THE SOULMATE FROM HELL
36. THIRTY-FIVE
Because of the speech of Jaka Atmojo who was either intentional or not. In an instant the conversation at their table that was originally just talking about trivial things had turned a little hot.
Betari really did not expect if the questions of a million people were raised by aunt Wening Atmojo—wife from Jalu Atmojo, her father-in-law's third sister— will lead to a conversation that looks more like a judgment arena for her husband.
Obviously he was eager to blame Wening Atmojo for starting all this.
“You don't be stubborn, Bara.” Jalu Atmojo who had been silent since then finally made a sound. His tone though sounded relaxed but full of emphasis, like a person who wants to urge his interlocutor.“It's time you stopped messing around. Papa you're old, Bara."
Umbara was silent. He was lazy to respond, too often he heard this sentence from his uncles and aunts, who were happy to take care of other people's affairs.
“I am surprised by you and Jagad, why no one wants to take over the leadership of Rimba Buana.” added Jaka Atmojo. “While papa you only want one of you.”
Umbara remained faithfully silent.
“What's so good about being an artist, Bara?”Especially this sentence. He had heard it out of their mouths thousands of times.
“If not for our big family name, I'm sure your statues no one wants to see what else to buy. You see, artists like you are out there. They mostly live poor.”
Umbara remained silent. The expression on his face was illegible.
To him everything his uncle and aunt said was nonsense. He also knew, they were all actually just happy to corner him, judge him.
But he hated the sentence that Jaka Atmojo had just said.
Unknowingly both of his hands were clenched above his knees. Simultaneously he felt the warm hand of his mother that he had already known so much, rubbing one hand gently. Meanwhile, there was another hand that she also felt her warmth, had even broken her fingers and infiltrated her with slender and warm fingers that were then put together with hers.
Betari grasped Umbara's fingers tightly and whispered in his ear. “Come go.”
Umbara turned to look at Betari's confident eyes. Then nodded slowly.
***
They came out of the hotel ballroom with a relieved face. It was as if they had just escaped from a pack of wild wolves that wanted to brutally prey on them.
Betari did not let go of Umbara's hand and they walked towards the main door of the hotel, then realized that they had come here in his mother's car.
“We can go home by taxi or ask mang Ujang to make—“
Betari turned to Umbara and cut off her husband's words. The thing about how they're going home, whether it's taking a cab or whatever it's business later. Now he has a very important affair: Betari is hungry. They left the party even before the party started so had not had time to eat anything yet, he had only drunk a few sips of wine.
“You hungry, aren't you?” said.
Umbara nodded slowly.
“Come there!” Betari pointed to the building of the mall building across a very crowded street. The logo of a fast food restaurant looks very clear from where they stand now.
“McDonald?” tanya Umbara later.
Betari nodded.
They were still holding hands when they finally reached the entrance of the fast food restaurant which turned out to be quite crowded. Some people who see them whisper to each other, some are sneering in their hearts and maybe some are envious because they are single. However, Betari moreover Umbara did not care and it seems that none of them had the intention to parse their hand links even until they got in front of the cashier.
Umbara let Betari order food for them, while he remained standing with her. He wouldn't mind even if his wife was just going to order some fries.
“Two hot packs 1 equal 2 cold mineral water yes, Mas.” Betari said to the waiter who served him.
After finishing their order and waiting a few minutes, Umbara brought their tray and followed his wife to find an empty table and sat face to face.
Betari immediately opened the lid of the water bottle and drank up to half, then said. “The path from the hotel here turned out to make thirsty, but also did not nyampe 5 minutes.”
“You are gini yes the person.” said Betari then while condoning his fried chicken before eating it with rice and chili sauce.
Umbara lifted his face and looked at Betari's face with a faint shriveled forehead. “You mean?”
Betari chews her food carefully. “Type silent if again angry.” Then rectify. “Eh, no. You are someone who doesn't talk much.”
Betari lifted her gaze as she felt a gentle touch on the tip of her lips and she froze.
“There is sauce on your lips.” said Umbara calmly as he pulled his left hand from Betari's lips, then wiped it on a tissue.
Betari. “Oh,”
Then turned his gaze back on the fried chicken on the plate. If he thinks, lately Umbara has often made him awkward.
“I'm not angry.” Umbara said suddenly.
Betari looked back at him. “They often do that to you?”
“Sometimes,” he said. “But I don't care more often.” As long as I don't think about me choosing to be an artist.
“There's something you want to talk about?” Betari clearly knew Umbara harbored a great deal of anger towards his uncles and aunts.
Usually she does not want to know, nor does she want to care about other people's affairs, and Umbara even though she is her husband, she has always felt no need to know all her husband's affairs. As planned, their marriage will only last for one year. But the incident at the party made him know very well that Umbara needed to forget something.
Betari knows what it feels like when our passions and dreams are let alone our abilities are underestimated. Jaka Atmojo's words were even worse than the words Juan Salim had said to him.
“Say by telling a story we can feel a little better.” Betari menguwir his chicken that lives half. “Feelings or anger issued will make you much more relieved.”
“I won't understand if you don't want to tell.”
“Sorry,” Umbara resumes the rest of his meal.
“Ngapain you are sorry.” Betari finished the rest of her meal.
“If you need a chat buddy, I can be your chat buddy.“
