The Untouched Heart

Chapter 2 - The Invitation

With all my heart, I love Mom and Dad. Papa is a hard working man. Never have I or Zach lacked anything. We had a comfortable place to live, although not a large and luxurious house.

Every day we eat good food. For school affairs, we taste education at the best schools, ranging from elementary school to college. In terms of performances, we never lose to our friends.

My mother was a good and loving mother. Although we were often entrusted because they both worked, Mama was always there for us. Caring for us when we are sick, listening to our every complaint, even going to the house of the child who has hurt us to make calculations.

Their sacrifice was so great for me and Zach. Things that make me love them more. We studied diligently and never looked for trouble in school. We also take good care of ourselves and relationships even though they are not always under the supervision of parents.

Although I was so affectionate and respectful towards them, it was not uncommon for me to be annoyed by their interference with my life or decisions. By the time I was thirteen, they forbade me from going to a friend's birthday party. Just because I had to take public transportation from home to my best friend's house.

When I was fifteen and first came to know love, Papa told me to break up my boyfriend. He thinks I'm too small to be in a relationship with the opposite sex. I proved to them that Aldo and I were responsible for the relationship and took good care of myself.

What I can't forget is that when I considered majoring in college, they also interfered. At the end of the discussion, their choices were forced upon me. I'm not allowed to choose the course I want. Thank goodness I was able to graduate and not go crazy for learning something I didn't like.

After our last long debate two years ago about what companies I should send job applications to, their next intervention was about my husband's choice. I chose Aldo, but both of my parents, not surprisingly, made a choice for Hendra.

“Dragon is your mouth, Ara!” Papa's voice intonation is rising. I'm not afraid of that anymore. I am no longer a child who cannot live without the help of my parents. I've been working and can live independently if they really throw me out of the house.

“I don't love Hendra, Pa. I love Aldo. We're getting married. I don't care who the man who came to propose to me, only Aldo's proposal that I received,” I said firmly.

“Listen, Son. If you marry Mahendra, you will live a comfortable and safe life. He loves you and respects you. Their families are also well known and well mannered. You're lucky he picked you and his parents agreed,” Papa said softly.

“You will live happily with him. Believe this. He can fulfill everything you want. Even your dream to travel around Europe is not a dream anymore. Don't you want to consider all that?” persuade Papa to try to convince me.

“Pa, marriage is not about sightseeing or realizing a dream.” I kept the intonation of my voice calm. There is no point in discussing with a hot head. Papa will keep pushing if I keep fighting.

“The marriage is about the union of two souls who want to live together forever,”. “That's what I want with Aldo. I'll never find a happy marriage with Hendra because I don't love her.”

“Love is just a matter of time, Ara,” Papa said as patiently as the pressure of my voice earlier. “You will definitely be able to love Mahendra as you feel for Vivaldo. It could even be more. You didn't give him a chance to try. How do you know that Mahendra is not the right man for you?”

“I love him,” he replied as he looked at his wife. My mom smiled hearing that.

“And that's what I feel for Aldo. I don't love Hendra. Therefore I know that he is not the right man for me,” I insisted.

“Ara, you don't understand. Right now you think that we are just selfish. No. gabe. We thought of you.” Papa grabbed my hand. This discussion was just futile.

“If Papa and Mama think of me, you will bless my relationship with the man of my choice. Not even forcing me to accept the man of choice Papa and Mama. You don't even know who he really is.” I stood up and put the bag on my shoulder.

“Sorry, Pa. I gotta go. We'll never have one word when we talk about Hendra. Stop talking about him and his proposal. I have rejected it and will continue to reject it. I won't change my mind just because Papa and Mama keep urging me to accept him.”

“Ara,” called him as I rushed closer to the front door.

“Already, Pa. Let him go,” Mama told Papa.

“But, Ma ...” I can still hear Papa's last words before closing the front door of the house.

The arrogant man could have thought that he had the upper hand because both of my parents accepted his proposal. He can marry them if he wants. Until whenever I would never accept his proposal.

It's time I talked to the showman again. Hendra had to stop using Papa and Mama to persuade me to accept his proposal. That way will not work at all. The only thing I lost was because our relationship broke down.

Almost an hour into the journey, I arrived in front of Hendra's house. I paid for the fare of the motorcycle that I rode and approached the giant fence that protected the house from uninvited guests. I turned to the left right to look for the bell but there was none.

A man came out of the security guard post and greeted me kindly. I said my name and the name of the man I wanted to meet. After he spoke to someone on the phone at the guard post, the man smiled at me and the fence opened automatically. He let me in. I thanked him and walked in with the fence back closed behind me.

Far beyond my expectations, the Hendra family home is huge. The building follows the style of the mansions I often see in old English movies. What a beautiful house. I had to pass through a fairly large front yard while walking from the front fence to the terrace.

After pressing the bell, a man opened the door. He let me in with a friendly smile on his face. The inside of the house is just as beautiful as the outside. We went to a door and entered a room. There's nobody in it. He asked me to wait and the man left me alone.