The Marriage Order

Choices

The sound of the phone alarm woke me up. I opened my eyes to see the alarm at six in the morning. I turned off the alarm and saw a message from Kak Baruna. He'll pick me up this morning and I reply "yes" unknowingly. Oh My God I just remembered Fandy is coming to pick me up too. How'this?

I got out of my bed, walking back and forth without direction and confusion. Thought .... What am I supposed to do now? I bit my own lips worried there would be a fight.

Wh-tok-tok!

I heard the door of the room being knocked.

I shouted, "Who?"

"Sister, Deck."

I quickly opened the door. Reza stood in front of me and went into my room. I was still pacing in front of him.

"Why are you pacing?"

"I'm confused how to."

"How's what?"

"The two men will come together."

"Don't make it difficult! Sister is on Baruna's side." Brother Reza chuckles.

"Sister doesn't help. Get out of my room." I pushed Brother Reza out of the room.

Did I bring my own car, right? But it will look evasive. If you choose one of them how? I was told I would choose. But choosing or not choosing it turns out I have been chosen. Ah ... stupid time! Just look at it later.

I rushed into the bathroom. Half an hour later I was ready to go to work. I grabbed my bag, walked out of the room. The fragrance of Bi Ati's cooking burned my spirits this morning. Mama, Papa, and Kak Reza are waiting for me at the dinner table. I joined them too.

"Sheryl, Papa has actually been wanting to ask you about this for a long time. You still in touch with that Fandy guy?" Papa suddenly asked me about my relationship with Fandy.

"Yes Pa, still," I replied.

"You're still stubborn. Finish everything. Papa will never approve of you" said Papa.

"I know! Papa never cares how I feel" I replied slowly.

"You always put forward your own feelings. You should have known the old man ate more of the salt acid of life." Papa advised me to growl.

I finished my breakfast without much talking. Papa turned his face annoyed. My mother mediated our debate.

"It's Pa, Sheryl's old enough to decide."

"His decision is still under his adult age Ma. Still the same idealistic words of love that monkey love," Kak Reza laughed grinningly.

"Nobody's outrageous!" I got out of my chair and walked quickly away from them.

"The sher! Sher!" Mama called me but I didn't care.

I stopped moving my legs as my eyes caught two men sitting on my porch. They are Kak Baruna and Fandy who throw sour faces at each other.

Fandy and Brother Baruna noticed my presence. Their smiles expanded instantly when they saw me. I looked at the two men.

"The her!" call Brother Reza who appears suddenly. His steps came to a halt when he saw Baruna and Fandy.

"Why are you guys so early in the morning absent from my house?" asked Reza while grinning.

"Fetch Sheryl," replied Brother Baruna.

"Fetch Sheryl Kak" replied Fandy.

Suddenly Papa also appeared, standing behind Kak Reza.

"Sheryl, there you go with Baruna. Papa wants to talk to Nak Fandy."

"But Pa ...." I looked at Fandy worried. I don't want to leave him.

"You dare to argue?!" scream Papa.

I'm down. I didn't have the courage to go against his words. Papa's anger looks more sinister than anything else.

"Come Sher, we're leaving." Baruna's sister pulled my hand.

"It's possible your father would like to have a serious conversation with your girlfriend."

I walked forced to follow Brother Baruna. He opened the car door. I went in and put on my seat belt. Slowly my tears fell unstoppable. I wept.

Baruna's sister started the engine of her car. Cars began to run through the streets of the capital. The sight of the traffic jam was unable to make my crying stop. I still cry down sobbing.

"Can you just shut up?" said Kak Baruna slowly. He is still focused on the road.

I don't care about his words. Baruna's sister drove her car slowly following the stagnant flow of traffic. Then he turned towards the deserted road and stopped him on the shoulder of the also deserted road.

Baruna's sister took off my seatbelt and her seatbelt. He's holding my shoulder. He brought his face to face with my face.

"Sheryl, look at me! Please stop crying."

I tried to open my eyes. Still with tears in my eyes. My face is facing his face. He looked me in the eye.

"Sheryl, listen to me! I don't know how deep your love for her is. But you cry for free. Your father was a very committed man to my father. There's nothing to do. If I could, I would have backed away long ago from this matchmaking plan. I can't bear to see you cry. But deep down I'm disappointed that you're crying over a man who doesn't have a future commitment to you."

"So I won't understand."

"You think I don't understand what? Your life is no different than my rule-full life. It's just that I lived it and never denied it all this time. One time, only one time I denied was Grandpa's decision last night. Replacing Grandpa is a burden to me."

I speak a thousand languages. I remembered Aunt Meri's story about Kak Baruna who never troubled her family. I was embarrassed and didn't know what to answer. This situation is not just me feeling.

Brother Baruna wiped away my tears that fell. He hugged me and calmed me down. I don't know why I feel so much calmer when I'm around him.

"I promise to keep you happy. I will continue to wait for your heart to open for me" Baruna added.

I just nodded and tried to believe his words. Baruna's sister is running back her car. The car drove quickly to my office.

Twenty minutes later I arrived at my office. Irene greeted me with her spirited smile. I also returned her smile with my face still puffy.

"Good morning, Sher. What was the weekend yesterday? Your face why else? Lo abis crying?"

"For Ren. I'll make no comment first" I replied.

I turned on my computer and grabbed the work files I was going to do today. Irene turned to me with a small smile.

"Don't cry on dong, Sher. It will be beautiful in time" said Irene.

"Yes Ren, thank you for comforting me" I said in a hoarse voice.

Irene patted my shoulder cheering. I focused back on the computer screen until suddenly the HRD manager, Mr. Burhan called me over the phone.

"Sheryl's sister, can come into my room for a minute."

"What's up, sir?"

"There's something important I want to say."

"Okay sir, I'll be right there."

What did the HRD manager call me? Not as usual. Did I make a mistake?

"Why Sher?"

"Don't know Ren. Mr. Burhan call me to his room. Not usually," I replied.

"Asik wants to rise to office like this," Irene teased.

"There are lo. I replaced Mr. Renaldy. By the way my eyes are still swollen?"

"Udah is not too. It's okay to meet Mr. Burhan anyway."

"Okay Ren's. I'm going to go." I stood up to step into Mr. Burhan's room.

While my phone rings. A call from Fandy.

"Sher, Fandy call me," call Irene.

"Udah justin. I'll call you back later" I said.