The Third Party

5. Gift and Envelope

My in-laws words sound like a slap to me. He did not like me so much that he could compare me to animals. It hurts my feelings but I can still hold it.

"You better clean the house, let me take care of Damar!" my in-laws said as they entered her room.

I didn't want to, I wanted to be with my son but I relented and let my in-laws take him.

After finishing my work I took Damar from my in-laws.

"Later tonight my friends will come to see Damar. Now you shop for food to prepare later. Don't let them come and we don't provide anything!"

"Good ma'am, but I want to breastfeed Damar before I go."

"You pump, I'll give Damar if he cries."

I stopped breastfeeding Damar. I immediately went to my room to pump out the ASI I was going to leave for Damar while I was shopping for groceries for later tonight.

I finished my shopping and cooked until it was over by evening. All I do alone because Heni does not see the trunk of his nose.

*

Her night...

My mother-in-law's friends have arrived. I welcome their arrival. Some of them brought gifts for Damar and some gave envelopes.

They congratulated me and were friendly to me. After that my in-laws took Damar back from my hands and acted like she was the best grandmother in the world in front of her friends.

I know myself too. I immediately made a drink and served the food I had prepared. When I finished, my in-laws gave Damar to me.

"There take Damar to the room, let him rest" said my in-laws flatly. I immediately grabbed Damar from my in-laws and took him into the room.

"Handi's wife is very obedient, huh Bu Dwi? Different from his wife Hasan and Aaron," said one of my friends-in-law right after I closed the door.

"But if asked to choose, I prefer a son-in-law like his wife Hasan or his wife Aaron. Although I did not dare to tell them to do this, at least they routinely gave me a monthly ration," my in-laws replied.

My in-laws house is not spacious so anything can be heard in this house even though it is different room. Moreover, my in-laws spoke very loudly as if intentionally so that I heard it.

"Bu Dwi is right too. Now what does not need money? Everyone uses money."

"Hasan and Aaron were lucky to marry a rich man. They are now successful entrepreneurs, they have a good life, they have everything. Every month each of them gave rations to me as well for Heni."

"Absolutely Handi did not give Ms Dwi's ration?"

"God ... Miss Ida this kind of time has to be asked? What is the salary of a driver? How much does his wife work in the factory? Just live alone, what would you give me?"

I can't give money to my in-laws, but every month it's me and Handi who shop for basic necessities, pay for electricity bills and water bills.

"What does Handi work for now? Is he still a driver?"

"Yes, Handi still works as a driver. This boy was a long time ago a dissident. I want him to be with the woman I chose. Surely now his life is as good as his other brothers. But he still married the woman who is now his wife. See for yourself, is he living a hard life now?"

"Be careful, Bu Dwi, listen to the driver if not go home usually have other women outside. Even often also snack," said one of those who make me creepy hear it.

I started imagining the no-no. What if what these people are talking about turns out to be true? What if when Handi said she was staying out of town, she was actually spending the night with another woman instead of dropping off her boss? Moreover, my condition is now being puerperal and can not have sex.

"I'm just glad that Handi has another woman. Maybe then he'll split up with his wife and marry another."

My heart rumbled to hear my in-laws answer. Does he want me to get divorced from Handi? Was he not ashamed to speak like that in front of his friends? Is it appropriate for a mother to be happy if her child is separated from his wife just because she is poor?

"If I'm the important thing, her son is happy. If it's his own choice what else?"

"How can you be happy Mom if her life is lacking? Especially now that they have children, the need is increasing. His wife Sandy is also out of work. Indeed, from the first Handi is difficult to manage his son."

I could no longer hear the conversations of my in-laws and friends. Handi was also his son, just like Mas Hasan and Mas Aaron, but why did my in-laws vilify Handi in front of his friends as if he was just a pickle boy?

I hummed softly while nursing Damar so that the voices of those people would not be heard to my ears again. I'd better focus on my son because I couldn't touch him all day. After a while Damar fell asleep.

Not long after, my in-laws knocked on my bedroom door. Looks like his friends are gone.

"That's it, clean up the living room!"

"Yes Mom." Without refuting I directly walked towards the living room.

"Wait a minute!"

"What's wrong, ma'am?"

"Where was the envelope my friends gave me?" I gawked not understanding the meaning of my in-laws question.

"So my friend gave me an envelope, right? Where is?! Leave me! They're my friends so that envelope is for me!" My eyes were round in disbelief hearing the words of my in-laws. Even the envelope that had been clearly given to me could be asked for again without feeling embarrassed.

I took some of the envelopes I meant and handed them over.

"This is it?!"

I'm nodding. "just that. The others gave me gifts" I replied.

"Yes, go clean up the living room!" my father-in-law said with a disappointed face.

I rushed to clean the living room from the plates and glasses of my former guests-in-law. At the same time Heni came home from nowhere.

"Well, what's this show?"

"This was my mom's friend on the come," my in-laws answered while busily opening the envelope from her friends and counting the contents.

"These gifts that mom's friends bring?"

"Yes, they brought this for Handi's son."

"Just save Mom, this can make my son later."

What?!! I think this mother and son both can't appreciate other people. It could be a gift that is clearly for my son wants him to save for Heni's son later while he is married just yet.

"You're right too. Yes, there you keep it yourself."

And without saying anything to me, Heni immediately took the gifts away.