To Mutia

The reason for Azril's silence

The time showed at half-six in the afternoon when they finally arrived home. After accompanying Mutia to check the condition of her womb, Ghifar invited —more precisely forced the pregnant woman to come with him. Starting from going to the shopping center and without the consent of Mutia buying the items that Ghifar thought the woman needed, to registering her to a community of gymnastics pregnant women.

Even Ghifar also forced him to take his first class that day, until it was finished at four in the afternoon. Mutia did not even prepare lunch for Azril, as per the man's request, she hoped that Azril would not get angry because he also did not give any news.

"I'm tired of you, A'! What's actually going on? Why does she keep ignoring me. What is my fault?!"

Just as they entered the house, Ghifar and Mutia heard a loud scream. The two looked at each other before walking over to the origin of the sound, but just as Mutia was about to pass through the barrier wall and into the living room, Ghifar held his wrist. Mutia turned her head, looking at Ghifar with a subtle twitch adorning her forehead.

"That's it. They need time together." said Ghifar, who immediately got a nod from Mutia.

"Javab, A'! Don't just shut up! You think it's nice to ignore for almost two weeks, huh?!"

"You question how it feels to be ignored?" for the first time after one week, Azril let out her voice. "I want to ask you something similar? All these years we've been married, I've been quiet, always following what you want, and lately I've been asking you to stop working, have you been following me? No, you ignored her, Lamia."

"Oh, so it's still a matter of my job? Why is Aa so desperate to force me to stop working? Aa feels inferior because my salary is bigger than Aa's, is that it?"

Ghifar closed his eyes. He was sure that the spousal quarrel would be even more heated because Lamia had just offended Azril's ego. And evidently, the next second Ghifar heard the high voice of Azril blaring.

"Take care, Lamia! My anger towards you is already piling up. I've kept you quiet since you got home from the hospital, not just because we fought about your job before, but because of the doctor's diagnosis of your condition. You want to know what the doctor told me?" this time Azril's voice was hissing with emphasis, it was clear that the man was still trying to contain his anger.

"The doctor says your uterus has a problem, making it harder for you to get pregnant. When the doctor said that problems in your uterus caused by regular consumption of contraceptive pills, even though you have never conceived and given birth, made me distrust. You can't take the contraceptive pill because you want to delay your pregnancy on purpose, that's what I believe and confidently say that the doctor must be wrong."

"My wife couldn't have done that when she knew I wanted a child. But all that confidence was lost when I found the damn pill bottle you hid in the drawer where you kept the pads. You are breaking my trust, Lamia. And it hurts more than your refusal to stop working." Azril continued.

Mutia who was standing beside Ghifar moved her hand to wipe away the tears. Either because of the pregnancy hormones or because she also felt the disappointment and deep pain that Azril felt from the man's voice, which made Mutia finally cry. But when he felt the embrace and rubbing on his back, Mutia immediately stopped crying and turned to Ghifar who was not looking at him at all.

"Since when?" Azril again let out his voice. "Since when did you take that damn pill?"

Then there was silence. Lamia who previously spoke with excitement, is now silent.

"Why, Lamia? Why not answer me? Come on, let out your high and loud voice earlier. I want to hear your answer." A second later Azril let out a bitter laugh. "You let me down, Lamia. And now I don't know how to look at you without remembering every word the doctor said to me."

After that there were footsteps and in the next second Ghifar pulled Mutia out of the house.

"Where are we going, sir?"

"Get in through the back door. And remember, Mutia. Act like you don't hear and know anything."

...* * *...

"Muti."

The owner of the name who was washing the old breakfast dishes immediately stopped his work and turned to look at Lamia who was now standing in front of him.

"Yes,Teh."

"It's spending money for the next week." along with that Lamia thrust a few pieces of money at Mutia. "If Aa asks, tell her I'm going out of town. There's an important meeting with the boss at headquarters."

Almost Mutia asked; why did Teteh not say goodbye to A' Azril? Mutia forgot, if these few days Azril and Lamia had even separated the room. Lamia decided to sleep in the guest room to avoid Azril. Either because of guilt or shame.

Lamia seemed ordinary, but Mutia knew Lamia must always cry at night. It was clearly visible from his swollen and swollen eyes. Although Lamia had covered it with make up, but Mutia could still see it, even though it was faint.

"Mutia, do you hear me?" Lamia jerks Mutia's daydream.

"I-yes,Teh. I heard."

Then move the hand to take the money that Lamia gave. After that he followed Lamia who was now walking away from the kitchen with a medium-sized suitcase, driving the woman to the terrace of the house where a travel car had been waiting for her.

"Jaga house. If there's anything call me immediately." said Lamia, who got a nod from Mutia, before she got into the car and left Mutia still unmoved.

"If the Tethes avoid like this, how can the problem be solved."

When she turned around, Mutia shook her head in shock, when she found Ghifar who had been standing behind her since when. Mutia did not even hear the sound of footsteps approaching her.

"Master surprised me." Mutia was questioning while stroking her chest, trying to calm her heart that was pounding fast due to the shock effect.

"Teh Lamia where are you going? Pakek bring all the suitcases." ignoring Mutia's complaints, Ghifar actually stared fixedly at the travel car that had brought his brother.

"Teh Lamia says there's work out of town."

"How long?"

"One week."

Mutia's reply made Ghifar sigh violently, then left Mutia without a word more.

...* * *...

But Lamia had to go home because she got a call from Ghifar who gave bad news. Forgetting his intention to step away from Azril for a moment and calm down, because at this moment Azril needed himself as a wife to accompany the man.

Lamia came in using a spare key. When the door opened, Lamia was only greeted by a silent atmosphere. Lamia did not feel strange, considering it was still six in the morning, all the residents of the house must still be asleep.

He should have come home from yesterday, right after Ghifar gave the news, but the weather was not friendly because of the heavy rain, making Lamia can only go home today.

Without causing any significant uproar, Lamia stepped into her room and Azril to see her husband's condition. He was sure Azril would not be okay, after what the man had experienced yesterday. But when Lamia opened the room door, she was the one who became not okay when she found Mutia curled up in a blanket on her bed.

Lamia was burning with emotion. With a galloping Lamia quickly approached the bed, then grabbed the hand of Mutia who was still in a state of deep sleep, jerking the body of a pregnant woman so that she woke up forcefully and stood in a daze.

"Tea Lamia?" Mutia made sure because she could not see clearly yet.

"What are you doing, Mutia? I trusted you, but you stabbed me. Why are you sleeping on my bed? Wanna take my place as Azril's wife, huh?"

"W-what?"

Unaware of what had happened to her, Mutia observed around with a confused feeling. Then his attention was fixated on the bed that was still in a mess. Truly, Mutia did not understand why he could sleep on the bed, but he remembered very well, last night he fell asleep accidentally while sitting on the floor.

When her gaze returned to Lamia, Mutia only found a look full of anger. There was no longer the gentle gaze that the woman had always shown her. "Teh, I can explain. It's not like what Teteh saw and thought."

"Oh yeah?" Lamia laughed sarcastically. "But unfortunately, I believe more in what my eyes see."

Approaching Mutia, Lamia unfeelingly pulled the black hair of Mutia who was scattered, making the pregnant woman squeak pain while holding her hair, trying to release the clutch of Lamia that felt so painful.

"illness?"

Lamia asked in a mocking tone while smiling cynically, then further tightened her grip. No matter Mutia who grimaces and begs to be let go, or the situation of the woman who is currently in a big pregnancy. Lamia is possessed. Losing common sense.

"What are you feeling now, is nothing, Mutia. I'm sicker watching you sleep in my bed. Fuck, shit! I shouldn't have accepted a widow in this house!"

Unfeeling Lamia moved her hand that gripped Mutia's hair, before pushing Mutia's body violently. Luckily the pregnant woman fell on the bed, if not.

"Teh, please. Listen explanation. By Allah, I never even had any intention of seizing Teteh's position." Mutia painstakingly spoke on the slob of tears that began to wet her cheeks. Slowly Mutia moved her trembling hand, grabbing Lamia's hand for her to clench.

"Don't touch me." jerked Mutia's hand, a second later Lamia slapped on Mutia's right cheek. Instead of feeling guilty seeing the traces of her hands on the woman's face, Lamia smiled with satisfaction. "Truely said Mothers in this complex. Widows like you must feel lonely and thirsty. So it won't matter which man you approach, even if that man is the man's husband."

"Astagfirullah, Tea." got out of bed, Mutia stood defiantly before Lamia. "I am a widow, Tea, but not a whore who would straddle any man who would pay me. If I want to snatch Teteh's husband, I've done it from the beginning, no need to wait for months."

"So you really want to take my husband, huh?"

Mutia sighed. Talking to an emotional person is useless. All the words Mutia spoke would always be wrong.

"Basic widow itch!"

Lamia again moved her hand to slap Mutia, but right at the last second the palm would touch Mutia's face, a hand holding Lamia's wrist. Gripping firmly before throwing it away, made Lamia's body slightly jerk and stagger backwards.

"What the fuck are you, Lamia?! Going home makes a scene. The sun hasn't even appeared yet, you can make people distracted."

Getting the appearance of Azril who just finished bathing, with a towel just wrapped around the lower part of his body, back pecked at Lamia's anger. With soaring emotions, Lamia looked at Mutia, then attacked the pregnant woman more brutally. Slinging, beating, clawing, even Lamia kicked and spat at Mutia.

The panicked Azril immediately hugged Lamia's body tightly. Making sure Mutia was okay, then asking the pregnant woman out of her room. For a few seconds Mutia fluttered, staring in a daze at Lamia who was now thrashing in Azril's arms.

"Come, Mutia. Let me explain to Lamia. Hurry along!"

Gurgling, Mutia nodded, then walked a little hurriedly out of Azril and Lamia's room.

"Where are you going, damn it! Don't go!" it was Lamia's last shout, before her voice was muffled due to the already closed door of the room.

Mutia leaned tiredly against the wall beside the door of the room while closing her eyes tightly. Lamia should want to be spoken to, so that she can give an explanation, not directly attack him blindly.

"Muti."

When she opened her eyes, Mutia found Ghifar running towards her with a panicked look and eyes looking at her with a worried look.

"What's going on?" ghifar asked, having arrived before Mutia. "So I heard the sound of Tea Lamia screaming." then Ghifar's attention caught something unusual on Mutia's face. The man also widened and immediately cupped the soft jaw of Mutia. "It's a former slap. Who slapped you, Mutia?"

The sound of broken glass and the slamming of goods from the rooms of Azril and Lamia, had shifted Ghifar's focus. "They fought again? Then why are you standing here?"

Gazing right at Ghifar's black bead, Mutia spoke softly. "This time I'm the cause of their quarrel."