The Third Party

32. Early Karma

Unlike my in-laws who kept putting on unfriendly faces, Heni seemed to show her love for me. Maybe it's because I look so pathetic right now that he let me in. In the living room was Heni's husband and an old woman I didn't know. They sat around the envelope that I thought was the envelope from the mourners yesterday.

Then I rushed to the family room where many family photos were displayed there. From the wedding photos of Mas Hasan and Mbak Rina, Mas Harun and Mbak Eka, everything is there. At that time I was not part of this family so it was natural that I was not in the pictures.

Then there is a family photo taken at Heni's wedding some time ago. The last photo of Handi alive. This photo captured my attention the most. I wasn't in the picture because my in-laws didn't allow it. I still remember the pain when my in-laws told me to wait until the guests left.

But now, if time could be turned back, I might be willing to wait until the guests leave to take a picture with Handi.

Or maybe I'm going to divorce Handi to get her married to a rich woman and stop being a driver, and this accident is not going to happen. My in-laws are right, maybe if Handi parted with me she's still alive right now.

I continued to my room, I don't know what I was looking for in the room that had turned into the warehouse. I was surprised when I went into the room and it turned out that this room was no longer a warehouse. This room was clean and reorganized as before. Who did it? Whatdoes thatmean? Do they want to remember Handi as much as I do?

I rushed out to find the answer.

"Mom, Handi's room has been cleaned. Who did it?"

"Heni did. Don't think if the room is clean so you can stay!"

"Who is that room for?"

"Heni's room is ready for Aldi's mother. They'll all stay here!"

"How do you mean?"

"It means that the room will be occupied by my mother-in-law from now on" Heni replied.

"But ... " I'm not going to continue my sentence.

I don't know why I feel so unaccepting. I know it's something embarrassing, or perhaps not worth talking about considering that just yesterday Handi died. But the things in the room were all mine and Handi. Mattresses, cabinets, fans and more. Why am I not allowed to carry all these things and it is precisely Heni's in-laws who now wear them. Should I just shut up? Isn't it taboo if I fuss about it?

"If you're done, you'd better leave now!" My in-laws kicked me out.

"Mom, the things in that room are all mine and Handi's. Why is it that when we move mom we are not allowed to take her? While Heni's in-laws who are nobody, I allow you to use it?!"

Something is strange here. Didn't my mother-in-law ever say that Heni's husband's family was wealthy? Where would a rich person want to wear used items like my mattress and Handi? Why would they want to rush to live in this house if they had their own palace?

I violently pulled my hand away.

"So your mouth! Don't let Heni's in-laws hear your words!" he said as he glanced at the unfamiliar old woman who was sitting in the family room earlier. Apparently she was Heni's mother-in-law. "Did you come here just to fuss over Handi's little relics? You're not ashamed? You should have been self-aware, if it wasn't for you Handi would still be alive now!"

"Stop blaming me, Mom. Did you not regret it yourself? Handi is the most devoted child but mother has wasted him. Handi is also the one who always takes care of the mother when the mother is sick but the mother never takes it. How many times did Handi expect mom to be proud of her like mom proud of her sisters? Has this ever thought of her feelings?!"

"Shut up! Don't talk anymore! Get out of here!"

I also gave up and walked away. I can take care of those things next time, but I will take care of them.

"And don't expect incest because I'm his mother, I deserve it!"

Is that all I have in mind? Was her cry yesterday just a charade for her to gain sympathy from the mourners? Is not a little bit he did not feel lost for the departure of Handi?

And speaking of rights, I think I'm more entitled to things in Handi's room than Heni's in-laws. But for now I better shut up.

I also left without replying to my in-laws. I wanted to stay in the house longer, but things didn't allow me.

*

This is the seventh night or the last night of the event sending prayers to Handi. Ma'am Eka came back home to pick me up like the nights before.

"Mhrs ... I went to my mother's house." I started telling stories, at least so I wouldn't keep remembering Handi.

"For what?"

"Don't know Ma'am, all of a sudden I want to go there. I feel like Sandy is still there. Does Eka know if Heni and his in-laws are now living at the mother's house?"

Ma'am Eka nodded. "I heard from Aaron. When Handi was in the hospital, the mother was difficult to contact because she cleaned Handi's room so that it could be occupied by the iron."

Yes, I remember my in-laws and Heni and Aldi were the last to come to the hospital.

"Why do they want to stay at home? Aren't they rich?"

Ma'am Eka smiled obliquely. "It looks like Heni's been tricked. Her husband is not rich at all. Do not know also how Heni could believe if Aldi had a house and a luxury car. It turns out that the place to live does not have."

"really? Is Eka serious?"

"So now Heni brought her husband's family to live in her mother's house. Fortunately, only Aldi's mother lived there. Imagine if her sisters also stayed at the mother's house?!"

"So Heni's husband turned out to be poor?" I clarify.

Ma'am Eka nodded.

Should I smile while I am still mourning my husband's passing? Can I laugh or smile a little? I'm really happy to hear that. It turns out Heni's husband is poor?! Is this the beginning of karma for my in-laws? Is this the reason why Heni was crying at the time? Is this the reason why Heni's attitude was a little more lenient to me?

It did not take long, Mbak Eka's car has arrived at my in-laws' house. I who was usually inferior because I was surrounded by rich people now became more confident. The fact that Heni's husband was poor made me realize that I wasn't too pitiful. Heni's husband is much worse.