The Third Party

1. Surgical procedure

Slowly my toes began to move. Then the pain began to be felt in my lower abdomen. Pain, heat and pain are very difficult for me to describe. At first it was not so pronounced, but the longer it grew sore and the heat began to spread throughout my body. I know this because of the dope effect that's been lost in my body.

Sweat began to wet my forehead and neck. There is no AC, only an old fan attached to the wall of this hospital. Every now and then I grimace with the pain, not infrequently I squeeze the blanket that covers my body to channel my pain. Had it been Handi, my husband would have been his hand that I squeezed out right now.

Slowly the door opened. From my bed I could see who was coming. She's Dwi's mother, my in-law. I smiled seeing him. At least someone accompanied me through this pain.

My in-laws walked over to my bed, but I felt that she did not show me her happy face.

"Have you seen my son?" my many. Maybe if I talk about my baby this pain will lessen, I thought.

"Hmmm .. "my in-laws answered short.

I just finished a Caesarean section. The operation went well and now I'm in the treatment room, while my baby is in a separate room specifically for newborns. I myself just caught a glimpse of it before the nurse brought it in for cleaning.

"I can't wait to carry her" I said again. It was so exciting to want to touch and pet him immediately, I thought it was natural because this is my first child.

My in-laws just shut up. He did not respond to my words and only showed his cold face. Seeing the reaction of my in-laws like that, I did not dare to speak anymore. I tried to endure my pain and kept smiling at him.

"Why should I be at Caesar? Can't a normal body?!" Once I speak, words like these come out of my in-laws' mouths.

"This is not my wish, ma'am ... The doctor ordered surgery to be taken immediately" I explained as I continued to endure the heat and pain in my stomach.

"Say you don't want to feel the pain of a normal body! If the surgery is drugged, it does not hurt. After that, you also cannot lift heavy. You spoiled!" continued my in-laws with her trench.

As much as I could endure the pain after the operation I still had to endure the spiciness of my in-laws' words. I don't want to reply to my in-laws' words. I close my eyes. I ignored the voice of my in-laws who continued to spout her scathing words even though I had closed my eyes. I better enjoy this pain while imagining my baby. The pain that gives me happiness is what makes me a mother.

I heard the door open and a voice greeted my in-laws. I kept my eyes closed not wanting to see who was coming because it was definitely not my husband.

"Mother? Who's here?" It's Mas Aaron's voice. Handi's brother number two.

"Self," my in-laws answered briefly. From his tone of speech it seemed like he was holding back an upset.

"Have you seen Emma's son?" mba Eka, wife of Mas Harun.

"I saw him for a moment."

"Similar to Handi ya Bu, gemes .. it feels like to immediately carry it but not yet allowed." I'm happy to hear that Ma'am Eka is so enthusiastic about talking about my baby.

I kept my eyes closed while listening to their conversation. Maybe they think I'm sleeping.

"The same women today. Little operations. And if you want to endure the pain for a while, surely also the baby was born." My father-in-law is back to discuss surgery.

I don't know how the look on my in-laws' faces heard Ma'am Eka's explanation that sounded like it stood up to me.

"I gave birth to four children. No one had any problems until surgery. You are twice normal as well. That's Rina, his wife Hasan his three children also gave birth normally all. It's basically spoiled, the style is like a rich kid!"

I know my in-laws never liked me, but can't she hold back one day just to not vilify me? Can't I enjoy my happy day being a mother? Aren't you happy about the birth of my son, your grandson Ma'am?

"Let's just wait outside. Emma is resting, sorry if she wakes up because we are noisy" said Mas Harun.

When I heard the door close, I opened my eyes. My vision became blurry because of the water pooling in my eyes. My in-laws' words hurt more than my surgical wounds. I'm not spoiled like my in-laws say. I've asked the doctor to do anything so I can give birth normally but the doctor won't take any chances. I could have lost my baby if I hadn't had surgery right away.

I wanted to defend myself in front of my in-laws, but this pain had drained my energy and made me resign.

Suddenly Ma'am Eka went back into the room. I flinched and immediately wiped my tears. It seemed like she just wanted to take her bag that was left behind but instead saw me cry.

"Emma, are you awake?" Ma'am Eka approached me. I just nodded slowly.

"ill? Arrested huh? He said the operation was like that. Will be given medication to reduce the pain." Ma'am Eka tried to calm me down. He knew I was crying, but he did not know that crying was not because of this operation but because of the words of my in-laws, our in-laws.

"Mhrs ... Has Sandi been told?" askaku.

"It ... I told him that your son was born and handsome like his father. You take it easy, he's on his way. But maybe it'll be late afternoon or a new night until here."

I nodded back. "Thank you Ma'am."

It was so good to hear my husband coming soon. My husband is a driver at a company. He often went out of town because he had to take his boss, not even infrequently he stayed a few days outside the city.

A long time passed. Mas Aaron and Ma'am Eka have returned home. Now in this room there was only me and my in-laws who kept putting their sour faces on me. We both kept quiet.

My in-laws didn't like me for a long time. The reason is because I am just a factory worker is different from Mbak Eka who is the son of a rich person with higher education and Mbak Rina, who is a successful businessman.

Before marrying me, my father-in-law had wanted to match Handi to a nurse, the son of a rich man, but Handi did not want to. Handi still chose me, a factory worker, poor, poorly educated and no parents.

Suddenly the door opened, breaking the silence between me and my in-laws.

"Comma ... ?" This is my husband Handi. He has arrived. He immediately ran to embrace me. After that he looked me in the eye while stroking my cheek.

"I'm sorry baby .. I can't be with you" she whispered with teary eyes. I looked back into his eyes and without feeling my tears melt. My tongue is my tongue, I cannot speak. Just a slow nod that answers if I'm okay.