The Malang Widow

Meeting with Deri

Now I started a new life in Bandung. I live in a rented plot that's not big enough and simple enough. Since my divorce last time my economy is not so good, so I should be able to save all my needs. Moreover, I am just about to start work and have not received a salary.

In a large Hospital I work through a shift system that is divided into three, namely morning, noon, and night. Meet new friends I did too. Little by little I began to adapt, both in the environment I lived in, and where I worked. So far all I've met they've been friendly and made me comfortable. A little relieved for me who lives this kara, there are no friends I know before, let alone relatives there. I really started life like a stranger who had just arrived in a city.

I walked to my place of work, because the distance between my contract and the hospital was not so far away. Some houses and other rent I passed in every step of my way.

"Hike neng?" greet the rented neighbor kindly to me.

"Yes 'a" I replied with a smile that was no less friendly.

Well, even though I was a new person there, they were all friendly to me, in contrast to my living environment when I was still married to Bagas first.

The figure of a man of medium stature and not so high is removing his motorbike from his contract. Almost every time I went to work did often see him, whether when he was going to leave for work, or just sitting casually smoking his cigarette in front of his rent.

His face looks looking at me. As if to rebuke me but filled with shame, because we did not know each other before. My indifferent attitude also made him undo to just greet me. Then he immediately passed his motor past me who was walking with a little turn of his face to me, but when I returned his gaze, he immediately threw away his face for a moment.

That night I came home from the hospital because I happened to be on day shift duty, so I had to walk on the side of the road to a contract that seemed to be quiet because it was almost late at night. I did come home a little late from the usual hour because there was a serious patient who required me to overtime make the occupants of the contract some already asleep. I calmly stepped my feet in a relaxed manner due to the slight fatigue I felt after work.

Again I met the man who had met this one afternoon. This time he looked at me and flashed me a friendly smile because I returned his gaze kindly. I immediately returned his smile even though it was not so cold because my body felt tired.

I kept walking away from him, feeling he kept watching me until I got to my contract and entered it to quickly unwind. Before I lay my body on the bed, I was curious about the man who was trying to slide a little curtain of my window to see if it was true that the man was really watching me. Sure enough, his eyes did not stop staring at my contract which was not far from his contract. With a little bit of wonder I tried to immediately forget it and rushed to clean myself so I could get some rest.

The next day, as usual I went to a warteg at the end of the road not far from my contract to buy food filled my stomach that had begun to rumble. Looks like the man was sitting in the corner of the bench inside the warteg while eating his food.

"Mom, chicken rice wrapped in one yes" I told the owner of the warteg.

"Yes, what's the same?" ask warteg's mother while preparing my order.

"That's enough ma'am" I replied kindly.

Hearing my voice he turned to me and immediately threw a sweet smile at me.

"Breakfast" his bases to me while offering a plate of rice that was being eaten at that time.

"Yes thanks" I said kindly.

"Don't you eat here?" ask him again while grabbing a glass of water about to drink it.

"No, in the wrap, it is not usual to eat alone in Warteg" I replied while receiving a package of food that has been wrapped by Warteg's mother.

"Oh, yes papa eat here just like me" said di offered to accompany me to eat there.

"Yes yes, this is mine already wrapped" I replied as I left the Warteg after giving the money to Warteg's mother.

When I was about to make my move, I turned my face towards the warteg, and I saw that he had already left for work. I also continued to be able to eat the food I had bought.

Today I work the second day shift of my week. Unlike yesterday, this time I went home at the exact time I came home. Just as I was coming out of the hospital gate, I saw the figure of the man approaching me as if he had been deliberately waiting for me since earlier in front of the hospital.

"Today's not overtime?" he asked, greeting me who was flabbergasted a little surprised by his presence.

"Yes, if there is an emergency patient, so I have to overtime because I have to help my friends handle it" I replied.

"Yes, I don't know your name yet, we're rented neighbors, and you seem like a new person, so I don't know your name yet?" ask her while accompanying my steps home.

"Flower" I replied briefly.

"Owh, Bunga, where are you from?" asking him is like introgasi me.

"I'm from Lampung, why?" askaku.

"Eh, your name is okay? did I forget it?" my question while embracing my carry bag that almost fell off my shoulder.

"I'm Deri" he answered briefly.

Eventually along the way we chatted and began to get along with each other. Usut had a mouthwash turned out we came from one area of residence and even had one school at the time of Junior High. It was only fitting that the first time I met him felt a familiar face to him. But even though we had one school, did not know each other, because I and Deri different classes and never greet.

"You've been hired, why don't you come in?" ask him who keeps following my steps.

"I take you to rent, kasian cwe go home malem-malem alone" he said like paying attention to me.

"That's my contract is visible from here and not far, I can go home alone kog, why do you follow me, later will it be back and forth?" reply wonder.

"Udah no papa, is it not wrong also I nganterin you to rent?" he replied as if he did not want to end the encounter with me.

Soon I arrived at my rented door. Before I came in, he asked me for my phone number, and immediately stored it in his phone. I who rushed into my contract saw him waving his hand at me while stepping away leaving a sweet smile on his face.

That night Deri's face was enough to make me ring on my bed. His not quite handsome face is just the standard as an ordinary man compared to Bagas ex-husband, somehow makes me a little distracted. I was quick to forget and try not to bring any feelings to her no matter what. My promise was in my heart that night.

My life that has not healed from deep inner wounds, plus my status as a widow makes me no longer want to be tempted by men. Either my trauma or my insecurities made me want to stay away from the man who approached me. The same thing happened with Iyan, a boy friend at my work was trying to get close to me, but I immediately moved away from him because I didn't want to tell him about me, also to others.

I who used to be friendly and sociable now tend to close myself since bearing my status. My eyes that had just flickered were staring at the ceiling of my contract whose paint color began to fade did not feel it began to fall asleep.

In the morning I open my eyes slowly, I reach for my salary which is close to my pillow. I saw a message coming in that I hadn't read yet because I just found out. A new number on my glass screen.

[You want to have breakfast with yuk, so you are not alone anymore like yesterday]. A sentence in the short message was read by my eyes.

It turned out that Deri was sending the message.I did not want to get out of my bed because my eyes still feel sleepy and continued to sleep again and did not heed the message from Deri. My heart really wants to get along with him, but I don't know, my heart can't afford to someday have to explain my status to Deri. I'm sure I'm disappointed I'll experience. Not to mention my trauma to men and almost no longer want to believe in the seduction of men now makes me immediately dismiss to be close to a new man.

I who was just trying to close my eyes back suddenly startled by the sound of my gaze. Soon I reached, and sure enough, Deri's number appeared on the screen calling out to me.

"Hello, Bunga, kog you didn't reply Waku?" ask himself expectantly.

"Yes, I overslept again, because my body was tired so I was still sleepy, so I wanted to sleep again" I replied in a hoarse and lethargic voice.

"Owh ya already that, but later if you wake up and forget breakfast?" he hung up the phone.

I who continued my sleep paid no heed to it. At that time the most important thing is I have to sleep enough so that later in the night when I shift night I do not sleepy.

After the magribh, I got ready to go to work. Don't forget I put on my uniform that I just ironed this afternoon after my long sleep. A plate of fried soy sauce I cooked myself stuck in my stomach in preparation for the battle with my work later tonight.

When all was ready, I rushed out of my rented door. I just opened the door, I saw a parking motor right in front of my rented door. Well, I see Deri in front of me right now, with her sweet smile from her thin lips that actually touched my heart.

"Oh, had my status not been a widow, I sure would have tried to welcome her to me" I murmured inwardly as I looked at her face.

"You're the night shift? let me anter use the motorbike so you are not tired, you will have to work malem later" he said offering me.

"Where do you know if I shift? besides the distance is right, why use a motorbike?" reply me with a wrinkle on my forehead.

"Udah ayok naek, did I say than you are tired first when you will be late when you will stay up late, mending me anter you use the motor right?" he replied again, telling me to go up to him immediately.

Dag dig dug my heart at that time, I don't know why I was a little groggy with a motor by him. It was like there was a vibration of the heart to be welcomed but I was tepis.

Because the distance is close, then only for a moment I feel sitting together with him. Arriving at the gate I rushed to the hospital and did not forget to leave a thank you note to Deri who was willing to take me today. With his gentle smile, he nodded his head and rushed off with his motorbike leisurely.

That night I worked accompanied by Deri through chats with him. Sometimes he tries to call when I am late to reply to my chat. It just so happened that the patient that night was quiet, that I had plenty of free time to reply to the chatt from Deri.

Either because the next day Deri was off work, he accompanied me to stay up almost at dawn. When drowsiness began to envelop him and I had to start a routine work at dawn, then I immediately ended the conversation with him.