Substitute Mother
Chaptre 102. What Friends Are For?
Jeanno's fingers on the steering wheel became the background sound that accompanied the traffic jam that night. Rumor is there is a group of presidents or government figures who want to cross the road, causing traffic jams even though it has passed from the hours of returning to school and returning to work.
The man stopped tapping his finger, he turned his head to the side, finding Judith pensively staring out the window. “Judith?”
The called look. “Ya?”
“You okay?” Judith looked confusedly, then nodded stiffly. “Yes. Why do you ask like that?”
“ Along the way you just keep quiet, daydreaming while staring out the window. I thought you were sick, or hungry”
“Ah it..” female head it's mangosteen. “I only think of Hannah”
“Why with Hannah? hasn't she already gotten a wonderful ending?”
Judith nodded. Her lips covered a beautiful smile. “Yes, that's why I'm happy. Although in the heart there is sadness too because it means I am no longer a place of support for him”
“You're talking as if my cousin is going to take Hannah away. Hannah's not going anywhere, Judith. He will remain your best friend until whenever”
A long breath with a nod. “Ya, sir is right. If the master himself..do you have friends? Besides Mark ya. Because to be honest, I've never seen you have any friends other than Mark”'s sister
Judith's question was not answered by Jeanno. The man looked straight at the front car. As if weighing whether he should answer or not about a question that is not even a difficult question.
“Yes, I have a friend. Lahup”
“Then?”
Jeanno nodded. “Henry, Andy and Arjuna. The four of us were close friends. Long before I met Nayara. But one incident that made us tenuous, and I decided not to establish communication in any form again to Andy and Arjuna”
Judith wanted to ask why, but she paused. As if it wasn't his realm to dive into Jeanno's past. So as long as the man doesn't open it himself, that's as long as Judith will be the listener.
“Andy and Arjuna did what made me angry and disappointed. It took me a long time to believe that they were both involved in it. On the other hand I thank Henry, because if there was no Henry, maybe the story would be different from the one I now run”
Jeanno's story comes to a halt as the car in front of them moves forward. Jeanno did the same.
“The pain was betrayed by that friend, I think much more sick than dumped by my own parents. I already knew that they, especially my father, did not agree with my relationship with Nayara. But my friends, they act supportive in front of me. Praying for me well. I support all the decisions that make me happy. But it turns out.. they're planning a niggling thing behind me”.
Judith did not dare to imagine what the two former friends of Jeanno did so that the man broke the rope of their friendship. Must be something very serious, right?
Not without reason Jeanno took Nayara to the cafeteria that afternoon. It has been two months since they officially got together, Jeanno has never introduced her lover to her three best friends directly. The third response was good and supported the relationship. That makes Jeanno grateful to have friends like Andy, Henry and Arjuna.
“Ck, My dad called. You okay if I stay a while?”
*
Jeanno showed her phone screen to show the call from her father. Nayara nodded. “It's okay”
*
After Jeanno died, Nayara did not know what to talk to her three friends. The atmosphere was suddenly awkward and the girl hoped Jeanno would return soon.
*
“Nay, you know Jeanno's birthday soon?”
*
The girl looked at Andy, the youngest of them back together after sipping his orange juice. “He will hold a party in a nightclub, like previous years”
*
“You have prepared a gift for Jeanno?” this time Arjuna asked. Nayara cleared a glance, then shook her head. “I.. don't know” yet
*
“Do not know Jeanno's birthday or do not know what gift to give? I give you a little leak, Jeanno really likes branded shoes. But yeah I think it's too hard for you, I mean, the price of those shoes alone can be dozens of times your salary when working at cafe”
*
*
Arjuna pulled his lips to the side, forming a sinister smile. “Ya, unless Nayara wants to give her a gift other than barang”
*
Andy chimed in with a soft laugh. “True, you can give something special on Jeanno's special day. I'm telling you, he's never fucked a virgin before”
*
Nayara's face flushed red, she was embarrassed not to play. No matter the intentions of the two young men was just a joke, but Nayara did not find the funny location where. Who had himself felt demeaned. But I don't know why his anger can't be let out. He was afraid that his emotions would affect the friendship between Jeanno and his friends. While Nayara chose to bow, Henry, who had just opened his mouth to rebuke, had to be cut off when Jeanno came and sat down in his original place.
*
“Hey, did I miss something?”
*
Andy shakes. “No. We're just talking about your birthday plans. What do you want a gift for? Let me have time to look for it”
*
Jeanno screeched, as she remembered that she was soon growing old. His hands were clasped on Nayara's waist. “I've got my gift”
*
If under normal circumstances, Nayara would have hit Jeanno's arm for making her cheeks blush. But at this moment, the red on his face was not due to the hue resulting from the pounding of his chest. But extinguished the anger due to being humbled by young men who considered Jeanno as a good friend.
*
**
“Mama”
Judith stopped combing Aera's hair. “Ya darling?”
“What uncle Mark and aunty Hannah are getting married?”
Judith smiled, then continued her activities of combing the little guy's hair. “Aera know where?”
“From grandma and grandpa. They said uncle was getting married. Aera is very happy if she has a good aunty like aunty Hannah”
Judith still smiled, then turned Aera's body face to face with her. She wore her favorite little pajamas with Belle. One painful fact suddenly appeared in his mind. Hannah will be part of the Mark family, which means she will be part of the Jeanno family as well. And that's real, with no contractual agreements. The only covenant that binds them is the covenant with God, at the altar later. Meanwhile, Judith, in the next two months is no one else. He will return to his old life, empty and cold. There was nothing else he could read a fairy tale before going to bed. There is no cooking routine for the family. No more taking Aera to school. No longer can he feel the warmth of the family that makes him comfortable.
Can Jeanno extend their contract? Can Jeanno give him a little more time so he can feel the perfection of having ‘family’?
“Mama.. Aera wants to sleep with Papa in Papa”'s room
Judith awoke from her daydream. The little girl's forehead was soft. “Then mom deliver”
“Wouldn't mom sleep there too?”
Oh, Judith forgot about her role as a surrogate mother which of course made Aera think she was her papa's wife. Of course, you have to sleep in one room with Jeanno. Why did Judith forget her role?
But the problem is, Jeanno is pleased if the bed he shared with the late Nayara, slept by him who in fact was nobody?
“Mama, come.. Aera sleepy”
Judith nodded awkwardly. He was afraid if he had to face Jeanno's rejection after a long time. He was afraid of Jeanno's cold attitude back. Judith is afraid that she will have to accept the fact that Jeanno still loves only one Nayara.
**
