The Will of Love

Ch 80's. Elise

Aris and Meli cars along the village road in the outskirts of Bandung. The tranquil and peaceful atmosphere of the village is very much felt there. Their car stopped in front of one of the very simple houses.

In front of the house sat a girl who was alone. It looks like his eyes sparkle when he sees Aris and Meli's car stopping in front of his house.

From inside the car, Meli looked at the girl. The girl was the same age as Ar and Re. Meli had guessed that the girl was the son of the man who had an accident with Aris.

"Here, there's a car that stops in front of our house..!" Said the girl calling her Grandma.

Looks like a middle-aged woman, out of the house. The woman seemed to be frowning her forehead trying to see who was coming.

"Is that Dad, Ni?"

Ask the little girl to her grandmother. Her grandmother smiled, then gently stroked the little girl's hair.

Aris bit the corner of his lips, then he ventured to get out of his car followed by Meli and their children.

"Assalamualaik." Sapa Aris to the middle-aged woman from outside the wooden fence that adorned their yard.

"Getishalight." The middle-aged woman replied as she approached Aris, arriving in front of the fence.

"Is this really Kang Agus' house?" Aris asked the middle-aged woman.

At first, Aris did not know the name of the man. However, after being traced it turns out that the man's name is Agus.

The middle-aged woman looked surprised when Agus' name was mentioned by Aris.

"I-i-iya Sir, what's wrong, sir? is my son still alive? Did you come with news from my son?" The middle-aged woman's face looked extremely worried.

Aris did not know where to start, which he clearly felt very hit because he was the cause of Agus' life to drift.

"Can I come in, Mom? I brought news of Kang Agus." Said Aris, with a trembling voice.

"Astagfirullah, please sir." Said the middle-aged woman while opening the fence for Aris and her family.

Aris and her family went into Agus's yard. The courtyard of the house was not so wide but well laid out. There are herbs and vegetables on the right side of the house.

The house feels very beautiful even though it is very simple.

The middle-aged woman invited Aris and her family into her house.

"I'm sorry there's no guest chair sitting on the mat." Said the middle-aged woman, feeling insecure because her guests looked like people were.

"No problem Mom, it's better to sit down." Meli said with a sincere smile.

"Alhamdulillah then, please, please sit down. I'll get you a drink first."

"Not bother Mom." Meli's words restrained the middle-aged woman's footsteps.

"It's okay, it looks like Mom and Dad came from far away. I made you some warm tea, let's have a more casual conversation." Said the middle-aged woman kindly.

Meli and Aris could not resist it, they just nodded and thanked the owner of the house.

The middle-aged woman also stepped towards her very simple kitchen. The building is not too big, maybe a little bigger than Aris's room.

In their living room, there was not much furniture. There only looks one small sideboard. While on the wall of their living room, decorated the photos with a very simple frame.

Aris noticed the photos hanging on the wall of the house. There is a picture of Agus and his wife. While next to the photo is seen a photo of the little girl, using her Elementary School uniform.

"You're in school? what class?" Ask Aris, to the little girl sitting in front of him.

"Ult Om first grade wants to go up to the second grade of Elementary School." The little girl replied with a smile showing off her little teeth.

Aris smiled and looked at the little girl.

"Who's your name, little girl?" Ask Meli.

"My name is Elis, Aunt." Answer the little girl.

The little girl's grandmother emerged from the kitchen carrying several glasses and a teapot of warm tea.

"Please Sir, Ma'am, Deck, drink." He said as he put the drink in front of Aris and his family.

"Thank you ma'am, I'm so troublesome." Aris said in pleasantries.

"No, no, please drink." The middle-aged woman again invited Aris and her family.

Meli grabbed the teapot of warm tea and poured it into several glasses and gave it to Aris, Jono, and his children.The middle-aged woman smiled to see them drinking her homemade tea.

"Look Mom, my intention here is to tell you about Kang Agus." Aris started their conversation.

"Yes sir, how is my son. It has been six years since he disappeared without news. Is she okay? Is he still in Jakarta?" Asked the middle-aged woman enthusiastically.

Aris stared fixedly at the middle-aged woman, then she sighed heavily.

"Six years ago, Kang Agus was riding in my car. At first I did not know Kang Agus, we accidentally met when I pulled my vehicle over the side of the road a few tens of kilometers from here."

"At that time Kang Agus' motorcycle broke down, he was confused how he went home, while his wife was going to give birth that night. Then, he asked for my help to bring her home."

"It just so happened that our goal was in line, I allowed Kang Agus to come into my car. But, fateful events are inevitable. At that moment my car was plunged into the abyss."

Aris stopped the story. He took a deep breath and looked at the two middle-aged woman's eyes closely. The worry was so obvious from the middle-aged woman's eyes.

"Then?" Asked the middle-aged woman impatiently.

"I'm sorry ma'am, when I arrive to deliver the sad news. Kang Agus then died on the spot."

The middle-aged woman immediately cried, all this time she thought her son was still alive in Jakarta and left them. The middle-aged woman hugged Elis, the son of Kang Agus. They also cried together to cry for Kang Agus who had died.

"Then, where is Agus' body buried?"

Aris began to tell the events that he experienced, to why everyone thought Agus was himself. Until Agus was buried in the cemetery right next to Retno's grave.

Throughout the story of the middle-aged woman always shed tears. He did not expect Agus to be gone. During this time everyone assumed that Agus left his wife's child for remarrying in Jakarta. So that Agus forgot his family.

It turns out that this assumption is wrong. Agus died in his struggle to get home to meet his newly born wife.

"Sorry Mom, if you may know, where is Kang Agus' wife?" Meli asked after the middle-aged woman calmed down.

"Eneng, married again, when Elis was nine months old. Eneng felt hurt by the gossip exhaled by the neighbors. The neighbors who knew nothing assumed that Agus left his family because he remarried in Jakarta. Therefore, Eneng retaliated against Agus by cheating with other men and marrying the man." Said the middle-aged woman with teary eyes.

Meli and Aris looked on pity at Elis. They did not expect, because of this incident many people suffered because of it.

"Does Elis' mother still visit Elis often?" Ask Aris.

"Never Sir, Mom. She is currently busy with her new family and children. She now has two children with her new husband. Not once did Eneng visit Elis, He gave Elis to me as my full responsibility."

Meli shed her tears and looked at Elis' round eyes. The innocent child had to lose his affection since he was a baby. Meli hugged Elis tightly, like a mother's embrace to her child.

"Pity you son." Meli Gumam.