The Third Party

16. Breakfasted

I pondered inside the room thinking about what Mas Aaron said to Handi. I still can't believe what I'm hearing, so upset.

Moments later, Sandy went into the room. His face looked ordinary and did not even show that Mas Harun had scolded him.

"Where are you from, Mas Aaron? Really long?" I pretended not to know.

"Oh ... We talked in the back" he replied.

"What are you talking about?" I'm Handi's fishing rod.

"That's ... Mas Harun asked me to work for his company" he replied again.

"Is that so?" Handi nodded.

Yeah, maybe they talked about it before. But when I was there, I clearly heard Mas Aaron scolding him for me. Why aren't you being honest with me? Are you keeping my feelings? But my feelings were already messed up because I had heard everything.

Suddenly I wanted to cry. Not because of Mas Harun's words but because I imagined how Handi was feeling right now. His family pressured him because of me, while he had to pretend it was okay in front of me to keep my feelings. It's not fair to me or to Sandy.

"What did you answer then?" I continued my drama, pretending I didn't know.

"I said I'd think about it."

If Mas Harun offers a job for Handi, then this is the umpteenth time. Several times Mas Harun offered Handi to work in his company, more precisely his wife's company. But Handi always rejected it subtly. And I as a wife still support any decision as long as it does not harm. Even being a driver, he still takes responsibility and supports me.

I am not the kind of woman who is crazy about money like my in-laws or my sister-in-law. For me the happiness of my little family is more important than the money. I'm hypocritical? Nah! It's just that I'm used to it like this.

*

The next day...

I've returned to my usual activities. I get up early to cook and do other household chores. I worked everything out with a calm feeling because my in-laws did not dare to sneak in to take Damar. There was Handi accompanying him. He happened to be leaving rather noon today.

It's time for breakfast. Then I called my in-laws for breakfast.

"Mom, breakfast is ready" I said, knocking on my in-laws' door. This is the first time I've interacted with my in-laws since last night.

My father-in-law opened the door to his room and walked to the dining table. After that I called Handi, until the three of us gathered at the dinner table.

"Where's Heni? Why don't you wake up?" ask in-laws. I did not intentionally wake Heni. Who is he? I've done it all while she's sleeping. Whether or not to eat breakfast is none of my business.

"Wake up!" my in-laws. He was already visibly upset that I did not respond to his words earlier. Actually, not even woke up Heni should have woken up to hear his mother's voice as loud as this, but in fact not.

I stood up to wake Heni but Handi prevented me.

"Manja how? In fact, all this time doing homework is also Heni, not your wife!"

"Emma used to work, ma'am, not laze. Fear of this habit of Heni will be carried away until he married later."

I held Hand Handi, gave the code for Handi to answer her mother's words again. I remember the words of Mas Aaron. If you are angry, we should be quiet to avoid conflict. I'll try to do that.

My in-laws smiled cynically at Handi's words.

"You get carried away until the household is also okay. Heni later married a rich man. She had a maid so even if she was lazing around, it didn't matter because there was a maid working on everything!" Like it was my in-laws with the fate of her daughter.

"Heni is beautiful, so she wants to find a husband like anything she can. The rich, established, handsome can definitely. No one will refuse!"

I wanted to laugh at the words of my in-laws who were too proud of Heni. Then why until now Heni has not been married at the age of not young. Even I'm sure she doesn't have a boyfriend. Keep in mind also my dear in-laws, your proud daughter is also an unemployed.

It's true that she is beautiful, even I admit that the entire family of Handi is good looking people. Hasan and Aaron, they're amazingly handsome so I'm not surprised if they get rich wives. Even my father-in-law, despite her age, her facial lines still show that she was quite beautiful in her youth.

But beauty is not enough. Did my in-laws not realize how he hated me because I was poor? Didn't he think that the rich might not accept Heni as a son-in-law because he was poor? Yes, my in-laws are still poor, the rich are his daughters-in-law not his children.

Then Heni appeared with an appearance that was still a mess typical of new people waking up. Without feeling awkward or embarrassed he immediately joined us at the dining table. And who like this wants to get rich, well-established and handsome men? Keep dreaming!

If you want to be rich, you should start getting up early and working. Because rich men who want to marry poor women only exist in the story of the novel, let alone marry poor and lazy women. It's absolutely nothing in the real world, no man would want to marry such a woman even if you're beautiful.

"Remember that Hen, if you're looking for a rich husband! Let your life not be difficult!" Heni is not even fully aware yet but his mother has already indoctrinated him in search of a rich husband.

I was trying to prevent Handi from replying to her mother's words, but now I'm itching to get back at her.

"Hopefully Heni will have a husband as rich, handsome and loyal as he wants. And another important but often underestimated, may he get good in-laws and be willing to accept him for who he is. Because finding good in-laws is harder than finding rich husbands" I said.

My in-laws glared at my words. "What do you mean?!"

"I just pray Heni gets what he wants, what's wrong?"

Handi was silent because maybe he thought there was nothing wrong with my words. While my in-laws continued to glare speechlessly. Where does my word error lie?

"I pray well for Heni, not for him. Why don't you take it?" I'm a plain pretender.

"Are you insinuating me?"

"Why do you feel shunned? Do you feel like you're not a good in-law?" ask again.

This time I was a little brave, even I was sure my in-laws were holding back from being upset because of these words of mine. In my heart I smiled. Foolishness with Mas Aaron's warning to keep me quiet, in fact a little fight can make me feel satisfied.