Sharing Love: Puspita East & West
The Beginning of a New Life
“Why are you here!?” hanif exclaimed when he first saw Anastasia in West Joglo. The cute face of the boy turned fierce because he saw a stepmother who did not want to admit. Sharif who came with him was not much different. They were both very upset with Anastasia being there.
“This is our headquarters! Why are you here?” Sharif repeated her brother's question. His little hand held a branch which he was about to use to play with the swords with Hanif. He would probably have carelessly used the twig to hit Anastasia had Maimunah not emerged from the joglo.
“Kids, what is this?” ask Maimunah in wonder. He came out with a set of embroidery tools and some sheets of cloth neatly rolled up in a tray. That day, he was about to start teaching Anastasia how to embroider.
“Dia! Opah, why is he here?” tanya Hanif complained, “This is our headquarters. We've been here first.”
Anastasia confusion. The trouble came a day after he was stationed in West Joglo. His mind was still chaotic and unstable. He's not used to it here. Especially with her husband's two children who kept yelling like that. The girl also fell down to face her fate.
“This house has been given to him. He's in charge here,” explains Maimunah objectively. He sat next to Anastasia, who was hiding her fear. Gently, the old woman reprimanded her grandchildren, “Kids, if you want to play here, ask permission first at Umma Asya.”
“No want! He's not umma!” reject Sharif firmly. He immediately turned his face. Hanif continued the words of his sister, “Opah, this place is our headquarters. Why ask her permission?”
Maimunah took a breath and shook her head in surprise. The children were too innocent and selfish, moreover their affection for Aminah was immense. So great, they came to replace the umma in expressing his jealousy. How could children as small as this have such hard feelings, whereas they had always been gently educated by those around them?
“Nyo, Madam, just let them play. I don't mind at all,” Anastasia ventured to say. This house is not really his. The girl was just a hostage. Maybe he'll get kicked out of here someday.
“Alright, because Umma Asya has allowed, you can play here,” said Maimunah relieved.
“He is not umma!” Sharif insisted on rejecting his opium dictation. Both of his hands gripped the twig he was carrying until it was bent. Because it was too emotional, the twig was broken instantly. The sound of the crack made Anastasia who was feeling tense gasp. Sharif immediately slammed the two branches to show that he was really angry.
“Hah ..., if not umma, what would you call it?” ask Maimunah later. He was getting tired of the two boys' game. They are very difficult to deal with in such a situation. If only Aminah was here, perhaps the problem with both could be more easily resolved. However, these early days are still not right to bring them together. Anastasia was still in a period of mental recovery, while Aminah was pregnant young.
“Umma just umma,” Syarif even gave an unclear answer. The two boys hands were joined to the chest. He continued to emphasize his rejection of Anastasia's presence. At least he would not accept the girl as his mother.
“Nyo ...,” Anastasia who was about to call Maimunah stopped when a twig hit her wrist. A line of wounds was scratched there. Fresh blood seeps slowly. Anastasia reflex covered it with her right hand. The wound did not hurt at all, but the pain was slashing in his heart.
“Hanif! Why are you doing that?” maimunah snapped with her fierce face. His affection for the two boys made him act spontaneously. As a believer, he cannot allow his grandchildren to grow up to be mischievous and unjust children.
Hanif shuddered as soon as he heard the clash of his opiate. He was very surprised and shaken. However, his face did not fade instantly due to the loud reprimand. His hatred for Anastasia left him undaunted. Withstanding the tears that almost broke, he immediately ran away from the West Joglo area followed by his sister.
“They are still small and do not understand. Do not take heart their deeds now,” said Maimunah later. He did not teach Anastasia the technique of embroidery. The old woman had to chase after her two grandchildren immediately after treating the wrist of the girl who became her new lord's wife.
Anastasia stunned. His hands began to tremble as soon as Maimunah left. Since then, he has been trying to hold it. He also scratched his lips. Her tears were painful. The shadow of misery greeted him. In solitude, he wept bitterly while pressing the weight of the heart in the heart. He covered those pair of teary eyes with both palms. It's for the safety of his family. Such were the early days of Anastasia's grief-stricken marriage.
...***...
“Hm,” is just a soft deh that comes out of Aminah's lips every time Amir calls her. She would not even look at her husband's face if not in front of the children. Once staring, the view was as cold as the dawn on the top of the mountain. It's obvious he's sulking.
“Dinda, are you still angry?” ask Amir. He grasped Aminah's arm to watch her carefully. Aminah instead snorted annoyed because her husband asked her that. In fact, he had very totality to show his anger.
“Hm,” replied Aminah briefly, then pulled her arm from Amir's grasp. He also took a pile of clean clothes that had just been removed yesterday from the clothesline. Without saying a single break, he began to fold the clothes that were there.
“Ami, want help?” this time, Amir tried to persuade his wife by working together. He knelt beside Aminah and showed his best sincerity in apologizing. Aminah, who was about to finish her first fold, fell silent. He looked at Amir coldly. Without saying a word, she perfected her first fold and handed the remaining basket to her husband.
“Din, Dinda ..?” despite the objection in his heart, Amir still accepted it. Now Aminah was standing and shaking her waist in front of him. His face still looks angry. For the first time since sulking, the wife said more than one dehaman, “Selasaiin asap, continue to clean this room with the same room Hanif Syarif! Dinda make breakfast first for kids.”
The spring breeze blew in Amir's heart. It was a sign that Aminah had begun to forgive her. He must immediately fold a basket of clothes, then tidy up the room—untung his room was clean—Hanif and Syarif. The commander is looking forward to breakfast peace with his wife this morning.
“Darling, how does it eat? Yummy right?” aminah asked her two sons. The smile on her lips was beautiful. The side dish he made was a special soto with a parchment as his side dish. Hanif and Syarif compactly replied, “Enak, Umma!”
“Change, breakfast is good right?” this time, Aminah looked at her husband with a imposing smile. Because in front of the children, he can not use the kanda-dinda call or name directly. With a sinister grin to the test, the queen of the house awaits her husband's answer who suddenly gasps.
“E, great,” replied Amir lied. His tongue was numb from ingesting too much salty food. The lauk and the soto were separated by the wife. At first he was very happy. However, after tasting a bite of breakfast, he was one hundred percent sure that Aminah was working on it. His favorite wife's food won't be this salty. Moreover, Hanif and Sharif who are always honest about food have confirmed that their breakfast is good. A smile on the beautiful face of the queen of the house confirms everything.
What do you want to say? Amir can't answer the truth. He only hoped that Aminah would forgive him after doing this evil thing.
“Good, Abah ate a voracious meal, yes,” Aminah added the rest of the breakfast she made specifically to her husband's bowl. Amir was stunned and unable to respond to anything. He accepted the misbehavior of the wife. Especially when Aminah forcefully greeted him.
From the outside, they are very romantic. However, at that time Amir was struggling to resist the salty taste of food that was fed by his wife. Seeing his brother being fed, Sharif poured into the seat of the umma and asked to be fed as well.
Aminah was happy to serve. That morning, he enjoyed the time cheerfully while forgetting the jealousy that had been raging in his chest since yesterday. Seeing Amir who was very submissive until now, he felt relieved and very grateful with the blessing that God gave.
“Asin! Umma, have a bad brother,” exclaimed Hanif while closing his mouth. He stared intently at Amir, thinking that he had a bad taste. His reaction made Aminah and Sharif laugh together, while Amir again could only resign.
...***...
As Aminah was melting her jealousy, while Amir was struggling to defend his household, while Anastasia was treating the wounds in his heart, a commotion broke out in the courtyard where prisoners of war were being held. Schultz, Anastasia's older brother who was prepared to serve as an interpreter for Anastasia's sacrifice, is reported missing. Ki Fadil immediately sent an envoy to inform Amirdiningrat, Tumenggung Tasik and Young General of the Army of the Land Alliance of Java.
