THERE'S ALWAYS A LEANING PLACE

Continuing Mission

Their conversation stopped. From outside the room, there was a knock on the door with a greeting. Meli immediately opened the room door while answering her greeting.

“Sorry, Mommy bothers you? This is Zayn waking up, nyari the bundle,” said Bu Aisyah.

“No, coke. Let's go in, Mother,” said Meli. He shifted his standing position, giving room for Bu Aisyah to enter the room.

“Eh, Baby. Find Mommy, huh?”  said Via while extending a hand.

In an instant, Zayn was in the grip of Via. He enjoys the ASI of his mother. Anjani and Meli stared at Baby Zayn in a fit of anxiety.

“This is your son, Via? Very funny,” said Anjani.

“Iya. Alhamdulillah, now he can be said to be the same as beyi his age. He was born prematurely,” explained Via.

Anjani and Meli kept staring at Baby Zayn. Smile occasionally without them noticing.

“You don't want to have a funny kid like this?” via fishing rods.

Anjani and Meli looked at each other. They laughed with red cheeks.

“Anjani tuh is ready. If he wants, Mario would be happy to propose again,” Meli chirped.

“Indeed Meli no candidates?” Ms. Aisyah asked.

“Emm, be—but. Where is there a guy who wants to be with Meli?” said Meli while looking down.

Aisyah turned to Via. He coded with the blink of his eye.

“What is your dream guy like, anyway?” Go back to fishing.

“Ah, which is standard only,” replied Meli timidly.

“Standard that how?” pursue Via.

“I mean the believer, can be the priest who guides me to be even better, responsible. Anyway, deh,” Meli replied still with the same attitude.

“If someone like that proposes to you, are you ready to accept?”  This time Ms. Aisyah took part.

Meli looked confused. He looked at Anjani for help. His friend just shrugged his shoulders while smiling.

“Where, Meli? Not ready? Asked by Mother. Who knows Mommy has a candidate for you,” urged Via.

“Aaah, how, huh? Meli confused. Anyone want to be with Meli?” said Meli while rubbing her palms to hide her nervousness.

“You yourself are not ready if you are young like Via?” ask Ms. Aisyah.

Meli fell silent again. Bu Aisyah's question makes it a dilemma, like facing the simalakama fruit.

“Married it perfects one's religion.  There are hadiths that say this among them from Al-Ghazali. It means that getting married will protect people from adultery. While maintaining the honor of adultery including things that get guarantees from the Messenger with heaven,” said Bu Aisyah.

“What kind of Islamic dating is it, Bun?” ask Meli spontaneously.

Miss Aisyah smiled. He looked at Meli with a gentle look.

“Definition of dating how?” ask Ms. Aisyah back.

“Ya premarital process to get to know the future husband or future wife. We don't want to marry people we don't know yet, ” Meli replied.

“If it is limited to knowing each other and their characters, in Islam there is taaruf. But, if the usual courtship of teenagers even adults tend not to be limited to acquaintances. Usually people going out doing street activities together, dating, right?”

“Can't just walk together?” Ask Meli again.

“If the two way to have fun because of the two of them, of course it should not. Later tend to join hands, sometimes hugging as well. That can't be. That's why, dating models are now categorized as close to zina,” explained Bu Aisyah.

Meli nods. It was like he was studying in a relaxed style.

“If taaruf is also a premarital process. What's the difference with dating?”  Meli asked back.

“In taaruf know the prospective couple is not alone. Someone accompanied. So, there is little chance of falling into zina,” replied Ms. Aisyah.

Via and Anjani smiled listening to the two other generations having a dialogue. Shortly thereafter, Via realizes that Zayn has fallen asleep again.

“Anjani, Meli, I go to the room first, yes. Tomorrow we continue again,” said Via.

“Down too. Y'all rest! I was tired all day sitting in the car. Assalamualaikum,” said Ms. Aisyah.

“Waalaikumsalam,” Anjani and Meli replied in unison.

Meli and Anjani send them to the front door. At that moment, Farhan was passing by. The man stopped in front of Via and took Zayn from his mother's arms.

“Sini Daddy only carried Zayn. He has started to weigh,” he said as he looked at Via with a loving look.

Apparently, Meli noticed that. Suddenly his soul thrashed. He immediately entered the room.

Anjani was astonished to see the behavior of his best friend. Meli looked like she was shaking, holding her chest.

“Why are you, Meli?”

“You didn't see how Mas Farhan was doing? Oh, so beautiful his gaze to Via. I became pe...” Meli speech paused.

“You mean?” Anjani is confused.

“Ah, no.” Meli looked blushed.

Anjni frowned. However, the next moment a smile broke on Anjani's lips.

“You mean, you want like Via, so?” guess Anjani.

“Already, look really from your attitude. It's only natural that you baper see the intimacy of Via and Mas Farhan. You deserve to be like Via, kok,” said Anjani.

“You mean?” Meli pretends not to understand.

“I mean of course you deserve to be married, to be a wife. I see,” Anjani replied with anxiety.

“Ah, I still want to continue college. You are too, right?”

“If your husband is sincere, you can continue to go to college. Via for example,” replied Anjani.

Meli nods. Suddenly he remembered something.

“Yourself why not marry Brother Mario?”

“Surely he proposed to me?” Anjani asked back with blushing cheeks.

“Means that if he proposes to you, you are ready to accept?” meli Cecar.

“Tau ah's. I want to sleep, tired,” Anjani replied as she walked to the bathroom.

Meli chuckles at Anjani's reaction. He himself remembered the words of Ms. Aisyah.  She imagines Azka coming to Jember with her family to propose to her. Smile on the lips that are not polished lipstick.

***

The next day, Bu Aisyah's kitchen was not as quiet as usual. Four beautiful women are cooking for breakfast.

“Via, if you at home cook too?” ask Anjani.

“Since I was pregnant with Zayn, I rarely cooked. Even during pregnancy, I cannot cook. Mas Farhan forbade me. He's afraid I'm exhausted,” Via replied while poking the seasoning.

“Mas Farhan romantic, huh? Seneng certainly has a romantic husband, attentive,” Meli chirped.

The other three people turned to Meli. They looked at Meli who looked down at the vegetables she cut while smiling to herself.

“You again imagine your husband like Mas Farhan, huh?” ask Anjani.

Via and Bu Aisyah laughed at Anjani's question. The face itself becomes like a ripe tomato.

“Ish, fuck,” hiss Meli.

“May you guys get a good, loving, and caring soul mate,” Via said.

“Aamiin,” says Meli and Anjani simultaneously.

“Anjani and Meli already have candidates?” ask Ms. Aisyah.

“Be—not yet,” Anjani replied a little nervously.

Meli glares at Anjani.

“Kak Mario designed?” whispered Meli.

Anjani glared back at Meli.

“Oh, Anjani already has a candidate. Meli too?” ask Ms. Aisyah.

“Not yet, Bun,” Reply Meli quickly.

"Don't Mommy last night already ask about this? How do you keep talking about candidates, huh? Don't ever look for a son-in-law for Mas Azka. Haish, think what I am, "inner Meli.

“But, he's interested in the same guy who helped him when he lost his wallet some time ago. He said the guy was like a hero figure ...” Anjani's sentence was not finished because he was shocked by the carrot that landed on his head.

Meli looked at Anjani with a murderous look. Anjani just shrugged and stood up to the sink.

Meanwhile, Via and Bu Aisyah exchanged lyrics. Both of them threw meaningful smiles.

“It looks so great. Can Azka help you?” Azka asked from the kitchen door.

Everyone looks at the door. Meli's face looked red., Then, she lowered her head.

“This time Mother got help from the angels. Your strength is not needed here. You clean the page only!” sahut Bu Aisyah's.

Azka seemed reluctant to leave the room. However, he could not remain there after receiving rejection from his mother.

“It looks like child mode,” muttered Bu Aisyah.

“How mode, Bun?” ask Via.

“There are beautiful girls here, so help. He helps Mother in the kitchen to use the mood,” replied Ms. Aisyah.

Via and Anjani laughed at hearing that. But not with Meli. The girl was silent. It seemed like something was stirring in his chest.

***

Seriate

What is the story of Azka-Meli? Keep following this dime, yes! Don't forget to leave likes and comments! O yes, who does not know the figure of Anjani and Meli, read the novel by Kak Indri Hapsari, Cinta Strata 1!

Read also novels set in Java, which can make a single baper 🤭