The Love of the Duda

TCSD 26: Birthday Cake

Mara, the young girl took off the footwear she was wearing, leaving her feet bare and resting on the white sand on the beach. The beach's typical night wind hit the girl's hair, making her swing along with the movement of her footsteps. Likewise with the dress he was wearing, fluttering along with the wind blowing.

Sea water receding at night like this makes the girl unconscious if she has walked away from the shore. Finally he decided to land his butt on this stretch of beach sand. His gaze stared straight ahead, looking at the expanse of the high sea that seemed to be limitless. And seen fishing boats speeding, moving to catch fish. The girl was just speechless, dissolved in her own thoughts.

At a glance, the shadow of the father figure flashed through his mind. Although there is a sense of worry about the condition of the father, but he always believes that Pramono can take good care of his father.

"Hhmmmmm where are you right now, Dad? Did you arrive in Bogor City? Is dad okay? Mara really misses Dad, but how else, Mara has to complete Mara's task to accompany the master who will give a ride for Mara to get to the city. Hopefully soon we'll be found."

Mara sighed deeply and slowly exhaled. Such a life story never once crossed his mind. Losing a mother. Accepting the fact that the father remarried to a one-child widow. The father who suddenly suffered a stroke, ran away from the pursuit of Karta and last met an adult man named Dewa who slightly disturbed his inner peace. All the stories about the pettiness of life that may only be experienced by him.

"Living a few hours, I'm one year older. Twenty years, it's a good time to start exploring my future. Build dreams that had stopped and began to strengthen themselves to try to make the dream come true."

Mara slightly let out a rough breath. Besides he remembered the figure of the father, but he also remembered the figure of the mother who is now gone. A flash of memory about the past that he had passed with his mother, suddenly reappeared to the surface. Making his chest feel a little tight and pushing the clear crystal circles gathered at the corner of his eyes.

"Mothers... If the mother is still there, maybe now Mara will pass the night of Mara's age with full of happiness. Just like before, when you were here. On Mara's birthday, I always make cakes. Although it was just a simple cake made by the mother, Mara was so happy to receive it. Before blowing out the candle, I always asked for a wish that one day, Mara could be a great person and succeed with whatever Mara aspires to be."

Mara monologues with herself. Sometimes he rubbed his tears that had soaked his cheeks. "Mother, if mother is still here, maybe Mara could be a much stronger human figure. Is it possible that Mara could face and live this all by herself?"

A man standing behind Mara's back could only be stunned listening to what became the girl's outpouring of heart. There was a strange feeling that suddenly touched the man's deepest recesses. Which also made him feel a crush on his chest until a speck of clear bulir that also escaped from the eye peluk.

Who exactly is this girl? Is that so fragile the girl I just knew? Although he looks so fragile, but he seems to be transformed into a figure that is so tough. He always looks so cheerful. Could it be that cheerfulness has always been seen to form a shell in order to protect his heart from fragility?

The man who was none other than the God, just stared at the body of the girl who was dissolving in his mind. He had been to and fro looking for the whereabouts of the girl because he was not seen in his room. At the instructions of one of the resort's servants, God was finally able to find the whereabouts of this girl.

"Are you going to have a birthday tomorrow?"

The man's words suddenly sounded through Mara's sense of hearing, suddenly making the girl aghast for a moment. He turned to the side, and it seemed that the God was already sitting by his side.

"Master? Why is the Master here? Does the Master follow wherever I go?"

That's absolutely right, Ra. You seem to be a magnetic field for me, which can always attract me to be near you.

"I was just taking a night walk. And it turns out, I found you here." While looking at the expanse of the high sea that was in front of him, the God inhaled a deep air and he exhaled slowly. "Is it true that tomorrow you will have a birthday?"

Mara just smiled thinly. "Yes, sir, tomorrow is my birthday. Therefore, I choose to take a walk tonight like this so that I can continue to wake up in the moments of my age later."

"Then, what are you going to do at twelve o'clock tonight?"

Mara just sniffed her shoulders. "Oh sir, it may be just a wish."

"Without cake and candles?"

Mara was a little bit of a laugh. "The ritual of cutting the cake and blowing out the candles has long been not done sir, precisely after my mother died. So I'm used to just sitting here staring like this."

The god linked his eyes towards Mara. Feeling a pair of eyes staring at him, Mara also linked her gaze towards the God and now the two eyes were turning.

"If I'm the one who's going to start over so you can do the ritual of cutting the cake and blowing out the candles, are you willing to accept it?"

The god looked at the circular clockwork on his wrist. Eleven hours over fifteen minutes. Without wasting much time he began to get up from his seat. That's what made Mara a little bit surprised.

"Where are you going?"

A faint smile rose on the lips of God. "Please wait here, I'll be right back."

***

"Sorry sir, the chef at this resort is home. Because it's been working since ten last night."

With a face filled with bad taste, one of the crew at this resort apologized to God, because the resort could not grant God's request to make a birthday cake.

The god who heard the crew's words was a little confused as to what he should do. Because the only hope so that he can get the cake is only from this resort kitchen. But he was worried about what to do when the chef's working hours were over.

In between his confusion, the Gods tetiba had quite a brilliant idea. If he did not get the cake from the chef of this resort, maybe he could get the cake from his own hands.

"Sir, can I borrow the kitchen and all the utensils and materials in the kitchen?"

The resort employee was a little surprised. "I mean Sir?"

"Let me use the kitchen to make birthday cakes the way I want."

"But Sir..."

"Mbak take it easy. I'll definitely give you more tips if I'm allowed to use the kitchen."

The resort employee smiled clumsyly. "But Sir, if I allow you to use the kitchen, it is the same as if I have violated the SOP. And consequently I could be fired. Because the kitchen is one private area, which not just anyone can enter, sir."

Still trying hard to persuade the clerk in front of him, God twisted the brain so that this woman would grant his request.

"If you get fired, you can work in my factory. I'll pay Mbak double the salary Mbak gets here."

Hearing the words twice the salary, immediately made the officer was struck with anxiety. On the one hand he did not want to violate the SOP, but on the other hand, the double salary seemed to make him tempted.

He spread his eyes around. "Okay sir, let me take you to the kitchen. But you have to promise me that if I am fired, you are the guarantee for me. Give me a job and double my salary."

A wide smile rose on the lips of the God. He stretched his hand towards the officer. "Deal!!"

The resort official welcomed the hand of the gods. He smiled and nodded. "Deal!!!".

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