The Love of the Maharani

Interrogations

~Be careful not to tell lies.

Because one small lie can invite a bigger lie..~

***

Daffa came home when Azan Ashar just reverberated.

Immediately after Anna closed the door after Daffa's return, Mama Ira immediately asked her to sit back in the living room. This time Mama Ira was about to skin her relationship with Daffa.

Anna remembers Daffa's message in the car before they met Mama Ira.

Daffa said, "We have to admit that we've been in a relationship for a long time. It was to convince your mother to bless our marriage tomorrow. Just say it's almost a year."

"So you actually have a boyfriend? Why is it that when Mama first offered your engagement to Frans, you couldn't seem to refuse? Like you don't have a boyfriend yet" asked Mama Ira curiously.

"That's.." Anna hesitates.

Then imagine back to the voice of Daffa, 'And if your mother suspects you are not directly rejecting the engagement with Frans. Just tell me we were fighting. So it's like you have no choice but to get engaged to her'.

"We were fighting, Ma. Anna thinks our relationship can no longer be repaired. It turned out that yesterday it was just a misunderstanding" Anna said again.

"..."

"..."

Mama Ira looked at Anna. Meanwhile, Anna, trying her best so that Mama Ira can believe her story.

"Why do we have to tomorrow? Why not give yourself more time to prepare for a more mature marriage?" Ask Mama Ira back.

"Daffa told you, Ma. If. The day after, he had to go out of town. So to calm her heart, we decided to get married tomorrow.

"Daffa told you, Ma. If he had prepared everything. Please believe in Daffa, Ma!" pinta Anna's.

While in her heart, Anna was inward, 'How fake is all this. I asked my mother to trust Daffa. While I myself am still unsure of this marriage..'

Mama Ira asked for certainty about something.

"Purely because of work, right? Not because you... pregnant?!" Mama's Guidance.

Anna's surprised. Feeling angry and embarrassed by the allegations of pregnancy made by Mama Ira.

But looking from the glasses of an outsider, Anna could understand if her Mama could come to that thought. This wedding was so rushed.

"Anna, you didn't concede a pregnancy did you?" Asked Mama Ira again, when she saw Anna just silently lowered her head.

Anna hurriedly replied, "No, Ma! Anna is not pregnant. How could Mama think that. Just kiss us never.."

Anna's mouth was locked. His face was now flushed like a boiled crab. He cursed in his heart because he revealed the kiss.

'How could I have thought of doing such an intimate thing with Daffa. I must be crazy, ' Anna said in her heart.

Looking at the plain girly that Anna showed, Mama Ira could breathe a sigh of relief. 'It seems like their relationship is not too far away.'

A smile loomed on Mama Ira's face.

"alright. Then Mama can calm down. Maybe you should just get married first. To avoid unwanted events" said Mama Ira.

"About the origin of Daffa, you used to say that you didn't even know who his family was and where he lived. Did you lie to Mama?" Ask Mama Ira suspiciously.

Anna was unable to look Mama Ira in the eye when she answered this question. This time, he seems to have lied. "Sorry, Ma.."

"Mama hope you can live well. You can also help your family. Do you remember the condition of your brothers? So it's natural that Mama hopes more for your future companion" Papar Mama Ira.

"Yes, Ma.." Anna obeyed.

"So, who is this Daffa? Who are her parents?" Ask Mama Ira back.

"Daffa.."

Anna recalled Daffa's words when they were in the car.

'And if your mom asks about my parents, just tell me I'm an orphan. And Papaku is a high-ranking employee at PT Zi-Tech.'

"Anna had never met Daffa's parents either. But Daffa once said that his Papa worked at Zi-Tech as well" Anna said.

"Oo. fast. He was so easy to issue a check worth 1 Billion to marry you. It seems like he deserves enough to be with you. Mama can calm down now" explained Mama Ira.

"About tomorrow, it feels like Mama will only invite your Uncle Sam. Enough Mama, Uncle Sam and Dodi to be witnesses at your wedding. After Daffa comes home from out of town, we'll think of a big party for you."

".. Okay, Ma."

Anna then stood up to enter her room. But his steps were stopped again by Mama Ira.

"Wait a minute, Anna."

"Yes, Ma?"

Mom Ira hesitated to ask. But in the end the question in his mind was also issued.

"Do you and Daffa know about the engagement plan that you will be preparing for tomorrow? Is that why Daffa wants your wedding to be held tomorrow as well?" Ask Mama Ira.

"... " Slowly Anna shook her head. "Some," replied Anna.

Mama Ira looked carefully at Anna's facial expression. He doubted that Anna, whom he knew, did not like to lie. But somehow, his feelings tell him that Daffa knows his plans for Anna tomorrow.

"Have, Ma? Anna upstairs yeah," Anna said goodbye.

"Yes, you rest."

***

Anna was only able to breathe a sigh of relief after she stepped into her room.

'I think Mama believed enough of my explanation. I hope I can go through the next day without any more worry, Anna said.

In the middle of the room, Anna finds Zizi drawing. His gaze instantly became shady, upon seeing Zizi. The sense of Zizi's existence is like an oasis for him to be able to survive in this house.

Anna approached her sister and slowly kissed her head. He then took a sitting position near his sister, leaning his body and head to the edge of the mattress.

In silence, Anna observes the Zizi's routine activities. Sketching drawing.

Anna wondered. Is it Father or Mother who has passed down their artistic talents to Zizi. While Anna herself admitted that she had no artistic talent at all. For this one talent of Zizi, Anna often felt envious.

This time Anna saw Zizi drawing a face. I don't know whose face the sister drew. But looking at the rough strokes in her sketchbook, Anna could guess that Zizi was drawing a man's face.

The man's face is seen to have a moustache and a fairly thick beard, so the most memorable of the faces in the Zizi painting is the crown embedded on the man's head.

'This... picture of a king?' Anna guessed in her heart.

***