THE DOCTOR'S LOVE TRAP

22. Consider again

Hearing Abrine's words just now, Wildan hoped that he was dreaming right now. Or the most reasonable thing, he thought Abrine's words were just a funny joke.

But, there's no way Abrine would lie under Elrich's name, right? With the girl mentioning the name El alone, it means that Abrine did know the man.

It's hard to express but in fact Wildan's feelings now feel like he's been hit by a huge sledgehammer.

Looking at Wildan and Erika who were both silent for quite a while as she had already expressed her goal, Abrine could only lower his head while applying his own fingers. In the girl's heart, she was sure that something was wrong with their family. But, what?

"Is El in Indonesia now?" That was the question Erika asked Abrine, making the girl again raise her face to look at the middle-aged woman.

"L-yes, Tant...."

"Why doesn't he want to come with you here?" Erika asked again, but her voice sounded cold.

"I've been trying to get El here, but--"

"He doesn't want to, does he?" Erika guessed, her face revealed a thin smile that looked forced.

Abrine gulped a few times in a second. He was nervous now, but not so. It was just that, from the very beginning he could already predict if Erika would welcome him with a cold expression - recalling how El's attitude was when talking about the woman.

"Ehm, Tant... previously I wanted to ask, is El indeed the son of Aunty?"

Erika nodded slowly, Abrine glanced at Wildan who had been silent since. The man seemed to bend his face, perhaps still surprised by the news Abrine brought today regarding his marriage to Elrich.

"So, El and Wildan are brothers?" ask Abrine later.

Erika did not answer that, she just kept quiet with her own thoughts.

"I'm sorry if my question offended and incriminated Aunt to answer it."

"It's not so, Brine. Did Elrich never tell you about Auntie or Erland?"

Abrine shook his head quickly.

"Yes, it's natural, anyway!" sahut Erika later.

Abrine did not dare to ask further about what really happened to their family. But, if Erika wanted to explain to her, she was ready to listen and listen. The problem was that Erika said nothing but a sentence that made Abrine think hard.

"I'm sure you're a nice girl from a respectable family, Abrine. Elrich is indeed my son, though. The point is, I don't deserve this blessing from you. If you are sure you want to marry her, I cannot forbid, but think about this carefully before you regret it."

Hearing that remark, Abrine was getting confused about having to say what else. Why does Erika's answer sound sarcasm? If Elrich was his son, why did he seem to be provoking Abrine with his words?

In the end, Abrine withdrew from Erika's presence.

"Abrine!"

Apparently Wildan chased after the girl's step when Abrine was out of the house.

Abrine turned to him, "Why, Wil?" tanyakanya.

"Ehm, how long have you been in a relationship?"

"meaning?"

"You and Brother El, how long have you been dating until you finally decide to get married?"

How could Abrine answer Wildan's question that he himself did not know what to make up the story now, because his brain was deadlocked with the new thing he knew about Elrich's relationship with Wildan.

"Berin...."

Abrine gasped as Wildan went back to calling his name.

"Eh? Not too long, though. I'm the same El decided to get married because we feel good."

Wildan nodded his head slowly, suppressing the pain in his heart. Not to mention his longing was paid off, it turned out that Abrine was about to leave. Her wait has paid off today with an answer that Abrine will marry Elrich, a man she knows.

"I hope you think again about your marriage to Brother Elrich."

"Why did you say that? Is there something wrong with El?" Abrine wondered why Erika and Wildan said it was like he was cornering El, as if El had something that would later make Abrine regret the decision because of his marriage to the man.

"I don't want to answer that question, because I don't want you to assume I'm vilifying Brother Elrich in front of you. What is clear is that I am a person who knows him better than you have known him all along."

Abrine smiled faintly. "You don't have to worry, I've thought about it carefully."

Wildan nodded. "I hope you can still consider it."

At the same time, Abrine's phone vibrated and it was a call from Elrich.

"Yes?" Abrine intercepted the cellular call in front of Wildan who was silent without another word.

"Have finished? You met her?" asked Elrich from across the call.

"Hmm, I even got a surprise here."

"What surprise?"

"I'll tell you later."

"Good! Go home soon, not too long in their midst."

Abrine laughed softly, he could conclude that El's words this time were worrying about him.

"Yes, I'll be home soon."

"Wil, I think I should go home now."

"What was that, a call from Brother Elrich?"

"Hmmm...."

"Where did he live in Indonesia?"

"In my parents' house."

Wildan looked surprised like he was shocked. "You guys live together?" tanyakanya.

Abrine laughed softly. "Yes, but with my family too and she's staying in the guest room."

"Oh...." Wildan breathed a sigh of relief.

"Why?"

"It's okay, I thought you guys were staying in the room."

Abrine rolled his eyes puffed. "Impossible, Wilber. Except later, after we're married," Abrine said accordingly.

But, of course, it reminded Wildan of Abrine's status now.

"Yes, I went home. Hye!" Abrine was about to move again but Wildan's subsequent remarks instead made him comment on a small smile.

"Brine, you think... Elrich's still got a knack, right?"

_____

"What did he say? And what surprise did you meet there?"

Abrine put his sling bag near the table. Though he had just arrived home, apparently Elrich had confronted him as if he wanted to know what Abrine's activities today in Erika's residence.

"If you're curious about gini, why didn't you guys just come along?" abrine asked with a smile full of scorn on Elrich.

Elrich clucked his tongue. "Well, it doesn't matter either!" he said as he tried to get out of Abrine's presence.

Abrine pulls Elrich's wrist to prevent the man's departure. He had agreed to himself that he would tell El everything even though El would seem uninterested in hearing the story later.

Seeing this curious El, Abrine was astonished because he thought El didn't want to know at all.

Abrine begins to tell Elrich about his encounter with Erika, including with Wildan. Abrine is also honest about Erika's remark that she asked Abrine to think about marriage with Elrich carefully.

"Then, what is your decision after hearing the woman's words?" elrich asked quietly without looking at Abrine's face.

"I don't think about it, anyway .... We also got married for a while, right?"

"Yes, until you meet your true love, right? I didn't forget, Brine! But you need to remember, as long as you haven't found that love, then for that long you're still trapped in this marriage," Elrich's inner voice spoke but did not voice it in front of Abrine.

"So, conclusion?"

"Yes, we're still married, El."

"Good." Elrich smiled obliquely. "Then, what's the surprise?" tanyanya.

"I met Wildan there."

"Wilda?"

Abrine nodded. "I've known him for a long time, long before I knew you. Maybe you called Wildan, Erland, huh? Kayak Aunt Erika."

Hearing the name, Elrich's countenance instantly changed, it was hard to say in words how to describe his current expression.

"He's your brother, right?"

Elrich snorted softly without answering.

"Hem, I already know what makes you like Aunt Erika and Wildan."

"What?" asked El indifferently. "Are they telling you about our problem?"

"No, but I can conclude for myself."

Elrich had a grudge, he was willing to hear what this girl's conclusion was now. Will Abrine's conclusions be correct or even wrong to conclude like the incident of their accident at that time that Abrine thought he had hit El?

"So, in my conclusion, you're just jealous of Wildan. Because after Mama and your father separated, the one that Aunt Erika brought was only Wildan, while you didn't."

Elrich smiled obliquely at Abrine's utterance that didn't exist at all.

"Really, right?" Abrine demanded an answer.

Elrich thinned lips. It seemed like he had to give Abrine a little picture so that this girl's thoughts were open and non-existent.

"My mom and dad separated when I was 17. I was already legal then. You know it's legal, right? That means I have the right to choose who the two of them want to go with."

"And you chose to come with your father?"

Elrich nodded. "I'm not jealous of Erland at all. He deserves to go with that woman, because he can't come with my father!" he later revealed, making Abrine wonder in his own mind.

******