The Dark Side of the Mentari

Weddings

Rania's attitude as necessary to her father is actually not pure because of her stepmother. There is a very unpleasant incident that occurred at the beginning of college. She was nineteen years old when Rania came home to visit her father. Without his consent or just notice to him first, he was married to a friend of his father's son when Junior High. Exactly his father's ex-girlfriend's son.

From the beginning the girl's feelings were bad. Suddenly his father called for the first time during their stay away, usually his stepmother who called or just sent a message, telling him to go home because there was something important to talk about. In fact, he refused to go home at that time because there were some college assignments that had to be collected next week, and had not been done at all. But the father urged on the grounds that this could not be delayed any longer. With Rania forced to go home that afternoon, by just leaving a message to Dery, her roommate, if anyone takes a snack order, everything is prepared.

Arriving home ahead of Maghrib, he wondered in his heart because there were several motorcycles parked in his yard. But deserted, not a single person appeared in the living room.

My mom, dad or mom are sick. His mind while stepping across the courtyard.

"Assalamualaikum" Rania said a greeting while taking off her shoes, then entered without waiting for her greeting to be answered. In fact, no one heard or answered his greetings just now. Intrigued he saw his parents' room, but it was empty, the door was wide open. Still curious, he stepped into the kitchen, which was located behind the house, in a separate building. No one answered his greetings, everyone was in the kitchen. Father, mother, grandmother and some neighbors.

"Assalamualaik." He said his greetings again while showing off his smile to everyone who was there.

"Well, the mother's girl has arrived apparently." Her mother hugged her as soon as she saw Rania at the door.

Stale base, go ahead, show that sweetness of yours in front of everyone. I'm immune and I don't care in the wood. Rania grunting.

"Have you gone home?." His grandmother's change who embraced longing, was reciprocated wholeheartedly by her grandson. Dad and everyone else took turns.

"Kok cook a lot of ma'am, what's the show?."

"Later your father will explain." His mother replied as she passed carrying a dirty tray to the dishwasher. The mother's answer actually made Rania curious, her feelings were not good.

Adhan Maghrib from the mosque near the house reverberated, without asking again Rania asked permission for everyone to take a bath. Cold water flushed his body, removing sweat and fatigue for more than three hours of travel. While rubbing his body with soap he still guessed about what event will be at home. Not usually cook a lot, to invite neighbors to help. There's gotta be something big going on. Butwhat? No possibility of that appearing in his head. Ah, stupid, dad told me to go home. And I'm home now. My duty is to obey my father's orders.

After bathing and praying Maghrib Rania wanted to go to the kitchen to help. But he undoes his intentions when his father stands at the door of his room.

"Can you come in?." Ever since he married his current mother, his relationship with his father has become increasingly rigid. Like two strangers who don't know each other, limit each other. Actually Rania misses being hugged by dad like before. But after all this time, everything was awkward. Moreover, he was no longer a child.

"Come on, Dad, I just finished praying."

"Maybe this is too hasty. But I hope you don't refuse or object." Stopping his words for a while, the father let out a long sigh, as if gathering air in his lungs, drawing up strength to say such a heavy thing. Rania's forehead was wrinkled, her two thin eyebrows were clutched.

"I mean dad?." He's getting impatient.

"Tomorrow you'll marry son."

Rania gawked, for a moment there was no sound from the two.

"No." Spontaneous Rania replied as soon as she realized what her father had said. "I don't even have a man who draws my heart, or at least a man who likes me." The sentence came out of Rania's mouth in one breath. " Otherwise my college is still a long time."

"But everything has been set. Tomorrow you'll marry a girl." Without any more words, Dad got up leaving the silent Rania, not knowing what to say. Suddenly his saliva felt solid, difficult to swallow.

Rania cried all night without a sound. He cursed himself for not daring to oppose his father. Several times I thought of escaping. But what would happen if he ran away, his father would bear the shame, Mother would hate him even more, and grandmother could have a heart attack. No, he would not be rash and take such risky actions.

Resignedly. He doesn't even know the hero. All he knows is that Aunt Erna, Wira's mother was his father's girlfriend when he was in school. When Rania entered Elementary School she was fifth or sixth grade. Not so familiar, but know each other because they are neighbors. Yang Rania knew the Hero was a bit quiet, but quite friendly. That'sthat's all.

...***...

At six in the morning a woman in her thirties came carrying a small suitcase that turned out to contain makeup. Her friendly smile forced Rania to reply. He was angry at his father, but others did not deserve the impact as well. Deftly the woman began to apply a cold liquid powder on her face. Whatever, no matter what he wanted to do with his face, he closed his eyes that were definitely swollen. Mom came in, gave her a white kebaya and a hooked skirt, told her to wear it without saying anything. His father stood at the door of the room with a face that could not be read while holding a kopyah.

"Follow father's request, this time alone." He said, then passed to the living room, the place where the marriage contract will be carried out.

Like a buffalo shuffled her nose, Rania followed her mother into the living room when the penghulu had arrived. Several relatives and families of her future husband who will be witnesses have sat around a table with white cloth in the middle of the room.

Cold sweat started to drip on Rania's forehead and back. It was like a sacrificial cow being herded into a slaughterhouse. It was as if he had seen his hijasah, toga shirt, and dreams of starting a career flying away. Leaving him wearing a yellow negligee with an apron fluttering in the wind.

Rania could not say a word from her mouth Even her brain refused to be invited to think how she could escape from this state.