The End of the Story

The Smile that Returns

Dini holds Alana to be invited to the pool so that Alana stops crying.

"Alana likes water?" ask Dini when they are near the pool.

"Like... but not allowed papa play water in the pool.." replied Alana with a cry as he pleased.

"Alana want to play water with Auntie?" ask Dini.

"You want.. but papa will be angry....."

"Let Auntie tell Alana's dad not to get mad at Alana, what?"

Alana nodded her head in excitement. Dini then entered the shallow edge of the pool.

Slowly and carefully Dini lowered Alana and sat down with Alana there. Half their bodies were wet with the pool water.

Alana seemed happy to play water in the pool with Dini, she patted the water that made her face exposed to splashes of water and her whole body became wet.

Seeing the joy of Alana while playing water, made Dini smile thinly. I don't know how long that smile has never been seen on his face.

For the first time after the departure of Dimas, Dini finally smiled because she saw the joy of Alana in front of him.

Alana then took the water with her hands and pointed it at Dini's face, making Dini a little surprised.

But seeing Alana who laughs cheerfully makes Dini laugh and then reply by making small splashes of water that wet Alana's face.

"Alana wants there Auntie," said Alana while pointing towards the deeper pool.

"There in my dear, Alana here!" reply Early.

Alana just nodded her head then re-wetted Dini's face with water from her hands.

After a long time of water play, Alana started to seem shivering.

"We ride yes, Alana must change clothes," said Dini.

"Alana still wants to play aunty," Alana refused.

"But Alana's cold, so you have to change clothes, yes!"

"No, Alana's still playing......"

"We played in Aunt's room how was it? After Alana takes a shower, Alana can choose clothes from the closet Aunty made Alana wear', how?"

"Can auntie?"

"May dong" replied Dini who made Alana cheer happy.

Dini then brought Alana out of the pool, when she was about to take a towel arrived the mother came with two towels.

"Mother also asked Mr. Yusman to buy a change of clothes Alana," said Dini's mother.

"Believe Mom," retorted Early and immediately wrapped Alana in a thick towel.

Dini then brought Alana in and bathed her and put on the clothes that her mother had just bought.

"That means Alana is not wearing a Auntie dong shirt" said Alana when Dini combed her hair.

"So dong, let's choose which one Alana likes!" answer Early and then hold Alana's hand in front of her closet.

Dini opened her closet, showed Alana all her clothes.

"Open this one too Auntie!" pinta Alana while pointing at the closet door containing Dimas' clothes.

Dini was silent for a while before opening it, she was doubtful whether she should open it or not.

"Come on Auntie, open that one, Alana's gonna pick it up!" said Alana disperse daydreams Dini.

"Mmmm... that is not a dear Auntie clothes," said Dini with a sad look back.

"Can't you see?" ask Alana who is still curious.

"It was. Dimas' clothes," said Dini in a trembling voice.

Dini averted her eyes with teary eyes. He tried to hold back his tears from spilling in front of Alana.

"Auntie's crying?" asked Alana who made the tears Early instantly slid just like that.

"Alana will not ask for clothes om Dimas kok, Alana apologized," said Alana with her hand held Dini.

Dini still averted her eyes from Alana to hide her tears, even though Alana had already seen her.

"Alana promises are not naughty anymore" said Alana who felt guilty for thinking she had made Dini cry.

"Tante, Alana will not be naughty anymore, Alana promised," said Alana by hugging Dini.

Dini then dropped herself in front of Alana, she looked at the little girl before her with a smile despite her glassy eyes.

"Which clothes do you want?" ask Alana.

Alana just shook her head without saying anything.

"Want to open this one?" ask Early by pointing at the closet door containing Dimas clothes.

"Alana wear' this shirt," replied Alana by wiping the clothes she was wearing.

Dini smiled and picked up one of her hoodies and put it on Alana.

"Beautiful, Alana can wear this if it's cold" said Dini.

"Thank you Auntie," Alana replied happily.

Dini just nodded her head and asked Alana to lie on her bed.

"Om Dimas is already in heaven, Auntie?" tanya Alana arrived who made Dini's heart feel sore again.

Dini just silence is unable to answer Alana's question.

"Mama Anita is also in Aunty's paradise, papa says Anita's mom is happy in heaven, but if Alana cries, Anita's mom will be sad, so Alana can't cry let Anita's mom be happy anyway," alana said to Dini.

"Om Dimas must be like that, right?" continued Alana.

Early only nodded her head with teary eyes. All this time he only thought about how he could meet Dimas by ignoring the fate that had been set on him.

He seemed to hate the fate that had set him apart from Dimas. But Alana's words to him were like giving him a new door in her grief.

A door that could take him out of the pain and suffering he had been feeling because of Dimas' departure.

He realized, whatever he did would not be able to restore Dimas in his life. He should be able to move on with his life better.

Even without Dimas beside her, Dimas would always be in her heart.

"Alana was waiting for Aunt, but Oma Ranti said Aunt was busy," said Alana disperse the daydreams Dini.

"Why are you waiting for Auntie?" ask Dini.

"Alana wants to see Auntie" replied Alana.

"Why?"

"Because papa said Aunt Dini is beautiful, but papa never said that mama is beautiful, but papa instead said Aunt Dini is beautiful," replied Alana who made Dini chuckle.

"Alana's father said that?"

"Yes, the most beautiful is Alana" replied Alana.

"Yes.... Alana is the most beautiful, beautiful face and heart," Early replied and hugged Alana.

"But papa bener, Aunt Dini is beautiful," said Alana by staring at Dini's face.

"Alana is prettier," replied Early.

"Maybe Alana will be like Aunty if Alana has grown up" said Alana who made Dini again chuckle.

"Alana is sleepy Auntie," said Alana while yawning.

"Yes, you sleep, Auntie will take care of you," replied Early by gently rubbing Alana's back.

"But Auntie don't cry anymore huh," said Alana with her eyes closed.

"Yes, Aunty will not cry anymore," replied Early and kissed Alana on the forehead and fell asleep with Alana.

**

Elsewhere, Andi had just walked out of her client's meeting room. Andi looked at her phone and was so shocked that there was an unanswered call from Early mother.

Andipun immediately contacted Dini's mother.

"Hello Ma'am, sorry Andi just finished the meeting, is Alana fussing Mom?"

"In the same room as Dini?" andi asked in disbelief.

"Yes, Dini who nenangin Alana when Alana was fussy earlier," replied Dini's mother.

"And over there now Mom," Andi replied.

The call ended, Andi immediately drove his car towards Dini's house.

Once there, he immediately went in to pick up Alana.

"She's in the room Early, you just come in," said Dini's mother.

"Aren't you going to be angry, Mom?" andi asked doubtfully.

"No, a lot has changed from Dini after she met Alana" said Dini's mother.

"I mean mother?"

Mom Dini then explained what Dini did to Alana when Alana was fussy, ranging from holding Alana, taking her to play in the pool, to bathing her.

"After the departure of the new Dimas for the first time, Dini's mother smiled Ndi and it was because of Alana" said Dini's mother.

Andi smiled happily to hear the story of Dini's mother. He was sure that sooner or later Dini's sadness would fade with time.

"You try to go in, maybe Alana is waiting for you" said Dini's mother.

"Okay Ma'am, andi excuse me," Andi replied and then took her steps to the room Early.

Andi knocked on the door of the room Early before opening it.

"Din, I'm in!" said Andi then opened the door of the room Dini slowly.

He saw Dini who was sleeping by hugging Alana who was also sleeping.

With a slow step Andi approached towards the bed Early to see the two women she loved sleeping together with a hug.

Andi stretched out her hand intending to caress Dini's hair, but holding her back, she pulled back her hand and undoed the intention.

Moments later Dini squirmed and blinked her eyes. He was so surprised that there was Andi beside him.

"Sorry Din, I'm going out" Andi said and immediately stood up and exited the room Early.

Dini then moved from her sleep. He took his eyes to his picture with Dimas at the table.

Dini smiled and then came out of her room to approach Andi who was sitting in the middle room.

Dini approached Andi with a drink for Andi.

"Thank you" Andi said after receiving a drink from Dini.

"Alana is still sleeping" said Dini who only replied to a nod of Andi's head.

"How are you?" ask Andi.

"I am. I am good" replied Andi.

After a long time they never met and communicated, they became awkward with each other.

"What is your alana ngrepotin?" ask Andi.

"No, instead I thank you for bringing Alana here" replied Dini.

"Why?"

Dini shook her head slowly, things changed after she met Alana but she could not explain it to Andi.

"You managed to educate Alana well Ndi," said Dini.

"I still have a lot to learn Din, but I will always try to love all the best for him" Andi replied.

"He must be proud to have a papa like you!" say Dini.

Andi just smiled and nodded her head. The atmosphere returned silent for a while due to the awkwardness of the two of them.

"What did you say to Alana about me?" ask Andi.

"I didn't say anything" Andi replied nervously.

He could have guessed that the little girl must have told Dini something.

"He's here to see me because he's jealous, right?"

Andi only smiled faintly upon hearing Dini's question.

"She was jealous because you said I was beautiful, and you never said Anita was beautiful in front of her" Dini said.

"He is a very critical child, he always wants small details around him" Andi replied.

"He's a sweet boy Ndi" said Dini.

"Yes, he who always entertains me at home, all tired it feels lost if it has been horrified his chatter," Andi replied with a small laugh.

Suddenly, Alana's voice came from Dini's room.

"Papa......"

Andi and Dinipun moved from their seats, they immediately approached Alana in the room Dini.

"The beauty of papa has woken up.." said Andi when he saw Alana who was still lying in bed Early.

Alana immediately woke up from her sleep and hugged Andi who was sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Why long?" ask Alana spoiled.

"Sorry baby, Alana's going home now?"

Alana just nodded her head by draping her hands around Andi's neck.

"Preleased first dong clothes aunt Dini," said Andi who made Alana immediately release her hand from Andi's neck.

"No, Alana wants to keep wearing this," Alana replied while shaking her head.

"No papa Ndi, I rarely use it anyway" said Dini.

"Are you sure Din?" ask Andi to make sure.

"Yes, this is for Alana, too" Dini replied as she stroked Alana's hair.

"Thank you Auntie Early" said Alana happily.

"Thank you Din, I'm sorry to have taken you as a mother" Andi told Dini.

"In fact I'm happy because there is Alana, you can often titeipin Alana here," replied Dini.

"Alana can play here often Auntie?" ask Alana excitedly.

"May dong dear, Alana can come here whenever Alana wants," replied Dini.

"Yeeeeeyy..... Alana can come here often.." said Alana cheerfully.

Andipun came out of the room Early with Alana. He then said goodbye to Dini and her mother.

Along the way home Alana told me a lot about Dini, she could not stop telling me what she did with Dini a while ago.

"Pa, when are we going to Auntie's house again?" alana asked Andi.

"We just got home, baby, not yet home!"

"But Alana wants to meet Auntie Dini pa," said Alana spoiled.

"Yes, baby, later if there is time we play to auntie's house Early again," Andi replied.

Time passed, the clock had shown at 8 pm, Alana was lying in bed with Andi.

"Alana is not sleepy yet" Alana told the father.

"You have to sleep baby, papa wants to continue working after Alana sleeps," Andi replied by rubbing Alana's forehead.

"Alana wants to sleep with mom" said Alana who made Andi surprised, because Alana had never said that before.

"And you've got papa here, papa will nemenin Alana until Alana sleeps."

"But Alana wants to have a mama here" said Alana who began to miss the presence of a mother.

"Can't Auntie be Alana's mother?" alana asked, which made Andi even more surprised and could not say any more words.