The Love of the Duda

TCSD 5: Dad

Tanti sat on the living room chair while applying nail polish on her lentic fingers. Sometimes he seems to blow his nails hoping that the nail polish he uses can dry soon. Her lips were endlessly shining a smile. Ever since the stepson received a proposal from the Karta master, her days have always been passed with happiness. Every time the shadow of teak land covering an area of three hectares was always dancing in his brain. It was this that made him even more impatient to meet with the master of Karta to ask for all that had been promised by the richest man in his village.

"Mother!"

The presence of Puspa who was his biological daughter, immediately made the shadow of three hectares of teak land in his head evaporate just like that. He glanced at the child who had looked neat at eight in the morning like this.

"Where are you going, Pus? You see lately you always go early in the morning and come home late? Where are you really?"

Seeing the activities of the child that seem to change lately, makes Tanti always overwhelmed by anxiety. The woman seemed to be afraid that her daughter would get it wrong.

"Puspa works ma'am, Puspa's job requires Puspa to go home late."

"You still work at the salon, right?" Tanti asked the child in full investigation.

Puspa nodded his head still while focusing with the phone in his hand. "Still Ma'am. But in the afternoon until evening, I worked as a waiter in a coffee shop. That's what often makes me come home late."

Tanti just clucked. "Why don't you work in a tempe factory like Mara? I see Mara's work is not so heavy, and she also has a lot of free time."

Puspa's lips are throbbing. The mother's words seemed to be tickling her ears. "Don't equate Puspa with the boy, Mom. Mara and I are different. He deserves to work in that place. As for me, I'm not very deserving of working there. After all, what can be expected by being a laborer in a tempe-making factory? Years working there can never make me rich, Mom."

Tanti squeaks softly. "But soon Mara will be a rich man, Pus. The Karta's oracle will marry her."

Puspa smiled cynically. "Puspa doesn't care at all. The Karta master is notoriously cruel in his treatment of his wives, and I think Mara's life will feel more and more like it's in the crust of hell."

"Hmmmmm... I don't even want to know how the boy lived after he married the Karta master. Because for sure, soon I'll be a rich man."

Forehead Puspa shriveled when he heard the mother's words. "Have I missed anything? What did that mother mean?"

"Yes, at least with the Karta oracle marrying Mara, we'll be dragged into a rich man anyway, Pus." Tanti stared fixedly at the face of the child with a meaningful gaze. "Three acres of teak will be ours."

Puspa's eyes instantly widened. "What's? Three acres of teak? I'm not kidding, right?"

"Obviously no. I really can't wait to enjoy that fortune."

Tanti and Puspa were wide open until the laughter of the two echoed throughout this room. Without them knowing if there was a male figure who stole all the talk of the mother and child.

Baskara who is none other than the father of Mara, had listened carefully to what was the talk of Tanti and Puspa. The location of the living room with the room occupied by Baskara that was so close, made the man could easily hear what the two women were talking about. There was nothing that Baskara could do, other than just dripping clear hairs from both corners of his eyes.

Oh my... It turns out that Tanti's plan is so devious. He's going to sell my son to the Karta boss. Lord, give me a way to get my son out of the shackles of this pain of course to atone for all the sins I have committed against my son.

The cries held on Baskara's lips sounded heart-wrenching. Right now there was nothing left in him, other than just the regret that was getting whackier. He realized that there were many things he had missed, especially the happiness of the princess who had escaped his attention.

The man further cursed himself when he could do nothing to become the child's shield in the face of all the ugliness that befell the princess. Even his daughter always tried to stand up straight with her own strength to face all the things that should not be experienced by a child her age. The princess should be going through adulthood with laughter and happiness. However, what was passed by Mara was just the opposite. Only grief and tears became his constant companions to pass through his days.

***

"Dad wait here for a minute, let Mara wash your bed linen and Dad's clothes."

After cleaning the father's body and changing his clothes, Mara intends to wash, but before she steps into the bathroom, her arms are hurriedly pulled by the father.

Mara slightly gasped and looked at the face of this middle-aged man before her with a slightly furrowed forehead. "What's up, Dad? Do you need anything?"

Baskara shook her head slowly. "I-Sorry..."

Baskara's voice sounded soft even sounded like someone who had difficulty speaking. However, the girl was able to clearly capture what the father was saying. Mara who was previously in a standing position, now she squatted in front of her father. He gripped his father's fingers tightly.

"Dad apologized for what? I'm not guilty of Mara at all."

Baskara took a deep breath. Since the stroke, he had difficulty in speaking but this time he had to try hard to be able to talk to the child. Because maybe tomorrow, he can no longer say anything to the princess just this wayangnya.

"I'm sorry, I've plunged you into this abyss of destruction, Mara... I have sinned greatly for you."

Mara smiled knot. His mind seemed to be sliced with pain seeing the condition of the father who was getting weaker and weaker. But he must be able to hide all that behind the mask by always showing a happy look on his face.

"Dad doesn't have to apologize. These are all paths of life that have been outlined for Mara, and Mara will face them."

"Your marriage to the master of Karta... Y-you can avoid it, Mara. Go out of this place, that you may escape from the shackles of this affliction."

A drop of clear crystal escaped Mara's clear well. He thought to his father that he wanted to run away from all this. But if he does, the father's safety will be at stake.

"No Dad. Mara will never leave this place. Mara will face this all Well."

Both netra belonging to Baskara also heated up to see the child who had passed the clear circle. "W-You don't have to think about Dad's safety, Mara. Get out of this place. Find out what will be your happiness. If anything happens to you, let it be all that will redeem you for the wrongs you have done to you and your mother."

Mara shook her head. "No Dad. How can Mara be happy while Dad's safety is at stake. Mara wasn't until the heart did that Dad, Mara couldn't."

"But Mara..."

Spring, Mara hugged the body of this man before her. Even though this man was someone who had plunged him into the abyss of destruction, it was this man who used to always hold him tightly in love and affection. No matter how bad the father's behavior, it will not be possible to erase the fact that the father figure will always be the first love for a daughter.

Gently, Mara rubbed Baskara's back. The man's breathing also felt stingy as if holding back a regret that exploded violently inside his chest. Making his mouth silenced, completely unable to say anything and can only be realized in the roar of tears that flowed from his eyes.

"Dad doesn't have to think about anything. Mara can get through this all Well, Mara can."

And the more intense tears flowing from Baskara's eyes increasingly confirmed that at this time the regret that was being felt by the man was really heartbreaking.

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