THE SOULMATE FROM HELL
14. THIRTEEN
“Sagara why?” umbara asked, the man suddenly appeared in his room with half-damp hair and a towel hanging from his sturdy neck.
“Ndon't know. From that cry did not want to be silent.” said Betari, he sat on the edge of the bed while holding Sagara who was still crying with one hand stroking the soft back of the boy. While her face that was not touched by makeup looked very tired. Umbara felt very sorry for his wife. He knew taking care of a child was exhausting.
“You tried to give him milk.” Umbara asked, if Betari had forgotten to try that.
“Udah, but he even threw the bottle.” complains Betari.
“Try me carry him.” Umbara approached Betari to take Sagara from the woman's arms and passed out.
Betari got up from his seat to follow Umbara. It turned out that her husband took Sagara to the balcony and the boy who had been crying was now beginning to remain silent in his carrier.
He stood leaning against the door frame, watching Umbara who was showing the boy the stars in the sky. Whether the boy really understood it or not, but the night sky was very beautiful.
Sagara had raved about the stars in the sky until finally the boy fell asleep in Umbara's arms.
“She has gone to sleep.” said Umbara who then passed into the house. He put the boy to sleep in Betari's room.
Betari smiled sadly. He looked at the old Sagara. The boy who was asleep looked very peaceful. His hand that had been silent since, began to gently stroke the boy's forehead— got rid of the hairs that covered there. Then kiss Sagara's forehead with love.
“You've eaten?”
“But.” the answer is weak.
“I bought chicken dimsum. Let's eat.”
Umbara slowly took Betari's hand and led her to the table.
***
That morning, Umbara, who had just entered the house after returning home from a morning run, was startled by the sound of the hiss of cooking in a hot pan and the stir-fry movements of the spatula. He also caught the fragrance from the toasted bread.
Umbara's feet stepped into the kitchen and he almost doubted his own vision when his eyes caught the figure of the wife behind the kitchen table— while cooking something.
Umbara was stunned, looking at the back and hands of Betari who worked while cooking. This was the first time Umbara saw his wife busy in the kitchen, in addition to cooking water to brew tea.
More and more days, Umbara increasingly realized that he had misjudged the woman. Umbara's memory was thrown back on the night. When he first argued with his parents. Because he felt very angry with them, especially at the mother who had chosen Betari to be betrothed to him.
“Why mom and dad set me up with that girl.”
“The woman's name is Betari, Bara.”
“I want to cancel the match.”
“Why? Is Betari less beautiful?”
“Not.”
“Then what?”
“I don't like spoiled women like her. Heard he often makes trouble and his nature is also very bad.”
“You only met once. Why do you immediately think that Betari is a woman like that.”
“Actually, I've met him before. The impression he had on my eyes was very bad. I'm sure he'll only trouble me later.”
“You can't label someone that easy, Bara. You should know her first, can only say what kind of woman Betari.”
“True, Bara. Papa agrees with your mother. Marriage life is not easy especially arranged marriage. But papa believes you will be a good husband. Remember one of the keys to success is patience.”
“You must be patient, Bara. Slowly the truth will be revealed.” said the mother later.
Again the words of the mama—utah.
With a slow step he approached slightly and cleared his throat. Betari stopped moving and looked back. “Returned.” he said more like a statement, before returning to cooking quietly.
Umbara looked at Betari who was now putting bread on the plate. There were two plates there and each plate got two loaves of bread.
“You cook for me too.” said Umbara rather hesitantly, he realized there were two dishes there.
“Yes, make us both.” Betari continued to take some eggs from the refrigerator.
“Half mature.”
The female finishes cooking the eggs and moves them to the plate. Each plate has two eggs. Then before putting their plates on the table, he added some steamed vegetables to each plate.
“Lo want to shower first or eat first?” tanyakanya. He looked at Umbara and gave the man his own answer. “Eat first, yes.”
“I wash my hands first.” says Umbara, then go to the sink to wash his hands.
They began to eat in silence. Umbara chewed his food while silently glancing at Betari who was sitting beside him, without distance like the first time they had breakfast together in this house. They often eat together. But this time he ate Betari's cooking.
Until then, Betari said, “Im sure you did not expect if I could cook.”
Umbara swallowed his food. “Iya,” he doesn't want to lie. He looked one eye at the woman. But not anymore. “I don't know if you can cook.” he explained later.
Betari still did not even glance at him. “Yes, no wonder anyway. It also seems to be from your attitude. What else in the beginning we married.”
Umbara glanced slowly. He felt guilty for his wife. “I'm sorry.” he said half a whisper.
Betari turned her head towards him, still with a calm look. “Ngapain apologize all. It's not wrong. After all, my image is bad in the eyes of people. So yes, it is only natural that you also think so.” he said very casually. “Gue never mind how people judge me.”
Umbara. He did not think that it turned out that Betari was a person who knew himself enough. He thought because Betari likes to call people as he pleased means he is a high-hearted person. Though the Umbara and the people do not know Betari never just beratai people, to equate them with animals if not those who make trouble first and if sorry only formalities.
“Lagian too, our first meeting was like that.” Betari tilted her head. “Lo very nice at that time.” he said later.
Umbara was somewhat flabbergasted by the honest confession, not knowing what to respond to. Honestly, he wanted to know how thick she was in her eyes rather than feeling angry. After all, people who are straightforward are better than those who are just good in front and stab in the back. He could not help his curiosity.
“How can my dress be wet.”. “But the most annoying anyway, you time make me hungry and make my hair smell of cigarettes.” Betari bit her bread.
“I'm sorry.” At last only that word came out of Umbara's mouth.
“Yeah, so late.”
“I know.”
“If I never tipped off this problem, you certainly won't say sorry to me.”
“Maybe.” said Umbara calmly. Actually, Umbara is a person of high prestige. Very rarely does he want to apologize to others, except just for the formalities. But, I don't know which good demon has possessed him to the point that he has twice apologized to Betari, even though there has not been an hour they sit together. Even Umbara himself was astonished.
“Kan lo it emang nyebelin really.” said Betari while scooping her broccoli.
Umbara did not reply. He simply continued eating his breakfast with a somewhat sour face.
Soon after, the breakfast was over. He got up from his seat and put his dirty dishes into the sink. “Oh, yes! No need to buy food from outside tomorrow. I'm masakin. Breakfast, but. And you do the dishes.” he said, then go leave Umbara there.
***
When Umbara had just finished washing the dishes, Betari returned briefly to the kitchen to take Sagara, to then hand the boy over to Umbara. “Please keep Gara bentar. I want to shower.” pinta Betari on Umbara.
While waiting for Betari to finish with his business, Umbara made Sagara milk and breakfast.
“Om, Because you want to take a walk out.”
“Iya. Because of the food first. After that we go for a walk.”
“Truly yes, Om.”
“Iya,” Umbara smiled at Sagara and rubbed his head. “Wait a minute, Om want to receive the phone first. Yes, because of the food.”
Umbara reached into the phone in his pocket, then picked up the incoming call.
“Halo, Mas Bara's. This is me bik Atun..”.
“Yes, Bik. What's up?”
“This I asked mom to help clean up at the Bara mas house. But the same security guard is not allowed in.”
“Ya, already. Bik Aton is back.”
Umbara immediately severed the unilateral connection. A slanted smile was engraved on his lips. He then walked over to Sagara who had not finished eating.
