Sharing Love: The Suffering of the Second Wife

Feeling Unwanted

Nadia pecked herself in front of the mirror, she just came home from Ain's house to help Ruby clean up with Bilal's eagerness while joking laugh together. The food on the dining table of the house was perfectly served.

Nadia smiled, she should not look weak in front of her husband and also her elder brother or even the children of the orphanage.

"It doesn't look too pale, yet" he muttered through the makeup on the face he had deliberately made to hide his pale face.

Lips that have never been polished, that night Nadia had to polish it a little using soft lip dye. Not protruding indeed, but quite contrast with the skin of Nadia's face as white as porcelain.

"That's enough!" he said while moving while justifying the game he wore. Once again turning the body left and right ensures that it looks perfect to welcome the arrival of her husband and honeymooner.

He rushed out, the time has long passed. The hour hand shows at eight o'clock at night, Nadia comes to Ikram's house. Waiting for their arrival with Ruby and Bilal. Learn what the two kids want to learn.

The car stopped their activities. Ruby and Bilal scatter out of the house to welcome their parents. Nadia followed slowly behind with a stretched smile.

"Pig! Um! The breath!" yelled the two while hugging one by one of them. Ain stood on the terrace waiting for their arrival.

"Assalamu'alaikum!"

"Wa'alaikumussalaam! How's your journey going? Must be tired, I'll make you a drink!" greet Nadia politely. He touched both before entering the house.

"Alhamdulillah, quite far and tired," said Ikram who chose to walk with Nadia. I want Nadia to put her hand on that arm, but whatever the power she does not have the courage.

"You sit down, Nad! Looks like you look tired, let Brother make you drink for Abi," Ain sergeant when he saw Nadia who was about to go to the kitchen.

"It's okay, Brother. Precisely Brother who just came must feel tired," said Nadia again sincerely. However, Ain still did not allow him to make drinks.

"It's okay, you're just there. Let Brother make it," said Ain insisted. Recalling Sarah's message, Nadia finally relented. He glanced at Ain with a soft look, Ain's attitude seemed not to allow him to serve Ikram.

Nadia returned to the chair where Ikram was sitting limp. Seeing her husband so tired. Nadia chose to go home.

"Mas, I'd better go home. Looks like I'm tired, rest, yeah." Nadia greeted the Kram which was not responded to at all by the man.

"Assalamu'alaikum!"

"Wa'alaikumussalaam!"

Ikram glanced at Nadia who was slowly coming out of the house, looking at them meeting as Nadia turned a glance before finally actually coming out of the house. Her tears just flowed, Ikram and Ain's attitude changed. What's up with them?

"Astaghfiullah! O Allah .. forgive the servant!" he murmured when he realized he should not be so bad to think of others when he did not know the reason behind their change in attitude. But still, his heart felt pain. Three days left without news, came to be indifferent and as if not care for him.

Nadia, whose condition has not recovered, immediately fell asleep as soon as she lay down on the bed.

The dawn came slowly to topple the darkness. Nadia was still sitting on the prayer mat, her weak body making her unable to do anything.

Tasbih rotated slowly, his lips whispering softly muttering thoyyibah sentences. A speck of water fell when remembering the attitude of Ikram last night, he poured on the floor. Dropped his head on the prayer mat, with his hands still holding the prayer beads.

"Mom! Nadia Ma'am!" The mother's voice of the foundation caregiver who came was unable to be answered because of the condition of her body that was getting weaker.

"Oh my God, Ma'am! Why is this Nadia?" he screeched as he looked towards Nadia's room whose door was open and found the person he was looking for lying on the floor.

"Mother!" call Nadia lirih. The middle-aged woman helped Nadia to get into bed. She laid him down after opening the face she was wearing.

"Oh my God, Ma'am! What is Nadia's sick? Why can you get rich gini. Let me call Abi, let's go to the hospital," he said, who was almost out of Nadia's bed.

"Why, Ma'am? Abi should know that Nadia's mother is sick," he said complete with facial mimicry that worried about Nadia's condition.

"No need, let it be. Mas Ikram still has to rest because he just came home, let it go, Mom. Don't say anything about my condition to anyone, ma'am," she asked with a faint tone and a pale face.

The middle-aged woman's heart grimaced sad to see Nadia's condition, her body looking thinner than before. In his heart asked what pain Nadia really was.

"Eat first, Ma'am. Let me feed you," he said. Nadia nodded, she sat down to wait for the mother to take the food she brought. If there was no woman, I don't know what Nadia would be alone.

For a month, Ikram did not visit his home. And because of the condition of his body that is not stable, Nadia can not do a job that is too heavy. He only stayed home and would occasionally go to the foundation to help the mother caretaker.

For almost a month, he did not come to Ain's house. Unwanted feeling filled the recesses of her heart, Nadia let go of it by gathering with the children. Laughing even though his heart is sore, joking even though the wound is gaping.

That was all he did until one afternoon when he was sitting on the face of Ikram coming to visit.

"Assalamu'alaikum!"

Hearing the male voice she was waiting for her arrival, Nadia stopped her posture. He looked up at Ikram who was in the doorway of his room.

"Wa'alaikumussalaam!" Nadia moved closer and shook her head. Pale was still left on her beautiful face.

"Mas, how are you, Mas? Is it okay?" fawning Nadia with an uncovered sense of anxiety.

Ikram looked at Nadia's face, he rubbed the soft cheeks of his second wife. His heart grimaced.

"Hear you're sick, why don't you tell Mas? You're thinner, what's eating you less? Forgive me," said Ikram still tracing every inch of Nadia's face with his hands.

The woman smiled, a smile that implied her fortitude as well as her determination.

"It's just common pain, Mom. Just catch a cold, I'm sorry for almost a month of not coming home. The mother of the foundation needs help," replied Nadia sounding softly in Ikram's ears.

He did not look alright even though his lips were carving a smile. His eyes were soft and puffy, his lips pale like blood was not flowing.

The guilty spirit embraced Nadia's body. He cried, but he quickly wiped it off. Nadia, who missed Ikram so much, returned her embrace. Dunking her face in the chest of her husband's field, while also crying out of happiness.

"Sorry! I'm sorry, Nadia!" the great-grandson of Ikram with a myriad of guilt lodged in his heart.

"It's okay, I'm fine!" nadia sahut quietly.

Ikram leads Nadia into the room. He sat his wife with him who sat down. He held Nadia's fingers while staring in the beautiful humor in front of him.

"Mas wants to talk to you" he said.

"If Mas wants to tell Mas the reason for not coming, I don't want to talk about it. I won't ask Mas either" Nadia said in a heartfelt tone.

He does not need to know the reason, the important thing is that Ikram has come.

"That's not it, I think you need to know because this is about you," continued Ikram still staring fixedly at Nadia's rippling face.

"Hmm .. Yes, just say it! I'm listening."

"Nadia, actually ...."