The Love of Habib

Season II: Senandung Missing (7)

At 03:30 he was awakened by the sound of a toa in the mosque. Night prayers will be done soon. Gisel woke up smoothly while Baras did not move at all. He slept well and was not affected by the sound of the toa in the mosque.

"Kak Laras, brother Laras wake up. It's morning." Gisel shook Laras' body to wake her up.

"Oh.oh, it's morning." Said Laras but still reluctant to wake up from his sleep.

Instead of waking up he even improved his sleeping position as comfortable. Of course Laras lack of sleep because staying up until 1 o'clock because of playing mobile phones. Gisel guessed it without asking.

Shaking his head helplessly, he reawakened Laras.

"We go to tahajud prayer, brother. If we don't go, we'll be scolded by ustazah."

"Yes.yes, I woke up. I'm up." Barrel finally woke up.

He sat pensively on the bed looking at Gisel who was taking a change of clothes from the closet.

This dressing shirt is one of the clothes that will be used in the kitchen. But since it was still clean, he would use it to pray to the mosque.

"I'll take a shower, brother." Gisel told Laras.

Baras is still sleepy. His sleeping face nodded lightly in response.

A few minutes later he finally thought clearly and realized that Gisel had gone to take a bath.

"He was very diligent about going to the shower. Shower at night, shower at this hour, isn't she cold?" Laras shook his head helplessly.

Actually the santriwati are not that clean. They are sometimes lazy to shower, the factor is because it is cold and besides they are more in the room so that their appearance is always clean. But there are also santriwati who like to shower like Gisel. There are some but not many. Most are more lazy. But if it has entered hot weather, it would be strange if they are lazy to touch the water.

After finishing cleaning himself he and Laras went to the mosque together. Again they got a rear saf. No need to regret, because the best saf for women is a rear saf. So they gladly held the prayer.

After the tahajud prayer, they stayed inside the mosque to read the Qur'an until dawn came. After the morning prayers, they went to the dormitory to put things down and then went to the kitchen to make breakfast.

Breakfast at the boarding house every morning is dominated by porridge. Besides the fast cooking does not require too much cooking process.

They make chicken porridge. Food is most friendly for those santriwati because the portions are also filling.

"Gisel, cut the chives, yeah. After you cut everything, immediately wash it clean in tap water so that it can be directly sprinkled into the porridge." Wulan, a force with Laras and quite familiar with Gisel gave instructions.

"So soon, brother." Gisel gave up his current job.

He went to pick up some leeks and cut them thinly as quickly as possible. Fortunately, he did not do it himself. Some people came to help. So that the work can be done quickly.

When the sun had exposed itself on the sky face of the boarding school, the porridge was ripe on the pot. Today to prepare two large pans for breakfast. And three baskets of chicken drivers that have a very fragrant aroma. There are also some chicken eggs that are cut into 4 parts. So each bowl has one small, delicious slice.

Once the porridge is ripe they are immediately served into a bowl. Each bowl gets a large spoon of porridge, a spoonful and a half of chicken milk, a piece of sliced egg, a pinch of leeks, a pinch of fried onion and a scented gravy in the bowl.

Presenting it takes extra patience so as not to spill everywhere.

Once each bowl is ready, they are instantly delivered to the top of the dining table at the food stand. Inside the stand most santriwati and santri have come. They were all compact using blue uniforms for the juniors, while the seniors were wearing light green uniforms.

Their appearance is very pleasing to the eye. Reminds Gisel of the days when he and his two best friends came to this place.

Seeing some groups joking, Gisel's heart longed. He wondered when he would meet his two best friends again.

"Hey, why are you so dumb? Let's get the bowls inside. Pity your other friends hard work but you are here even fun to be dumb." A woman rebuked Gisel with her curious tone.

Everyone is working hard here passing food into the stand. But Gisel instead stood dumbstruck watching his colleagues work.

Gisel surprised. His cheeks immediately reddened in embarrassment. He does not mean to be silent and watch people work, while he does not. He really was unintentional. He was only moved to see some santriwati chatting together which instantly reminded him of his two best friends.

"Sorry, sorry brother." Gisel apologized without making excuses for self-defense.

He's wrong here, too. Instead of helping work it gets stuck in nostalgia.

"Let's go into the kitchen. After you finish breakfast, the task of washing dishes will fall into your hands." After saying so, the woman immediately left without giving face to Gisel.

Gisel felt embarrassed and sad at the same time. It was agreed that washing dishes was not his job. But since the woman had already asked for it, then Gisel would definitely obey her. He was careless today.

"Yes, brother." He said as he followed her into the kitchen.

All bowls have been sent to the food stand. The workers in the kitchen had breakfast in the kitchen. Their portion of food is the same as the other santri and santriwati.

Gisel, Laras, Wulan, and several others gathered in one place eating a bowl of porridge.

"Gisel, come here, son." A cook called Gisel over.

Since they did not have a dining table in the kitchen, then everyone was sitting on the floor below for breakfast.

"Why, Mom?" Gisel asked nervously.

He was afraid of being scolded again.

"Give me your porridge bowl."

"Today you have worked hard. I know you're tired." The cook said as he added the porridge into Gisel's bowl along with several toppings such as chicken and egg milk. But specifically for Gisel, the cook gave one extra whole egg as a thank you for his hard work.

"Eh... Ma, no. I've had enough." Gisel said stop.

But the cook did not hear and handed over Gisel's bowl after it was filled.

"Good child, I know that you need enough food. Coupled with your hard work, I felt touched. If you want to add, just tell mom and the others. We won't refuse." Said the cook with a warm maternal smile on his old face.

Gisel's heart trembled. Even her aunt did not say these gentle words to her just yet. But this old woman, a stranger who had no blood relation to her, gave such tender attention.

Both of Gisel's eyes were sore.

"Thank you, Mom. Thank ye. But I'm really quite and I'm not good with the others. Everyone's share is the same, but I'm different myself. I don't want to make people uncomfortable." Gisel said sincerely.

He knew that the other friends wanted more. But everyone gets the same portion, whether it is santri, santriwati, or teaching staff. Everyone gets the same portion. It would be unfair if he was different.

"What to fear. Everyone understands you. Okay, eat there. I'm very helped with your hard work." The cook pushed Gisel back to where he was.

Some people pay attention to the interaction of the cook and Gisel. Most of them did not say anything because it was the cook's right to give something to another. But it is different for some people who already have dissatisfaction in their hearts about Gisel.

"He's just an intern, his job's not hard. But why did you add food?" Someone whispered dissatisfied.

Others also chimed in.

"His job wasn't hard and I caught him being dumbassed outside all alone. When we take the trouble to send food to the food stand, he even fun to stand watching us work. Is this what it means to work hard by your mother? That's not fair. When I first interned, I wasn't treated this best by mom." She was the woman who had reprimanded Gisel with a loud voice.

Indeed at first he had a very bad impression on Gisel. And after seeing him standing still watching others work while he was dumbfounded, he grew increasingly dissatisfied.

Just the assessment has been revealed, what if you have started working here as an intern?

"Hey, don't be so loud. Your voices can be heard." They were both reminded.

The woman snorted unhappily, "Let him hear. I'm not afraid."

The person who had reprimanded him fell silent and said nothing. It's free to tell a stubborn person. They do not act with the brain but act with emotion.

"Good day, hum?" Barrel poked Gisel's waist while smiling sweetly.

Gisel shy.

"Wouldn't you do it too?" While showing the full egg.

Baras shook his head in refusal. He had enough with his bowl portion.

"No, you just eat. This is my good intention for you. He sees your hard work. God willing, you must have received an internship here. You see, your attention to you has confirmed it directly. Congratulations, deck. We go shopping to celebrate this good news." Laras spoke positively that Gisel would be welcome here.

It was actually not only Laras who had this thought. Perhaps most of the people here also had the same thoughts. A cook is a person who takes care of a soup kitchen. You could say he was the leader. The special cottage funds for the kitchen are held by him. And cooks usually have a good attitude to everyone. It's just that attention such as giving extra portions to others is rarely done. It's like talking about justice. Everyone should have the same portion.

So when they saw Gisel being treated well by the cook, they were generally a bit jealous but that feeling just passed by. Because who works hard will definitely get the price.

But for some people who want to intern here. They regret not working so hard to show the cook that they are trying. If the cook saw them, then they would be treated as well as Gisel. Heard the cook's attention meant Gisel was positively apprenticed in a soup kitchen.

"Thank you, brother. I don't dare to hope. But brother's kind words will I take as prayer. But before the good news was confirmed, I did not dare to celebrate. So we better wait." Gisel said humbly.

He did have hope in his heart but did not dare to say it. Better just shut up.

"As far as you are. You're a good girl, you deserve to like you." Wulan said she was happy for Gisel.

Gisel was embarrassed. He lowered his head focusing on eating the porridge in the bowl.

...*****...

The day just passed. And Gisel forgot to pick up the phone at the office because it was too busy working in the kitchen. Today he saw Danis but couldn't talk to her because Danis looked very busy. His footsteps rushed out of nowhere. Gisel could only look at him from afar. Then just like that.

In the evening, Gisel took a night bath and immediately laid himself on the bed. The body is all sore, it feels very uncomfortable. Especially when thinking about the reprimand he got this morning, he was embarrassed and still sad. If only Aish and Dira were here. They would definitely not let anyone bully him. It was a pity that her two brothers were not here so she felt so lonely.

Looking to the right. Barrel's fallen asleep. He may be too tired to even have time to play his phone. His snoring voice resounded within their room.

Gisel was not disturbed. He even felt the snoring sound of Laras like a lullaby song to accompany his lonely night.

"I hope tomorrow is better than today." His whisper prayed before falling asleep.

...*****...

The next morning after all the morning prayers, Gisel was suddenly called by the kitchen cook. Under the silent scrutiny of the eyes of a few, Gisel spoke to the kitchen cook.

The ears of some people instantly erect listening to their conversation.

"Gis, today you went out to the market to buy some kitchen needs. I have prepared the list here. So you just follow this list. Buy according to what you write. If you do not find some herbs or vegetables, then do not force yourself to look for them. It will be used later." The cook said to Gisel while giving Gisel a list. Look through the list quite a lot and in each list the mother will write down in detail how many kilos to buy.

"Yes, Mom. Thank you for trusting me. But I'm afraid the people in the market aren't lowering their prices on me. You see, I was too young and had never been to the market to buy these things." He and his two best friends once went to the market, but they went down to buy food alone and some clothes.