The Garden of Heaven

PART 9'S

No one will ever know when God will send the angel Izrail to uproot the human spirit. Earlier this morning Kyai Jalaludin was still filling the routine study every morning with his students, he also still imitated the Maghrib prayer at the Al Furqon mosque. But who would have thought, after the Maghrib prayer he admitted to catching a cold and asked to make ginger wedang on Nyai Siti Maemunah, his wife. There are not five minutes Nyai Maemunah to the kitchen making ginger wedang, once back kyai Jalaludin is gone in a state of sitting on the sofa in the middle room.

His sudden departure of course made his family very hard hit. Nyai Maemunah passed out many times. Gus Misbah Al Farich, Kyai Jalaludin's youngest son, could not hold back his tears until he ran out of energy. Meanwhile, as Gus Hasan's eldest son struggled to deal with this great loss, he who was pacing back and forth received guests who kept coming nonstop, gave these and that instructions to the santri. Even he had not seen the situation of Umi and her sister inside.

The living room was crowded with guests and also santi-santri who read tahlil. In the courtyard of the house Gus Hasan greeted the guests who had just come, among them was a figure who was very respected, namely Kyai Abdul Fatah. Beside him was Romo Abdurrahman Hadiningrat who seemed to have walked with the help of a cane and flanked by Fikri who was the junior Gus Hasan while in the Lirboyo boarding school, Kediri. While beside Fikri stood a handsome male figure in his early thirties.

First Gus Hasan greeted Father Abdurrahman, kissing his hands in reverence. With compassion, Father Abdurrahman embraced him, gave him a brief tip so that he was firm and sincere, then alternated with Kyai Abdul Fatah, Fikri, and others, then a handsome man named Lukman who turned out to be none other than Kyai Abdul Fatah's younger brother.

Just by looking at the two, anyone would not have thought if Lukman was Kyai Abdul Fatah's younger brother. From appearance, speech style, to the actions look very opposite. If Kyai Abdul Fatah is a religious figure, Lukman actually looks like an overseas actor who appears on advertising banners on the roadside. Initially Gus Hasan guessed the man in his early thirties, it turned out to be a big mistake. Lukman has been forty-three years.

Gus Hasan invited them in, but somehow he felt there were eyes that kept watching him. He tried to set his eyes around, but found no one. Accidentally his eyes broke through the glass window that bound the living room with the side courtyard. There were two girls who were staring at him, but the other hurriedly shifted his gaze while dragging his friend and passed. Just a second their eyes met and he was stunned. Somehow Gus Hasan felt familiar with the girl, and strangely he again felt the vibrations he had felt one year ago.

****

Being the first champion in the Taekwondo championship in Jakarta made Einsteina advance to the national level held in the city of Jogjakarta. About a year ago, when Lukman insisted he would accompany his daughter who would advance to the national Taekwondo championship, Einstein was only seen accompanying her, until he gladly agreed. But who would have thought if his father turned out not only wanted to watch his son compete, but he also insisted on determining a suitable lodging place for him, he said, it should be the responsibility of the coach and his sports teacher at school. And unfortunately, Lukman brought Einstein to his eye home so that he remained under surveillance while in Jogja. The only place Einstein didn't want to visit in Gudeg.

Lukman also insisted on dropping him off, which his daughter vehemently opposed. The distance between his eye house and GOR UNY, where the tournament is held is not too far away. But Lukman did not listen to his daughter's protest at all, until later after wearing a headscarf that was constantly proffered by his daughter's eyes, Einstein secretly determined to go alone by using the Trans Jogja bus.

What he did not expect was that he met a beautiful, shady-looking man on the bus who would take him to Maguwoharjo stadium, where his coach picked him up. The man he was sure was the same one he had just seen in the living room of the late kyai Jalaludin. They only briefly met, but somehow Einstein was always imagined by him even without him knowing. His smile, his heavy voice, to the jaw of his square that is always imagined when talking about Robert Pattinson is always present in his dreams, even though he himself does not consider it anything special.

"Ina, God's time. From earlier mbak cariin kok turned out to be stuck here." A veiled figure marun appeared in the doorway startling the two who were just about to enter.

"Mbak Colored? Whoa, Ina kangen." He immediately embraced Khadijah, his cousin.

"How's my brother doing? It feels like a long time ago I did not meet Ina, now it is getting higher, yes. Until we lose." Khadijah twisted Einstein's body while watching him in amazement, then his eyes caught a girl standing a short distance away from them watching the two. "This must be Vivian, Ina's friend. Much prettier than what Ina said in her letters." Khadijah smiled kindly as she approached the awkward-looking Vivian, greeted her and hugged her familiarly.

"This is Ma'am Colored, Vi. His brother Mas Fikri." Obviously Einsteina who was only nodded head by Vivian, then Khadijah holding his hands both walked along the yard to the back.

"Where are we going, Ma'am?" vivian asked after a long silence.

"So Umi same message Ma'am, Ina same Vivian nginap in Mbak's room just let someone take care."

"Well, nginep anyway. We're not going home this late?" the Einstein protest seemed reluctant.

"It can't be, Na. Everyone will attend Kyai Jalaludin's funeral tomorrow. So you'll stay here until tomorrow." Khadijah replied, Einsteina sighed lazily.

"Where is Umi the same, Ma'am? They're also nginep in Mbak's room Sejah?" vivian. Khadijah shook his head with a smile before answering.

"Same umm Eyang was meeting Umi Maemunah, they were staying at ndalem."

The three arrived at a room located right behind the ndalem family residence. The 4x6 room contained two bunk beds, two small plastic cabinets, and a wooden table on which there were piles of books. The room had two doors. The first door was the door they had passed through from the courtyard, next to which was a small table above which perched a drinking water dispenser. While the other door is on the right which has a kapstok to hang clothes.

Einsteina's eyes watched the room that was even too small for the room size of her aides in the house. While Vivian without much protest immediately laid her body on the mattress on one of the bunk beds and closed her eyes.

Einstein's hand stretched out to open the second doorknob that had a shirt pocket. But Khadijah hurriedly held him.

"It's late, Ina. You better sleep. Later Om Lukman negur mbak if you stay up late." He said as he fondly stroked the top of Einstein's head. Einstein was forced to comply. Since childhood, only Khadija can make it so obedient. Then the two made their way to the bed, Einstein immediately laid his body down while Khadijah covered him.

"Don't forget prayer, you stay a while." He said after peeking at Einstein's forehead, then rose to walk towards the door was not opened by Einstein. Einateina tried to close her eyes and the shadow of the handsome, shady face was back.

****

While in front of him Khadijah along with five friends seemed busy cooking. A spacious kitchen that turned out to be connected to a room that was occupied overnight by Einstein. Three of them are senior santri who serve as the khadimah Nyai Maemunah, including Kadijah, while the rest are santri who help.

As soon as Vivian came out, Einsteina took turns to take a bath. Not ten minutes Einsteina in the bathroom, she came out grumbling with cold. Soon he was in the fog looking for the black softlense he always wore, so that Khadija who was cooking also sought it.

"It's not that you semalem don't use softlense deh, Na." said Vivian after tired of looking for Einsteina's obligations that never met.

"Indeed, you put where last night, Na. has not been looking to see you either."

"Oh my goodness, the gambreng grandmother hastily dragged us. I don't make softlense, Vi." Einsteina patted her own forehead while Vivian rolled her eyeballs irritatedly.

"Say you know that I know that I'm the same as Ma'am Sejah!" exclaim Vivian gemas.

"Oh yeah, I'm really freaking out dodol. That's what I'm supposed to wear."

"Already, already. Better hurry up, keep on breakfast. Then we will go together before the funeral of Kyai Jalaludin." Khadijah hastily mediated the two.

"But Ina's eyes, Ma'am?" Einstein looked clear, Khadijah understood the meaning of his cousin's sister.

"It's wearing a veil, yeah." Reply calms.

"What?? Einstein make veil. That's right, Ma'am. Pake this game just moan it not stop." Vivian couldn't believe it.

"Diem lo, bawel. Yeah, pinjem veil dong, Ma'am." His words while staring away from the gaze of his successful best friend made Vivian increasingly gawking. Khadijah just took a cloth from the plastic cupboard.

****

After almost two hours of funeral procession Kyai Jalaludin, right at 11:00 the sea of humans that filled the Al Furqon pesantren slowly reduced. Some villagers have returned to their homes, the santri back and forth clean the yard and also clean the scattered chairs.

Meanwhile behind the dormitory where the body of the late Kyai Jalaludin was buried, Gus Hasan had just finished reciting the holy verses of the Quran beside the tomb of his father along with several others.

Soon he got up with his younger brother, Gus Misbah and walked towards his house. His heart was still filled with sadness, but as much as possible he did not want to show it, especially in front of Gus Misbah and Uminya. While Gus Misbah himself still looks moody, even though he has promised not to cry anymore. Gus Hasan warned her not to cry, for crying would only leave her late father covered in darkness in his grave. Gus Hasan even snapped at him when Gus Misbah could not stop his crying. Gus Hasan unceasingly said, if his sister feels sorry for almahum kyai Jalaludin then his virginity should not be mourned. Not that he did not feel sorry for the loss felt by his sister, only he could not see his family slumped in such a way

Crying over a dead person is also not allowed, because it will only make the deceased suffer there. Those who have left will never be able to return even if they are mourned to the blind. Quite prayed from here. The dead need nothing but prayer.

When they arrived at the courtyard of the house, Gus Hasan saw Khadijah, his uminya khadimah who was also the daughter of Kyai Abdul Fatah was walking with a black-veiled girl. Khadijah hurriedly lowered his head when he saw Gus Hasan and Gus Misbah walking closer to them, but different from the veiled girl. He looked up at them, and their gazes met.

Gus Hasan almost tripped the road barrier so terkesimanya. Those eyes, those blue eyes that were always dancing around in his mind. The shady eyes belong to the angel of the garden of heaven, the Riadhil Jannah who never lost in his memory. One who had been making him fret erratically, it turns out that he was here very close to him.

How Gus Hasan wants to say something, but why his mouth feels funny, there is not a single sentence that he can say. Until then his consciousness fully recovered when Gus Misbah nudged his hand and the girl was no longer in front of him.

"Mas all right?" gus Misbah asked with a frown.

"Ah, yes. uh." Gus Hasan's answer made the pain in his sister's forehead deeper.

"Why the hell?"

"It's okay, let's go in. Meet Umi." Then Gus Hasan walked ahead of his brother to enter the house immediately. His heart rate has not returned to normal.