Sharing Love: The Suffering of the Second Wife

Ruby's Heart

"How are Bilal and Nafishah? Are Abi and Umi home yet?" nadia asked after cleaning her hands with a wet tissue. The chicken that Ruby cooked was spent alone.

"They are calmer, Mother, but always ask when Mother will come home. Abi and Umi's problem .. They also have come home sooner than usual," replied Ruby who helped Nadia clean up her food marks.

Winda has returned to the factory, later this afternoon he will come with Sarah and will take Nadia home.

"Lho, how, can you? Why so fast?" Nadia's forehead folded when she heard it.

"Yes, Umi said there was a strange incident that suddenly kept them coming home" said Ruby who was sitting back in the chair.

"Thank God they're home. So Bilal and Nafisah are taking care of it" said Nadia was relieved.

"But, Bun they still want Mother to go home. Umi rarely cooks because she has no money. Abi's shop was also still quiet, and the itchy aunt stayed calm at home. I don't know, Bun. I myself do not understand why Umi kept the woman at home. Does Mommy know-"

"Abi changed since returning from Umrah. Abi was closer to the aunt and .. and never talked about Mother. I'm sure something must have happened" Ruby said, thinking.

"What about Umi herself?" Nadia stared in the face of the teenager in front of her.

"Yes .. That's it, Bun. It's still the same as before. Do you know, the car is no longer there. I heard Umi sold it, I don't know what the money was for. I don't know" Ruby continued, telling me what happened at her house.

Selling cars? That means the money in those savings is up.

"Then, where can you cook this money from?" nadia asked unsure.

"Mother gave me the money, I had my own savings anyway. Mommy doesn't have to think about it" he said cheerfully.

Nadia smiled, but cried inwardly. That's how it is now. Their conversation stopped when Sarah and Winda arrived. Ruby is ushered home by Winda and Sarah who look after Nadia.

One week passed, Nadia was allowed to go home even though her condition was still a little weak, but that's okay. He will rest at home.

Ruby looks good today. Ikram begins to suspect him.

"Ruby, where have you been? Why do you go out almost every day?" tanya Ikram confronted Ruby who was about to leave.

"Yesterday I have a task from Mother to learn to take care of the factory with her secretary, but today I will pick up Mother with Aunt Vinda. So Abi ... please allow this child to leave! I don't want to be late" Ruby replied with a sweet smile.

"Mother again, Mother again. Why do you care so much about him? It's your Umi, Ruby. Umi gave birth to you and your sisters. Not him!" hardik Ain who accidentally heard Ruby who always talked about Nadia.

Yuni smiled obliquely staring at that one family from the dining room.

"Why? Because all this time who cared about me and the sisters were Mothers. While Umi is always busy with the heart of Umi to make me not recognize the figure of Umi. The woman who gave birth to me. Umi has always cared for herself until she forgot to take care of her sisters. If only there were no Mother, perhaps our fate would be the same as those who have no parents-"

"Ruby?" snapped on a black ride. Ruby turned her head with a surprised face as Ikram snapped at her. Ikram himself in disbelief, he rubbed his face regretting yelling at his eldest daughter.

"Why, Bi? I'm right, aren't I? What has been the fault of Mother all this time? Only one, which is to be Abi's second wife, but Mother never did evil to anyone. Mother always does good to us. Mommy even helps the children in the foundation, helps their school, helps their eating. What's again? If only Umi was not preoccupied with her heartache and could accept Mother, I'm sure .. Our lives would not be as messy as they are today."

Ikram and Ain fell silent. Ruby is no longer a child who does not know what it feels like to be ignored.

"Try to open the view of Abi and Umi, has Mother ever hurt you verbally or physically? Never, is it? I'm sure never. I'm leaving, assalamu'alaikum!" Ruby walked out of the house.

"Ruby!" lirih Ikram who can not prevent his son to leave. Ain wept bitterly, and hugged Ikram, shedding his sorrow not because of what Ruby said, but because Nadia had kept the children away from him. He no longer knew Ruby.

"Sister!" call Nafisah and Bilal who are standing inside the gates of the foundation, "will Big Brother pick up Mother? Can we come?" bilal went to his brother.

Ruby dilemma. If both of them come, then they will know that Nadia has been hospitalized. However, if you do not invite them to see the face of the two. Ruby is not.

Be he nodded. Ruby assures her heart that Nadia will not be angry if she invites her two sisters. Bilal and Nafisah hurriedly ran out the gate to approach their brother. The three walked together towards the usual Winda car waiting.

Winda did not ask even though he knew the two children knew nothing about Nadia and her illness.

"Where are we going to pick up Mommy? To airport?"

"Maybe to the port? Or terminal?"

The two chuckled happily because today Nadia will go home and return to play with them. Ruby just smiled without answering her two sisters' questions.

A cheerful smile that had been missing for one week now stuck out on the lips of both of them. Making Ruby can't bear to fade it. The two babble filled the car, singing, telling stories, planning when Nadia came home later.

While at home, Ain was still crying while hugging Ikram. They sat three on the sofa with their own thoughts.

"Why is Ruby like that, Bi? She changed a lot, Umi was afraid that she would get further away from us, Bi," whining Ain still buried his face in Ikram's chest.

The man's hand was unceasingly rubbing his back which was shaking from the sobs he let out.

"It must have been Mas's second wife, she brainwashed the children and kept them away from her parents"

"Enough! Stop vilifying Nadia, she's not that kind of person. I know that," Ikram said in a high tone slashing Yuni's speech. The instant Yuni's sneering face was blurred, she lowered her head in annoyance at not succeeding in inciting Ikram.

"But it's true, Bi. Isn't it since Ruby was close to him, he and the kids just stay away from us. What else?" timpal Ain who looked up looked at Ikram with his wet eyes.

"Nadia can't do that, she loves children and she never teaches children bad things" replied Ikram, who ignited the emotions in Ain. He stayed away from the Ikram.

"Keep Abi defended him. Just keep blaming Umi for everything that happened. Abi needs to know, all this happened because of the presence of the woman. Before our lives were fine, harmonious without any quarrels. Now, just because that woman Abi is constantly blaming Umi. Abi has changed. Abi is not what he used to be. Where was the husband Umi knew? Where is the figure of the priest who has always been nurturing? Umi does not believe Abi is more defending her than Umi," Ain said with tears that increasingly become.

Yuni smiled inwardly pumping the two to continue arguing. Let Nadia be his scapegoat, a place to blame for this.

"That's not it, Mi .. ah, that's it. We should both introspect ourselves." The creeds left them.