The Chosen Heart Part 2

Ayu Meeting With Papi

The sun that afternoon was no longer fierce. The blue sky is so clear, without clouds, that it ceases to admire the Creator, who has created the universe with love so beautifully. Masayallah...

That day Rizal asked Mbah Sum to be escorted to Sofie's tomb.

Not only Rizal and Mbah Sum, Ayu and Dani also joined. Isna did not get out of the car, because Mbah Sum forbade pregnant Isna to make a pilgrimage to the tomb. Though Isna felt okay, but to appreciate the attention of Mbah Sum finally he complied.

Waiting for fifteen minutes, finally finished their pilgrimage.

" Anti" Ayu got into the car whose door was opened by Dani.

" Yes, baby?" Isna answered Ayu's call. Isna saw Ayu's eyes wet.

Mbah Sum who was sitting at the back, next to Ayu, grabbed the little boy in his arms.

Isna looked at Mbah Sum, "It's okay, Tea."

Isna's feelings were sliced at Ayu. The little girl was usually jolly, but that time Isna saw her grimly. Maybe she felt sadness remembering her mother, because she had seen the last resting place of the mother.

" Rizal went straight home, A?" Isna asked her husband.

" Said Rizal wants to go to Ayu's house first."

Dani said half a whisper. " He needs to approach his son." Dani's voice is getting slower.

Dani started running his vehicle. The car drove off, leaving the TPU area.

It didn't take long, only about ten minutes they had arrived at the mouth of the alley where Ayu lived.

Behind Dani's vehicle, Rizal follows by riding his motorcycle.

Mbah Sum came down while leading Ayu. Isna and Dani followed. Rizal approached Ayu.

" Ayu, carry the same papi?" Rizal offers to carry Ayu. Ayu who was usually quickly familiar with the new person this time seemed to keep her distance from Rizal.

Rizal crouched down in front of Ayu. " why? Ayu doesn't like papi?"

Ayu was only speechless, but her eyes spoke, looking at the man who called himself her papi. It seems Ayu harbored doubts.

" Said mommy, papi has a new mama. I can't be near papi." Ayu finally spoke as well.

Rizal looked at Mbah Sum. Frankly he was not sure of what Ayu said. Rizal demands an explanation from the person who for the past five years has always accompanied Sofie.

" We'll talk at home, 'Mas. Monggos." Mbah Sum invited Rizal, Dani and Isna to walk in front of him. While Mbah Sum was still leading Ayu, choosing to walk behind.

Isna walked through the steps of Mbah Sum and Ayu.

Ayu still has not returned cheerful. His face is still clouded. Isna so thinking, is taking Ayu to the tomb of the mother is something right?

" Anti, I'd like to see your mom."

The small voice turned out to be able to make Isna surprised. Isna was confused, not knowing what to say, while Ayu's small hand grabbed Isna's hand and held her.

They walk while silent. All drifting in each other's minds. Finally, they did not feel they arrived at the house that Ayu lived in with Mbah Sum.

Mbah Sum invited all his guests in.

Rizal enters, and his eyes are immediately fixed on the photo of Sofie displayed on the wall of the house.

Rizal approached, to be able to see more clearly the picture of Sofie, the woman he had missed for so long.

Ayu looked at Rizal, without a sound.

Isna and Dani look at each other. Perhaps Dani had the same thoughts as Isna, equally busy guessing what was turbulent in Rizal's chest, who finally knew the existence of his soulmate, although not as expected.

" She, I still don't understand why Sofie suddenly left you, but she really wanted to be with you, to catch up with you, to leave her village." Dani is eager to spend her curiosity about Sofie's story.

" I don't know about that either, and, uh, Sofie never said anything. Five years I kept asking about it, without ever knowing where to find out. I'm tormented by questions and grief at the loss of him."

" Maybe Sofie told you the same story?" Isna now the one who asked, while looking towards Mbah Sum.

" Much,Teh. Neng Sofie has told me a lot about his past."

Sum Mbah story, before marriage Sofie's job is to accompany guests at night entertainment, even once she became a mistress of a businessman. But before long because Sofie does not feel at home living like that, it must be kept hidden. Eventually she decided to leave her working husband and go back to work, at a discotheque. Until fate brings him to a doctor who falls in love with him and asks him to marry her. Sofie decides to end her solitude, build a good household, have children. His concern is living comfortably with his small family, husband and children.

Honey, the story of his life is not as beautiful as in a fairy tale, unlike the story of Cinderella or Snow White who ended happily.

From a small Sofie it's been living her life.

Living with stepfather even makes Sofie more tortured. Several times the stepfather tried to do inappropriate things to him. The mother does not want to believe the story at all, so Sofie must keep everything herself.

His peak when he was fifteen years old. Ruthlessly her stepfather 'sells' Sofie to a snail from town. By the time his father found out, it was too late. Sofie has fallen into prostitution. That's why Sofie can live life as a working woman of the night world. Isna got goosebumps hearing stories about Sofie. His mind feels smug

Still the story of Mbah Sum, after separating from Rizal and Ayu was born, Sofie needs and must pay for her life and her baby. Inevitably, Sofie has to get back to work. And Mbah Sum is very careful Sofie to find halal sustenance to support Ayu. Do not violate religious norms.

Sofie is finally accepted as a regular singer in a cafe.

Mbah Sum tries to remember everything about Sofie. Returns all his memories.

The memories brought up Mbah Sum remembering something.

" Oh yeah, Mbah remembered, Neng Sofie has relics. Wait, the mbah get it first."

Mbah Sum entered, before long Sum came out again with a fairly large box.

Mbah Sum put the box on the table.

Rizal approached the box, and opened it.

There is a small box where the ring, various accessories that Sofie often wears first, there is even a lingeri that Rizal once gave when they were newly married. What attracted Rizal's attention the most was a pink diary.

Rizal took it, then opened it. Perhaps from there it will be revealed why Sofie left Rizal.

Rizal turned page by page. Arriving at the page containing Sofie's advances about her heart, she faces the fact that her husband is married, and has a daughter from another woman.

Sofie wrote, all the evidence was plastered with real in front of her eyes. The photos of the three of them, Rizal, the woman and their baby, are enough of a reason for Sofie to stay away from Rizal's life. Although Sofie was aware that she was pregnant at the time, and she had never been able to tell it to Rizal.

Reading all the writings raised questions in the mind of Rizal. How can there be such photos, even though Rizal never did.

But Rizal recognizes the woman in the photo as Santi, the woman his family has arranged for.

Rizal's feelings are mixed, between angry, sad, and the most felt is regret. The regret is so deep, because Sofie has to leave with sadness due to fake news deliberately created by irresponsible people.

If Rizal knew all that, if there was a second chance for him to repeat everything. If at that time Sofie told him, he did not immediately make his own decision.

Various wishes would never make Sofie come back.

Rizal. Her regret made her chest feel tight. He looked towards Ayu, who usually could not stay still, for some reason that day he was so calm.

" Ayu, "Rizal calls Ayu. " Same papi here." Rizal's hand stretched out, about to hug Ayu.

Ayu looked towards the Mbah. Mbah Sum gave an answer with a signal for Ayu to approach.

With doubt Ayu approached.

" Here, same papi." Rizal tries to convince Ayu.

Ayu is getting closer. And when it was close enough to him, Rizal immediately grabbed Ayu into his arms.

Ayu was just silent, while Rizal felt his heart happily mixed with regret. Her eyes are getting wet, Sofie should be here. Will complete this happiness.

Destiny is painful.

But Rizal should be able to take it. This is where God wants to see us as human beings. When destiny is contrary to hope.

What remains now is Rizal's job of raising Ayu, and there will probably be new hope about Ayu's future.

" Sorry, mas. Si Mbah once told me, he said at the time Ayu was born Sofie never contacted you. But you never came. Where are you going ?"

" I never got any news from Sofie. If I knew she had given birth to my son, when I wouldn't have seen her? I don't know at all, Dan. No news of anything I received."

" Who did Sofie send to?"

" I don't know."

" If that woman named Santi, Mas knows where she is now?"

" It's said he's still in Jakarta, but I've never heard from him."

Dani could finally just shut up, already out of words.

Seriate

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