THE ABOVE THE CLOUD(ABC)

8. Eat yuk.

Mutual standing in front of one of the rented doors. On the doorstep stood Chacha, but the focus was not the woman, but the little girl hiding behind her.

The little girl was below her knees, with messy shoulder-length hair and sleepy eyes, but her hands clasped tightly onto Chacha's pants.

Mutual pay attention around the contract. Compared to Lily's contract she had visited before, this place was a little better. Only his bathroom located outside bothered him. How many days has her son been here and bathed outside? Ever since he dreamed, he judged all the men on this earth were wolves to his daughter. He only let go of this matter because Chacha was beside Sera.

Sera looked at the cold-looking man in front of her, the child did not understand why Bi Chacha was standing but said nothing. The man in front of this outfit looks like the man who once visited his mama. Sera immediately remembered that she had not met her mother, her eyes were red instantly. But no sound came out of his mouth. The new mutual looked around and as soon as he stared back at his daughter, he saw that face.

“Why is she crying?” tanya Reksa whispered to Chacha, her gaze half glared and charged. Chacha, who was still waiting for Sera to adapt to her father's whereabouts, was shocked.

“...” Chacha lowered his head and saw the three-year-old baby behind him busily wiping away the tears. Chacha knelt down, equalizing his eyes with Sera and asked gently.

“Sera why cry?”

The little girl did not answer and just shook her head.

“Sera knows not, Sera has papa?”

Sera had always heard that she was an illegitimate child. The unwanted child. He always heard people close to his contract saying that he was a son of a whore. When he was entrusted to Bi Sati's house, Bi Sati always said that he was a child carrier unlucky and not father. All the children near her contract have fathers.

She asked her mother if she didn't have a father, she said her father was wandering. Although people still like to say Sera is fatherless, she doesn't listen. He believes he has a father, and his father is going out.

Hearing Bi Chacha's question, Sera was immediately stunned.

Could his father have gone home? But his father never met his mother.

Thinking of his mother, his enthusiasm about his father was immediately forgotten.

“...” Sera clenched her mouth with great difficulty, as if she opened a bit of her crying would instantly spill. It just makes Chacha and Mutual feel slashed to see it.

“Sera want to meet papa?”

Sera nodded. Chacha immediately pulled over, letting Reksa appear from top to bottom clearly in Sera's eyes.

“This is Sera's Papa.”

Sera looked at Reksa in surprise. He thought the man in front of him was someone else. Is this the papa?

“...Papa?”

The mutual kneeled immediately. His face though still stiff but his eyes softened which he himself did not realize. Chacha who had been worried about Sera, saw that it immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

“Sera, this is papa.”

“Papa, the papa Sela?” asked Sera with a hoarse and thick voice typical of toddlers.

“Iya.” he can not talk at length, his hands are also awkward to go where. He read that children like to be carried, but this is the first time Sera has met him. What if he scares her?

Mutuals were confused because there was no reaction from Sera. He immediately racked his brain and asked the most common question.

“How much Sera?” in the heart of the curse. Are there no other questions? Not very creative!

But it worked on Sera whose focus was easily distracted. “Sela three years.” her untrained hand opens four fingers slowly. One finger tried to fold but it did not work.

No other ideas, direct mutual to the core points. “Papa came to pick up Sera to go home.”

“Back to home?”

“Iya, home.”

“In the house there is mama?” the question silenced both adults on the spot.

Chacha is at the door listening waiting for Mutual's answer.

“Mama Sera is gone.” said Reksa round. Chacha who heard it immediately frowned, thinking whether he should interrupt but Sera's response was rather shocking.

“Sela follow mom. Pelgi.” says Sera, catch the arms of Reksa. His eyes looked at Reksa expectantly. She was afraid that her mother would leave and forgot to take Sera. She had already lived with Bi Chacha and had not seen her mother. But if papa was different. He will take her to Mom.

“Sera want to see mom where now?”

Sera nodded.

“Sera can see, but Sera has to join papa.”

Hearing that Sera did not immediately reply. “Bi Chacha?”

“Bi Chacha at his home.”

“Ohh.”

“Later Sera can play again to Bi Chacha.”

Sera nodded again.

“Papa where?” sera asked after she secured that she could meet her mother. His curiosity began to arise. His father never came home. Where's your dad been all this time?

“Papa work.” says Mutual after a long time.

Mutual answered them one after another without the slightest hint of impatience.

A few of the hired residents who had just returned home from work stared at Reksa and Sera who were sitting in front of the rented terrace of Chacha. The problem is that the appearance of the Mutual looks unusual. The man was wearing a shirt and work pants. Although he looks like an ordinary office employee, the face of Reksa is different again his class.

Reksa decides to go take Sera home.

“Sera comes with Papa, come.” see Reksa who opens both hands, this time Sera does not take long to welcome him. Chacha who heard immediately rushed out with a backpack containing Sera's belongings.

“Tas Sela.” Sera tries to go down and take it, but Mutual does not let him. He received the shabby rabbit bag and put it on Sera's shoulder.

“Pamit equals Bi Chacha.”

Sera reached out her hand, kissed the back of Chacha's hand and waved her hand wordlessly. But those eyes revealed objections in his heart.

A bewildering empty feeling ruled Sera, but because she was in the arms of the person who was her father, Sera could only hug Reksa's neck and drown her face there.

Muta sat Sera in the child's steering chair and tightened her seatbelt.

“Sera want to sleep?”

“Mama?”

“Iya, we go to Mama. But it's night.” Muta rubbed Sera's bangs blocking her eyes. “Tomorrow, yes?” it seems like all the patience of Mutual in this world is spent on his daughter.

If Joe was here, he'd be surprised to see the change in his boss.

Sera looked out the window, towards the darkening sky before nodding her head.

Cars are moving on crowded streets. Occasional congestion stops the car, making it falter. Sera who sat and was busy looking at the interior of the car since then had unconsciously closed her eyes and fell asleep.

Mutual driving with triple caution. At the red light, she opened the app to order dinner. Looking at the back seat, he felt no need to wake Sera up and force her to eat. But the article he read earlier said that young children should not miss their eating routine. Plus, Sera just woke up and if she slept again, the night she would wake up.

Arriving at the apartment, Reksa carried Sera up to the elevator. In the middle of opening the door, Sera woke up.

“Ma?”

“This Papa.”

“Papa?”

“Sera hungry?”

The mood of a newly awakened child was unusually unstable. Especially when not looking directly at the people closest to him, some will cry. But Sera just hugged Reksa. “Sela don't want to eat.”

“...” Mutual powerless forbid, but for Sera's health, she had to make him eat. Moreover, these days, Chacha says Sera's appetite has decreased.

“Sera want to see mom, right?” ask Reksa while entering. He took Sera down and was about to help her open her shoes. But Sera opened her own shoes without help and put her dull little shoes on a shelf containing Reksa shoes.

The size and color are very contrasting. Since Muta had not vacated the spot, the little shoe was tucked between his big shoes. Surprisingly, the scene seemed harmonious.

“Come to mama when?”

“Papa said what was it?”

Hearing that, Sera lowered her head, then shook her head again. Deny mutual refusal and try to forget the deal while in the car. “Sela don't want to eat.”

“If Sera wants to meet mama, Sera is a good boy.” Mutual back squatting. The veins on his forehead already look so hard he thought.

“Sela well.” reset Sera.

“Good kids eat right, right.”

“...Sela doesn't want to eat.”

Mutual breathing slowly. “Sera wants to see mom, right? Sera has to eat first if you want to meet mama.”

“Sela want mama.”

“Eat first, yes?”

“Mama...” Sera's eyes reddened. “Where's the name?”

“Mama go. Again outside first.”

“Call mama.” said Sera looked up with teary eyes. This is beyond estimation, and mutual confusion must be how. Wasn't Sera okay? Why was he so stubborn all of a sudden? Reksa reminded himself that Sera was still three years old. Just three years out of the womb, what are you rebuking for!

An hour after Sera was brought in, Chacha received a call from Reksa.

“She doesn't want to eat.” says Muta across.

Chacha: ….

He seemed relieved too early.

***