The Thorn in the Family

Randi's Life

“I don't know Pa, we've tried our best to treat Mama. Starting from the medical or traditional. Almost some of our family assets have also been sold for Mama's treatment. To date, there has been no change in my mother. Even the doctor has raised his hand with Mama” disease.

Quiescent.

The atmosphere of the dining table again quiet noiseless, the three were busy with their respective minds. The taste of eating just evaporates. It's been more than three years now, eating just as a way to survive for Randi. He could not taste what kind of food was delicious.

“Lantas, should we let Mama like this continue Ran?”. Papa said back in the remaining rice on his plate.

Randi paused his meal for a moment, he chose to reach for the water beside him to gulp until it was gone. For a moment he closed his eyes with his hands raised under his chin as a backrest.

“I think this is part of karma, for the actions of Mama on Dance first Pah”.

Uhuk...

Hearing the words of the child, made Mr. Nario had to choke, even he had difficulty swallowing rice that had almost entered his throat.

“Minum Pa”.

“Be careful when you talk to Ran, after all she is your Mama, the one who has given birth and raised you all this time”.

“I know it's Pa, I'll never forget. Even I had to be willing to change my happiness for the sake of my love for Mama at that time. Hope Papa doesn't forget about it”.

Quiescent.

Mr. Nario and Randi again remembered the story that had happened for many years. Chaos in the home. Mama and Rose are the main puppeteers who bring her family in ruin.

“I think you should find Tari, back Ran, apologize to her on behalf of Mamu”.

“Papa think I'm not looking for him? For many years I searched for the existence of Dance and Risma, hoping for the miracle of the Almighty to bring us back together. Nanum on the other hand, I'm scared. I was afraid to accept the fact that when I met Tari later, she already had a new family and lived happily. Papa thought I'd be strong to see it all?”.

Silent, the dining room atmosphere was silent again, even the sound of the wind from behind the open window on the side of the room could be heard that night.

The corner of Randi's eyes was dewy, he stared at the ceiling of the dining room trying to hold all the clear grains that almost glided without excuse.

“Ma let's eat first”. Randi switched his conversation with Mr. Nario, he chose to stand next to Ms. Srining, feeding the porridge in the bowl.

Ms. Srining gave no response, she looked back blankly and held a small doll in her lap.

“Ma, eat. Open your mouth, Mama. Mama must eat” Randi crouched in front of her mother's wheelchair. He gave an example of how to open his mouth. Within minutes, Ms. Srining, following Randi's movements, opened her mouth. Randi who realized that, immediately directed a spoon containing porridge on the mouth of the mother.

“Ma, slowly ya eatnya” Randi again said when he saw the porridge in the mouth of Bu Srining never visited. The porridge came back through the cracks of his open mouth.

“Pelan ya Ma. Mama can certainly” that's the routine that Randi, do every day. As the only child he treated Ms. Srining patiently. Bribing, bathing, replacing her clothes. Even not infrequently Randi had to look for the whereabouts of Ms. Srining, if suddenly the woman disappeared to look for her daughter-in-law.

You ask if he is tired?

It is far from the bottom of the heart that human Randi can be. He was very tired of the situation. Not infrequently he would cry sobbing in one third of the night, complaining to the Creator hoping for his mercy. Expect forgiveness from Him. Wishing the best miracle for my mother.

O Lord, I am an ordinary man, full of sin. Tonight is like the night before. The servant came back and begged you for forgiveness and healing for Mama.

Let go of the sabaru Ya Rab, to take care of Mama, like when Mama took care of me when I was a child. Let everything I do for Mama be my true love for her. Let all this be the weight of my charity in the future. Yes Rab even though I know my devotion to caring for Mama, it is meaningless with the abundance of love he has given me so far. For that, O Lord, embrace me in your peace, strengthen me in the course of this life.

A third of the night is a very peaceful time. When some humans will sleep in their long sleep. Wandering in her dreamland is beautiful, but not with Randi. He will rise from his bed to adore the creator. Begging for mercy and begging him. His hands looked up, with tears flooding his eyes. Countless times he said the same do’a for the healing of the mother and the calmness of her heart.

Now the adult man, no longer asking to have offspring. He no longer asked to be reunited with Bethari or anything else. It would be inappropriate if he asked for it. He realized that he was no longer as perfect as he once was.

A statement that said if he was barren, added again with the condition of the Mama like this, made him not have the courage to mention the name Bethari in a series of strands of prayer’-do’anya. Just a little slippage of love and affection that he put on the Creator for the woman who filled the niche of his heart first, now and until later. The woman will never be replaced and timeless.

O Allah, Lord, I leave behind every feeling and expectation in my heart and life. You are the All-Everything. You are the Almighty, you are the One who embraces every human hope. O Allah take care of her, the woman who is already enthroned in my heart. Guard him from all evil. Put your rahman and your womb on him. Simplify every road he faces.

Just the adult man, no longer asking to be united even to have it back. Let him spend the rest of his life in the shadow of endless guilt.

.

.

.

.

Suka Maju Village

Risma began to enter her grandmother's room with a sullen face, as a protest that she placed on her grandmother. Since three years of living only three with his grandmother and mother, Risma was never far and long apart from the Mother. He sat on the edge of the bed with his long hair still unraveling almost covering part of his face.

“Nek, Mommy when to go home?”

“Nek is already night, why Mother has not returned home?

“Mother why work every day?”.

“Grandma just try Daddy there, surely Mommy is not tired of working like this”.

“Grandmother where is Dad? Why haven't you been coming home to see us for so long? Do you no longer love us?’. The row of questions that came out of Risma's mouth, just came out without pause. To make Miss Marni respond.

He paused for a moment his activity, looking at the little girl who looked sulky with a face in the bend. His hands were shuffled right at the chest. His shabby face did not show a smile there at all.

“Risma dearest” Pure Bu chose to approach her grandson. He gently stroked Risma's hair and looked at the little girl's eyeballs.

“Honey, it's still seven o'clock tonight. Mother had said that she would be home late. Mother is having a lot of cake orders. Last afternoon Mother Kan had said that today will come home late to accompany aunts there to make a cake”.

“Pending work for whom nak?”

“For us nek” replied Risma lethargicly, she grabbed the bolster that was on the side of the Srining bu tranjang, clutching it very tightly. He was reluctant to show the look of his face to the grandmother and preferred to immerse his face in the bolster.

“True, Risma is indeed a clever child. Mother works for us. We pray yes so that Mother's work immediately jam let's go home and play with Risma”

“Nek, where exactly is Dad?”