The Third Party

45. Other Effort

The customers in my stall are getting less and less as more food stalls are opening around the factory. Lately not even a hundred packs of rice have been sold. If it keeps going like this maybe I'm forced to lay off Lasmi and also Damar's nanny. Maybe I'll do it all myself again because the stall's income isn't enough to pay them.

Then I remembered the advice from Ms. Rina. I need to find a new market. I started to rack my brain. Maybe I'll start taking orders for rice boxes or some kind of home-catering.

I started cooking all sorts of my mainstay menus. Then pack it in a variety of interesting packaging, ranging from simple to contemporary and then print it in a brochure.

I spread the brochure when there are events around my residence, such as lectures, mass gymnastics or meetings. Not to forget the loyal factory employee bought a meal in my stall too I let you know if I now take orders for rice boxes. Who knows if their child wants a birthday or if they want to give thanks.

I who was not so active in meetings and crowds inevitably became active and often participated. Not because I like it, but because I'm looking for a market.

It is not easy, after spreading the brochures was not directly ordered. I even thought that what I did was pointless and a waste of money.

One day there was a rice box order for my neighbor's child's birthday. Not much, but I am happy. This is for starters. Hopefully after this paves the way for other orders.

But after the order I got a complaint from my neighbor. He said if the rice is raw, the cooking is bland, unpleasant and so on. The quality of the food in my place is bad. This is my first order, there's no way I'm working on it carelessly. Lasmi and I cooked it, I tasted nothing wrong. The rice is not raw either.

"Maybe he's just making excuses to make Emma's name bad." Lasmi tried to cheer me up. He knows I'm still thinking about it. "Mother Emma need not be sad, just assume our taste is not the same as her taste."

And a few days later my neighbor opened a food stall right next to my stall. After that I only realized if the complaint he gave me was just a sabotage so that my warehouse was quiet and the catering business I just started did not sell.

I was almost desperate again excited to know there was nothing wrong with my cooking.

I returned to distribute the brochure I had printed. I'm not gonna back down here.

I didn't refuse when a neighbor asked me to go to the village hall for a meeting. This is an opportunity for me. I got acquainted with some of the village officials while giving a brochure. Whether they want a message or not is important they know first.

My efforts to get people to know my caterer made me a great person and a lot of friends.

One by one, orders start coming in. From the factory clerk to his son's birthday celebration to my neighbor who wants to give thanks. It's not much direct, but it could at least recoup stall losses some time ago.

Slowly my catering business began to bustle. And either my fortune or how, my store was again crowded by customers. When I asked why, most of them answered that they were lazy to buy food in my store because it was too crowded. So they buy food to a quieter food stall. Indeed my stall was very crowded at that time because there were no other stalls.

And now they're back in my stall for almost the same reason, because my cooking is better. Thank goodness I was glad to hear it.

As time went on, my food stall began to stabilize and my catering business grew more and more crowded. I was texting with my two brothers-in-law and they helped me promote my catering business.

The rupiah coffers are easier for me to collect, until I can return the capital. I was able to return the Handi accident insurance money that I used to use to renovate the house and open a food stall capital.

Even so, even though I have made enough money, I do not necessarily change my lifestyle. I'm as simple as I used to be. Nothing has changed from my appearance, it may even look more dull due to too much in the kitchen and not knowing facial treatments.

But it doesn't matter to me. I used to take care of myself because there was Handi. But now that I don't really care about my appearance, I don't want to attract any man. My focus is only on raising money so Damar can get the best education. I have to prepare everything from now on.

*

The stall is closed and I'm playing with Damar in the house. Suddenly there was a car stopped in front of the house, not the car Mbak Eka or Mbak Rina. I kept watching the car until the passengers got off.

My eyes glared in disbelief at who was coming.

"Heni and her husband?!" I waited until they knocked on the door to make sure they didn't get the wrong address.

I walked over to open the door after letting them wait for a while.

"What's wrong?" ask me without a stale base. Even though I have not seen each other for a long time, I do not want to shake hands or hug Heni like when I met Mbak Eka or Mbak Rina.

Heni is pregnant, probably about seven or eight months.

"Can I talk to you for a second?"

Then I let them in and I let them sit down.

"What's wrong?" I repeat my question. Heni did not answer. Her eyes were busy looking at me from toe to head without blinking until her husband elbowed his hand.

"I came here to tell mom. Mother asked you to stay in her house again" Heni said without sin.

If I was eating or drinking I would immediately choke on Heni's words. I stayed silent for a long time because I didn't know what to say.

Can ya? I don't think where his brain is?!

"Ma .mrs ... "

"What Honey?" Damar's voice allowed me to divert my deadlock from not being able to answer Heni. He followed me on the sofa after he was busy playing cars in front of the television. Damar has been running smoothly but not yet smooth talking.

Now Heni's eyes could not escape Damar.

"Why Hen? He looks a lot like Handi?"

"A few days ago Ma'am Eka came and showed me a photo of Damar. After that Mom said she misses Damar so ask you to stay there again."

"really?"