The Girl Next Door's

Other Eyewitnesses

"You've been hanging out here since yesterday."

Alex approached his son who was sitting quietly in the front yard of their house. Actually Alex was very interested in his son's behavior. Many times Deril sits there drawing or just listening to a song.

The first thing that comes to Alex's head is the possibility that Deril is in puberty. And the target is of course the beautiful next door neighbor girl is amazing.

Alex feels proud because her child type turned out to be that tall.

"I want to relax again" replied Deril.

Hearing Deril's unusual answer, Alex becomes increasingly interested. He sat next to Deril. There was a glass of iced orange that was no longer cold on the table.

Their home page was not yet fully completed. Serena has just worked on small things, such as planting pearl grass in some parts and planting some types of flowers in the corner of the yard. One tree that is large enough to cover most of the front yard of the house. Unlike the front page of Doctor Stephen's house, their courtyard was not too broad, but large enough to work on.

Sunlight does not hit too much because it is blocked by the building of the house. The front yard is a great place to relax when dusk comes.

But, no matter how comfortable the place is, Alex knows that his son is not a dreamy person. Alex used to see Deril paint in his room. That's what makes Alex give the attic to Deril. It will be a place of development of his talent.

"Is there nothing you want to do?" Alex fishing.

Deril's eyes are still fixed on one of the windows in Doctor Stephen's house. Mika never showed up there again.

"Nothing" replied Deril.

Alex took a long breath. "Dad heard yesterday's problem."

Deril looked quickly. His heart was beating fast. "Ma-what problem?" tanyakanya.

"About you breaking into the Doctor's house next door."

Deril swallowed with great difficulty. He knew that this matter would not pass easily. People like Doctor Stephen wouldn't let Deril off the hook after making a splash. It's still a good thing that Doctor Stephen didn't talk about this to the other neighbors. Deril could be labeled as a strange person and have no future here.

"That's a misunderstanding," Deril defended himself.

"You story? Who knows, I could give you some good advice."

Deril weighed for a moment. To him, there was something strange about Doctor Stephen's family. They look like a happy family from the outside. However, there are some pieces of events that Deril thinks are awkward.

"I've met a guy named Bayu." Deril decides to tell Alex about his meeting with Bayu. "He told me something that I thought was weird."

"What kind of news?"

"For example, I found Mom disappearing without a trace. How's Dad feeling?"

"Waaah... I'm going crazy!" Alex answered while shaking his head. "Maybe, you'll be a force for a living father, but all won't be the same without your mother."

"Do you know that Doctor Stephen's wife is missing and has not been found yet?"

Alex's eyebrows shot up. "You hear that from a guy named Bayu?"

Deril nodded. "It's not just Bayu" continued Deril. "I also had a chat with the mothers here, about Doctor Stephen's family."

Alex laughed a little. "So you have a new hobby? Jumping into your mother's?"

"No, Dad!" deril's great-grandson, was upset by the conclusion Alex had said. "Dad can focus, right? I want this story to focus on Doctor Stephen's family!"

"Hhh..." Alex stopped laughing. "OK, okay. Continue on!"

"I think Doctor Stephen is a little weird. The face is weird too."

Deril took a quick glance towards the multistory mansion that stood firmly next to his house. The home of a girl who initially catches Deril's attention. "Doctor Stephen seemed not to be so bothered by the traumatic event. I think he's too focused on Mika. Though, the news of his wife was unknown until now."

"How should?"

Deril's shoulders lifted. "Turning the police station?"

"Maybe you don't know. You, right, don't see Doctor Stephen's activities every day" Alex said.

Deril did not answer. His father has a point. He had to follow Doctor Stephen's activities every day to strengthen his conjecture.

"And again, Doctor Stephen has to move on for the sake of his son, right? If she was wasting time on things she couldn't change, Mika couldn't possibly be the healthy child she is today."

"If she's really healthy, why doesn't Mika go to school?"

"He's not in school?"

Deril shook with a sure face. "The kids at my school knew about the amazing beautiful girl in this neighborhood, but never really met or talked to Mika. No one's ever seen him in school."

Alex clasped his hands between his knees. She sat slightly leaning forward, signaling that she was listening to her son's story carefully.

"If I don't remember wrongly, Mika went abroad as a child and just came back here about two years ago."

"That means he spent his childhood abroad?"

"Yes." Yeah."

"Just like Doctor Stephen?"

"No."

"Lha? Continues to?" ask Alex.

"When I go abroad alone. According to the testimony, her mother disappeared when she wanted to follow Mika."

Alex's forehead shriveled. "Isn't this suspicious? The police intervene?"

"No result from the police. That's why I said, Doctor Stephen is too quiet for the size of the husband who lost his beloved wife. But he's too focused on Mika." Deril turned his attention to Doctor Stephen's car which emerged from the corner. The clock shows at five o'clock in the afternoon. Today is Sunday. Doctor Stephen used to come home at this time. "In addition, I had a chance to see Mika's expression was strange."

"We're also doing something suspicious by talking here staring at the next-door neighbor's house" Alex said.

"Yes, that's why, don't look there, dong!" deril protest.

Alex changed direction. He stared at Mr. Brama's house across the street from their house. The bright green painted house, looks very striking than other houses.

Doctor Stephen's car stopped in front of his house. Doctor Stephen got out of the car to open the gate. Deril lowered his head so that their eyes would not meet.

"Tempo day Doctor Stephen plays the piano. As soon as I heard the melody, I knew it was a happy song that excited anyone. But Mika looked very scared. Mika also sent me a signal for help. But, when I barged in, Mika seemed to corner me."

"Indeed, what did you see until you broke in?" ask Alex. Actually, he heard Doctor Stephen's version first. Doctor Stephen said that Deril has a high imagination and likes to interfere in the affairs of others. Alex did not believe it. After all, he had been Deril's father ever since Deril was born in this world. Alex knew the nature of his son So, he did not want to believe the words of Doctor Stephen, even though his opponent was an adult with higher education.

Deril's throat became dry when the flash of events the other day, back he remembered. "Mika is having sexual intercourse with a man," the answer slid very quickly from her mouth.

Seeing the expression of his father who gaped in disbelief, Deril was ready to be given advice at length, even punished not to be out of the house by his father. Deril has no proof for what he said. So, it could be said that Deril is just saying nonsense.

"Son," Alex hissed. His eyes flashed, scaring Deril. "Dad also had a glimpse of it" whispered Alex.

***