The Foreign Taste

The Dining Table

"Dad's home!" Nanda's voice came from outside the house.

Ranum hurried to open the door and salim to his father.

"Where is the Cania, Num?" Ask Nanda.

"In the room, yeah. Tumben's father came home via magrib. Usually with Mother? More stitches, Dad?"

Nanda also worked as a seamstress in a home-based convection located not far from Almeer's boutique.

"Alhamdulillah. again there is a school uniform seam penance again. Biases. The beginning of the new school year is indeed a flood of school uniform orders."

"Oo.iya yes. Alhamdulillah.eat yuk Yah together!" Take Ranum.

"Dad take a shower first."

"Yes, Dad.."

*****

"Tadi Bu Darin gave me the fabric material, Dad. Alhamdulillah, he said it was not kepake. So Mother take it home. The plan wants Mother to sew as a mask," Nida's story at the dinner table.

"Gee. Creative it, Bun. Mother is indeed smart," Praise Nanda.

Nida smiled for a moment before finally confessing.

"It's actually Ranum's idea, yeah.."

"Yes, Num?" Nanda turned to Ranum.

"Mm. actually more to the idea of Dance anyway, Dad. His hands are very creative. He gave the idea, if the fabric material that is not kepake tuh can be made into a washcloth, mask and others. Continue to Ranum until Mother."

"Oo.gitu.gut thank you for Dance. The idea is okay."

"Yes Dad.."

The next few minutes, there was only the sound of the clanking of spoons and plates in the room. Until then...

"Dad, Kania met Kak Rina during the PMR children's gathering!" kania's story.

"Mh.. Where is rina?"

"That's lhoo.. Yudha's sister. Temen SD Kania when we still live in town X.."

Clangs..

The spoon that Nida was holding suddenly fell. While Kania continued to tell stories without realizing the atmosphere suddenly cooled down.

"Kania pangling really fit to see Kak Rina earlier. He is very cantiiikk. But Nia's fad greeting, uh it turns out that it's really Kak Rina. Kak Rina told me that now she is a model. Cool deh.. Nia pingin -"

"Cania. Finish the meal first. After that help Ranum wash the dishes," Nanda's father cut.

While Kania pouted because the story was not well responded to.

Nanda glanced at Nida. Nida looked a little dreamy.

When Kania mentioned the name of City X earlier, Nanda was worried that his wife was remembering the trauma she experienced 4 years ago. The incident that made them and their families move to the city of Y now.

****

Back flash.

It was rainy season. Ranum is 11 years old. While Kania 10 years.

At that time Ranum and Kania were simultaneously sick with DHF. It was the season of the disease. Nanda and Nida are busy going back and forth to the hospital.

Usually, Nida accompanies the children and Nanda returns home to pick up a copy of the clothes. But one day, Nanda, exhausted from sewing, is forced to look after the children. Nida is going home.

Nida returned to their home in the Dukuh Sawit slum about 5 p.m. At that time the streets were still very crowded.

Indeed, if the weather is good, there are always people who come and go there. Because many of its citizens are looking to be a woman at night.

Pathetic indeed. City X as the capital of the country is actually not able to provide decent employment until it has to make a small portion of its population make a living through the business of essays.

Nanda and Nida had actually thought of moving in. They are worried about environmental conditions that are not good for the development of their children's souls.

Not from the environment also humans form their personality. Moreover, providing a good living environment is also one of their obligations as parents.

What makes Nida feel heavy hearted to move is because the house they live in today is the legacy of Nida's adoptive parents.

There is regret in Nida's heart because when her parents died, she was not there beside them.

At that time Nida was serving in the pesantren. He was not even 17 when TU staff told him his parents had an accident. He rushed back to Dukuh Sawit.

Back to that day.

Nida shortly put out a copy of the clothes to take to the hospital. But before he left, he took a shower.

After taking a shower, Nida rushed to get dressed. Then he heard the sound of the front door opening. He who was still busy wearing clothes shouted from inside the room.

"Dad? How did you come here? Pity the children in the hospital alone.."

For a few seconds Nida waited but there was no reply.

Just when he was about to open the door of the room, suddenly the door of the room opened. And there was a man at the door. That man is not Nanda, her husband.

"Who-mm..!!!mm!!"

Nida's shout was cut off by the foreign man's hand in her mouth. He tried to rebel, but his strength was unable to fight the thick-bodied man.

Nida tried to hit, kick, bite, but her effort was worth it. His mind screamed as his body was thrown into the bed. He grew increasingly fearful as the lightning of lust flared in the eyes of the stranger.

'Allah! Help me!!' nida's inner scream. The nervousness shook Nida when she saw a foreign man in front of her who was getting closer.

Flashback complete.

***

"Dude!" Nanda's rather loud call awakens Nida from her bad daydreams of four years ago.

Nida blinked her eyes many times before finally realizing that she was sewing at the time. He saw the stitches of the mask were a little messed up. Because the stitch threads are collected at the same point.

"Nida, baby. You okay?" The next call from Nanda made Nida aware that she had been daydreaming for too long.

Nanda looked at him, and Nida saw worry in his eyes. He feels a little guilty.

'I shouldn't have been too affected when I heard Kania's story. He only mentioned the name of City X when, 'Sesal Nida.

"Nid, what's wrong, honey?"

Nida realized that she had not answered Nanda's question since then.

"Yes, Dad, I'm sorry. So don't you take Dad's call."

For a moment Nanda stared fixedly at his wife.

"You're the 4-year-old thing, right?"

Nida stunned. He felt moved because Nanda always knew what he felt without the need for him to tell stories. He was upset with himself.

'I should be able to make peace with my past. Anyways..'

"I'm okay, Dad. Sorry for worrying. I just missed something. But it's okay, I'm okay" replied Nida.

"But..."

"Really, Dad. I'm okay."

Nanda hugged Nida. He kissed Nida's head lovingly. His wife's frail body was filled with love. Before he finally said.

"I'm sorry I let that night happen. If only I had come home at that time, maybe you wouldn't have had nightmares like this. Pardon-"

"Nanda Wiraguna," cut Nida.

"It's okay. I'm really okay. I'm just a bit of a frantic cross. So you don't beat yourself up. There is no point in blaming fate. We can only plan everything. While God is the determinant of everything,"

"There is always wisdom over everything. Unfortunately, often our inner eyes are closed to see the wisdom. I'm really okay, Yang.. anyways, nothing bad really happened to me that night, right?"

"Lucky there was Mr. Kiman who happened to pass by and horrified the sound of screams help me. So I'm selamet. Aye right?"

"Yes.right. I owe Mr. Kiman a lot," Nanda breathed a sigh of relief.

A moment of silence. It seems that Ranum and Kania have finished washing the dishes. Because they no longer hear the clinking sound of washed dishes and spoons.

It was just the ticking of the clockwork inside the room that sounded in the ears. And the two couples enjoyed their moment of togetherness in silence and gratitude.

Thankful for all the good they have received. Grateful for every help when they are in trouble. Also be grateful for the awareness in the heart to always surround yourself in goodness.

"Alhamdulillah. 'alaa kulli haal, '" said Nida slowly.

***

*Alhamdulillah 'alaa kulli haal \= thank God for everything.

***