The Side Away
Rahma's Explanation
The streets around Malioboro are enough to relieve fatigue from Ajeng's wedding party the other day. Laura could not refuse Mira's offer to accompany the middle-aged woman shopping for cloth. Ever since Gino proposed to her, Mira gave her excessive attention like her own son. In fact, Laura did not mind as long as the woman was behaving normally. The word normal does not describe Mira ordering the entire fabric of the latest motif just for Laura. Then asked the guard at the store to take him to a car parked far ahead. He was concerned for the shopkeeper. However, it doesn't have the courage to help because Mira doesn't allow Laura to touch the fabrics.
"Married in Jogja yes nduk. Same mom I took care of everything. You're the same Gino don't worry, the boy's busy doing his father's business. Actually, I object to Malik taking over, but I can't bear Gino's pressure because of work that is not in his field" Mira said after they were in the car on the way home.
"Lala hasn't thought about marriage yet" said Laura, feeling uncomfortable with the discussion.
"If it's the right fit, I'm more assertive with Gino. You must not have experienced the bitter incident nduk."
Laura only listened to Mira tell her about the death of her parents and also Rahma who continued her education in Aussie. Ignoring the real father of the woman who was very sick. Laura nodded in response when Mira offered to stop by the funeral. Five years ago, he saw both his parents die and today came back to that place.
"Your mother was a good person, during her life she often helped her mother before Gunawan's efforts developed. It's a shame he died so soon."
Laura smiled faintly, she was no longer afraid of having a new family that loved her.
"After your father died, Rahma's real father came and took over your family home. Luckily, my mother was not late. I told Gino and he bought your family home. Actually, Gino asked me to keep this a secret, but you deserve to know the truth."
It turns out that Gino didn't let their childhood memories just disappear by buying his family home. Even after five years and the male family business was thriving. Then move to a new house, memories of the old house are not lost in time. Gino still keeps his family home and doesn't allow anyone to buy it.
The visit to the tomb did not last long as Mira had a sudden affair. Laura did not ask about the matter. He was silent during the return trip until he arrived at the Gino family home and Mira left him with an apology for not being able to accompany him to dinner. It turned out that the rich had important business until late and left the luxurious house empty without a resident.
Gino's life changed drastically, it was fitting that the man could buy a luxury apartment and also a Ferrari-class car.
"La?"
Laura had not been able to open the door of the house when she heard someone call her.
"Do you have time?"
Maybe it's time Laura finished her business with Rahma. He nodded then followed the woman into the taxi and the trip was filled only with silence.
***
Taking care of business is harder than facing a stubborn client like Jean. All day Gino only heard the bullshit of his father and the shareholders in the boardroom. While Malik looked at him concerned as if Gino was a pitiful creature sitting in the most corner seat. At five o'clock in the afternoon the meeting was over and Gino breathed a sigh of relief then checked his phone. Before his hand touched that thing. Gunawan grabbed his phone and put it on the table. From the look on his father's face, Gino knew there was anger there. He looked at Malik for help from the man, but to no avail as Gunawan blocked his line of sight.
"You're just messing around during meetings!" gunawan said loudly echoing in the room. He took the documents in his son's hand with a dead red face. "You're a Harvard graduate, but understanding simple documents just can't!" he said he then threw the document on the table violently.
"I'm a lawyer not a business manager. You know, I quit my job because of my mom" Gino said, trying not to provoke her father's emotions.
"Lawyer, but you also understand this world! You think you can live a good life if it wasn't for your hard work!"
"If you want me to continue the family business, why don't you open a law firm?!" ask Gino. His patience had run out of hearing that. "From my childhood dream to become a lawyer, why did you open a publishing business?!"
"Because I love the world of literacy" said Gunawan.
"Malik had aspirations of becoming a doctor, but sacrificed for his family. You're my only son. Father's only desire is one, to be the successor of our family. Before, I asked for nothing. This simple wish you cannot fulfill either."
Gunawan fell to the floor after saying that sentence. Mira who had just arrived in the room shouted loudly resuscitated Gino from the daydream.
"Your father has a history of heart disease."
That night, Gino must choose between dreams and reality.
***
Angkringan becomes Rahma's choice and Laura just follows the woman in silence. He didn't order anything when Rahma wrote the order. Laura stared at the scenery around, such a bustling atmosphere made her recall her past.
When the relationship and Rahma is still fine.
"My biological father is dead, but I don't feel lost. Because to me, he's just a jerk who's late. From childhood, I didn't know who my real father was until your father adopted me as his son. La, I'm not asking you to forget that. I know,"
"Know what?" cut Laura fast.
"La, give me a chance to fix the past."
"Repair it, but it can't make them live again."
"I didn't mean to my father's school abroad, but I got that scholarship. I've saved the registration form, but I didn't accidentally see it and I didn't have time to explain it because I started to misunderstand. They had a big fight and I forgot to say that the car was broken. I tried to call Dad, but it was too late."
Rem blong became the cause of his parents' accident like the story in the movies. Either Rahma did it or was purely an accident. Police said the accident was not a murder plot. He did not forget, Rahma always drove the car and his father relented to ride the public transport so that his adopted daughter did not have trouble crammed on the bus. Other than the woman, no one else understood the condition of the car because Laura could not drive and her mother was the same.
"If the car is broken, why are you still alive?" laura asked in disbelief.
"I forgot to tell dad because Gino came and saw the fight. I freaked out because I took mom to divorce and kept bringing mom in the car. I can't say the car was broken. Gino comes to the house and helps them keep their secrets to the court office. I don't know La, if you guys have an appointment. And I asked Gino to follow their car, and the accident happened before my eyes. Their car hit a tree and I,"
Just hearing about the accident, Laura again remembered the condition of her parents when they saw their bodies in the hospital. He arrived late because he was waiting for Gino at the library and the man did not come. Then knowing the accident from Ajeng and his best friend did not say if his parents had died.
Five years passed, but the shadow still haunted him. Even the divorce papers were still in the car. Laura doesn't know, her parents had a desire to divorce for a long time. She did not know as her mother endured the pain of her father's treatment. Then the divorce became evidence that his father was not a good man. And for that reason, Laura balked at bonded relationships like marriage. He does not know the content of one's heart and love may not always end happily like his father and mother.
"I want to go home" said Laura and got up from her seat. He did not speak to Rahma and she followed him from behind. "Let's just say I forgive that incident, and you don't have to come back in my life."
Jogja, know the sixth departure of his parents. Now, Laura understands that someone's past is like an old book stored on a shelf. There is no need to clean the dust if the book is closed.
Rahma should have understood if the explanation only added to Laura's hatred.
***
