The Estuary of Desire Baruna

Eps. #22 Pilgrimage To Mama's Tomb

The sun was rising, the cold morning had changed by noon and the weather of the day seemed to be very bright, so that each individual felt excited to live a meaningful day.

Baruna drove his car slowly down the city streets that had begun to be crowded by vehicles.

"So, where should I take you today?" baruna asked Ardila who was sitting in the passenger seat next to the wheel with her.

"Just walk first. Later when you get to Brother will tell you, Una." Ardila still hasn't told her where she's going that afternoon. His hands only pointed at the one path they had to cross to get to their destination.

Baruna did not want to ask anymore, she continued to run the car to a place that was meant by Ardila.

Baruna stopped the car by the side of the road, as they had already reached their destination. The two then got out of the car and walked together towards an area that looked quite quiet.

"Why did my brother bring me here?" Baruna felt a little surprised because Ardila invited her to a funeral area.

"Sister wants to make a pilgrimage to the tomb of Mama Livina, Una. For a long time Brother has not come to visit my mother," said Ardila explained the purpose of bringing Baruna to the cemetery area.

Baruna simply nodded and continued following Ardila's steps down the burial area.

The two stopped at a tomb that was slightly to the middle.

Ardila raised the veil she had earlier held around her neck, to cover her head, and put on her sunglasses. Ardila then squatted down on the side of the tomb that looked clean and well maintained. The girl's eyes stared at a tombstone there.

'Livina Bint Gunawan'

Ardila rubbed a name written on the tombstone made of black marble.

"How's mom doing there? Dila Kengen with mom," said Ardila. Without him knowing a tear soaked his cheek when he remembered his mother who had died fifteen years ago, when he was only nine years old.

Baruna also crouched beside the tomb, opposite Ardila. Slowly, his hand also rubbed the name sculpture on the tombstone.

"Mama Livina must have calmed down in nature there, sister. And I'm sure, Mama Livina must also be very happy to see Sister here, has grown up to be a beautiful woman and very smart," said Baruna, who was very happy, just to comfort Ardila who looks sad when he remembers his biological mother who was calm in her long sleep in the tomb.

Ardila only smiled faintly as she watched the few stalks of nightly flowers that she had previously bought in front of the burial area. Ardila then placed the flowers on the tombstone of his mother.

At the same time, Ardila's gaze was fixed on the red rose next to the tomb.

"Rose flower?" Ardila was a little surprised to find a fresh rose in the tomb.

"Who's on pilgrimage to mama's grave?" Ardila felt confused, then grabbed the rose and watched it closely.

Almost no one had ever made the pilgrimage to Livina's tomb, except her own. Although sometimes Arkha and Pearl also visit there, but usually Ardila will always come with them. Livina's relatives lived far from the city, so it was rare for anyone to come to the tomb of her mother.

"What's up, brother?" Baruna was puzzled to see Ardila who was suddenly transfixed by a heart-red rose in her hand.

"See this, Una!" Ardila showed the flower to Baruna.

"Something seems to have just come here and put this rose in my mother's grave" said Ardila.

"Who would visit here? All this time, no one had shuffled to mama's tomb except for Brother. Mama has no one in this town" muttered Ardila.

"Well, most of her friends are Mama Livina, sister. There might be an old friend of mine, who happened to stop by." Baruna did not respond too much. For him, it is not strange if there are people who just visit the tomb.

"Hmm, maybe you're right, Una. It could be that there is an old friend Mama had come here," nodded Ardila.

"Fifteen years ago, my mother left my sister, Una. During this time, Mama Mutiara always loved Sister like her own biological child, and Sister also loved Mama Mutiara." Ardila smile. Although Livina, her real mama is no longer in this world, but she can still feel the love of a mother. Although Pearl was only mama connected to him, but Pearl always sincerely loved him even more than the affection given by Livina.

"So I know, during her life, Mama Livina made a lot of mistakes against Papa Arkha and also Oma Yuna. Mama Livina has also received karma for all the mistakes she's made." Again Ardila's eyes glazed as she recalled Livina's life story.

"As a result of suffering from severe depression, Mama Livina chose to end her own life in the mental hospital where she was treated." The tears were now unbearably dripping down Ardila's cheeks. All her memories of Livina, made her feel sad.

"No matter what Mama Livina did in the past, she is still the biological mother of Sis, Una. He who has given birth to a brother on this earth." Ardila wiped her tears and let out a long sigh.

"Yes, Brother. I can understand Brother's feelings." Baruna rubbed Ardila's shoulders and empathized with all that Ardila was feeling at the time.

While continuing to exchange complaints, Ardila and Baruna remained in the tomb and prayed together there.

Not far from the tomb, behind a grove of frangipani trees, a pair of eyes were watching them.

A man wearing a black jacket, a mask and a hat stood watching Ardila and Baruna who were still in the tomb.

"Ardila! You've grown up and grown into a beautiful girl, son." The man took off his sunglasses and continued to set his eyes on Ardila. A smile of amazement was seen curling wide across the man's lips, as he removed his face mask covering.

"Livina, our son is already that big. She's so beautiful and her face looks so much like yours." Puddles of tears also unbearably adorned her eyes. A glimpse of the past seemed to make him remember a pain.

The man is none other than Alfin, Livina's ex-husband who is Ardila's real biological father.

After Ardila and Baruna left the burial area, Alfin moved closer to the tomb.

Alfin crouched down next to the tomb and his hand grabbed the red rose and placed it next to the nightly flowers that Ardila had just placed on Livina's tombstone. Before that, he was the one who put the roses there.

"Livina, I miss you so much and so does our daughter, dear." Alfin rubbed Livina's tombstone.

"If you were still around, you would also be very happy to see our daughter. She is now grown up and very beautiful" said Alfin as he looked at the tombstone before her.

"Now you've calmed down there, Vin. You've left me forever." Alfin also shed tears of thought for someone who no longer existed in this world.

"It's all because of Arkha! He's been causing us to separate and suffer all this time, Vin!" furious Alfin. Revenge was emanating from the look in his eyes at that moment.

"Baruna!" alfin snorted, shook his head and smiled wryly.

"I will support Diaz to finish off the boy immediately! Arkha also had to feel the pain of losing the person she loved the most, just like how I felt!" Alfin clucking. Anger and vengeance filled his soul. Hatred of his childhood friend who is now his enemy, increasingly radiated from the look of his eyes.