The Love Story of Children Santri

Chapter 16 - Learning to be Thankful

In a kitchen a santri was slicing some vegetables while sitting down. The vegetables he put on the table. With a throbbing lip expression, a lazy hand motion led the knife to cut a carrot. 

A woman called Ummi was standing facing the burning stove. His right hand stirred the cooking in the pan with a spatula. 

His lips smiled after inhaling the aroma of cooking he was processing. It seemed like the cuisine was so delicious that it hypnotized him. 

"Eve, are you done slicing the carrot, baby?" call Ummi to a santri who slices a carrot. It looks like Ummi will cook the soup after the first meal is over.

Feeling no answer Ummi turned his head, looking at Eve who kept his head down. Just a glimpse of the smile he emitted, then stepped closer to Eve. 

"Eve?" call Ummi before finally the round eyes are widened perfectly because they see a piece of carrot that is so big. But not one bit angry. All he did was take a long breath.

"Eve, this is too big, here Ummi teaches." 

Umm Khodijah immediately took a knife that was squeezed in the middle of the fingers of Eve, as well as a base for cutting made of wood. 

His hands began to move, cutting the carrot as thin as possible, in contrast to Eve, so thick it would probably be very long to mature. 

"Well, like this." 

"Yes, then Ummi cut it. Eve said she couldn't!" ketus Eve, who had no manners at all. 

But Ummi, not the slightest bit of hate or anger. In such a situation he can still smile.

"It's natural, because you're still learning. Ummi was not angry. Let Ummi continue but Ummi may ask for help? Turn off the stove, baby." 

The softness of Ummi, making Eve could not argue. Although his face looks riled up, but Eve still obeyed the orders of Ummi. 

Eve, get up from the chair filled directly by Ummi. After approaching the fire stove, turn it off. The smell of cooking that is so appetizing, making Eve want to peek what the hell is in the frying pan? 

For a second his head poked forward, when he saw it turned out that what was in the frying pan was a pesmol tilapia. Of course, interested and want to eat it. 

However, his lips again throbbed to remember if he ate not with a delicious and very boring. 

Eve comes back to Ummi maybe she will protest. 

"Ommy?" 

"Yes?" 

"Ummi cook pesmol fish? Every day we never eat with fish. Most fried chicken kept, more vegetables, and tofu tempeh." 

It turns out that Eve was complaining about her daily food. 

"Do you like pesmol fish?" ummi asked softly, Hawa immediately nodded.

"Sit down" said Umm Hawapun sitting on an empty chair beside Ummi.

"Sir Kiyai was eating fish, so Ummi cooked. If for the santri there is a special who cook it is not Ummi. You said you ate the same chicken, not good?" 

"Son but bored." 

"Would you like to eat fish today?" 

"Can." 

"Later in the afternoon we will eat together?"

"Seriously? I eat here?" 

"Yes, because you helped Ummi." 

"Thank you Ummi." 

"Together." 

Eve was so happy that she smiled so much. They get close and talk to each other. Ask each other's likes and tell stories. 

Without them knowing there were two men watching from the door, the man was none other than Adam and Kiyai. 

Kiyai now knows what Eve wants, it turns out that Eve only needs a friend, who understands and spoils her. Not the one who always scolded him. 

Maybe because Eve, always angry with her father, added with a free association that changes her attitude and morals. Eve needs attention, not just guidance.

"Ummi turned out to be good at seducing huh? If there is a girl in this house, maybe Ummi will be happy, every day there are friends talking," said Kiyai, but not with Adam, who was a little angry because of Eve, being disrespectful to his mother.

"It could be that Ummi is still smiling. Didn't Abi see? Just now the kid was disrespectful to Ummi." 

"What harm? Smile worship," Kiyai chimed in. 

"Look at Eve withered with Ummi. Not necessarily with violence, assertiveness, especially in snapping. There is still another way to teach someone to be submissive, namely with gentleness like Ummi did. Learn from Ummi, Adam." 

Adam only kept silent as Kiyai gently touched his shoulder with a smile. 

Kiyai walked away leaving Adam who was still standing before finally stepping away. 

Eve, and Ummi is done cooking. There are a lot of menus they serve. Then Ummi poured rice with side dishes into a bushel until full. 

"The Ummi is for Eve? Isn't Eve going to eat here huh Ummi?" 

"Not." 

"Then?" 

"You know too." 

Ummi closed the bushel tightly and put it in a paper bag. Do not forget the various types of sembako that he put into the paper bag again. 

"Eve, can you bring this?" Eve received a paper bag without bidding.

"Let's go with Ummi." 

They walked out, Eve just followed Ummi somewhere Ummi would take her. Even now they have passed the gate of the cottage approaching the house of the people.

Shouldn't Eve be happy? Because it would be his chance to escape again. However, it seems that Eve was not interested this time, she remained focused and silent while following Ummi. 

Not long after, their steps stopped in front of a hut reot house that could collapse at any time. Eve was just staring at the house. 

Dirty, shabby, narrow environment. Perhaps Eve would not enter the house, but unexpectedly, Eve still followed Ummi. 

"Assalamualaikum" said Ummi, greeting him. 

Incidentally the door of the house opened showing the situation inside the clean, spacious because there is no goods whatsoever. All that is visible is a limp mattress that stretches on the surface of the floor. One wooden cabinet that has also been damaged and one mat for them to sit on. 

"Waalaikumsalam" replied a man from within.

Simple men only wear cocoa, peci, and trousers. From far away the man was already smiling looking at Ummi coming. 

"Mother khodijah? Please come in." 

"No, sir, we'll just sit here." 

Ummi was sitting on a bed of cubicles. Eve, hesitant to sit in fear that the couch will collapse. So Eve chose to stand up. 

"Bu khodijah, wait a minute I call my wife first." 

"No need sir we just for a minute." 

"Oh, what's wrong, ma'am?" 

"This I just want to deliver this." Ummi gave the two paper bags to the man. But the man tried to refuse. 

"This is what Mom? Don't bother."

"As always, there's groceries and food I happen to cook a lot today." 

"O Allah, thank you, ma'am, thank God." 

The man accepted gladly, feeling grateful that Allah sent him sustenance through Khodijah.  

If you have eaten or not? The man will answer already, even though one mouthful of rice has not filled his stomach. However, the man remained grateful and patiently lived his life without asking others. 

Not that he does not work, just that the job as a mosque marbot is not a big salary. In a month only 500 thousand can be given to his wife. And thank God the wife is grateful for all that. 

"Wish it be useful sir?" 

"Thank you, may Bu Khodijah always be released his provision and always be healthy."

"Aamiin, I'm sorry sir." The man nodded too.

*****

"Who was that sorry? Brother?" 

Ummi just shook his head. For a moment they stopped their steps, turning to face the hut house earlier. Although far away still visible what is being done by the residents of the house.

"You said to Ummi, eating in the cottage is very bored, even with chicken every day. Let's see this guy, he and his wife don't even eat in a day, maybe more. But they're still grateful for what they got instead of complaining." 

"You should be grateful, because you can still eat well every day. Understand what Ummi means?" 

Eve, just shut up and nod. 

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