The River House

21. Birthday cake

Already past noon, the sky water still continues to hit the earth and has not been seen to decrease in intensity. The river's water discharge is getting bigger. The water flow that was originally calm, now looks turbulent and very heavy. The clear river water has now changed like chocolate milk.

Bayu and Ellie stood under a towering catapult tree by the river.

"Couldn't Norita lie?" Ellie arrived just to open the conversation, between the sound of the roar of the river water.

"What about?" Bayu scrunched his forehead.

"Norita said she was in front of the TV all the time. And just look at Denis walking down the stairs" Ellie said.

"You suspect him?" 

"Well, slightly. A subjective assessment. I suspected her, because I didn't like her very much" Ellie smiled wryly.

"You know Ell, I've always found it hard to understand women. They can hide their dislike for something, in a smile. Just like you, when you seemed to care for Norita who was sad to see the body of Dipta. But now that you say you don't like it," Bayu shook his head, astonished.

"Nonsensical does not mean indifferent, unsympathetic. Women are more complicated than you think, Bay" Ellie chuckled.

"I used to reject her love" Ellie mumbled, barely audible.

"Huh? Who?"

"I rejected Zainul's love. However, when I found out that a friend of a friend was bullying her so outrageously, I was really furious. I had time to pray, everyone who bullies get a reply that is worth what is done," Ellie looked at Bayu.

"And you feel, now they get the reward, is that it?" asked Bayu, looking back at Ellie.

"Did you forget? The death of Dipta was similar to the incident at Mella's birthday first," Ellie sighed.

"Mella's birthday? I don't remember how it happened?" Bayu scratched his head.

"Your bad news Bay. You really don't remember?"

Bayu shook his head slowly. Somehow he forgot about the incident that Ellie asked.

"That day, Mella had a birthday. I brought her a birthday cake with a size large enough. The cake was bought as a result of a joint venture of all of us, the drama club. With joint money, the cake obtained is not how good it tastes. Finishing the event, the cake was still half left," Ellie looked up at the dark black sky. Bayu listened carefully.

"The cake that is still a lot, forced to be fed and stuffed into Zainul's mouth. The one who did it was the Creator. Zainul was choking and groaning in pain at the time. And none of us tried to help him. Yodi laughs at him, and then we just become spectators. For me, neither the bully nor the one who witnesses without doing anything to prevent it is as heartless. And I'm sorry until now, for what happened to Zainul in his school days" Ellie said, her eyes shaking. Along with the raindrops, a warm tear-spread fell on his cheek.

"Somehow I completely forgot about the incident. Speaking of which birthday cake you bought for Mella at that time what kind or taste?" Bayu asked back.

"Same with Mak Ijah's. Pandan cake," Ellie answered quickly. He still remembered very well even though the incident had happened a dozen years ago.

"Suckers! It's too weird to think of this as a coincidence. Ell, let's go back to the house," said Bayu, directly grabbing Ellie's arm. They left the river and returned home.

Little haste Bayu took off his raincoat and hung it in front of the bathroom. He immediately headed to the kitchen, looking for Mak Ijah the servant. While Ellie can only follow, even though she does not really understand Bayu's mind path.

"Mak Ijah," called Bayu when he saw Mak Ijah sitting on the kitchen chair while cutting the chives.

Mak Ijah turned his head for a while, but then returned busy with chives. He ignores Bayu and Ellie behind him.

"Sir, who decides what we're going to eat for breakfast?" Bayu glared, slightly losing his emotional control in the presence of Mak Ijah.

"Including the menu this morning? Pandan's steamed cake?" Bayu asked to make sure.

"Yes sir," Mak Ijah replied briefly.

Bayu walked towards the fridge. A little rough he opened the fridge door. Looked inside and slammed the door a little tight when what he was looking for was nowhere to be found.

"Who took the cake in the fridge? Mak Ijah is still in the kitchen, right? Mak Ijah must know" asked Bayu, his tone getting higher.

"I don't know Sir. I have a lot of work to do in this house. I can't just sit watching the fridge continuously" Mak Ijah said indifferently.

Mak Ijah's attitude that seems to not care and underestimate makes Bayu even hotter. Bayu is eager to take the strange woman to the police station to interrogate her. 

"Bay, calm down," Ellie approached and rubbed Bayu's arm slowly.

"Why did you get angry with Mak Ijah anyway?" Ellie patted Bayu's shoulder, trying to calm her old friend down.

"He sucks" whispered Bayu lirih.

Meanwhile, in the front yard Hendra and Iva walked back and forth in an uncertain direction.

"Hey, you don't suspect Bayu?" Hendra asked from behind his rain-soaked suit.

"Surprisingly how?" Iva asked back.

"Yes, he was the only one who saw the body of the Creator. We don't really know what the true state of the Creator is. Is there a cake in her throat like Bayu said? What if he's lying?" Hendra conveyed his suspicions.

"Why is he lying Hen?" 

"To cover up evidence of murder for example. It could be, Bayu who has harmed Dipta," Hendra looks serious with his words.

"What do you think we should do?" Iva asked back.

"The point is don't trust Bayu too much. He pretended to be the leader and told us to do this, but he did it himself. Sometimes evil will be covered by the mask of good."

"Ah, you don't talk carelessly Hen," Iva denied.

"I'm not careless. The wood is a manipulative figure. Even the selection of this couple, you know, according to his wishes," said Hendra while holding Iva to shelter under a large banyan tree in front of the entrance to the forest.

"Huh? How's it?" Iva doesn't understand.

"The wood pairs itself with Ellie. Don't you know that Bayu used to love Ellie? Even Bayu is also the cause of Zainul's love for Ellie clapping one hand."

"Trust me, follow my words. I'll protect you Iva" Hendra assured Iva. 

Iva thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement.

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