The Pawned Marriage
No Love Again
Nafisa awakens in an unknown room. His eyes were glaring around.
The door to the room is open.
“Alhamdulillah you are awake.”
Still confused, Nafisa shook her head. Suddenly he remembered what had just happened. His body shook again.
“Nafisa, Nafisa. Don't do this, come on Istighfar. You have to be strong, son. Istighfar.”
Mary walked closer to Nafisa.
“Yuk lean into the pillow first. Take a deep breath and then throw it away. Dhikr or istighfar in the heart. You must be strong. The struggle is still long,” he said while arranging pillows for Nafisa.
Nafisa's view was empty.
“Sick, Mom. Everything hurts,” whispers weak.
Without the veil, his entire face could be seen. Her lips were pale, her eyes were swollen from constantly crying.
Maryam sat on the edge of the bed and said, “Yes, definitely. But you have to hold.”
“It's just a dream, right? Breath is not the same as Bang Reno, right? This must be a dream.”
Maryam said again, “Better tonight you calm down first.”
“Nafisa pep dies only,” sahutnya fast.
“Hush! Istighfar Nafisa's. No that! Must be strong and kind. That's the message you always tell Mom?”
“Free, Mom. Lifelong breathing must have been trying hard and kind. But truth? life no family, now husband and children throw for other women. What is Nafisa living for, Mom?”
“You live to live God's destiny. It's not always what you want to happen there. But you have to get through it. Don't think about suicide. God hate it.”
“I hate it too, Mom. It just seems like Nafisa is not strong anymore.”
Nafisa closed her eyes. Tears are flowing again.
“Sshh, already crying. I can scream too. But that abis should try to calm down to face everything, huh, son?”
Mary embraced Nafisa to cry on her shoulders.
“Sick, Mom. Please Nafisa ..” He said in between sobs.
“Iya, Darling. Mom ngerti.”
“What's wrong Nafisa, Mom? Three months Nafisa willing to go to leave the children because Abang owed. It's not that Nafisa's not willing to take care of Mom. But if not for having to be a pawn, Nafisa will not leave children.”
Maryam stroked Nafisa's back. The badly injured woman continued to cry on Maryam's shoulder.
“Nothing's wrong, honey. Reno that can't happen like this.”
“Yes Allah, why, O Allah? What is wrong with Nafisa? What is gini life? Why is the fate written for Nafisa so cruel?”
Maryam cupped Nafisa's face.
“Nafisa can't say that. God is not cruel. It may even be the way God shows His love to you. Although very painful, but Nafisa must be strong.”
“Bingung, Mom. Don't know what to do.”
“Now you calm yourself first. After that we think together.”
Nafisa glanced towards the clock.
“Astaghfirullah, it's eight o'clock at night. I haven't been, haven't taken any medicine. Sorry, Bu.”
“Mothers have eaten and taken medicine, dear. Dengerin, you're here because of your husband's debt. Since it's paid off, you're here to be Mom's guest. You have no obligation to serve Mom anymore.”
Netra Nafisa shone a flash of despair.
“Good, Mom. As soon as Nafisa will grab the goods in Yogya.”
“Where, how? How not to connect? Where do you want to take goods?”
“Not knowing, Bu.”
“Mother instead of expelling you. Precisely I want you to stay with Mom not as a nurse anymore but as a friend.”
“Friends?”
“Ya, friend. Mom doesn't want to stay alone. Now you pray and eat. Mbok Mi and Mbak Lasti have been called here from Yogya to help. We are again at Mother's house in Jakarta.”
“Nafisa don't want to bother. Who will help Mr Zayn and Mrs Valerie?”
“Mbok Mi and Mbak Lasti it's Mom's employees. As for Valerie, she should be able to take care of the house. Now calm yourself then eat and bobok.”
Finally Nafisa nodded.
Mbok Mi and Lasti went into the room. Their faces seemed concerned.
Lasti the younger directly nyerocos, “That's patient yes, Ma'am. Lasti was also once groomed by her ex-husband. Tired of working abroad, send money, uh even the land crocodile was equally mistress. Good thing Lasti sempet cabein tu mouth women. Jambak, lemarin his home ..”
“Lasti ... Lastly, ”, cut Maryam while sniffing.
“Sorry, Mom. Plastic emotions. Relax, anyway Mama Nafisa must be strong. It hurts amazing but it has to be lived and faced. No other options.”
Mbok Mi grabs the tray on the table then puts it on the bed.
“Ma’em used to keep abis it praying. Tonight we both sleep nemenin you.”
***
After Nafisa calmed down, Maryam came out of the room. He saw Mikail sitting in front of the television while working on something in his hape.
Seeing his Budenya approaching, he immediately stood up to lead to the sofa.
“How is the condition?” The man's face looked worried.
“Destroyed. Inget, yes, Mika, if you marry and cheat, Bude will skin her alive!”
“No going, Bude. Mmm earlier Zayn called, he did not agree we were involved in the matter of Nafisa, Reno, and Dela. Anyway our business with Nafisa is done.”
“Bude area, dong. What's Zayn doing?”
“Zayn does not want Bude to be sick again because of stress.”
“In shaa Allah Bude strong.”
Hape in Mikail's hand rang.
“Say Bude males. Urusin aja Grandma Lampir do not get her nose dislodged. Face really change constantly,” cetus Maryam with a keto tone.
Mikail shook her head and received a video call.
“Mika, where's Mom? I'd like to talk. Ma'am, don't pretend to be a bitch. Zayn doesn't want me to take care of Nafisa. We told her to go, our business and her husband are done.”
“Eh you yes, if there is no Nafisa, I still sit stiff in a wheelchair. She's a blessing to Mom, understand?”
“Bu .. please. Zayn doesn't want you to be sick anymore.”
“If you don't want to be sick you often nengokin dong. What kind of child are you? These three months how many times have you nengokin mom, huh?”
Although it was old and had a stroke, but Maryam's voice still sounded strong and determined.
“Sorry, Mom. Zayn a lot in Jakarta nemenin Valerie, right he ..”
“Bla, blah, blah. Zayn, you are the qawam, the leader for your wife and children later. Educate your wife to massage! Denger yes, I will still help Nafisa.”
Zayn has no voice.
“Zayn ... Zayn? Mika, your cousin is still alive isn't he?” Call Maryam impatient.
“Still, Mom,” replied Zayn finally.
The man spoke slowly, “Mika, you are a lawyer, rather than S1 and S2 legal titles you do not wear, represent Nafisa in the divorce hearing. Mom, horrified, yes, Zayn told Mika to help not because of the same situation as Nafisa, but did not want to stress and then get sick. Zayn ... Zayn love Mother.”
Netra Maryam softened to hear the expression of the feelings of her beloved son.
“Mother too,” she replied in a choked voice restraining emotions.
“Zayn to Jakarta.”
“Where are you now?”
“Seoul, Val match same doctor here.”
“Oh, yes already. Take care's. Greetings to your wife.”
***
The next day Nafisa came to her house to meet Reno and the children, but the house was empty.
Cynically Bude Nanik said they were on vacation in Japan.
The neighbors who suddenly appeared on the porch of their respective houses scorned him. Either what slander Reno and Dela threw but the obvious neighbors who were once familiar now turned hostile.
Even the security that used to be well known even drove out of the complex.
Several times Nafisa tried to contact Reno but her number was blocked. There are a lot of questions Reno has to answer.
With empty hands, Nafisa returned to Maryam's house. There Mikail was waiting with an anxious look.
“Nafisa, there's a letter for you.”
At a glance Nafisa can read the letter on the envelope: RELIGIOUS DISTRICT COURT. The trembling hand took from Mikail's hand.
Divorce Lawsuit from Reno until just a day after they meet. Meaning Reno has long taken care of their divorce.
Addressing Zayn's office, a sign that Reno is not looking for where his wife is.
“So that doesn't mean I made you, Bang,” lirih Nafisa along with clear droplets dripping.
“I will represent you as a lawyer,” said Mikail who could not bear to see the woman in front of him start crying.
“Not done, Sir. Just make you bother. Eventually divorce too. Even Brother did not ask if I still want to survive to be the first wife.”
Mikail raised an eyebrow.
“You want to be combined?”
“No woman wants to be combined. There must be some pain. But it's better. At least I can still meet Aurelie and Milo,”, said Nafisa lethargic. His eyes looked far away.
“I'm sorry.”
“Makasi, Sir. I go in first, want to meet Sepuh.” Mother
“Nafisa, tell me if there's anything else I can help you with.”
The woman was silent and replied, “Can you give me back my husband and children?”
Mikail's throat was blocked, unable to answer. Nafisa also passed with a shunt step.
***
The days passed very slowly. No word from Reno or the kids. Just on Dela's instagram, Nafisa saw how happy the four of them were.
Play in various rides, Aurelie in princess clothes, Milo with a Buzz Night Year mask, to photos with playground mascots.
The most painful is when Nafisa sees Reno kissing Dela's lips. The kiss that used to be his.
Lafisa's heart is like squeezed to see how messy Reno and Dela are. But that's not much compared to seeing a photo of Milo sleeping soundly on Dela's lap.
Nafisa keeps looking at Dela's social media pages. His eyes were glued to a picture taken about a year ago.
A photo where Dela's hand holds a man's hand on the bed with the caption: You are mine.
Nafisa dared to swear that the man's hand was Reno's.
“Could it be, could Bang Reno have been in contact with Dela for a long time?” Nafisa's mumbling full of question marks.
Remember those nights when Reno started coming home late for various reasons.
Breath of breath began to hunt. His heart is beating hard.
“Could it be your request that I keep Bu Sepuh is just mischief?”
His head felt dizzy from crying too often.
He took a screenshot for the two-handed photo. In Dela's message, she wrote: I agreed to divorce, but explain why this happened.
Before long the answer appeared: Brother is no longer in love with you.
Nafisa held her chest. His eyes were closed withstanding the pain of the bloodless wound.
***
