THE DOCTOR'S LOVE TRAP

30. Visiting

After the deal between Abrine and El happened again today. They decided to visit Erika's residence. Followed by Wildan's car behind their car, they finally arrived there.

Erika is making her son's favorite cake when Wildan turns out to be home with Elrich and Abrine. The beautiful middle-aged woman at her young age again welcomed their arrival with a confused look but also shocked when she saw there was Elrich who was now standing in front of her.

That said, this was a reunion between Erika and El after 12 years of separation. The mother and son looked to be picking at the faces of each of them that were difficult to interpret.

Abrine himself stared at the two alternately, he was confused, why El seemed also reluctant to look directly at the mother's face.

"El.." -...." Erika first greeted El but El did not flinch, he just looked down lethargic.

Abrine shook El's arm, as if giving him a code that they had agreed that El should indeed make peace with Erika today as well.

El clasped Abrine's fingers tightly, asking for more strength because he was not sure what he was doing just for Abrine.

El could have agreed to this and brought his steps to meet Erika before Abrine.

"Ma, Brother El was visiting and eating at my restaurant" Wildan said breaking the silence.

"really?" Erika looked crisp, her eyes glazed over, her hands outstretched as if to hug the body of Elrich, the son she had not seen for a long time but she hesitated to do that, because he realized that all this time Elrich stretched high walls to limit them. "Thank you, El. You've come to visit here too."

Elrich put on a face, looking up at the sky above, while occasionally brushing Abrine's fingers that were still in his grasp.

"El, are you okay? Shall we just go home? I won't force you anymore" whispered Abrine. He was sure something was wrong here and at once he felt guilty for El. He shouldn't have forced El to do this for his sake, even if his intention was to reconcile the family.

"What's wrong" replied El briefly.

How many seconds apparently El had dared to look at the mother. Just like the meeting with Wildan at the previous Restaurant, El first reached out before Erika.

"I'm sorry, if I'm guilty."

Erika did not immediately welcome El's hand, but she embraced the man's body with sobs that lashed out at the feelings of anyone who heard her.

Elrich did not return Erika's embrace, his attitude was still flat, but from the twinkle in his eyes he looked teary as if harboring deep sadness.

"El, Mama's sorry, son. Sorry Mama. It's all Mama's fault."

Erika took off her body link on El, taking them all in to taste the cake that had just been cooked.

"Here, Mama made Erland's favorite brownie, it's your favorite, too, El...." Erika looked at Elrich with a hopeful face. "Come, eat, son."

Abrine witnessed the heartwarming event. Continued with Elrich who really ate the cake made by the mother.

Not much conversation. You could say the circumstances are not familiar or rather each of them looks awkward with each other. Occasionally Abrine tried to melt the atmosphere by making jokes but only responded with a small smile from the other three people.

"If you have time, come here often, El...." Erika continued to review the friendly smile, she looked happy that El had come to her, but she was also not completely calm, for he believed that El was still fortifying himself and had not completely torn down the wall that had stretched between them for 12 years.

"Alright," answered El briefly.

"When's your wedding, El?" ask Erika again.

"One Week from now."

Erika nodded, she glanced at Wildan at a glance and Wildan only smiled faintly at the mother. Erika knew clearly that Wildan's smile was a smile of sadness because however El would marry Abrine, the girl Wildan hoped for. But, how else, they can't do anything. There's none.

El and Abrine went home. At first there was only silence between the two during the journey. Until finally, El first opened his voice to Abrine.

"Thank you," he said.

"For?"

"You've made our relationship better even though I'm not sure if this is really happening."

"If I may know, what's the matter, El? I know, I'm just a stranger who's suddenly in your life, but aren't we getting married soon?" Abrine looked at El seriously from his position.

Elrich smiled a small smile. "He used to cheat on my dad. It was hard for me to forgive him, but in the end, today I apologized to him. That's what you want, isn't it?" Elrich sniffed his shoulders while glancing at Abrine at a glance.

Abrine looked wrong. If Erika is wrong and had to cheat Edgar, then Elrich really lowered his self-esteem until he was willing to apologize to Erika. Abrine felt sorry for Elrich, because of this. But, there are times when children are more worthy to apologize to the mother, right?

"You mean Aunt Erika tricked your father? I don't understand why he did that to his own family?"

Elrich nodded. "That's the truth. Ah, another one. Elena and I are not her real children."

"Huh?" Abrine was shocked to learn this fact. He thought Elrich had been disobeying his own birth mother.

"My mom died when I was a kid. Mama Erika used to be my baby sitter and Elena. He took care of us like his own children, it made my father fall for him until he finally chose him to marry."

"Then?" Abrine becomes intrigued by El's story, and says Erika tricked Edgar. How's story?

"I shouldn't have told anyone this...."

"El, I want to know!" insist Abrine. "Am I still someone else to you? We're getting married, El!"

"Yes, but what kind of marriage are we going to have?"

Abrine snorted loudly.

"That's it, the point is you just need to know right there."

"Basic suck!"

"I'm just keeping my family's privacy. But, if you're really curious, I'll tell you."

"really?" Abrine steadied El with a hopeful twinkle.

"Yes, but keep your promise."

"Which promise?"

"You've forgotten? Promise....if you're going to do something for me, hmm?"

"Oh that's at the restaurant. I recall. All right, I'll do it for you.. What do you want?" Most curious, Abrine agreed with Elrich's words easily. He didn't think about the effect. Just as he decided to marry El first, he also never thought about the impact later.

"Not now, Brine. I don't have a desire at the moment."

Abrine exhaled a disappointed breath. That means, the story about the Elrich family that he really wanted to know had to stop here. He will find out the continuation after Elrich expressed his wish and Abrine can fulfill.

"The bottom line is, you already know, if Mama Erika is not my real mother."

"Yes yes.I will wait until you mention your wish. By then, I'll know everything, right?"

"Hmmm, but.. when I say what I want later, don't let you not grant it, okay?"

"Yes, Doctor!"

"Goody!" Elrich chuckled happily.

Abrine was straddling, he was looking out the window.

"If Wildan? Is he your real sister? Are you one father?" abrine asked without looking at Elrich.

*****