The Woman Behind The Scenes

Chapter 14 - Step Me First!

The world is spinning so fast with a newborn baby. Become a new mother in a country of people, without relatives, without the help of parents ... Dara is tough. On the third day after her delivery, she was allowed to leave the hospital, taking Kio with her. The baby diverted Dara's entire world. As if still in the dream, Dara sometimes woke up looking at her sleeping baby. The baby looks so perfect. He has nose, skin, eyes, and hair like Dara.

The day was very fast for them. All the fatigue can easily wear off when the new mother looks at her baby changing face, and shape from day to day. All of a sudden, he knew what to do, how to do all the activities with the newborn. Dara knows she can't expect Tomi too much in this. The man had already had children before Kio. Kio is not new to him.

“Have you taken care of the disbursement?” while pressing the button on the television remote, Tomi asked Dara who was breastfeeding her baby. The baby fell asleep, and he would not hear what his father asked.

“Defrost? What melting?” so much thought by Dara that he had forgotten what Tomi meant. He hung up his shirt, then held Kio to stay asleep.

“Insurance. Isn't there a cash disbursement for a normal delivery?” uh! That's what Tomi meant.

In the days before her delivery, Dara had consulted with several staff personnel in her office. As one of the leading companies, the office provides excellent personnel services for its employees, not to mention the employees who will immediately give birth.

Dara retracted her memory. He clearly remembered, the person on the personnel section explained that health insurance from the government was usually able to disburse a number of funds, but not large. With the funds, people like Dara do not feel the need to bother, because the distance to the management is quite far. After all, it was a waste of her time, and she had to take care of the baby.

“Ah, the ... I talked to Shirley. He said it was very small nominal, will not be comparable to the cost of transportation.” Dara conveyed in a straightforward manner, what he got from the staff personnel.

“Yeah? Are you making it up? Where can small nominal government insurance?” his habits again appeared in this conversation. Talking about something related to money, not a favorite for Dara, especially if Tomi is his interlocutor.

“What am I making up for?” Dara answered a little annoyed. Her husband's tone was full of ridicule, or I don't know what it was.

“Ya could have. You ‘kan lazy to take care of things like this. What if it turns out that the funds disbursed are large? Do you feel no loss?” once again, Tomi again used a tone that upset Dara.

The new mother has been sleep-deprived since she had a baby. Not only that, she still has to take care of her husband who acts like a baby. Prepare food, clean the house, to wash. Not to mention if her husband had her translate some materials from training or brief discussions in the office.

“Malays? Do you think there was once I tried to laze around? I don't feel any loss. My son is here. Anyway, the place is far away. How about Kio later?” Dara dodged her husband's accusation.

“You are a lot of reason so as not to be said lazy. You didn't go on a horse, did you? You can take Kio. Carry him,” this man does like to take things lightly, that's what Dara captured.

“What do you mean? Would you like Kio to stand in line among the crowd? She's a newborn, Bi,”

“Ckck. Another reason, another reason. You've seen ‘kan? Lots of people back and forth to take care of the melting, where might be the nominal small? You love making excuses for everything!” tomi's tone began to rise to his wife who had just slept for 3 hours last night.

“Indeed, much. But it's the locals. On average they are lower middle. The money must be big for their size. But for us? Maybe not up to 10% of the costs we have spent in the hospital. Why anyway? What's the problem until it fusses over melting?” Dara lost her patience. What her husband was talking about made no sense. He clearly remembered the explanation of the personnel section. After all, he had already seen a huge human crowd in the government-owned health insurance office. How could he possibly bring Kio there?

“Just because of that, why don't you just try going? You think the cost incurred at the hospital was a little?” tomi's tone is just getting higher. He stood up from the sofa and gagged his waist in front of Dara.

“What? Of course it's a little. We go to a hospital that costs half of my choice. I have prepared all of that from my salary. You know that! I have prepared enough funds for the hospital of my choice, then you want to change the plan because you went on vacation with Farah,” all Tomi's talk really provoked Dara's emotions. She still does not understand how her husband continues to dispute the childbirth funds that Dara herself has collected from her salary.

“Are you a rich man? It's good I love you giving birth in the hospital. You know that, you can go to the government general clinic here. That's like the puskesmas. Many people gave birth there,”

“What? I'm not a rich man. I'm not a citizen here, the rules are clear. The clinics in each barangay only accept local residents. Why are you fighting over something I paid for with my results? Are you being so unfair? Didn't you say Farah had a caesarean section at a fancy hospital?” dara's tone went up. For her, the words of her husband made no sense. Dara clearly collected her own childbirth funds, then why did her husband tell her to look for free or minimal labor facilities like that? Though they both know, comfort there is not recommended, and only for local residents.

Tomi looks so windy. He went to the kitchen table, picked up a kitchen knife, and quickly approached Dara. Irregularly, he tried to attack Dara with the knife, while cursing, “What did you say? Woman ******! What if I want you to give birth there? Is that hard for you?”

Dara retreated, she looked at Tomi who looked so sad with a knife in her hand. The door of their apartment was tightly shut, there was no way anyone would hear it for help.

“What's my fault? Why the length of the discussion? I don't want to go and take risks for my baby. Is that wrong?” Dara defended herself.

“You women who like to make excuses! Trouble people!” Tomi roughly pulled Dara's hair, and tried to cut it with the kitchen knife she was holding. Dara tries to avoid her and releases herself.

Then ... “Kyaaaaa!” kio's crying voice broke. Dara's movements to dodge somehow made the knife held by Tomi, scratching her baby's forehead.

For the first time, Dara seemed to turn into a ferocious monster. He had always been silent when he was hurt, but when his eyes saw a red scratch on his son's forehead ...

Dara shouted angrily, with one hand holding the baby, she tried to push Tomi down.

Tomi fell down, and the knife slipped out of her hand. Dara picked up the knife quickly. The tears were so heavy, and the emotions so high in his head, he could not resist all of this. Dara pointed the knife at Tomi with anger.

“Stat! Don't hurt my son!” he kept pointing the knife. Tom looked surprised. He saw a scratch on his son's forehead.

Dara retreated slowly, she grabbed a cell phone, and a baby bag she always prepared for travel. The woman opened the apartment door and left after throwing the kitchen knife at her husband.

Dara wiped her tears. She hugged the baby, and went down to the lobby in the elevator. His hands pressed the screen on his phone, making a call to Joe.

...****************...

Geck! Geck!

Dara knocked on a simple apartment unit, which was at the corner. Someone opened the door. Not Joe, but Stevi. He is also a friend of Dara's office. Stevi was about the same age as Dara. The man took the bag on Dara's shoulder, and led her in.

Joe there ... He was sitting with Leo, spending a bowl of warm noodles. Leo is one of the people who is close to hanging out with Tomi. He often went out drinking with Tomi.

“Yeah! This why?” he continued, while rushing to take PPPK, and accompanied by a shocked Joe and approached Kio.

Leo is not just anyone. He was a male nurse, and he lived in the Philippines for a long time. He is also a father of two children.

“This is what he did? It’s okay. I treat first, mumpung son sleep,” Leo immediately give treatment to scratches on the forehead Kio.

“Tomi ... We argued,”

“Soal?” Joe wanted to know.

“Government insurance. He said I should go cash the delivery. I should be able to carry Kio and be taken there in line. He said, my labor is costing me ..” Dara's voice vibrates as tears are spilling so hard.

“What? That's crazy!” Joe scrunched his forehead.

“Iya sis, that's crazy! We know the nominal government insurance is very small. Transportation there may also be the same as that nominal,” Stevi this time open the sound. This young man knew a lot about things like this. He was close to one of the staff personnel, and got a lot of information.

“Sorry yes, Dara. But are you guys having a hard time money?” Leo looked at Dara with a concerned face. Although he was close to Leo, he was still a father who could not see the baby hurt.

“I don't know, brother. I never knew about finances. All I know is, I've collected more than enough for my delivery in Saint Claire. But then Tomi changed my hospital of choice to a much cheaper one,” Dara sobbed tears telling the outline.

“Then? You should have no problem with money. What's up with him? Crazy guy!” timpal Joe's upset. She already considers Dara like her sister, especially when she knows Dara is the backbone of the family, and several times often troubled by her own husband.

Leo covered Kio's forehead with a waterproof plaster. The baby he carried, and swung for a while so as not to wake up.

“I know Tomi in the company. But this is outrageous. Sorry, Dar. We all know what he's like. We may not be able to defend you. But if there's anything, run here. Your safety is important,” Leo said while fondling Kio.

Drrta! Joe's phone is ringing. That's a call from Tomi.

Joe decided to answer the phone call. This is to maintain the security of Dara as well, so that Tomi does not slander his wife with a false assumption.

“Halo?”

“Away there?” tomi's voice from across was clearly heard by Joe.

“Iya ... Just got here. Want to talk?” Joe is a good actor.

Joe thrust the phone at Dara who was holding her sobs.

“What? What do you want after my son's forehead you scratched?” her tears broke answering the phone from Tomi.

“Down down, I pick you up. It is not good to solve the problem in this way.” Like nothing happened, Tomi was so relaxed talking.

Leo, and Joe looked at Dara, nodding. They signal Dara to follow what Tomi says, so as not to get into this big trouble, even though this is actually a big problem. There's a baby who's been hurt here ... This is a problem that could be big.

The phone's disconnected. Dara's not sure if she should go down to the lobby to see Tomi, and go home. Or just run somewhere else with the baby.

“Go home, Dar. But ...” Leo said.

“But what, brother Leo?” Dara knows Leo can make the right move. He knows what Leo and Tomi are close to.

“But, once you get off in the lobby later, call Joe's number. Do not turn off the call, until you arrive, finish talking to him, and he sleeps first ..” even Leo who is close to Tomi anticipates bad things that his friend can do.

“Iya, Dar. That's for your security.” timpal Joe assured Dara. He was also told by his co-workers to be calm, and they would pretend to know nothing about Dara and Tomi's previous debate.

Dara agreed. These three friends, it turns out, have often noticed the attitude of Dara who is often seen to be under pressure.

...****************...

Tomi is really cold. All the debate, and the scratches on her baby's forehead seem like they're nothing to her. He took his wife by the hand and took her and their baby back to the apartment. The most unreasonable part, he embraced Dara when he reached the apartment lobby, and greeted the security guard there with a smile and a joke, as if everything was fine.

It is also often done in the office. He will be seen as a standby and loving husband figure in front of the flattery of his coworkers, and Dara should be able to keep up with that.

“Where do I see her forehead ..” Tomi thrusts her hand asking Kio from Dara's hand. Dara hugged her son and then backed away. The anger hasn't gone out. A mother does not simply forgive someone who hurt the child she gave birth to.

“You what are you?” dara's tone clearly showed her courage to fight back.

“Sorry me. I didn't know it to hurt Kio ..” Tomi is like a cold-blooded killer in movies, who easily apologizes to someone who is hurt.

“You! Don't you try to hurt my son. I will not remain silent! Step over my body, just hurt my son! I will not hesitate to finish you if this happens again! Remember!” that courage naturally came to Dara. A mother's instinct to protect her child, is very attached to her. Tomi was stunned to see such a hateful Dara. This was the first time the young woman had pointed at him with her index finger, and such a vengeful face. Tara ... She has now become .. a mother.