The Thorn in the Family

A Hope

In the evening I was pensively waiting for news from my best friend Fitri regarding the work he offered this morning while at the market. My fingers flick a few times shifting the phone that never rings. I breathed heavily many times. Quite saturated with the routine of a few days is enough to make my emotions fiery every day.

“Nak why is your face so moody?”.

Mom came up to me sitting on the front porch that night.

“Ah is okay bu”.

“Tar are you still long time off?”.

Ask mom hesitantly.

“Not yet bu still waiting for news from kantor”.

My answer is to avoid the fact that there does not want to explain to the mother if the child who is the backbone of her family is now an unemployed person.

“Tar mom can ask for something no?”.

Deg.

My heart was wondering what other request I wanted after this.

“What's bu?”.

“Tar what if this mother needs someone who can help to care for mbah nak”.

“Meanour means how?”. I scrunched my forehead trying to digest mother's words.

“Yes that son, I need someone who can help mom to take care of Mbah. Honestly, I'm tired if I have to take care of Mbah alone like this”.

“Mother asks me to find a maid?”.

Lots of rounding the eyes.

“Can also be like that, or how about..”.

Mom paused her words.

“What's bu?”.

“Hem’.

‘Colah bu just say”.

“How about if I ask you again Tar, let me help you take care of Mbahmu. Frankly, I'm very tired during this time caring for Mbah alone”.

I rounded my perfect eyes not believing what my mother said.

“So how is Tar?”.

“Hem I don't know if mom should answer me.”.

How can the mother ask to remarry for reasons to help care for the mbah, while pakde and paklek are real Mbah children themselves do not want to take care of the mbah.

“Try to think yes nak this mother request, with mother menika again at least our burden will be slightly reduced because there is already something that sustains the life of mother and Ipul”.

Mom passed by and went back into the house.

I let out a heavy sigh again trying to breathe as much air as I could, for some reason the cold night atmosphere of the village grew countless hot.

Really from the bottom of my deepest heart I do not want if the current mother remarries with others and replaces the father position. For me, my father will not be replaced and I do not want that.

Maybe I'm selfish.

How can you ask for an opinion to marry again while I own her daughter is not married yet, even though my age is more than enough to get married.

Can't you give up a little by letting me get married first?.

The more days at home the more burdens I live.

After my mother left home, Ipul came to me with a letter that was confirmed to me.

“Mbak I want to tell you this”.

“What is Pul”.

“Just open it first mbak”.

Looking at the envelope symbolizing the school I had guessed if this was a circular for the school bill.

I opened and read the letter slowly, while Ipul was still sitting next to me by playing his phone.

Ipul just nodded his head.

“For now there is no money to pay for transportation and other costs, try to hopefully soon there is more sustenance for you”.

With teary eyes I said that to Ipul.

Honestly, for this time my savings really have been exhausted without rest, no spare money that can be used temporarily to cover needs, he said, including Ipul education savings money has been used for hospital costs mbah.

Ipul just nodded his head and immediately went into the house with a feeling of disappointment. Because it's the first time I don't grant what he's capable of. I hope he can understand about this situation.

‘Yes Allah please leave a lei rezki for this family because I am Yes Rab”.

Dance eyes back glazed, the clear details have almost slid just like that in her eye fertilizers.

Soluble with wishful thinking about the endless need for money loading Dance unaware several times her phone rang.

“Tar it no phone please in lift dong so as not to be noisy”.

Shouted the mother who was in the living room.

“Oh yes bu”.

With a wave I grabbed the phone that rang in front of me.

My eyes sparkled when I read one name on the screen.

“Fitri”.

“Assalamualaikum Fit so how”.

I asked quite enthusiastically waiting for Fitri's answer.

“Waalaikumsalam Tar, tomorrow so yes to Surabaya, I have told my cousin later try to take his test aja”.

“Tomorrow early in the morning after dawn we leave yes, I pick you up at home”.

“Really Fit thank you very much ya”.

“But I can not promise to accept or not yes Tar, which is important you try first. But if according to my predictions will be received you will pinter his experience a lot and his insight after beautiful Pula”.

Fitri laughed saying that.

“Ah affairs accept not just hand over the same that is giving rizki Fit, this is part of the effort hopefully there is ease and blessing”.

“Ya already hunted ready to pack there so that tomorrow does not rush”.

“Siap bos”.

I quickly turned off the telephone connection and waltzed into the house with a radiant face, as if getting a new hope to come back to life.

You why Tar smiles like that”.

Says mom sitting in the living room glanced at me with a strange look.

“Bu tomorrow I want to go to Surabaya, pray Dance ya”.

I walked back to my room and picked out some clothes that I was going to bring.

I deliberately brought more clothes because I decided to stay there for a while other than to find a job I also wanted to calm my mind there.

Apparently my prediction of being able to save money by staying at home misses not as I expected. In fact, in the ruma spending increasingly swells many times. For a while it's good that I pull over for a moment by staying in Surabaya until I get another job.

***

The next day as I had planned with Fitri before. Fitri invited me early in the morning we both went to Surabaya both.

In contrast to Fitri even though he has a smaller salary than me but because he comes from a fairly decent family, Fitri is now able to buy his own car from his work. As for me, all this time my money was to support the family and the peddlers in my family.

Ah at least I'm grateful flow is still given a chance to get a little reserve for the survival of my family.

It did not feel almost three hours drive until we arrived in Surabaya, Fitri immediately lowered in front of the office where I would undergo tests this morning, while Fitri immediately darted to his office with my belongings all.

The test will be done at eight in the morning, when the time is still at half-eight but most test candidates are ready in the waiting room to take this stage one test.

A few minutes later a receptionist called one by one the test takers to see HRD.

“From Ambarwati”.