Substitute Mother

Chapters 71. Homehouse

Jeanno opened her eyes, realizing that the sun was already high. He blinked his eyes several times, gathering awareness. He realized that he was still asleep in the same bed. The bed was neat, unlike last night which looked like a broken ship. Jeanno, in her blanket-clad nudity, got up, realizing Judith was no longer beside him.

The man's head was pulsing. He was fully conscious when he made love last night. He had to admit that he was carried away, but Jeanno had no regrets. Every inch of Judith's body was like a new thing to her. Like an addictive substance that becomes opiate, and raises its adrenaline.

When the smell of cooking greeted his sense of smell, Jeanno walked towards the bathroom. His stomach churned for stuffing, and he had to clean himself up first before going down.

In the kitchen, Judith who woke up early spent her time looking at Jeanno's slumbering face. Letting himself fall into a meeting before being forcibly snatched away for another three months. If indeed that way he could be closer to Jeanno, it's okay, Judith accepted even though she felt pain in her heart. Now let her enjoy the time she has left, while wearing the mask of an Anantha Judith who never fell in love.

“Hey.”

Judith flinched from her daydream, she turned her head, looking at the fresh face of the young master who was approaching her. The smell of soap mixed with a masculine scent reminded him of the hot night they shared together. Judith's face turned red.

“Why not wake me?”

“Master looks so slumbering like a baby. Where can I wake him up. Besides today sir is off, so there's no harm in letting you sleep until noon”

Judith gave him the plate she had filled with fried rice on Jeanno's table. Then the girl took her usual place for breakfast together.

“Judith.”

“Ya?”

Jeanno. “About last night, I asked ma—“

“It's okay, sir. I told you you could use my presence if you miss Nayara”

“But at that time you said it was just a hug”

Judith shrugged her shoulders. “I think the master is mature enough to know the intent of my offer”

Jeanno nodded in understanding. Seeing Judith who was like no burden, made her feel relieved. At least his actions last night didn't cross Judith's comfort line. After all, what would he expect from an erotic dancer who used to throw herself in bed to sleep with a man who paid her a fortune? Judith must have seen him just like those men. So suppose, what happened between them last night?

**

“Tumben once you get home, Mark. Usually it seems to have forgotten that have a home” satirical a middle-aged man who is none other than Jose Sebastian, Mark's father.

Mark who was playing with Aera, then turned to his father who was struggling with the newspaper. His father is so traditional, when it has mushroomed online news portals, the father prefers to read the newspaper every morning, accompanied by a glass of bitter coffee and coconut biscuits.

“I miss my dad and mom, is that wrong?”

Maria Sebastian, Mark's mother who sat opposite Jose, chuckled. “Of course not wrong, dear. Just a little surprising. Tell mom, do you have a problem?”

“Mother makes me sound like this house is just a place of escape when I have a problem”

“But it is true, right?” chirps Jose. Making Aera who was originally focused on her legion is now looking at the adults who surround her. “Uncle there is a problem with aunty Hannah?”

“Hannah? Who is he?”

Mark took a breath. Avoiding it is difficult. Because surely his parents will not give up on suppressing him until Mark gives an explanation of what the name of the woman called Aera.

“Friends nearku”

“Usually people who are said like that are in fact lovers. But too cowardly to admit in front of his parents”

“Dad”

“Ya, you could say she's my lover”

“Kan, right I said!”

“Jose, quiet first dear” Maria turned to her son. “What's the problem, son? And again, why don't you ever tell me that you already have a boyfriend? Your mother has wanted to see you married and proposed grandson”

Mark smiled faintly. “It's still a long way to go to that stage, Mom. Our relationship wasn't long. So I think we're still in the stage of getting to know each other better before bringing her here”

“How is the background?”

Both Maria and Mark looked at Jose with indecipherable gazes. Making the one being stared at clumsy throttled while drowning his face in the newspaper. “I mean, how did the guy, then where did he come from, and what was his busyness?”

Mark wanted to avoid that question. But realizing it was a natural question asked by any parent to his son's lover, Mark finally gave up.

“She is beautiful, gentle, and treats me well. Her job.” Mark's not an office job was to smooth over Hannah's part of the house, realizing that little did he know about her lover. Even his home he did not know.

“So he's not your coworker? Where did you guys meet?”

Mark shook. “Not, mom. We met on holiday in Bali. He forgot to bring a wallet, so I paid for his groceries”

“Sounds like a scene FTV”

“Jose”

Jose folded his newspaper. Then invite Aera to watch Saturday morning cartoons. Mark let out a sigh of relief, at least Aera did not hear too much and her father no longer threw sarcastic sentences at her.

“Don't listen to your father. Now, tell me about Hannah to Mom, baby”

Mark looked at the face of his mother who was starting to eat age. He believed his mother would not judge a person until she knew more. That's why Mark, without a doubt, began to tell in detail about the beginning of his meeting with Hannah to his little quarrel last night. The woman nodded occasionally, in response to her son's story. But he didn't make a sound until Mark finished the story.

“According to mom, how? Was my action wrong?”

Maria rubbed her son's mane full of affection. “Kid mom is an adult”

“Well, I'm 29 years old if mom forget”

Maria smile. “Listen to your story about Hannah, mother's mixed feelings. But I'm proud, because my son doesn't see anyone else from his outward appearance. As for Hannah's work, it wasn't a good job. But what right does the mother have to judge? Mom's just an outsider who doesn't know the background that made Hannah take that path. If you say Hannah's good, then I'm sure your judgment is correct”

“Then what about honesty, Bu?”

“Darling, sometimes one honesty is harder to tell than a thousand lies. The fact he was keeping, must have been so deep that it took him some time to open up. Between fearing you'll be angry, disappointed, or worse, you'll leave him. The honesty you're looking forward to, isn't necessarily bad. But from Hannah's side, she could be fighting her fears. It was just that for now, his fear won everything. Makes him choose to remain silent until the time that has not been ascertained”

“The plan is that I will bring him here to get acquainted with father and mother. But my mood has been a mess since knowing he lied”

Maria's forehead shriveled. “Lying? Mark, did he ever tell you that he was on the main stage? No right? Hannah wasn't lying, Mark. He just kept quiet. Wrong, you know from others first than from him. And it makes you assume your relationship is wrong because it is not based on honesty”

“Then according to mom, I should how?”

Maria smile. A typical shady smile of a mother that makes Mark calm. “Return. Speak four eyes, but without involving emotions in it. Approach it, from heart to heart”

**