The Desired Substitute

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As usual, Juna and Raya woke up before the dawn prayer. But this time it was a little different. Yes Raya felt it. If usually Juna will invite or rather force Raya to take a bath together which of course begins with a rewarding sport first. Today upon waking up, Juna went straight to the bathroom without looking back at Raya.

Raya waited for her husband to finish bathing by tidying up their bed that was messy.

The bathroom door opened and featured Juna looking fresh and increasingly handsome. Juna came out of the bathroom just wrapped a towel around his waist.

Raya turned to the husband who was drying his hair with a small towel. Undeniably, the man before him was very handsome, especially with wet hair that still had water dripping from the jet black hair.

Juna looked up at his face. Their views meet. Juna disconnected him first.

"Please prepare my needs for the next week," said Juna while entering the walk on closet.

Raya stunned. Why is the mood this morning so awkward? And what was that? Juna asked him to prepare his needs for the next week? That means Juna will go to Jepara and leave it here alone?

The corner of the heart feels pain. Raya feels Juna's change in attitude towards her. But because of what?

Raya immediately took her morning bath before she performed the dawn prayer, after which she immediately prepared the needs of her husband to be brought to Jepara for one week. Although inwardly wondering why Juna suddenly changed his mind, but he tried to think positively, it might be very urgent so that Juna still had to leave. After all last night he said he did not mind if left to Jepara. Although this time he deeply regretted the words that came out of his mouth.

It makes a very simple breakfast. Only toast with eggs of beef eyes so that quickly can be served and enjoyed by the husband. Because he heard Juna was calling someone and asked him to come home this morning at half-six. While at that time Raya saw the clock has shown five o'clock past ten minutes.

Half six is still ten minutes away. That means Juna can still have breakfast even with toast.

"Feed first, the bread. Sorry, just this let it not be long," said Raya while putting two sticks of bread filled with cow's eye eggs placed on a plate and she put it on the table on the terrace, not to forget one glass of warm white milk.

Juna glanced at the breakfast Raya made. He took the glass and drank it half. Just now Juna put his glass on the table, apparently the pickup car has come.

Vero got out of the car and approached them.

"Let go now, let's not get stuck" said the teary-eyed man.

"Aren't you on a plane?" tanya Raya was curious.

"No Ma'am. You have to stop at some places first before really heading to Jepara," replied Vero explained.

"Look," asked Juna to Vero then he saw Raya and rubbed the top of his wife's head.

"Loh, I didn't eat the bread first."

"No chance. You're the one who spent it." Juna walked through Raya towards the car parked in front of him.

"Wait, Mom!"

Raya ran into the house and came out again with a lunch box. He put the two buns in the container he was carrying.

"Eating in the car, right? Do not be late to eat, later Mas Juna will be sick," he said while offering a light blue lunch box with a smile.

Juna nodded and took the lunch box. Then turn around and get in the car. Vero followed him and closed the door. After that, the car moved out of the courtyard of the house leaving Raya who was standing with pain that surrounded her heart.

"Why is Mas Juna different?" ask in the heart.

Raya still continues to look at the car that Juna was riding, until the car increasingly looks smaller and no longer visible. Not one drop of her tears fell on her cheek.

She felt the change in attitude of her husband. Usually Juna always hugs and kisses her before they split up or leave for work. A charming smile also always adorns the handsome face of her husband. But this time, that handsome face did not let out the slightest smile. Flat and expressionless. In fact, Juna who always took the time to eat Raya cuisine, this morning did not touch it, just drinking the milk made of it was not spent.

Raya blinked when her phone vibrated. It turned out that there was a message coming in from the man he was thinking about. Unaware he smiled at her. His heart felt like it was watered by rain water which made the tightness in his chest slightly decrease.

[Thank you, breakfast. It's tasty. Take care of myself while I'm gone]

Smiling, reading a message from her husband. He immediately typed in his reply.

[Alhamdulillah if Mas Juna likes]

[God willing, Raya can take care of herself]

[Mas is fine there. Do not eat late]

Raya was a little disappointed because the message she sent was only a checklist one. That means Juna's phone is off or maybe the data is off.

It's okay she thought. What is important is that Juna was willing to eat his homemade bread was enough to dismiss the notion that her husband's attitude was different this morning. Better get ready to go to the depot.

He intends to start today leaving early because there are many orders for both flower bouquets and ornamental plants and fruit.

Raya decided to leave by riding her motorcycle. He did not want to risk it would be difficult to get a taxi if he used the service.

Raya arrived at the depot at seven in the morning. Depot is still quiet because it is open at eight in the morning. Even Ana herself is still busy taking care of her handsome son.

Raya dissolves in the number of flower bouquets that she has to do with the help of two employees of course.

It doesn't feel like an afternoon. He saw that the clock was four o'clock past. He took his cell phone on the table which was quiet. She saw if her husband had answered her message.

His lips curled down. The message he sent was read only without reply. Ah maybe her husband is so busy that he hasn't had time to reply to her.

He then rattled his finger to send a message to his husband.

[Mas, what time was it?]

[Tell me, if you're at the hotel]

After sending a message to her husband, Raya then said goodbye to Ana and went to her motorcycle. When he was about to wear his helmet, someone suddenly called his name.

"Richa!"

"You want to get the flower bouquet now?" tanya Raya who thought God would take her order bouquet.

"Ah, yes, but it seems to be closing. Tomorrow I'll be back" replied the Lord.

"Not closed yet. There is still Ana. Take it straight away."

"Then be sure. There's still time."

Raya nodded. Then wear the helmet that was not installed.

"Would you like to go home?" ask God.

"Yup."

"Ke cafe yuk first. Undeterred. I want to confide in this," asked the Lord.

Raya seemed to weigh and think about the teachings of the Gods.

"Okay, just a minute. I have to go back five."

They finally headed to the cafe where their subscription while on campus. It's in the middle. Not too far from either the depot or from Juna's house.

"You confided what? Uh, when's Diana coming back?" tanya Raya after they had sat at one of the tables there and was waiting for a drink to come.

The god shrugged both of his shoulders. "Diana is good if that's the case. It was us who accompanied him that now he went alone" replied the God.

"I'm married now. Why don't you just accompany it, who knows how to click it," exclaimed Raya and then laughed.

"Gue likes someone."

Halt his laughter. "Who? been made?"

The god smiled wryly. "Unfortunately what I like is the wife of people," replied the Lord.

"Astagfireullah! Gods! It's true you. No other girl what?"

"Gue tried to escape. But his name is hard to forget."

"That girl knows you like her?"

God shakes. "You dare not reveal it."

"Better you retreat Wa. Your time is Pebinor." Raya immediately took a sip of her drink that had just come.

"The thing is, the girl got married because she had to. So, I'm sure that girl isn't happy with her marriage right now."

"Occording to you, all you can do to be happy is that you doang?"

"Of course."

The god took his breath and then exhaled it slowly.

"But her husband knows that I like his wife."

"You must have been beaten up by her husband, right?" tanya Raya while laughing because she saw the bruises on the temple of God.

"But I asked her husband, so that he would ask his wife if she loved him."

"Crazy lu Wa. Conscious woy, there are still many other girls. It was the same Diana."

***

Raya has arrived home. He puts his bag on the table and picks up his phone hoping Juna calls him.

Nil. Again the message is only a blue tick which means it is only read by her husband without reply.

He throws his cell phone on the bed and goes into the bathroom. He needs refreshment. After taking a shower, he had dinner with Mbak Nina and Mbok Dar.

After eating, he went straight into the room. Trying to contact her husband, because she thought her husband must have been at the hotel for a break, considering it was eight o'clock.

Her phone connection was not picked up by her husband either.

"Ah, maybe Mas Juna is having dinner."

He then went to the closet and took Juna's shirt and put it on by first taking off the clothes he was wearing.

He went to the bed and laid his body. He tried to call again, who knows immediately picked up by Juna. However, again he had to be disappointed, because the connection was not also answered.

He also slept while hugging himself who was wearing a Juna shirt, as if he was hugging the owner of the shirt.

It has been a long time Raya closed her eyes but never able to sleep as well. He's restless. His heart was empty and empty. There was something lacking in his life. A day not hearing Juna's voice made her chest tight. He could not sleep without being embraced by the husband's burly arms. Without getting a kiss good night. Until two in the morning, he was still waiting for a reply to a message from Juna but he did not get it.

His shoulders shook for a long time. What was wrong with her so her own husband ignored her. Too tired to cry, he finally fell asleep at dawn.

Just falling asleep, the alarm suddenly goes off. He immediately went to take ablution and perform dawn prayers. After that he intended to sleep again because all night he could not sleep so his head was now very sick.

Previously he took the time to look at his cellphone, hoping there was a reply to a message from the husband. Again, he could only swallow disappointment.

TB