The Woman Behind The Scenes

Chapter 6 - Substitute Player

At the end of February, the sun glorifies with its heat. At that time, until the beginning of the rainy season, the Philippines turned bright and evaporated the heat that could have been. Pregnancy makes Dara's body begin to turn into weight. His sweat often pours profusely when walking for a while outdoors.

The woman did not lower her disciplinary standards at work. Before everyone was present, he was already in an office room containing dozens of employees.

Dara has been looking excited lately. He had just been promoted to the post, with heavier responsibilities but far fewer jobs. His fat stomach that had begun to look like that, did not dampen a little bit of his spirit to work.

In recent months, considering her safety, the operations manager requested that Dara have the same schedule as Tomi. Certainly not much change. Even though they are on the same schedule, he still takes care of himself.

In the new office that is very strict regulations, Dara get special treatment as a pregnant woman. He is allowed to bring small meals to keep his nutrition during work.

With the same schedule, Dara should be more comfortable working with Tomi. Usually a couple becomes more attentive to the woman who is two-bodied. They were not the only married couple in the office. There are two other couples who are so noticeably watching each other.

Dara began to lower her expectations since the incident that night when she slashed her arm. Nothing much will change from the man who married her. When the snack runs out, Tomi will not turn into a savior and get a new supply for Dara who is working. He prefers to sit just like that, joking with some of his usual conspirators who accompany him to drink.

Of course, some of Tomi's friends are also friends with Dara. Despite their addiction that Dara could not accept, they still treated the woman well. With their daily life together with Tomi, they know that Dara is in a difficult position. Sometimes some of the plotters will send a message to Dara to be patient, and do not forget to take care of his health, especially in extreme hot weather like today.

Dara looked so serious in front of her two monitors. Tomi, who was sitting right next to him, was not in the office. This is in his working hours. However, some people were unable to reprimand the famously oldest Tomi in the room.

After all, they agreed not to fuss over time off during work and their targets were achieved.

“Hahahaha!” boisterous laughter Tomi with some friends entered the work room.

Dara pretended to be deaf, and remained focused on her monitor screen. As Tomi sat on the chair right next to her, another scent came to Dara's nose.

He was used to smelling the aroma of alcohol of various types, and cigarettes from various brands. However, for the scent of this one, it was very unusual.

Tomi unlocks her computer screen, then taps her index finger on Dara's desk. He gave a signal that Dara, who was wearing a headset, turned to him.

“Your work is done?” tanyanya when Dara looked.

Dara could see something different on her husband's face. Half-sweet eyes, slightly dry mouth, and a thin smile. Tomi usually doesn't like to smile at her when she talks.

“A little more,” replied Dara briefly.

“How long is it?” Tomi this time was a little urgent.

“Twenty more minutes,” replied Dara while facing back on her computer screen.

Tomi shifted her seat closer to Dara, and whispered, “Then, as usual. If your job is done, do my job here. A tad. You only need to reply about eighty more emails.”

Since Dara and Tomi worked in one company, she has been a substitute for her husband. Tomi, who is not very fluent in English, often does not understand the new material given by his superiors. It is also difficult to follow the changes that occur in the mechanism of work there. With his company's very popular products, becoming a customer service employee today requires speed in working, and completing a very large daily target.

Dara took a deep breath. He sometimes wants to refuse, but this will trigger a new episode of quarrel in his household.

With such a fast promotion, there is no doubt Dara's ability to do work in this field.

“Yes? Must be done. I just got ten,” urged Tomi when his wife was silent.

Dara nodded with a flat face, and Tomi moved her seat back away. He was busy talking and laughing with his friends.

With a job as a substitute today, Dara became faster at typing and getting her work done. Surely Tomi will demand that he finish the extra work on his way home.

It was something that was forbidden by their company. However, like simalakama fruit, sometimes Dara felt he had to do it, like it or not. Finding a job is as easy as Tomi currently accepts, not something that can often be obtained.

Dara had to be patient enough to be a substitute, at least until her husband had the desire to do 100% of his own work. Of course, if Tomi loses this job, Dara will increasingly become months when returning from work. They are also unlikely to be able to survive with an unequal economy.

People around Dara, some become actors and actresses who are good at playing roles. They actually already know what Dara is doing to support her husband's career. However, if they had to argue with Tomi about it, they wouldn't want to. As much as possible the people in the office still treat the married couple with ordinary, as if they do not know anything about the wedding.

With her current position, Dara often sits in front of other staff computers to check their work, occasionally in the event of a specific case. Before long, it might be 20 to 30 minutes.

However, when Dara sits in front of Tomi's computer, she will spend at most two hours to complete the work. With this extra work on her husband's word, Dara became a very fast typist, and her brain thought faster than ever.

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

That afternoon, they had to join a meeting together with some people from the Quality Asssurance (QA) section. It was an interesting topic when this meeting was held. Some mistakes in the work of the last few weeks, will be discussed, and usually the employees who make mistakes will be invited to a one-on-one session with a QA.

Dara stroked her bloated stomach from this morning. In an increasingly enlarged pregnancy, she often feels excessive boast to make uncomfortable when sitting.

Tomi is approached by Leo, and he rushes to the counselling room. He has often been called upon by the QA to discuss some minor mistakes in his work.

Dara was able to see her husband with the same face a few weeks ago. Eyes are slightly faint, and a thin smile. Still .... with a special aroma that he does not know what.

Dara ventured to approach Joe, one of her husband's tongkrongan group. Although he often follows Tomi and others, Joe remains fairly straightforward and will not put his job at risk. He was also very kind to Dara, and treated her like a sister.

“Kak. Can ask?” Dara lowered her head and spoke beside Joe's face who was speeding with his target.

“What, Dar? Seriously very. Hehe,” Joe as usual likes to give a cheerful impression.

“You what is it? That's not a cigarette, brother. I-i know. That's what?” dara's question made Joe's smile dim. He stopped his typing finger. As a good friend, he never tried to lie to Dara.

Joe turned to look at his friend.

“Promise with me. If I love you, this doesn't need to be exaggerated. You must be away from things that harm you and your child.” seriously so Joe while looking around so that no one comes eavesdropping.

“Iya. Appointment,”

Joe looked at his coworker. He didn't mean to trigger anything, but in essence, he could never lie.

Dara's brain stopped. He had never heard of such a thing in his entire life.

“Cimeng? What it-“

“Canja.” Joe interrupted Dara. She knew this woman would feel one more disappointment about her husband whom she always supported.

“Not just him, Dar. Some people here too. The effect will be nothing. Make fat maybe yes, because he will definitely eat. But after that effect, we never know. Everyone is different. But to be safe, please pretend you don't know. Focus with your baby,” continued Joe.

Ganja ... That's what Dara used to read, and see in some news on TV. In a big place, a city as small as that, has not known forbidden things such as drugs. The only mischief that often occurs in his city is that some young men sit down drinking locally made alcohol, and sometimes flirting with women passing by.

So, Tomi had already levelled up in Dara's eyes. He was no longer an alcoholic who drank alcohol almost every day, nor was he just a man who got out of control in verbal and abusive to his wife. Now, Tomi is also a drug user, who has never been seen how it looks and forms by village women like Dara.

“Dar!” tomi's voice suddenly broke the confusion that was going on in Dara's head. He turned around and saw Tomi with a facial expression under the influence of marijuana, already sitting in his seat.

Dara leaves Joe, and the friend goes back to work, and beats as if Dara has just finished helping out with her job.

“What's up, Bi?”

“Let's discuss at home. But take a look at this,” Tomi shows an email of her assignment a few days ago, on a computer screen. The email, neatly arranged, with the right answer, according to procedure. Dara was a little confused, and turned her head with an astonished expression to Tomi.

Tomi tapped her index finger on her computer screen, pointing to the closing greeting of the email saying:

Warm regards, dear,

Tare

‘Turn me,’ thought Dara in heart. He made a fatal mistake when he became a jockey a few days ago. He never thought he would make such a fatal mistake. One could question why Tomi's account sent an email with Dara's name on the closing greeting.

“Sorry. I may have been too much of a prankster. I forgot to change my name,” Dara tried to minimize the anger that might have burned Tomi's head from the inside.

Tomi is expressionless. He changed like his face when he was upset.

“We discussed at home,” he replied briefly.

‘Turn me,’ thought Dara once again. It is undeniable that he made a mistake. Dara did two jobs. That meant he was replying to over a hundred and fifty emails a day. How could he do it perfectly. As smart as a jumping squirrel, it will definitely fall too. The saying ... has now become a reality for Dara.

He sat there like a crime suspect. This time, Tomi will probably extend this affair. Dara becomes helpless when Tomi tells her. Whatever it was, she would be her husband's scapegoat.

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

“Jelasins. Why can?” Tomi sat on a chair facing the dining table with a glass filled with ice cubes and water.

Dara who sat in the opposite seat, tried to pull out her courage to speak to ‘tuannya’.

“I may have forgotten to replace. I told you earlier ‘kan in the office?” there was nothing else he could explain to Tomi while he could not remember his mistake.

Tomi showed her grievous look. He hated to hear the reason of the woman's mouth.

“You intentionally? So I can get a bad judgment? So?” he snapped a little.

For some reason, Tomi's accusation always made Dara feel alone, even though she knew that she never intended to do what she was accused of.

“Where might I intend that? Sorry, I was completely unintentional,” as usual, Dara became the one to apologize for whatever happened between them.

“Aren't you a smart guy? Promoted? How could such a stupid mistake happen?” Tomi is getting a corner on Dara.

Dara held back tired on her back that had been sitting all day, and her stomach that was still not careless. He was so triggered by Tomi's words just now.

“Then why should I do your job? Why not you? Salary you received, not me ..” Dara replied with a slight frowning of her forehead to ‘tuannya’.

Tomi looked up and laughed cynically. His hand grabbed a can filled with cereal, and approached Dara who had been holding her stomach.

His hand floated the can on Dara's head many times while snorting like a lion about to prey on an upset animal.

“What did you say? You become with me? Why about my salary?” he shouted to Dara who was crying holding the head that had just been hit.

Dara felt so tired, this time she did not want the slightest silence. His considerable work lately made him feel an unusual burden. Coupled with Tomi always making him a jockey, Dara tries to justify herself.

“Betul ‘kan? My salary was never asked to be shared. Why do you blame me for your work that I have helped you with the best I can?” Dara clearly defended herself. Tomi never let Dara touch her ATM card. His salary was always kept to himself, and Dara was not entitled to regulate it, like a wife in general.

“I just ask you to do my job. If you can't, you can say enough. You think, I can't do all this without you, huh?” Tomi back to snarl.

The words he had spoken to Dara many times when they were fighting. However, he was someone who liked to lick his own spit. One hundred times he said that, one hundred times, he asked Dara to return to be his seat.

Dara clenched her hands, cried without making a sound, and felt a fierce hatred blazing.

“You always talk like that, but then you go back telling me to sit in your chair, and reply to all your duty emails!” he yelled a little at Tomi. I don't know what got into him, today he looks more defensive.

Tomi grabbed the can of cereal again, then hit it repeatedly on Dara's face. Dara tried to cover her face, she raised her legs and curled up to cover her baby inside her stomach, and both her hands covered her face. Tomi was like possessed by a very evil energy, the can was not released and continued to hit Dara's back.

Dara was crying and screaming in pain. The only thing in his brain was protecting his distended stomach from these ferocious monsters.

Tomi threw down the can of cereal, and grabbed the chair in front of Dara. With force, he threw the chair, and floated down on Dara's body. He opened the door, then left by slamming the door.