THE SOULMATE FROM HELL
10. NINES
In the living room, Umbara sat opposite Juan Salim and Widuri Salim. The angry face of Widuri Salim was so clear. While Juan Salim just stared intently at Umbara— who also looked back at them flatly.
“How are you anyway? Why did you let Dance go?” namel Widuri Salim's.
Confusion has struck Umbara. He felt like a schoolboy being tried by a Counseling Teacher, because he was caught ditching. What really happened to Betari? Wasn't that girl okay this morning? It was just that his face was filled with red spots— that Umbara believed it did not endanger his life. Why should he forbid him to leave? Boro-boro asks for permission. Betari never even said goodbye to him.
Before Umbara said anything, the main door opened.
Betari ran into the house with a dashed breath. Since the housing regulations where she lives now forbid any model taxi from entering the complex area, she had to run from the front of the guard post. Luckily his house was in the middle and not located at the very end. His first look was on the grandmother.
“Nek, I told you I wasn't sick.”
Betari approached the grandmother who was sitting on a long sofa and hugged her and kissed her creased cheeks.
“Your face why?” waturi Salim asked as soon as she noticed Betari's red-red face. His eyes filled with worry.
“It's just an allergy, later also cured.” Betari answered casually while taking a seat beside the grandmother. “I've been to the doctor too.” he added, so that the grandmother stops worrying about him.
Widuri Salim stroking Betari's hair. “Granny is worried.” he said.
“Iya, I know.” says Betari. “But grandma lebay terribly, deh.” lamented later. Actually, not only the grandmother who was excessive but also the mother-in-law. Although this morning Gendis Atmojo let him go, the mother-in-law had flocked him with messages sent through the application send messages—inya Gendis Atmojo continues to ensure his condition. To be honest, Betari was upset.
Widuri Salim tapped Betari's ear. He did not like the words of his granddaughter to him. “Basic bratty grandson.” He knows the nature of his grandchildren. Sometimes Betari is very spoiled, sometimes it can be very annoying because of his behavior that is often arbitrary. But his grandson did not like to be considered weak and made the people around him worry about his circumstances.
“Si Andre tuh the brash. Very happy to spread the news hoax.” sumput Betari. “Awas if you meet. I'll twist his ear until it breaks.”
***
Grandma and grandfather Betari had come home and Betari was focusing on eating chicken mums from the grandmother. When suddenly Umbara Atmojo—his husband approached him.
“From, I want us to talk.” says Umbara.
“About?”
“Kita.” Umbara looked straight at Betari.
Because of his mother's words this morning, Umbara became aware that he had missteps in dealing with Betari. His mother was right, as a husband he also had to be willing to suppress his ego so that his married life could run well.
“Not it clear.” Betari reminded Umbara of the deal Betari had given them on the first day of their marriage.
“Did I ever say agree with all the deals you submitted?”
Betari was stunned for a moment. He felt that he had made a big mistake in forgetting the most important part of making a deal, let alone this unwritten deal. True, Betari now remembers that Umbara never said agree or disagree on what he proposed that night. So then...
“But instead of saying that you don't care about my personal life. So, I consider it an approval.” Betari obviously does not want to lose.
“I said so because you started first.” Umbara admits she got emotional that night.
“Kok is?” betari said not to accept. Betari clearly heard Umbara saying that he did not care about his personal life.
“Do I need to remind who is fussing first?” Umbara.
“That's lo.” say Betari relax.
Umbara breathed a rough breath. Betari is really annoying, he lamented.
“OK, it's up to you.” Umbara said at the end. He had to give in, or they would never be able to talk properly— saw the stubbornness of the woman which was very annoying.
Betari took a quiet bite on her last marrow. Inwardly cheered happily for having managed to make others lose.
Betari picked up the glass on the table, gulping the contents quietly to the toilet. “If I don't want to, how?”
Umbara clenched his hands, holding in fury. In that case, don't blame him if you can't be more patient.
“By the way tomorrow. I'm already sleepy.” Betari got up from his seat and left Umbara.
Seeing that, Umbara had a headache. Were it not for his parents he would never have married a woman like Betari. I hope he doesn't get high blood.
***
The next day at 8 o'clock, Betari woke up very thirsty. Still with his eyes closed, he fumbled over a glass of drinking water that he always put on the nightstand next to bed— before he went to bed. The goal, of course, is so that he can immediately drink after waking up without the need to go to the kitchen first.
“Kok out, anyway.” lamented. He remembered last night that he had woken up and his throat was very dry.
In a semi-conscious state Betari also came down from his bed to fetch water in the kitchen. As soon as he opened the door he almost dropped the empty glass he was carrying as it was startled by a sound.
“Now you are no longer sleepy, right?” Umbara stood at the door of his room facing Betari. He was waiting for Betari to come out of his room. Umbara will not wait any more. This morning too, he had to make the wife understand one thing about their marriage and stop acting as she pleased. He did not want the incident last night when Widuri Salim—grandmother of his wife was indirectly calling him a husband not becus—repeated again.
Today, he wanted to go to work with a calm heart.
“Apaan, anyway? Ngagetin aja.” annoyed Betari. He nodded while walking down the stairs.
Umbara.
Betari opened the refrigerator and took a bottle of water. He poured it into a glass before drinking it. He is not used to drinking directly from the bottle, even if the bottle is small he will pour it first into a glass or use a straw.
“You said what the hell?” Betari put her glass into the washbasin and stepped closer to Umbara who was sitting in the high chair behind the kitchen table.
“I married you not to mess around.” Umbara looked at him straight. “I want us to live this marriage in earnest.”
***
Actually, Betari did not expect that the husband would say such a thing. All this time, he thought Umbara had the same thoughts as him. Especially after seeing his attitude that seemed indifferent and cold since the first day they married. Supposedly, last night Betari noticed the words of her husband, perhaps she would not be as shocked as this.
“If I don't want to, how?”
Of course Umbara had already predicted that response from his wife, but he did not really know what the most appropriate answer to say was for the refusal. So, not long after, Umbara even said things that the meaning is difficult to guess. “I can make you want.”
Meanwhile, Betari felt as the sentence slid out of her husband's mouth, the world instantly became silent. He tried desperately to stare at Umbara's face, as he couldn't help but misinterpret the sentence and make his mind full of strange things.
It was only after a while that the bell sounded.
Betari was about to leave to open the door but was immediately blocked by Umbara who pulled his hand.
Betari scrunched his eyebrows and looked at his hand which was in Umbara's grasp.
“I'm the only one who opens the door. Let others not see your chests blinking.” Umbara whispered into the wife's ear.
Betari flinched and immediately lowered her gaze towards her chest.
Oh, geez! Why did she forget to wear a bra!
It's insane! Betari shy.
Betari always takes off her bra while sleeping. But all this time he never forgot to wear it back when going out of the room. Why should he be disappointed today.
May Umbara be a homo.
