The Tarnished Wife

More mature and not arrogant

Tonight, everyone gathered at Kemal's residence. The house looks crowded. Kemal invited a lecture and people around the nearby complex to present to pray to his grandson on the forty day.

Zayn, Rara and her two children have been in the house since morning. Rara and her mother help Mirna and Manda prepare for this event. Manda still looks sad, though not like forty days before. Manda looked stronger. The woman was seen accepting her fate.

“I'm glad to see you so much better, Nda,” said Rara who always gave support to the woman.

Manda smiling. “Yes, fortunately there is Noah and Mbak Rara. Thank you, Ma'am. Though I do not deserve this kind of treatment from mbak Rara, after what I have done.”

Rara wrapped her hand around Manda's shoulder. “Don't say that again, Nda. There is always wisdom in everything that happens. And, I also thank you because with that path I also found my happiness.”

“Will I also find my happiness, Ma'am?” ask Manda.

“Definitely,” replied the kind woman with a smile.

Manda hugged Rara's body which was slightly taller than her.

Out there, Reza and Zayn are busy with the guests, because the recitation this time is specifically for men. The women were in the kitchen and the backyard while the children and caregivers were on the second floor.

One, two hours passed. The fathers present at the forty-day event of Reza's newborn daughter's departure are about to end. Reza looked solemn to hear every chant of prayer spoken from the lips of a middle-aged man wearing a white turban called Mr. Ustadz.

Everyone rubbed his face gently, after Mr. Ustadz had finished praying. Now, Reza's heart was completely calm. Not as calm as before. He is completely sincere about everything that happened and he will start rearranging his life. Moreover, his relationship with Zayn and Rara was getting better. It is wonderful to live without revenge.

Soon, the guests stood up and were about to leave.

“Proposy yes, Mr. Reza. Insha Allah this will be your savings there,” said one of the fathers who attended the event when saying goodbye.

Reza nodded his head. He was standing in a fire by his father and sister. During this downturn, Kemal and Zayn were indeed people who were always there to accompany him.

“Aamiin. Thank you, Ustadz,” replied Reza.

The middle-aged man patted Reza on the shoulder.

“God willingly can change it again, Sir,” said one of the fathers standing beside Mr. Ustadz who was waiting in line to shake hands with Reza. The man was the chairman of the neighboring compound in Kemal's house.

“Aamiin. Yes, sir thank you.” Reza just smiled thinly.

The longer, the people who had filled the house Kemal was reduced, so that only the nuclear family and the closest people lived. The women who had filled the kitchen and backyard space also moved to the middle of the house. They're gathering there. Manda and Rara are also seen there, but they are spaced apart, as Rara sits beside Zayn and is peeling oranges for her husband.

“Oh, yes. All are present. I will say something,” said Reza interrupting.

Manda was accompanied by his cousin. That woman no longer has parents. He also has no siblings because he was born single, but he has a cousin from his mother who is quite close and lives in Jakarta. Name's Viska.

Viska comes with her husband and sits next to Manda. After a long time, Manda finally told his cousin.

Now, the eyes of everyone in the room were on Reza.

“First, I thank Papa, Mama, Zayn, Rara and Mother's Father who was always there when this disaster came. I also thank all the families present for praying for our daughter.”

Kemal looked at his son. Everyone seemed to be seriously listening to Reza's words.

“Our mourning will certainly not be finished even though forty days have passed. But here, I want to say something. As all gathered together, so that it can be a witness to my decision,” said Reza again paused his words a little.

Everyone there was surprised. So did Rara. But not with Zayn who does know this plan directly from the lips of the brother.

“Reza, are you crazy? Huh!” kemal.

Reza. “No, Pa. Precisely this is a good start for us.”

“Can you talk about this later? Just had your son's forty-day event finished.” Kemal is really furious with Reza's attitude, but for Reza his life must be laid out from now on.

Mirna stroked her husband's back to be patient. Rara turned her eyes to Manda who had been crying.

Rara is approaching Manda. However, his hand restrained Zayn and shook his head as a gesture so that his wife would not have to interfere. And Rara also complied. He sat down next to Zayn.

Reza took his breath back and loudly he uttered talaq to Manda. “Bismillah, Sarasmanda Binti Ferdinan. I dropped talaq on you.”

Moments later, Manda's tears spilled. She cried. He realized that sooner or later Reza would be looking after him, because since the death of their daughter, they had practically not spoken to each other. Manda also realized the unforgivable mistake of Reza, especially the man did not love her.

Kemal resuscitated his body on the back of the sofa while holding his aching head. He knew his son wanted to separate from Manda, but not under these conditions.

But, Reza is Reza, a stubborn man and when it comes to decisions, it cannot be changed let alone delayed.

“Propay, Nda.” Manda's cousin hugged the fragile body and stroked her back.

The divorce of Reza and Manda is enough with the words of Reza alone, because Manda is still tied to the wife of the series and has not been registered in the office of religious affairs, so there is no need for a trial or hammer knock.

Everyone there was silent. They are witnesses that at this time, tonight Reza is no longer entitled to Manda and Manda is no longer entitled to Reza. From tonight they are not allowed one room or one house. Although Reza and Manda were rarely in one room during their wedding. A single bed can be counted on the fingers.

The tension and awkwardness of the house was very obvious. It made the guests finally resign and leave, including Rara's parents. Rara was keen to join the stay at her parents' house with Zayn and the twins.

Zayn approached Reza and hugged her. “I will always support you, Brother.”

“Thank you.” Reza patted his sister on the shoulder.

Rara who was standing behind Zayn shook her head towards Reza. “I didn't expect it to be like this end.”

Reza smiled towards Rara after her embrace with Zayn came off. “Then, I didn't want to end our relationship like this either. I have to go.”

“How's Noah? Brother has not done a DNA test on him, but has taken this decision.” asked Rara did not understand.

“Noah's DNA test results won't change my decision, Ra. So why wait for the test results.”

“But ..”

Suddenly Zayn kept his wife from talking much. Rara still wants to talk. Rara is most worried about Noah later, considering her work that is always struggling with children makes Rara understand the psychological condition of children.

“Quiet, Ra. I'll take care of it. Noah is my responsibility and I will always make time for him even if we don't live together. Manda and I will arrange a time so that Noah does not lose our affection. I guarantee you,” Reza said with a smile.

It looks like a different aura than Reza. The man looked more mature and was no longer haughty. The smile on the lips of the man was more often seen even though it was only thin.