THE SOULMATE FROM HELL

11. TEN

Several days passed since Umbara expressed his thoughts about their marriage which ended in a humiliating affair for Betari. And during that time Betari always tried to avoid Umbara. But another thing with Umbara that actually behaves the opposite. The man clearly had his own firmness. Like today.

Betari had just come down from the second floor and was about to head out as soon as he heard the voice of Umbara calling his name.

Betari was shocked. He stopped his steps and turned around hesitantly.

Umbara walked up to him. “You didn't have breakfast first? I've bought chicken porridge for us breakfast.”

“Ngak. I do not like chicken porridge.” he said origin. On the contrary, Betari likes chicken porridge. Especially chicken porridge made by the grandfather. Mehs! It feels like the most champion. Aye, right. The chicken porridge made by Juan Salim, his annoying grandfather was very tasty. Betari often pretended to be sick in order to eat chicken porridge made by the grandfather. Of course it must be with the coercion of the wife first, then Juan Salim would cook chicken porridge for him.

“What do you want to eat. I order now.”

“Ndon't need. I'll eat on the road.” Betari refused again even though she was hungry. He did not want to get close to Umbara. Betari did not want to follow her husband's wishes.

“Gue go first, bye!” Betari rushed out.

“Wait!” call Umbara from behind.

Quickly, Umbara had already offset his pace. “I take you. We leave together.”

Then Umbara, who was in the car, said to Betari. “Come, login!”

Betari refused. But the unexpected just happened. The grab driver he ordered suddenly canceled his order for no reason. Now, missing was already the only reason she wanted to use to reject the husband's offer.

He got in the car too.

***

In the quiet car, Betari leaned back on the back of the seat. Maybe because he's been so busy lately he's been getting a lot of sleep, or, either the nights are too short. So he felt a little sleepy. And Betari fell asleep.

As the car drove at a moderate speed, Betari suddenly woke up and saw something familiar. In a semi-conscious state, he reflexively commands Umbara, “Stop here, I want to buy chicken porridge.” And when Betari came to her own senses, she felt very awkward.

Indirectly, Betari had licked back her own saliva. Though there was not an hour after he told Umbara that he did not like chicken porridge. “Ah, I want to buy for friends.” Of course Betari is very good at acting calm.

For a moment, Umbara saw Betari who had returned to calm. Then turn around and stop in front of a tent— stall on the side of the road.

“This one?”

“Iya, yes.” Betari nodded quickly. He wanted to get out of Umbara. “Gue go first. Maksih nganterin. Later I continue to take a taxi, do not need to be escorted again.”

Betari said without pause, then went down and closed the door. When she turned around, her husband was in front of her.

Betari.

“I'm hungry.”

***

Umbara still remembers the upset look Betari showed when she brought him to dinner in warmindo. Very different from Betari this morning. Although Betari still wears a mask that covers part of her face and sunglasses that make her appearance look very silly—because of the condition of her face that has not recovered—Tambara can see clearly the calmness of the woman.

Betari sat quietly in a plastic chair near the porridge merchant cart, under a rambutan tree whose leaves were beginning to dry up. His left right is full of people.

A few minutes later, the porridge of their order was served. Betari who was about to eat his porridge turned to Umbara who was still standing rigidly behind him, exactly the bodyguard. And realize that all the seats are full.

Betari got up from his seat, carrying his bowl of porridge and Umbara. “We ate in the car aja.”

“Bang Samsul, I ate in the car, yes. Drink it do not forget to drink it. Not wearing long.” Betari often eat in this stall, so know the owner well.

The porridgeer's brother nodded and did not forget to raise his thumb.

Umbara followed Betari to his car.

“You often eat here?” Umbara started scooping his chicken porridge. He's not a stirred porridge team.

Betari just nodded. He was busy stirring his porridge. It was useless if he had to lie again.

“It turns out mom did not lie to me.” said Umbara. When Betari said she did not like chicken porridge, she did think that her mother lied to her. Or, pranking. The problem is that my mom is happy to work on it.

Betari.

“Mama herself who told me.”

Betari was silent. Gendis Atmojo knows a lot about what Betari likes and hates. Especially about food. They often had lunch together.

“Why did you say you didn't like chicken porridge.” Umbara looked at Betari who was eating his porridge voraciously.

“But now you're eating with me.” Umbara's eyes again looked at the bowl of porridge whose contents remained half.

“It turns out you are very chatty.” said Betari quipped.

Umbara wanted to say the same to himself. Because usually he only talks as necessary. Until the people closest to him dubbed the irrit talk.

They continued eating in silence. After the meal, Betari let her husband pay and drove her back to work.

After parting ways with her husband, Betari gets a call from Prayoga, her best friend who often forgets her when she is busy with her band, The Dream. He answered the call while walking into the elevator. “Hei, Yog? How was your holiday in Palembang?” greet Betari with meledek. Prayoga went to Palembang not for a vacation but a concert tour around Indonesia.

From across the street came Prayoga laughing. He then replied to Betari, “That's great! The girls here are cute. The food is good too. You have to come here.”

“Anyway, you want me to buy you songket?”

“Bby, deh, Yog. But don't just be a meter.”

“Lo how many meters do you want?”

“Yang long. Let it be made clothes.”

“Gue think you want to make a shroud.”

“Damn lo, Yoga!”

“Canda, Bet.”

“You are not cool, deh.”

Prayoga laughed too.

“Call him later again, yes, Bet. I'm gonna take a shower first. Bye, Bet.”

“Bye, Yoga!”

“Do not forget the songketnya fabric.”

“Sip, yes. Wait for me to come home. Tomorrow I'm back in Jakarta.”

As soon as Betari put her phone in her jacket pocket and was about to get out of the elevator, she had already arrived on the floor where her studio was. Cellphone's ringing. A call back in. Without seeing the caller's ID Betari answered while walking to his studio.

“Say you want to take a shower, Yoga. Not so? Still miss the same me.”

“Halo?” greet a voice across there.

Betari realized that it was not Prayoga's voice. He also nagged, “Aduh, mas. How many times do I need a credit card. Why the hell, a great rese? Just disturb. Bye, yes, Mum. I want a job. Don't gang—“

“Wait, Betari!” sidelines the caller.

“Eh, who is this? How do I know my name?”

“I Umbara, your husband.”

Oh, geez! Why did her husband call her all. The feeling they just separated. There's not even a half hour.

“Oh, shitt!!” rutuk Betari, when without warning someone hit him from behind and made him almost fall. “Ow, Ma! be careful dong! What if I fall?!”

“Betari? A betari? You okay?” call Umbara repeatedly.

“Yes, no papa.” says Betari.

“Ya, have you saved my number.”

“Iya, yes. What's the phone?”

“I'd like to take you to lunch. What time will I pick you up?”

“Jam twelve.” Uh, this is the mouth why play answer, anyway?

“OK, see you later.” says Umbara.

Betari wanted to withdraw her words and replace them with rejection. But the fur connection was cut off.