so that Salma could achieve his goal of becoming a teacher. But the other side of his heart did not want Salma to later assume that she was a weak mother, a mother who easily gave up her life and gave it to others.

"Bec ... Yes, I understand how you feel, Da," said Mrs Rastri, "If you have a chance to come back here, don't forget to visit me, yes. I will definitely miss you guys a lot" continued Ms. Rastri.

"Yes, Mom. I'm so grateful for Mother's kindness during my time working here."

"I also thank you, Da. You've worked well here too."

***

Salma's graduation day arrived, Ida left Pematang Siantar released crying haru by Rastri's mother.

"Salma, later when it's in the village write a letter to Mom yes, son. I must miss Salma," isak bu Rastri kissed Salma's cheeks that began to plump since they lived in Rastri's house.

"Yes, Mom. Thank you," Salma replied.

"Mom, I'm saying goodbye. I'm sorry if I worked with my mother a lot of mistakes." Ida greeted Miss Rastri who was then fully embraced by her employer.

They left Pematang Siantar, the second largest city in North Sumatra. The city where the nomads tried to pit their fate and fortune. The city, which bears witness to a mother's struggle to raise her children alone, bears witness to a woman's loyalty to the man she loves.

The Sibualbuali bus they were riding moved slowly, leaving metropolitan Sumatra. Bring them back to their original land. Leaving behind all the hopes that they had hung when they had come to the city. Leaving behind a story of a pair of hearts that have ended.