Three Years Different

Section 6

As promised to Ustazah Aini. Mardiyah accompanied him to the market to buy eggs, while he also bought vegetables to cook tomorrow. Because it's been a long time not cooking vegetables for the breakfast of the orphanage sisters. His job is also to arrange food, not to mention every morning he is assigned to deliver food to Umm Salamah.

He is the older brother of Umma Sarah. The mother of Jafar, the man who made her heart tethered, although reportedly Jafar will not return to the boarding school. Even what he heard the man couldn't speak, and he thought, maybe Jafar's trauma was very heavy.

Not to mention Lutfan. The boy was not worth worrying about, because his smile and happiness never disappeared. Mardiyah did not understand very well, it was a cover or Lutfan really felt not sad to lose his father.

Because he was small he knew. Lutfan never wanted to be arranged by his father. Lutfan said that at the age of nine, he wanted to tie his father up, because he was too busy to pay attention to him. But once he noticed he always punished him severely, for example cleaning the toilet of Al-Hikmah boarding school for a full month.

If you remember again. Mardiyah wanted to laugh, as well as hit Lutfan.

"Thank you, Mar. Separate here we are," said Ustadzah Aini immediately made him realize.

"Neggs, Ustazah. Careful."

Mardiyah stepped into the orphanage. After coming from the shared kitchen, he immediately passed to the office Umma Sarah was about to ask permission for an event at the Lazuardi hotel.

"mma ... Assalamualaikum."

Umma Sarah was with Lutfan.

"Vaalaikumussalam, Mar. Login."

Mardiyah. "Later sa--"

"You talk to Umma, please. I can wait outside" said Lutfan.

Mardiyah nodded and took a seat on the plastic chair. "Umma, Mardiyah wants permission."

"Where are you going, son?"

"Stay in the store. Because tomorrow night Mardiyah has to help the store owner attend an event at the Lazuardi hotel, Umma. So it's not pa-pa if Mardiyah stays?" Mardiyah.

"It's not that Harsa's flower shop is the roadside, is it?"

Mardiyah nodded.

"Umma's worried it's not safe, son."

Mardiyah replied softly, "There's a guard, Umma. God willing Mardiyah can take care of herself, and Mardiyah also stay with two other female friends."

Umma Sarah was silent for a moment. "Umma permission. But you have to call Lutfan if there is anything, because your store is quite close to the cost of Lutfan. Can you?"

"Can, Umma." Mardiyah stood up and slightly lowered her head. "Mardiyah pamit, Umma. God willing tomorrow morning before leaving Mardiyah here again. Assalamualaikum."

"Mosur."

A step Mardiyah out of the door, seen Lutfan already standing. Even right looking at the door, until a moment he saw Lutfan looking directly at him.

"Already," said Mardiyah slowly and breezed away from the office.

Lutfan went back in and sat on the long sofa, then leaned his head on the left shoulder Umm Sarah. "Did he just now? Umma used to call my name all, hm?" Lutfan.

"You have an event at the Lazuardi hotel, Mardiyah was told to stay at the flower shop. Umma says yes, but if there's anything you should call me anyway."

Lutfan's head lifted and his forehead shriveled. "Kok? Very malesin. So Umma told me to take care of him?"

Umma Sarah nodded.

"Totally good."

"Don't want you?"

Lutfan shook his head. "Not to Umma. Radak males. But ... If Umma's request, yes-yes."

"What is it?"

Lutfan avoids the gaze. "Yes would like to. I'm taking care of him for Umma."

Umm Sarah sneered at him he said, just an excuse. Is correct. Just excuses. Indeed, which man does not want to accompany the person who has been guarding him? Yes, even before, when he was a child.

"You're just here. Aren't you tired of going back and forth from the village to the city?"

Lutfan. "Kan Cak Sur who drove Umma. How can I sit while sleeping Umma asked tired of his reluctance?"

Spontaneous Umma Sarah hit the left shoulder of the child just his wayang. "Snake! Yes, this is all your fault! Poor Cak Sur too!"

"I told Umma, I have written the notebook that Mas Jafar bought. Pity later Mas need the book, I do not want to be disobeyed as a sister," said Lutfan.

Umma Sarah glares. "Don't talk much."

"Umma ..."

"Sana to the Mosque, azan magrib. Pray, be a good priest for Umma's son-in-law!"

...🌺...

Mardiyah who was originally relaxing, heard the sound of the door being knocked quickly picked up the veil and put it on.

"Yes ... Thisyah?"

Inayah nodded and lowered her head.

"Why?"

The little girl twisted her fingers. "Daddy .. Can you ask for help?"

"Can."

The textbook was directed at Mardiyah.

"What's this?"

"Epgm ... Brother Mar, will you help?" Inayah.

Mardiyah looked at Inayah flatly. As usual, he looked at people.

"Lake in."

Mardiyah crouched down to pick up the mat under the mattress and then held it on the floor, before she also called the study table.

"Which one?"

Directed by Inayah. "Number three, sister."

After explaining at length to Inayah. Finally the little girl understood, and again given the same question, Inayah could immediately answer. At least if he stays tomorrow at the flower shop his orphanage sister can already do without help again.

"Kok Inayah had not seen Kak Mar in the mosque. Sick brother?"

Mardiyah. "Hayd."

"Oohs. The blood that came out was, brother?"

"Hm."

There was silence for a moment. Until Inayah said, "If so, Inayah said, Brother. Thanks." Thanks."

"Yes. Careful."

There was not the slightest intention in his heart to be indifferent to Inayah or the others. But again it is like this, tired of being friendly without being welcomed by others. He does not equate everyone, but it feels like people are not different from each other. Almost similar.

The kling!

His straw on the bed suddenly rang.

Miss Harsa Janyantaka

Navy color dress. I'm asking you to bring your own hijab tomorrow. Is there?

^^^Ada, Madam^^^

The screen of the device he turned off, because it looks like Miss Harsa will not reply again. After folding the mat and removing the hood, Mardiyah again laid herself on the bed.

In the mind again. Why did the mother just tell me the name? Are there no memories other than the name and the letter? But, as it were, he was still a child. He needed to see the face of a woman who gave birth to him.

"Does Mom ... have my picture?" mardiyah Gumam.

If yes.

It might be very unfair.

"If I miss it? Am I ... more like Mom? Or more like that guy?"

Mardiyah.

"Dad. I meani. Am I like Dad, Mom?"

His little heart misses a family. I don't know who's wrong, Mardiyah can't judge. But after reading a letter from Zanitha, the mother, he became aware. All this time he was wrong. Umm Sarah was right, if it were not for her Father and Mother, she would never have been born in this world.

It never will.

But one side of his heart, too, is not wrong. For there will never be a human being who wishes to be born in such an insulting way.

"I don't know .. must hate or must love."

Mardiyah tilted her body. "Because Mom and Dad gave me life. Butwhy? This birth I got is painful, Mom, Dad?"

So hurt.