The Dream of the President

The Gusta Family Home

Leo's car entered a large gate. This house is about ten times larger than Leo's apartment. No, maybe more than that. The entrance of this house is also so sturdy and majestic. Leo's car stopped on the porch of the house where there was a fountain in the middle. A butler greeted them with ten other servants behind him.

Leo got out of the car and reached out his hand carrying Shasa out. Leo held Shasa's hand tightly. The two of them headed for the entrance, followed by assistant Haris and Lita behind him.

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen." The butler saluted Leo and Shasa. Same with the other waiters behind him. "Master and Madam are waiting for you." The butler let them in.

Shasa was so nervous at this moment. The first time to set foot in a conglomerate's house, it really made her feel small and nothing.

A woman approached them with a beautiful smile.

"Leo, honey..." The woman hugged Leo. "Mama misses out on you. Why do you rarely call mom? Sorry, but my mom can come here." A little protest but still with a radiant beautiful face.

'What? Her mother? This beautiful? Duh, I want to faint.' Inner Shasa.

Lady Sofia looked so beautiful in a long, polite and elegant dress. The jewelry is not excessive, but still looks luxurious wearing it.

"Ma, this is Shafira. My wife." Leo introduces Shasa to Lady Sofia.

Lady Sofia turned her gaze to Shasa and greeted with a warm smile.

"Here comes my mother's daughter-in-law. It's so sweet." Lady Sofia held Shasa's hand. "Welcome, Shafira." Shasa felt a little calm because of Lady Sofia's good attitude towards him.

"Thank you Madam for the welcome." Shasa returned the smile of Lady Sofia.

"What's? Why do you call me that? Call me mama. If you're Leo's wife, you're my son."

"Ah, yes, Mama." Shasa said it doubtfully but he was happy. She sees Lady Sofia as a warm mother, just like her mother Shasa. He even thinks that Leo's face and kindness are a derivative of his mother's.

"Let's go in. Papa's waiting inside."

As they moved in, Shasa suddenly let out a whistling sound.

"God..." His voice was very slow, but because the mansion was so quiet, everyone around him heard it even stop his steps.

"Your feet hurt again?" Leo sounded worried.

"No-no. Just a little misguided." Answer Shasa quickly.

"Why feet?" Ask Lady Sofia who was also curious.

"Yesterday his leg sprained, Ma. The doctor checked it out yesterday." Leo answered that question.

"Why not consult a family doctor abroad? I should have done the x-ray. I'll ask Grace to make an appointment with the doctor." Lady Sofia suddenly chattered.

"Ma, I'm fine. No need to worry. The doctor's already checked my leg twice." Shasa tried to calm down. She hoped Leo would help her calm Lady Sofia down, but instead her face still looked worried. "Let's just go in." Shasa pulled Leo's hand. Everyone continued their steps towards the middle room.

'What? Just sprained should x-ray and consult with a foreign doctor? It's just a little wrong move, you know. Anyway, my voice was also very slow earlier.' Inner Shasa held back in annoyance. 'It turns out Leo's not the only one who's crazy here. In fact, his mother was even crazier.' Shasa thought to himself.

*****

Lady Sofia sat next to Commissioner Gusta, directly opposite Leo and Shasa who were also sitting next to each other. The atmosphere is very quiet. After Leo introduced Shasa to his father, there was no sign yet of the long conversation about to begin. Madam Sofia glanced at the two men who were silent with each other like they were waiting for who would speak first. Shasa still lowered his head in nervousness not knowing what to do.

Lady Sofia could not bear this kind of situation. He tried to break up the tense situation by having Shasa talk.

"Shafira, you work at XY Group? How long has it been?"

"Yes Ma. I've been working on the XY Group's development team for the past four years." Shasa was a bit surprised as he was suddenly asked by Madam Sofia. Shasa tried to remain calm in answering him.

"If you can tell, when did you first meet?" Lady Sofia pointed at Leo and Shasa alternately while chuckling.

"What do you like about him?" Lady Sofia deepened her question in a slightly delayed tone.

"Ehem, ahem." Commissioner Gusta is lying quite loudly indicating that he wants to open his voice. Everyone looked towards him. "There will soon be a meeting with high-ranking XY Group officials. I will announce your engagement to them. At the end of this month, we're having a wedding."

Leo began to look at Commissioner Gusta, digesting his words just now. "Isn't it too soon, Pa? We need to tell Shasa's family about this. And... We also need to ask if Shasa is ready." Leo replied, then glanced at Shasa after finishing his words.

"What other preparedness do you mean? Even you guys are married. It will be easier and faster to prepare. We just have to organize the party, right? Niko will take care of it." Reply Commissioner Gusta.

"Gusta, I will prepare for my son's wedding. It's a once-in-a-lifetime party. I'm sure Shafira would want to take care of it, too." Madam Sofia looked gently at Shasa.

"Shafira, there's a lot you have to learn. Maybe more adaptations. Adapting to your new environment after you get married." The first time Commissioner Gusta mentioned Shasa's name made Shasa tremble a little.

"I'll be with him, too, Gusta." Lady Sofia interrupted.

"I don't mind the engagement announcement or the party. I'll hand it to Mama. But, as a family ethic, when a lekaki wants to marry a woman, the man's family must first meet the woman's family. I'm not gonna miss that process." Leo spoke flatly but firmly. "And... I'll teach my wife about the things she needs to know after marriage." Leo looked at Shasa and held his hand. This Leo touch really calmed Shasa's heart.

"Alright, Mama doesn't mind arranging a meeting with Shafira's family. But, Leo, Mama thinks it would be more appropriate if Mama taught him. Let's just say, Mama knows better the role of women in the Gusta Family." Lady Sofia reassured Leo.

Leo sighed. "Alright, Ma. I believe you."

'Teach, teach, teach what? I don't understand!' inner Shasa still did not dare to open her voice.

Lady Sofia smiled happily. "Then start living in this house. It would be easier if you were always close to your daughter-in-law. All at once, let Mama get more familiar with Shasa."

"No, Ma. Me and Shasa will stay in the apartment." Leo refused his mother's request.

"Leo, this house is a great place to protect you and your wife from unwanted things. You know, how many media outlets have been highlighting your relationship lately?" Commissioner Gusta was straightforward. "Your privacy will be safer if you stay here."

Leo thought hard. That's exactly what his father said. After her engagement to Shasa is announced, not a few people will look into Shasa's life and find out more about the two. This is definitely going to be something new for Shasa. It feels like this house is indeed the safest place for them because this house is heavily guarded and is in an elite area that not just anyone can enter or pass by.

"You'll get your own pavilion. You'll be free to do whatever you want." Commissioner Gusta added.

"alright. I'll take care of my transfer and Shasa's here." Obviously Leo. Shasa was shocked by Leo's decision. Shasa felt that it would not be more free to live here. He certainly can not carelessly invite his family to stay overnight or invite his friends to just play.

"And this..." Commissioner Gusta thrusting something at the table. Shasa was surprised to see the object that Commissioner Gusta was proposing.

'That's the bank card he once wanted to give me.' Shasa's inner wonder.

"Shafira must know this thing. I've been thrusting at him before. But, he rejected it outright." Syndir Commissioner Gusta. "In this world, there are only three cards like this. One for me, one for my wife, and one for my son." Commissioner Gusta. "I've prepared one more card for my son's wife. New mistress candidate in the Gusta Family."

Deg. Shasa feels guilty for misunderstanding Commissioner Gusta. He thought it was a bribe for him to leave Leo.

"I'm sorry, Tian. I think I misunderstood." Shasa bowed embarrassedly.

"Shafira, this card is only owned by a core member of the Gusta Family. It's like a ticket anywhere and anything. In big places in the country even abroad, you can simply show this card. Automatically, they'll give you special VIP service." Lady Sofia explained softly. "You can even buy whatever you want with this card. House, car, apartment, whatever, just show me this card."

'What family are they really? Family money factory?' inner Shasa who was starting to get dizzy heard the increasingly high chatter soaring the sky.

"Ah, it's lunchtime. I'm hungry too." Commissioner Gusta got up from his chair. Lady Sofia, Leo and Shasa also stood up. Commissioner Gusta stepped towards leaving the middle room. Suddenly he stopped his steps and turned around. "Ah, Shafira, the first lesson I want to tell you. In this family, no son-in-law calls his father-in-law Master. Call it right."

Hearing that, Lady Sofia could no longer bear to hold back her laughter. She whispered to Shasa, "If you call me Mama, then she wants you to call her Papa. The point of his words was that simple." Shasa became nervous, but he also saw a slightly smiling Leo. At the same time, Shasa was also happy. " good... Papa." Shasa hesitated to call out to him. Instantly Commissioner Gusta smiled faintly. And so is Leo. That's Miss Sofia? Don't ask, he's laughing out loud right now.

*****

seriate...