The Soulmate Must Meet

Episode 27 - The Meeting Behind the Bars

The morning has not yet moved on to a hot day. Dhuha I just finished when the door was knocked. Without letting go of the mucus, I opened the door, stood Mr. Iwan in striking office clothes, he was also wearing a tie, his round body was more and more funny.

“It's done?” tanyakanya.

“Shortly Sir, I tidy up first,” I replied.

Then release the mucus and tidy up the prayer equipment. Mr. Iwan waiting in the office waiting room, today there is a scheduled visit to LAPAS Cirebon to socialize the dangers of AIDS. It's been three years since I left the boarding school, Kut Jambu. Masriyah ma'am sent me here, in this place I can learn more about the people who regret their lives.

I made friends with former drug addicts, former prostitutes and others. All told of his life experiences, and they regretted having committed many sins. Perhaps, this is the intention of Masriyah, that lust cannot be eliminated, but can be withheld. If I could control my lust back then, there would be no shameful event.

The pesantren decision cannot be contested, I must be issued, while Subhan and Fatimah are married, then they are also issued. I regret not being able to graduate from that cottage, but here, I learned even more. Truly, Masriyah was a wise woman.

“The presentation is ready?” asked Mr. Iwan when I approached him.

“Already Sir, just need video only. And.. Mr. Teguh who is downloading it,” answered me.

“Video? For what?”

“Video short film, only examples of the dangers of AIDS only Sir!”

“Oh... nice it is, so they have an idea if see it.”

Mr. Iwan put down the newspaper that was being read, then asked me to copy all the data from my laptop to be transferred to his laptop so that later he would be easy to learn. I followed his orders, because here, he's the boss. He himself did not say a boss. This institution was indeed founded by the boarding school of Kutu Jambu, and we only implemented it.

Before going to LAPAS, we usually go to the surrounding schools to campaign for free anti***** and DRUGS, because teenagers are an active tool for the process of spreading AIDS. Pesantren are very concerned about social problems that develop in the community, it is natural that this cottage is known to many people.

“It's already I downloaded, stay put!” exclaim Mr Teguh.

He came out of his room, wearing only a regular shirt. Today, he could not go to LAPAS, there were meetings with several community institutions and student institutions in the office, so he represented Mr. Iwan who accompanied me to LAPAS Cirebon.

“OK, if it's ready, let's go!” take Mr. Iwan.

I followed him out of the office into the car. Then I opened the front door and sat down beside him, the car drove towards the city of Cirebon. A hot city, almost like Jakarta, in three years apparently this city participated in the development of regional development.

I'm opening a record of presentation materials today. Some pictures I separated, while Mr. Iwan drove, his eyes occasionally glanced at me. Not that I don't know, but I pretend I don't.

“After getting a candidate?” asked Mr. Iwan to surprise me.

“Eh? What Sir?” my many.

“Do not pretend not to hear.. already have a candidate Imam yet..,” ledek sir Iwan.

I shut up for a moment, then threw a smile at him. I haven't thought about that for almost three years. Then, I answered by shaking my head, embarrassed to say so.

“Father has a distant nephew, want?” tanyakanya.

Duh, why is it a matchmaking event? I was thinking about looking for a priest, maybe this heart was frozen because two times a man had left. Not wanting to happen for the third time, I had to be selective in my choice.

“Kok Diem?”

“Duh... how yes Sir, not thought of getting married,” answered me.

“Don't say that dong...try it first! Married it nice to know...,” ledek sir Iwan.

“Mmm... if you do not know well, you are also afraid Sir.”

“Available, she's a good person.”

Ok? All men are good, but not necessarily true, right? As for the size of the woman I am old enough to marry, I don't want to be a spinster anyway. Then I get the right and left talk.

“If to make friends, it is okay Sir.”.

Mr. Iwan smiled happily. “Let me give him your HP number,” he said.

“Originally don't like miscall just sir.”

“Ya no.. She's not ABG anymore, hehe.”.

But, now many adults like ABG, dare only from afar, close turn, silent a thousand languages.

“Indeed he doesn't have a candidate sir?”

“Nah... curious right? Hehe.”

“Eh? No... just...”.

Keki was also dibituin, but was curious as well. Why is it difficult for a man to get a mate, not more women than men, it means a lot of choices and opportunities.

“She is choosy, so often hurt by women.”

“Attacked women? How Can?”

Mr. Iwan laughed. “You're innocent what pretend you don't know? Are men the only ones who can hurt women?” said.

“I think so sir..”

“Mmm... but do not often think so too, later even closed to men. Pity the men who are after you.”

“Interesting? I am a bird Sir!”

“Haha, yes virgin.”

Here's how fun it is with Mr. Iwan. He is not stiff, likes to joke and is also attentive. Rarely have a boss like him, I enjoy working in the NGO Communas, in addition to the friendly people, I can learn a lot here, become a mature person, and have aspirations.

“What's the matter Sir?”

“He likes you.”

“Ah is correct? Doesn't he have a wife?”

“Loh? Why is it that if you already have a wife, you can't?”

“Not so.. I love who do not want.”

Mr. Iwan was just grinning, there must be something. Duh, how is this? If only Mr. Teguh had any sense of me, it would be disharmonious in the work relationship.

“Do not worry so dong!”

“I'm confused if he has a taste..”

“Hehe, nothing. Just sneaking around, kirain you are the type of woman who wants to be in polygamy.”

“Not lying, sir?”

“Not calm...”

The car continued to go, until it did not feel it had reached the LAPAS yard, then entered the parking lot. Mr. Iwan went down, followed by me, we were greeted by guards, and led to meet the LAPAS head. Apparently, he was already waiting for us, after chatting for a while, we were taken to the hall.

Here, the convicts are gathered, there are fifty-seven inmates who are AIDS positive, we motivate them to stay alive, then provide direction and prevention of the spread. All the inmates watched carefully.

It's just that, from earlier I was uncomfortable with the view of an inmate, estimated age fifty years, his face was lethargic, as if there was no passion for life. His eyes were soft, as if they were harboring deep pain. I tried not to pay attention to him, but he kept looking at me, as if he was returning his memories. Mr. Irwan was very enthusiastic to give direction to the inmates, and vice versa, the inmates were very enthusiastic to pay attention. Sometimes Mr. Irwan gives jokes so that the atmosphere is not stiff, he is very friendly and fun in making presentations. I have to learn a lot from him.

Almost an hour later we give directions, and it's lunchtime and then back to the office. Mr. Iwan was chatting with the LAPAS head while I was tidying up the presentation equipment. Suddenly the middle-aged man stood beside me, his face growing more agitated at me.

“What are you girls Siti?”

I was surprised, he mentioned my mother's name. A woman who is persistent, willing to die for me. These eyes clashed, up close it seemed like I had met this man, who was he?

“Whose father?” my many.

“Are you a daughter from Siti?”

His eyes were still sad looking at me, tears like this fell from his crackers, yet he held back all his might not to cry in front of me.

“My book is called Siti,” I replied.

After hearing that, her tears were not held back anymore. He wept before me, full of regret and sin, while I was still at a loss what to do? I didn't recognize him once.

“I'm sorry... Son..I'm sorry..,” he said while crying.

He bowed before me. I was getting confused, my memory was trying to be restored, if indeed he recognized me he would have met before.

“Mother is dead, and she never talks about Mr.”

“Your mother died because of me, I am a Father who deserves to be cursed, hit me!” said.

Hearing his words I remembered, he was the man who would rape me, and mother once said that I was his son. This heart has become chaotic, what should I behave like? My mother died because of him, and why is he here? Wasn't he in Jakarta?

“You...” I didn't continue that word.

“Iya, I'm your father! I desecrated Siti, until she became pregnant, I did not want to take responsibility, I made her a mistress, I am responsible for those sins!”

This heart feels like it's going to be broken. Is he really my father? Why so vile of his deeds? Why is this all happening to me?

“You may not admit me, you may take revenge on me, you may torture me. But, forgive all my actions. I can not live to bear the pain and sin.”.

I can't see it, I can't accept any of this. The truth is bitter, I'm not ready. I'm happy with my life now, I don't want any shadow of the past to come to me, I feel calm. Without saying anything, I ran out the LAPAS, with tears dripping nonstop. Why is this meeting so bad? Inside an iron bar.

“What's up?” ask Mr. Iwan when he enters the car.

I wiped the tears with a tissue, maybe Mr. Irwan saw the incident, or he noticed my red eyes.

“Nothing Sir.”

“Do not lie, you can tell anything to Mr.”

I looked down, unable to see the look in his eyes. He's a good-natured boss, I can't possibly share this wound.

“Nothing to tell Mr.”

Mr. Iwan was silent for a moment.

“Alright, let's have lunch!”

Then the car engine is turned on. Mr. Iwan stepped on the gas pedal, and bolted this car. Like this memory that broke through space and time, I was in the past, where I had to swallow a bitter pill.

I don't dislike my sad past. Unless I want to throw it away, I want to feel a normal life, I'm a kara, I don't want to be burdened with the things that make me miserable again. My life has helped a lot, many have cared, even when I was khilaf, Masriyah ma willingly helped me. Then, do I have to accept my father who made me like this?

It's clear that it was my father's actions that made my life chaotic, because my mother's father died. Because of the actions of my father I had to see my mother receive foreign male guests at home, because of the actions of my father felt solitude, estranged in his own home, hurt by the environment.

I saw the LAPAS building from the rearview mirror. Could you also look at this car from behind the window? Or is he just crying regretting his situation in prison? Receiving blows from fellow prisoners, or being enslaved? He looked old, different when he met in Jakarta. Could it be her suffering that makes her age and always restless?

All I know is that she still knows me, but I've forgotten her, throwing her face out of my memory and my life.