THE SOULMATE FROM HELL
29. TWENTY EIGHT
It did not feel like the day passed so quickly, this whole day was cloudy weather interspersed with occasional drizzling rain so that the green leaves in the garden behind the cafe looked fresher.
Since returning home from his grandmother and grandfather two days ago, Betari herself who decided to no longer live in Umbara's work studio whose bed was small and did not have a kitchen was really uncomfortable to live in as her husband had once said, and today they will officially return to their home—the home of Umbara Atmojo who despite being haunted has a kitchen that he can use to cook his own breakfast and dinner. The food itself always feels better. Betari need not hesitate to boast of this one's greatness. Cooking of course.
At least, 5 years of being chef Vino Risjad's girlfriend is worth it too. That jerk has taught her how to cook really well. Maybe next year if there is free time he can participate in a cooking competition that is quite popular throughout this decade.
Then, talk about Vino Risjad. Duh, for a long time the eardrum of Betari can actually rupture. Just five minutes he was sitting in Olivier's cafe—but, sorry to say.. This is not the Olivier cafe, you know, Olivier is next door. We’r in different universe, right? Brethren. Countless times had he heard the name mentioned by a group of women sitting not far from his desk in the corner of the room, under the wooden stairs leading to the second floor which seems to be the residence of the cafe owner.
Starts from...
“Chef Vino is my dream husband! Cute and cook.”
Chef Vino is...
Chef Vino and blablabla. And next.
They alternately continued to talk about the owner of the name. Betari had no intention of eavesdropping but their voices were quite loud and it happened that her sense of hearing was quite sharp. Even he was used to hearing voices that no one else could hear and that bothered him greatly.
“Where's it kayaking him, huh?”
“Guys! Guys! You have already seen the same photo of chef Vino mas Agung. Similar to the two of them, already like a twin brother.”
“Truly, much like them.” said one of them who just opened the chef's instagram account and hurriedly followed by his friend who sat next to him.
Now it is the turn of a woman who has curls to her friends, while her eyes are framed glasses are not separated from the screen phone. “Why the hell, chef Vino is getting more handsome every day. Duh, my heart is not strong just to see the photo of him in IG. What if he really is in front of the cave, can my heart attack.”
“Yesterday I same cousin I ate in Emprit Gold and lucky dong I could meet him. Original! she's so cute. Her smile was melt.” chimpanzees of another woman who just came, with a proud face.
“Ihhh, I envy dong. Anyway tomorrow I have to go there.”
“Gue also.” timpal others do not want to lose.
“Ok, fix! Tomorrow we launch pretty in Emprit Gold.”
“Agree!” someone with enthusiasm.
"Uh, chef Vino I am coming!"
“Eh, guys! My aunt who lives in Bhumi Permai Residence just said in a group chat WA family if chef Vino just moved there exactly a week ago.” says the only one of them wearing glasses.
And yet, Betari silently continued to grunt their every utterance, but she did not deny that most of what they said was true. Including what the glasses girl had just said.
“Serious?!”
“Wah, can dong we play to the house aunt lo.” exciting others excitedly.
“Bhumi Permai Residence, huh? It is the most luxurious residential town house in this beloved capital city. Seriously? Auntie lo anyone lives there?”
“Yeee... you do not know yes if the tantenya he was married to Tohjaya's descendants."
“Tohjaya, guys! Obviously they are higher than Atmojo and Adi let alone Adiningrat.” said another chimed in.
“Wah, great dong aunt lo.”
“Kalo in my opinion is not great but more to lucky.”
“Yup, she is the lucky one.”
“Damn, I envy!”
Their conversation continued, mingling with the chirps of the radio host played by the cashier guard with a volume that was not loud but enough to fill every corner of the cafe that was not so wide.
The topic of their chat continues to spread to other names, such as from A connect to B and so on. That's how gossip moves.
Nonsense is always fun. Betari sneered in her heart.
He doesn't like to talk about other people. But hearing other people racing around talking about others, especially talking about the ugliness is sometimes quite entertaining. In his ears, it was obvious that they sounded like they were convincing themselves that they were no worse than everyone else. Those who like to gossip are nothing more than a bunch of people who like to denial themselves, who are actually far more despicable than anyone they blame.
Betari finished her almost cold coffee while glancing at the watch in her hand. At 17. 30.
Okay, soon Umbara will come. The man can be said to be almost rarely late aka often on time. It is different when compared to him who if said Lala, a friend of many positions in his studio: the blind rubber clock. But, that's not entirely true. Because often he comes late or not, depending on the streets of the capital that can never be predicted, right?
But wait for Umbara for whatever it takes, just do not let this cafe close he does not matter although there will never be a guarantee that later he will pass all the names of animals ranging from the letters A to Z, in front of the man's face.
Hellow, who had promised to pick him up at work, which was now thirty minutes past.
Yup! Who else if not the man: Umbara Atmojo. Her husband who people say is a plate man. Betari agrees with that. Umbara's defalut expression is flat and even seems very cold. Oath by poci, during his time as Umbara's wife, Betari had never seen the man laugh the most, moreover, laughing out loud like the habits of Vanila and Tarjo who if you want to laugh, just laugh as they like, anyway does not care about norms and manners.
But he knew that was not what people meant about calling Umbara as a human plate—the name actually leads to the character or personality of Umbara who is generous. And so far Betari agrees that Umbara Atmojo is the most boring human life. A gentleman means his life is boring, right? (This is Betari's opinion, you know)
Umbara's life schedule that Betari know most just work, sleep, wake up go to sports, and if the day off to the gym or to the GOR with his friends Baron Adiningrat and Sudjiwo Tedjo, and if the day off to the gym, equally old. I think Umbara is indeed no schedule to go to a place to have fun like a nightclub and its kind. Even the week was spent watching TV or reading a book.
Even Tarjo and Bik Inung used to— a few days before her wedding day with Umbara—ever called her a lucky-hellow woman! Lucky guys?!- because got a husband like Umbara Atmojo who they heard his behavior is quite noble. Even the two people also hope with him to live with Umbara later his behavior will change as well as the fairy godmother.
Uh, was he lucky to marry Umbara Atmojo?
I don't know... Betari does not know, which is clear so far Umbara was good to him—despite his annoying attitude at the beginning of their meeting.
Betari's momentary daydream was spoiled by the presence of someone at her desk.
“Duh, really serious face. What else do you think, chiiin? In arrears of debt or even the price of rice that continues to soar.” he said as soon as Betari looked up to meet his large height like Masha's bear.
Romeo Salim, Betari's great-uncle who is a war journalist and rarely comes home exactly bang Toyib. But after returning home immediately expelled like a tramp by the father of Juan Salim honorable.
Yes, I don't want to be expelled. For a Juan Salim the honor on behalf of his family is very important. Betari is just a graduate of S-1 Agriculture UGM if according to Tarjo and Bik Inung himself has been very cool and proud.
But Betari is just like the crumbs of a cassava crumbs for a Juan Salim whose son, son-in-law, grandson and great-granddaughter are all successful, ranging from famous lawyers like his brother, heart surgeons like his late father, to his father, or a CEO like Kezia, like, until Sarasvati aunty who managed to become a diamond entrepreneur and of course they also graduated from prestigious universities abroad even if they do not study abroad they are not agricultural graduates like him, he said, at least a bright department, which seems to use brain skills such as medicine, architecture, law or economics. In fact, Abrian Salim, who was not married but there was already a child who had a position of minister in the property company owned by his father.
While Romeo Salim did not lose the achievement of the others just his behavior slightly deviated.
More precisely, because Romeo Salim is brave and said not to be afraid of death it was originally waving and turning. Don't ask me why there's such a strange man in the world, Oops! That means in Betari's life, yes because this world is strange. Dizziness ya chiiiin! Same, eike too.
“Kok om Meo can be here?!” he said along with his surprise.
“Nape? Can't you?”
“When to go? How can you not say?”
The uncle snorted. “Need so I said to elo?”
The two hugged each other like Teletubbies.
Only Betari would order one more cup of coffee, and two more pieces of strawberry cake for herself and Romeo Salim, from the mini falabella tote given by her grandmother as a birthday gift last year, who was at the table next to his coffee cup that had been toilet, his phone had already rang.
Umbara is calling....
