Taint

Dinner Together

Ms. Fatimah looked at me with a sweet smile, making me more and more misbehaved and heavy to give an answer. What am I supposed to do?

"Anything like this, try to meet him and try to talk to him. Who knows, then, you can choose the right decision" said Ms Fatimah.

"Ber ... met him?" I asked nervously. I don't know why this heart again thumped when Ms. Fatimah said the meeting.

"Yes. So that you can be more sure of your decision later," replied Ms. Fatimah.

"Mmm, okay." I decided to meet him.

I think it's better to meet first. By talking for a while, maybe I can decide which choice I should make.

"Then it's night, huh? Mother will call him and take him to dinner here." Fatimah smiled broadly.

For some reason, he seemed happy when I agreed to meet his nephew.

"Yes, Mother." I answered while nodding.

"Kirana." Fatimah's mom grabbed my arm. "He is not good at expressing his feelings, but he has a genuine sense. Sometimes her attitude makes others misunderstand her, but behind her actions, she has an incredible love. Mommy hopes you want to consider him," continued Ms. Fatimah.

I was stunned for a moment. The sentence that Fatimah said seemed to imply that the man had love for me. Does he know about me?

"Mother," call me.

"Yes." Yeah." Fatimah looked at me.

"Does Mother's niece .. already know who I am?" my question, doubt.

"Later in the evening you will find the answer. Sorry, Mommy can't tell him now. Let it be a surprise" replied Ms. Fatimah, who then made my heart pound more.

For a second I was silent. Digesting the words of Ms. Fatimah who is far from expected. But Fatimah just smiled. He let go of his grasp and resumed activities. I let myself wonder in my heart.

"Bune ... Mother," call me, after a long silence.

"Hmm." Fatimah looked at me.

"Mother's niece isn't Daniel, is she?" ask me carefully.

Ms. Fatimah frowned, then laughed loudly. Then, he looked back at me fixedly.

"What basis do you think that, Kirana?" Fatimah said, without stopping her laughter.

"I___"

"Already, don't think too much. Let's plant it again. No need to guess, later tonight you will know who he is," concluded Bu Fatimah.

I can no longer argue with him. I had to suppress the disturbing curiosity in my mind. I let out a long sigh and returned to filling the pot with soil.

________

Dusk is long gone, now there is a night that comes overshadowing. Star flashes and moonlight orange, peeking out from the gap of the curtain that was slightly exposed.

I went into the room and put the prayer mat on the sofa. I just prayed Isya' congregate in the mosque. Now, my mind is back in uncertainty. In a few minutes, I'll meet with Miss Fatimah's niece. The man she said wanted to accept my past, as well as the man who could have been my future husband.

"What does he look like, does he really accept me?" I muttered alone.

I looked at my face that was bouncing in the mirror. Not too bad. But my past is far from good.

Although now what is seen is a shady face that always hides under the veil. But do not close the fact, that this face has been falling into sin for quite a long time.

Shortly after, I got up and rushed out of the room. I exhaled a rough breath as I stepped towards the dining room. Apparently, Fatimah was already there. He helped Auntie serve food on the table.

"Yes, Mother." I nodded with a smile.

Then, I helped Auntie pick up the plate. I busied myself, in order to dampen the turmoil that is increasingly becoming more seconds.

After everything was neatly arranged, I sat on the chair while linking fingers.

I was nervous and misbehaved, as if what I was about to meet was a real husband-to-be. Ahh, how bad I am.

A few minutes later, the bell rang. Aunty and Miss Fatimah went to the main door, while I, I remained unmoved in my place. I would rather wait than welcome.

The vague conversation began to get caught up in the sense of hearing. The longer it went, the closer it came to me. In silence, I frowned. I think that voice is very familiar. Not just once or twice I heard it. Who her?

I turned and looked, when the figure had already arrived behind me. I was shocked and stared for a moment. The man standing in front of my net was a man I knew very well. The man with whom I talked often and was sometimes confused by his strange attitude. Is he Fatimah's niece?

"Kirana, how are you?" he asked, before I could calm down.

I looked down and avoided her gaze. Hearing him speak, I got nervous and misbehaved. Wh why?

"Relse ... Brother Darren," I said, without raising my face.

"During your absence, how are you?" His voice returned soft.

"I'm good, Brother. Mmmm, is .. is___"

"Yes. I'm Mama Imah's niece," said Kak Darren, as if I knew what to ask.

"Please sit down." I said as I pulled the chair in front of me.

"Well now, let's eat first, but it's still warm. Later, we talk again after the stomach is full, so it is more comfortable," said Ms Fatimah. He sat next to Darren.

"Kirana, this is your niece, Darren Alfando. In the past, he attended the same university as you," continued Bu Fatimah.

"Yes, Mother, we .. we know each other." I answered while smiling stiffly.

"I'm happy, Ra, it turns out that Mama Imah's son is you" Darren said.

I smiled while looking at him briefly. Not happy as he meant, I still don't understand.

Then, we started filling our dishes with the dishes that had been provided. The laughter was clearly visible on the faces of Bu Fatimah and Kak Darren. But not with my face. I was nervous and uncomfortable. Sitting at a table with Brother Darren, it feels strange.

"This is the drink, brother." I poured warm tea into the glass, then I thrust it in front of Kak Darren. I tried to break the awkwardness with small talk.

"Thank you" replied Darren. Then he grabbed it and gulped until it left half.

I looked down again, staring at the food that was still intact in the plate. Then I scooped and wanted to bribe him. However, my intention stopped when I heard Brother Darren open his voice.

"Sweet," he said, slowly.

I flinched and looked at him straight away. Brother Darren was looking at the glass in his grasp. I snorted in annoyance, it turned out to be just tea that he praised.

"Oh, why also wish that I was praised. What am I, what am I, so am ge-er" I cried in my heart.

Then I continued my feed.

"If you smile, it must be sweeter" continued Kak Darren who then made me choke.

Seriate...