Surviving Although Difficult
Chapter 3: becoming a substitute
They threw eyes at each other, I let them discuss first, they also definitely need approval from the tiyas until they opened their voices and asked their son.
"son? How do you agree if your future wife is replaced with a girl named Sulis,
"what about mom? Do you agree," replied Tiyas throwing the question back at his mother.
"if you don't think it's wrong to see that girl first, who knows she's a good girl" said fatma ma'am half-whispered but still could be heard by me because I was sitting next to Tiyas.
"it's up to mom, I'm sure mom's choice must be the best" Tiyas told her mother,
"well sir, please call my father's bang so we can see him."
"wait a minute?"
I went back inside looking for where Sulis is, he's still in the same place playing both fingers.
"son?"
"uh pakde need anything else, what is the cake lacking" he asked immediately stood up to pick up some cake plates.
"no son, sir here to ask you to come out,"
"for what sirde, didn't bude not let me out" he asked again.
"nirma refused this matchmaking, because it was bude?"
"ask for a writing that replaces nirma, that's what you want to convey,"
I nodded my head in response to what he said was true.
"let's meet them" he said holding my hand.
Arriving outside, Sulis greeted Pak Akzan first and then turned to bu fatma, both of whom smiled as sulis kissed their hands in reverence.
But with tiyas and and his sister, Sulis simply cupped both hands in front of the chest.
"as you said earlier, sirde asked for your permission to replace nirma as the bride" I said opening the conversation.
"whatever the decision of pakde and bude, sulis will support as long as it does not harm anyone" replied sulis without burden at all.
My eyes were hot, I could not bear to let my arms fall victim to the rejection of nirma.
"what's wrong, what's my word hurting you, why does Pakde look sad."
I wipe away my tears that are breaking through I don't want to embarrass her by crying in front of my prospective besan, yes even though the one who is getting married is not my daughter, but still they will be my besan because sulis I have considered my own daughter, especially the daughter of my own brother.
"mother fatma is the one who will replace nirma, if there is something you want to ask, please ask her directly."
Fatma grasped Sulis' hand and turned to look at her husband.
"mom's son knows you don't know each other yet, and I hope you can hear your honesty at this time, father and mother will not force you to marry your mother's son, you can see for yourself that the mother's child is paralyzed and it has been going on for two years, and if you want to refuse then just say so, but if you remember to accept this matchmaking, then, please give us reassurance that we may return home with the news that our families have been waiting for."
Instead of answering, Sulis looked at me with teary eyes, I knew she was still confused and maybe she was not ready to get married.
The question escaped just like that making me confused as to what to answer.
"excuse me, sir, I know this is wrong, marrying you to be your brother's replacement is the same as not thinking about your feelings." I said, shaking my mouth and kneeling before the girl I raised for 13 years.
Both of Tiya's parents were very surprised at my actions, but I didn't care, I felt very guilty for letting her daughter marry in this way.
"sir, let's get up." That soft hand rubbed my face and helped me sit back on the couch,
My wife's lyrics, she was not at all bothered by what happened, even since then, she and nirma just kept quiet and listened to our conversation.
"pakde do not have to blame yourself, just consider this my dedication to father and mother through pakde and bude, if sulis will marry, just give your best prayer so that sulis always be patient to be a servant of God."
again I was crying, even the two parents of Tiyas were crying, in contrast to the sulis, he was just ordinary and looked fine.
Subhanallah maybe that is the excess of orphans, he does not need to cry over what happened, just surrender to God, then everything will be fine.
"so what is your decision to do if you are willing to marry my son tiyas." bu fatma asked after a long silence.
"what about the mother's child, whether she can accept my less and more, whether she is ready to accept even if I have no parents, I have nothing but faith, I have nothing, if at any time the tiyas were successful would the tiyas remain my priest without a third person."
I see since tiyas did not stop staring at sulis, maybe that makes the sulis slightly down while talking.
"are you not ashamed to live side by side with a crippled man like me." tiyas asked suddenly making sulis raise his face.
"what for? I also have a lot of shortcomings, yes, one of which has not had parents since I was 7 years old."
Tiyas thunched as if not satisfied with the answer given by sulis.
"you can be like your brother, the difference is that you prefer to pretend,"
"if I pretend what's in it for me, is there anything to be proud of that I have to pretend"
"forgive my son, he just doesn't want to be disappointed." obviously mom fatma felt bad about her son's attitude.
"anyone certainly does not want to be disappointed including myself, if mas tiyas actually refused to marry me, God willing I will be breastfed, but if mas tiyas want to continue the matchmaking, but if the tiyas will continue the matchmaking, god willing I will be ready."
"how son do you want to marry him," asked Pak Akzan to his son.
"yes I agree"
"agree what son?" many more fatma bu tried to clarify tiyas' speech.
"i agree he's replacing nirma."
"his name is sulis son, isn't he.?" mr. Akzan explained while slightly chuckling.
"Alhamdulillah.so it is clear yes, the sulis who will marry the tiyas" said I thank you, although not the nirma who will marry the tiyas, but I remain happy for the sulis.
"yes sir I am also relieved, soon, our son will be married."
Since my last wife has entered with nirma, maybe she is in front of the tv, their habits if they do not care will definitely disappear.
