Tidying Up Asa, Inviting Hidayah

70. The Man with the Empathy

🍁Seeing you being a monster is my weakness.🍁

Hara's.

I admit I was wrong to take Jenar to a place that could evoke memories of her past. At first I just wanted to take the practical route. Meeting with Danish, only after that drove Jenar home. Because, the house of Pak Haji Baihaqi is in line with the restaurant where the Danish mentioned to meet. Just want to save time, than I have to turn the direction of bringing Jenar home first, just to meet Danish.

I did not know at all if the restaurant was located on a hill with an uphill and winding road. I didn't expect the weather to turn bad after we got there. Varen's whereabouts were also unbeknownst to me, because Danish didn't say she was coming with her sister.

What I regret the most is being late in reading. I didn't forget that Jenar had a trauma that she preferred to call phobia. As Danish and Varen and I talked, Jenar chose to stay away. He sat alone apart from us, even choosing a seat directly facing the cliff.

I should have read the situation immediately, that Jenar was beginning to feel uncomfortable around us. I refused when Danish and Varen offered red wine, despite receiving scorn from the two brothers.

“Since when do you not like to drink? Don't tell me you've caught Reyfan and Hamzah stopped drinking!” I shook my head, responding to Danish's words

I replied with a pretty logical reason, “Just can't drink today, doesn't mean stop, right?”

Danish laughed mockingly, while Varen again sneered. The two of them were not my close friends, but Danish knew enough of my daily habits. Because we lived together when we were in college in LA.

“So, today no alcohol? Sure, here?” Danish moved eyebrows, belittling.

“Yakin! I bring people's children, Jenar can faint if one car with a person whose breath smells of alcohol.” I was honest, even in a joking tone.

Danish and Varen don't really understand what I'm saying, but they're not going to continue talking about alcohol. Until our conversation lasted a while and has turned the topic into a chat around business.

Varen moved in the middle of a chat that he thought was boring. I saw him approaching Jenar. They talked to each other, I don't know what. From where I sit, they look familiar. Like two friends who are exchanging stories while staring at the natural scenery around.

However, the arrival of the rainstorm managed to make the atmosphere chaotic. All visitors run into the main building of the restaurant, shelter is the most appropriate choice. Protect from rain and strong winds.

Dark, rainstorms, lightning strikes accompanied by power outages, creating a gripping atmosphere inside the restaurant. I did not expect that this situation was the beginning of the presence of past trauma on Jenar. The girl was suddenly hysterical and groped, like a frightened person.

I tried my best to calm him down, saying the words that came impulsively to his head. After a while of my efforts, she regained her senses, lowered her head and cried. Perhaps it was because of the shame of being seen by the crowd in circumstances beyond his control. Impulsively, I hugged her, so she wouldn't feel alone. Also to avoid questionable eye gazes from all restaurant visitors.

However, my actions actually made Jenar angry. He pushed me down, then with a teary face he was about to leave. Luckily I managed to pull his hand out, before he ran out. Then take him to sit down, give the ground coffee that Varen just asked to the restorant employees.

I know Danish and Varen must be wondering what happened to Jenar. However, there was no way I would explain it to them right now. What happens in the brain is to immediately take Jenar away from that place. Go home, so he can calm down and rest.

I couldn't bear to see him suffer at once, but I couldn't do anything about it. Because, he also had no effort to escape the trauma of the dark past. His silence and attitude annoyed me. As if he had no effort or just a desire to heal, in order to live a normal life and mingle with others.

I'm not very good at talking. Instead of giving him advice, what comes out is a rough sentence. Makes Jenar feel reluctant, maybe because I feel I'm giving her a lecture.

“Can I sleep?” Being the sentence that made me realize, once again my attitude was wrong. He doesn't want to be noticed and cared for. Though a moment ago it felt like I wanted to chase away the monster that controlled him. Just this time I felt weak, just because seeing Jenar experiencing things must be very painful for him.

Along the way he was silent with his eyes closed. Either really sleep or just pretend. I guess he just wanted to avoid answering my question. Although he did look in a weak state, after his phobia relapsed earlier.

Passing the winding road, steep and slippery because of the wet asphalt, makes me have to concentrate fully. So as not to slip and fall into the abyss. Lucky I had time to put a seat belt on Jenar so he did not fall when the car shook because it passed a slightly steep road. The girl always trifles the safety aids while driving. It seems like he is the type of person who is bored, likes to underestimate trivial but important things.

The wind blew as I turned the car into a village road that was not too wide. The raindrops are still faithfully dripping, small but tight. The leaves fall, fly swept by a big wind and scattered in any place. Roofs, courtyards, to the terrace of the house scattered dry leaves that are flown by the wind.

If my usual day goes through the back fence, this time I choose to stop the car in the front yard of the house. Easier because the front of Aneesha's house is not fenced and the car can stop right in front of the terrace.

“Wait here for a minute, don't come out first!” my orders after making sure Jenar is perfectly awake.

I got out after turning off the engine, ran around the car to get an umbrella that was always stored in the back trunk. I rushed to the left car door and opened it from the outside.

I lifted the umbrella that had been opened slightly upwards, protecting Jenar from the very tight drizzle of rain. He did not refuse, immediately got out of the car without saying anything. We walked side by side with one umbrella, up to the porch of the house.

I was closing the umbrella, while Jenar fluttered the wet end of her robe in a puddle. The door of the house opened from the inside, we automatically turned at the same time. A man's head poked out from the doorway, revealing an almost expressionless look on his face.

Irkham opened the door wider and asked in a soft tone, almost inaudible, “Seko ngendi?” (Where from?)

“So find a tile motif with Mbak Nanda and Mas Faiz, he came home invited to stop by the same meeting with Pak Hara,” Jenar explained while wiping her hijab, so as not to get too wet.

“Mebu! (Log in!)” Irkham shifted his body, giving way to the Jenar who was about to enter.

The man of Jenar's age then entered, without saying anything more. Don't expect him to make small talk of letting in or just sitting down. If you do not know the nature, you may be offended. Because, Irkham is strange and very irritable to talk. Aneesha once told me that the boy had special needs, unlike any other teenager.

Not long after, when I was just about to return to the car, Irkham came with a small towel. He gave the light blue towel to me, keeping silent without saying a word.

“Thank you,” I said while receiving a towel.

Irkham nodded, then rolled up her trousers. I thought he was going to go in again, but Irkham closed the door and turned around. For a moment he stood at the end of the terrace, staring at the rain that had no sign of stopping. As if looking for something he looked to the left and then his gaze stopped on the umbrella I had just leaned on the porch chair.

“Where to?” I asked and guessed Irkham's mind.

The man pointed his forefinger up, but his gaze was straight ahead. Like wanting to show and say something.

“Wes azan, ning udan.” (It is Azan, but it is raining) he answered.

Makes me sharpen my hearing.Sound the sound of azan from the mosque loudspeakers. It was clearly mutual, despite competing with the sound of trees rustling in the wind and raindrops falling on the roof.

“You to mosque?” my guess.

Irkham nodded, but his forehead creased deeply like one who was thinking about something.

“Jenar ning omah dewe,” (True in your own home).

I pulled the corners of my lips up a little. His sister Nanda Mbak, although not like men in general but has a high sense of empathy. Going to worship alone is still thinking of his sister who will be alone at home. I'm still here, what's Irkham worried about? Just going to the mosque, he has to think very seriously.

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Uh, who did Jenar fall asleep yesterday? Really sleeps him on purpose, but this time he's on alert. Not to be carried with Hara, he he. It's so good he's carrying people's children.

That's what Irkham thought, huh? Worried that Jenar is alone at home, or not willing if it reaches the nemenin Hara? The answer in the next part is an unexpected event, you know. So it's waiting, it's 😊