The Ark of Love Nurmala

Contrition

Aldi asked Rudi for permission to borrow his wife to accompany Nurmala for two days as long as he had been to his hometown.

Aldi had already bought three rings for his mother, as a substitute that he had once taken away without saying goodbye.

Aldi's heart rippled happily waiting for this moment since a few years ago. He came home with success and independence. He really hopes his mother and father can be proud of him.

Aldi chose a night bus, Rudi drove Aldi to the terminal. After passing the journey for 15 hours on a bus, Aldi finally reached his city.

The sun increasingly shifted westward as the bus entered the city gate of Kediri. The bus stopped, Aldi immediately went down to find a motorcycle taxi driver to his hometown. Along the way he felt amazed and a little confused, as many new buildings stood in several places that used to be plantation land. But he never forgot the way to his house.

The taxi driver stopped at an old house with windows and doors painted green. The walls that look dull make Aldi can not forget that he was the one who painted the house, and has not changed. The house looked quiet, the door was tightly closed. His parents and two younger siblings lived here.

"Assynnya!" greet Aldi, but no one answered, Aldi repeated his words three times, the door opened slowly.

"Waalikum hail!" a girl opened the door, her face fixated on the figure of the man before her.

"Is this really my brother's Mas Aldiansyah??" Lila was in disbelief with her own eyes, between a dream and a shocking reality.

"True Lila, this is Aldi Mas You!" Aldi convinced his brother. Spontaneous Lila hit her brother on the doorstep, crying and screaming.

"Where are you going? Mom used to cry thinking about Mas Aldi!!" lila said among her sobs.

"Who's Lila's guest?" a man has not been too much trained to walk with a cane out of the room because he heard the cries of his daughter. Lila pulled Aldi's hand in and approached her father who was standing inside the house.

The old man seemed to frown, recalling the familiar look on his mind. Aldi crouched down while kissing his hands.

"Sir, this is Me Aldi Sir!" the old man's eyes glared, there was a pain he wanted to forget. He claps Aldi's hand, then steps away with his next leg dragged away without caring for his son who is still crammed on the floor. Dad went back into the room. Aldi just looked bitterly while hoping his father would forgive him.

"Where is Lila's mother?" Aldi is looking for his mother, he wants to apologize and return the ring he had taken without her permission. Lila was silent at her brother's question.

"Lila, where's Mom??" Aldi is impatient

"Emak died six months ago!" Lila held back her chest tightness. Aldi who had previously stood, now sat back. His legs were boneless, his heart empty. There was a pain and regret that he could not describe in words.

"Emak is gone? is that really Lila??!" Said Aldi softly as if he could not believe the words of his sister. Lila confirmed her brother's question.

"Innalillahi wainnailaihi rojiun, why didn't Mom wait for my arrival Lila? I'm collecting rings for him!, Hiks, hiks, the "Aldi sobbing squeezing and clenching his fingers.

"Emak is always waiting for you Mas, but he can't stand his longing and pain!" lila said while wiping away the tears that were endlessly flowing. Aldi mutely remembered a fact that he was wrong, long time not to go home also did not give news that he was okay.

"Why didn't you tell me Lila?" aldi said full of regretful words.

"Huk.huk..huk, Lila! Lila!" father's voice rang out from inside the room, Lila hurried to fulfill her call. Aldi stared at the three rings lined up on the table. He was confused, the shadow of the mother's smile while looking at the ears that he wanted to return to feel was now a void.

"Hik,hiks,hiks...Maaak, forgive your son!" Aldi sobbed painfully remembering his mother's love. His body shook withstanding the deep sadness.

"Huk.huk..huk!" father's cough was heard again, now he walked out into the living room. With the guidance of Lila Pak Sardi sat in front of Aldi who was still sobbing.

He looked at his son without a word. The rings are still on the table. Aldi bent his face while holding his rangsel bag.

"Are you married?" ask Mr. Sardi after a moment of silence.

"Sorry sir, a year ago"

Bra!kkkk!!

Mr. Sardi kicked down the table in front of him. Aldi and Lila were shocked.

"Is that how you appreciate your own parents Al? Her blessing and prayers you don't need?!" Mr. Sardi's voice was shaking with emotion.

"There is no meaning so sir, Aldi does not want to be a burden, that's all, my condition at that time was very complicated Sir" Aldi told Mr. Sardi.

"Hemmmh, you underestimated your parents!" Mr. Sardi was upset. Aldi no longer wanted to refute his father's words. He's just stuck listening to Mr. Sardi's story about his wife. One year after Aldi's disappearance from home, Mak Wasi has been frequently ill, complaining of tightness in the abdomen and chest.

He was treated in hospital. But the pain comes and goes. His body was getting thinner, last one month lying down and then died.

"Hiks, hyks tori pardon Aldi Mak!" He's back sobbing. The atmosphere of the house became quiet when the Maghrib prayer rang, just a stuffing of Aldi and Lila alone that sometimes heard between the chants of Adhan from musholla across from his house.

"I pray first Sir!" pamit Aldi, Mr. Sardi nodded. There was a little smile on his lips, because it turned out that Aldi did not forget the prayer he had been taught. Mr. Sardi also stood up, Lila guided her father in ablution and then returned to his room to pray while sitting on a mattress.

After the prayer, they talked again in the living room. Lila serves a cup of tea.

"When did you get sick?" ask Aldi then

"Since my mother was very ill, I also became ill. The north garden has been sold for the treatment of Mother and Father" said Lila. Mr. Sardi just silently listened while turning the prayer beads in his hand.

"Where is your wife now?" mr. Sardi's voice came out after a long moment of silence.

"Sir, I leave brother! sorry I didn't invite him!" Mr. Sardi fell silent again, he guessed the contents of the head of his eldest son. He realized that Aldi did not want to bring his wife and family together in a condition that is still murky relationship.