Substitute Mother

Chaptre 154. He Never Left

The clanking of clockwork crawled into the early hours, becoming the only voice that accompanied Jeanno when he did not go to sleep. His eyes seem reluctant to close, even though the nights that have passed he classified as sleep deprivation. But why does it feel sleepy not to say hello to him? Really, he was tired and needed a good night's sleep.

I don't know how many times Jeanno changed his sleeping position. The bed he used to sleep on, was felt to have a hard surface and rough sheets. It makes you uncomfortable to sleep in any position. While the little one has been wandering into a dream since nine o'clock in the night.

Frustrated while kicking in the empty air, Jeanno decided to get up and leave the room. Realizing that he had given up his senses, the man stepped into the room Judith used to live in. He slowly opened the door carefully, as if there was still a female existence inside. In fact, the room is empty.

The state of the room was still the same as when Judith last left. Jeanno forbids her domestic assistant from cleaning up. Just ordered to be cleaned, without any items being moved. No matter what Jeanno's goal, he just followed his heart.

Driven by fatigue who did not know how to get rid of him, Jeanno laid his body on Judith's bed. Realizing that there are still remnants of the woman's scent in bed linen that enter the sense of smell. The aroma that was somehow able to make himself slightly relaxed. Sayup-sayup clanking clock is able to bring drowsiness to visit. Either because of Judith's body scent, or because it was time to sleep, in a matter of seconds, the man's eyes closed. Took him to sleep peacefully like a newborn.

**

“Good morning”

Judith who was cleaning the display, a little jumped at the knock of Owen on the glass door of his shop. Still closed, Judith stepped closer to unlock the door, letting the man in.

“Sorry to disturb you. I just wanted to say that my mom really likes your pastry. He said it was the best pastry he ever ate”

Judith's smile broke, making her rabbit's eyes sparkle funny. “Really? Please tell my aunt I'm very grateful she likes it. Does Aunt want more? If so I make a taste of whatever Aunty wants”

Owen chuckled, seeing how Aleta's enthusiasm was like a child being given a new toy. “My mom is curious about other flavors. Maybe later in the day I'll take him home”

“What time are you home? Let me make a new one to make it warm and feel better”

“Perhaps half twelve? But is that okay? You'll work alone”

Judith shook her spirit. “It's okay. I can set the time. Again, thank you very much, Owen”

His opponent nodded. “Iya. And here I bring you breakfast. My mother said as a form of thanks for making a good pastry and as a congratulations for the opening of your shop”

Judith picked up a paperbag containing a lunchbox whose aroma was able to make her stomach sound and her saliva drip. “Harum once, definitely delicious. Thanks, Owen. Thanks also to Bibi”

“Iya, I'll tell you. Your store opening hours are still long, right?” Judith nodded. Made Owen rub his nape awkwardly. “How about we... breakfast together? incidentally I was also brought stock but I have not eaten”

“Bby. Where do you want breakfast?”

Cheering inwardly, Owen held back his excitement if he did not want to be branded as strange by Judith. “At my cafe? I also want to introduce you to my flagship menus, how?”

Judith responded with a brief nod. “Bby, ayok”

**

Judith poured her body into the mattress, massaging her shoulders slowly to expel the aches that approached. Today the shop is clean, remaining seven boxes of cake that he distributed to the parking lot and people who are less able. He does not feel a loss, indeed since the beginning of opening he has been determined to share with the deficient, although the amount is not how much.

Meeting the bed after a long day at work, makes Judith happy instead of playing. The bed feels softer many times. Make him impatient to pick up sound, so that the next morning can welcome fresh morning.

Like her bedtime routine she's been doing for the past three months, Judith looked up at the ceiling of her room. While sharing a story with the ‘kakak’.

“Today my shop is crowded. I see some buyers were my buyers yesterday. If they come back, that means they like my cake, right, sister?”

“The people around the store are also very good. Owen, the guy I told you about yesterday, he keeps bringing me his mom's cooking almost every day. I mean, I'm really not good, I mean, I just sell my mother's favorite pastry, but why is her mom so good to me? I was confused how to return the favor. But Owen said the only way to repay him was to eat the food his mother had brought him. By the way, the cooking is delicious. Even better than my made”

Judith smiled, recalling the days she spent with Owen, her new friend. A few days after getting to know each other, Judith began to understand the nature of the man as warm as the sun. At first he was prejudiced against the man, but he remembered Owen's treatment of him. And again he looks very respectful of his mother, meaning he also respects women. Judith thought, It seems that making friends with new people is not a bad idea.

“How are you doing there, Al? I'm sure you're okay, because you're already with God. Please keep me here, will you? Like God took care of you there.”

“Alana. I am happy with my life now. Indeed, the results I got were nothing compared to dancing before, but my moral burden was not as heavy as when I worked at Victoire. Now, I can go through my day quietly though.”.

Judith hung up her sentence. I doubt if he will continue or not. His fingers rose, palpating the pendant the man who hitherto occupied the highest throne in his heart.

“... Alana, I still can't forget it. How'this? I hadn't seen him for a long time, but his reflection was still in my mind. I'm sorry, but I miss him. I miss your husband, Alana”

Judith tilted her body, carried the pendant to her lips, sniffed it long enough. There are times when in quiet nights like this, Judith's mind again remembered the existence of a man far away there that she had difficulty forgetting. Remember when their bodies held each other to pick up the night. Remembering the chat before going to bed, whatever the topic is. Remember when he shared his love, the peak of which mentioned each other's names in his shahd of the night. Judith couldn't lie to herself that it never went out. He still, still loves Jeanno Alexander very much. A longing that sometimes pierces the heart. The longing that sometimes erodes his sense, makes Judith want to go home to the city to meet the idol.

It was the love that he had saved that made Judith with a big heart to forgive Jeanno's mistakes, even though no words of forgiveness were said for him.

Jeanno what are you doing? Is his sleep regular? Is the food nutritious? Is he in good health?

The questions, often hang every time he was talking to Mark on the phone. Because it's impossible to ask Hannah. A series of questions in the form of curiosity, which in the end is not spoken. Making him only able to guess the answer of his own question. It ends with one simple answer.

I hope Jeanno is okay.

Judith did not expect her love story to be a fairy tale where the princess was joined by a rich and handsome prince. No, considering she herself was not a king's daughter. She is just an ordinary woman who has touched a man's hand many times. Jeanno deserves a woman with a clean past. Aera deserves a good woman as a substitute for her mother.

“Alana, can you help me to ‘cara’ to God so that this love is extinguished? I'm so tired.. I want to forget Jeanno”

**