Trapped by Pandora

Chapter 14: He

Beryl stood stiffly staring at the name engraved on the tombstone of Mama Alin's tomb. ‘Zivaa A. Hamra’, that's the name that it says. Beryl tried to keep a sane mind, who dwells in this tomb is not Zivaa first love. The woman who corroded her love until she had to close the door of the heart for almost twenty years. In this world, being named like that is not just one person. Tens, maybe even hundreds or thousands. Beryl tried to control herself, although curiosity could not be denied.

“Hai, Mom! I want to introduce Mama to someone,” Alin spoke next to her mother's grave, while cleaning the dry leaves that cover the navel and then splashing water on the tombstone.

“This is Beryl, Ma! Mama's daughter-in-law,” Alin smiled wryly as she looked up at Beryl standing by her side.

Beryl began to be crawled with anxiety, only able to pull the corner of her lips for a moment. A wave of questions pushed his senses. Why is the last name on the tombstone named after Mr. Vishaka? What's Mama Alin's middle name that only says A? Since childhood Mrs Zivaa Hamra lived in an orphanage. The pieces of the puzzle gnawed at his reasoning.

“Doain Alin Yes, Ma. Doain so that our marriage is full of blessings and happiness like the marriage of Mama and Papa,” Alin's palm rubbed his mother's tombstone.

“We go home first yes, Ma. Love you Ma!” Alin kissed the top of the tombstone.

Beryl felt awkward, not saying a word. Tongue's cow. His silence was the best thing he could do right now. The line of questioning swirled continuously in his brain. Even as he walked away from the tomb, Beryl was unable to stop him.

They both sat in the car while drinking mineral water that Alin had bought at a nearby minimarket before they entered the cemetery. The day began to turn dusk. Beryl still hasn't started her car, and the door is left open.

“Lin,” call Beryl.

“Hmm,” Alin gulps down the remaining mineral water in his throat.

“Can I ask?”

“About?” Alin turned his head towards Beryl.

“Why is your Mama's name on that headstone using your Papa surname?”

“Oh, it's because Mama's an orphan. Since childhood, Mama has lived in Orphanage of Love founded by Papa's parents. My mom doesn't know who her real parents are. Since marrying Papa, Grandpa and Grandma have thought of Mama as their own biological daughter. Then they also pin the last name of the Hamra family behind the name Mama.”

Beryl listened carefully to Alin's story. There is no detail he missed.

“Your mom must be very beautiful.”

“Where do you know?” Alin squinted one eye.

“Yes, I know because she has given birth to a very beautiful daughter too!” a smile on Beryl's lips.

“Hah, dreadlocks!” Alin pinched her husband's shoulder slowly.

“It's a reality, not a fight! You must be very similar to your mother, right?”

“Ehm, Papa said anyway. You don't know my mom yet, do you? I'll give you a look at the picture yes, how do you think, how do I look like Mama.”

Alin unzipped his bag, retrieving the phone stored in the bag. The rumble in Beryl's heart was getting timid, her heartbeat was getting tighter. Cold sweat soaked his palms.

Beryl's curiosity about the figure of Lady Zivaa Hamra is growing. But in the depths of the heart there is a speck of fear tucked away. What if it was the same Zivaa figure as his past.

“Well, here it is!” alin's exclamation made Beryl sit up tensely.

“Look! This is my Mama, Zivaa Attaya Hamra.”

Beryl's eyeballs were bought staring at a photo of her mother Alin on a cell phone. Not only did the eyeballs shock at him, but both ears were buzzing loudly at the name Alin mentioned. Zivaa Attaya's. For the sake of the angel of death who could at any time take his life, Beryl did not want to hear the name called.

Granules of cold sweat began to drench his temples. A breeze that barged in from the open car door, could not power to stem the torrent of hot turmoil that was wriggling from within his body.

“Didn't he remind you of someone in the past?” rang the question of Madame Naima earlier. Now he realized what the woman's question meant.

Beryl's vision suddenly blurred, her head dizzy, her concentration caved. I don't know what karma he's been through. She should have found out first about the resemblance of Alin and Zivaa when they met for the first time. Instead of plunging himself into the surge of love that made him fall in love with Alin Odity Hamra, daughter of Zivaa Attaya, the first love that ran aground and incised wounds.

“Why you?” ask Alin astonished.

“Ah, a-what?” beryl answered.

“Why you? Are you sick?” Alin wiped the sweat off Beryl's face.

“Ah, no way. I'm fine!” timpal Beryl's.

“Why dryness gini?” Alin doubted Beryl's pale-looking answer.

“The weather will be quite hot, well it is natural that a dry kayak gini.”

Alin looked around. The weather was not as hot as Beryl had said, the sun slowly began to submerge itself. Even the blowing wind felt very cold on his skin.

“You sure it's okay?” Alin turned his gaze back to Beryl who was still stuck in the seat. Beryl nodded her head and started the engine.

“We're home now!” Beryl put on her seatbelt after closing the car door.

“Go home? But you said after the tomb you want to go ..”

“I said go home! Don't argue!” beryl's snaps surprised Alin.

Alin blinked, astonished by Beryl's suddenly changed attitude. The look on the man's face was like anger. Alin was confused as to what made Beryl so angry that he snapped at her. He was silent too according to.

Beryl's emotions are getting out of control. Car driving at speeds that exceed the maximum. His chest hurt like it was being stabbed. His old wounds are back. Recollecting the gloomy memories he had forgotten. He had just returned from London after completing his studies. With a diamond ring and full of confidence, he came to Zivaa to propose to her. However, the reality is not as beautiful as hope. Her boyfriend was wearing a white wedding dress and looked very pretty. And he was standing next to a gallant man wearing a black tuxedo. Zivaa is married, but not to her. Beryl could not clearly see who the lucky man was because it was covered by a guest pass that congratulated them both.

One chance he got to get close to the woman when Zivaa walked to the toilet. Beryl followed. As he moved closer, Beryl pulled Zivaa's hand. Instead of the explanation he got, Zivaa instead threw him out and said it was all over. Heart's crushed.

Beryl did not expect, the wound was now deeper gnawing. The fact that was just revealed about Alin, was so torturing to him. The embers of hatred that were extinguished, suddenly lit up so quickly, radiating into every vein and filling the recesses of his heart.

Beryl stepped on the brakes suddenly, making the tires squeak hard right in front of Alin's house. His emotions are hard to shake. The shadow of Zivaa who drove him away at that time continued to flutter. His body temperature increased, eyes flushed, ready to explode at any moment.

“Down!” it's on Alin.

“Ta ...,”

“Down!” beryl's voice grew so high that it made Alin tiptoed in shock.

Alin immediately removed the seatbelt he was wearing. He was terrified let alone seeing the flames of anger that were clearly drawn in both of Beryl's eyes. Wh why? Wh why? What was? A question that could only be stuck on her lips.

“Why are you angry? What's my fault?” alin asked with a trembling voice.

“Don't ask much! Quick down!” Beryl looked at Alin sharply.

Alin still hasn't turned his face away from Beryl. Tears began to pool in her eyes. He had seen Beryl angry before and it was indeed very frightening. However, this time not only frightened her, but also hurt her. Is there something wrong with him? There was not one answer he found.

With a troubled heart, Alin opened the car door. Tears could no longer be dammed, rushing to flood her beautiful face. After closing the car, Alin ran into the house without looking back again.

Beryl drove forward while shouting loudly and banging the steering wheel of the car spilled all emotion. He knew that it was not supposed to behave like that to Alin. The girl is innocent, she is not even responsible for the past mistakes her mother made. However, for some reason when he saw his future wife as if reminiscent of Zivaa. Beryl was unable to suppress the lava that was already overflowing in her heart.

Suddenly Beryl remembered Madam Naima Larasati, the manager of the orphanage. That woman must have had millions of explanations for past events. Beryl turned her car around. She must get information that Zivaa has never given her all this time.

^^o^

Madam Naima Larasati walks back and forth in the backyard of the Orphanage of Charity. Restless and restless mixed into one. Many times he opened his phone, but there were no messages or phone calls from Alin. He believes Beryl must have known Alin's true identity. What he worries about is how Beryl responds to that reality and how Alin is doing right now.

“Mother!” one of the children called him

“Iya Alisa, what is it?” Madam Naima was trying to hide her anxiety.

“There are guests who nyariin Mother,” said Alisa with her slurred voice.

“Whose guest?”

“I!” Madam Naima raised her head when she heard the heavy voice of a man. A man who is no longer a stranger.

“Why are you back here Mr Beryl?” ask Madam Naima in the calmest tone possible so that her interlocutor does not suspect.

“Do you owe me an explanation?” beryl replied straightforwardly.

“Exposure? Me? What do you mean?” Madam Naima raised her right eyebrow.

“No need to pretend not to know what I mean!” the intonation of Beryl's voice began to rise, making Madam Naima stiffen to hear it.

“Zivaa Attaya Hamra!” Beryl confirmed the topic of her conversation.

Madame Naima gulped, rightly guessing that Beryl already knew Alin's identity. There was no more room for him to cover up reality. Maybe this is the best time to vent anger because of the heartache that his best friend used to feel.

“What kind of explanation do you want?” Mrs Naima did not want to mince words any longer so she ignored her formal attitude.

“So Alin is Zivaa's daughter, and you know my past with Zivaa?” Beryl went straight to the point.

“It's true! If only from the beginning I knew Alin was close to you, then I would definitely be the first to oppose your relationship. Alin doesn't deserve a man like you!”

“Males like me? What do you think I am?!” Beryl scrunched her forehead while putting both of her palms into her pants pocket.

“Traitorous men! You have betrayed the sincere love Zivaa gave you and let her wait in vain!”

“Hah, what kind of joke is this? I betrayed Zivaa? Don't twist the facts!”

Madam Naima glared sharply at Beryl, her emotions barely contained, how could the man before her accuse her of turning the facts upside down.

“Zivaa who betrayed me by marrying another man! He did not keep his own promise to wait for me! I was like a stupid man who came to his house with a ring to propose to him, but what did I get? Her wedding party with the man was clearly visible in front of my eyes. Even Zivaa said that between me and him it's over!” Beryl was so passionate.

“Zivaa never betrayed you! He's very loyal! His decision to marry Vishaka was all because of the heartache he harbored. Because you went to London with another woman who said she was your fiance!”

“I? Going to London with another woman? Don't make it up!”

Beryl remembers very well that when she went to London to continue her studies, she went alone. There was no woman with him, not even his mother. A fiancee? He was not even in a relationship with a woman other than Zivaa.

“I'm not making it up! Your own sister said it, she also gave Zivaa a proof of your engagement photos and photos of you at the airport. I was with Zivaa back then, so I didn't make it up!”

“I was a witness to how broken Zivaa was at that time,” tears began to pool in the corner of Mrs Naima's eyes.

“Wait, did you say my sister?”

“Iya, she claimed to be named Delana Monza, your sister.”

“Yes God, this really sounds silly!” Beryl massages her temples.

“Konyo said?” if you can, Madame Naima would love to slap Beryl until her cheeks feel hot burning.

“Of course this is ridiculous! Please find another more reasonable reason!”

“You think I lied about what happened to Zivaa back then?” Madam Naima further sharpened her gaze.

“You could have lied to protect her! Just so you know, Delana was my sister but she was only ten years old. There's no way a kid of Delana's age would come to you and make up a story like that! Delana was on a flight to Bali with her parents. We parted ways at the airport!” Beryl was getting fiery, not accepting the allegations made by Mrs Naima.

Meanwhile, Madame Naima was imprinted in her place. His brain still strings up every word Beryl, fumbling around, figuring out the truth in Beryl's eyes. Beryl's flaming eyeballs showed no lies in them. However, he himself witnessed how the woman named Delana Monza told clearly about Beryl's betrayal. In fact, until now he still remembered it clearly.

“What? Your sister is ten years old? But, how is it possible?” Madam Naima subconsciously relaxed her voice, trying to digest everything.

“Our age range is indeed very far adrift. Did Zivaa never say it?” beryl's tone declined, no longer overflowing as before.

“Have you brought them together?”

Beryl shook her head and was silent for a moment, exhaling a rough breath. He realized that he had never once introduced Zivaa to his sister. Delana lives in Bali with her grandmother and grandfather. Beryl remembers that she only told Zivaa that she had a younger sister, but never went into more detail.

Beryl reached into her pants pocket, picked up her phone and started looking around in her gallery file. Not long after, he showed the photo on his phone to Madam Naima who was still busy with her own thoughts.

“This is a photo of my family twenty-seven years ago, taken just before we left for the Airport. And the little girl standing in front of it was Delana, my sister.”

Madam Naima did not budge from the seat. It was heavy for his hand to grab Beryl's phone lying on the table. His fingers were tempted to look at the photo on the phone, but his heart struggled to prevent it. Believe it or not with all the words of the man who is the interlocutor.

Slowly but surely, Madam Naima's hand gradually extended forward, grabbing the phone. His heart gasped at the clear-cut photo. Wishing to doom a fate that hurt his best friend so much, but it's all useless. Perhaps it is the way of God that shows the two people are not paired, even though in a very painful way.

“If not your sister, then who was the girl who met Zivaa at that time?” tanyakanya.

“You asked me? Where do I know!” Beryl took back her phone. His right thumb raises the file of the photo stored on the phone. Something tickled his mind.

“Did he meet you back then?” Beryl showed me a picture of a woman.

Madam Naima watched the photo carefully while recalling the look on the face of the woman who broke Zivaa's heart with her words. The woman in the photo looks very similar, only in the photo her age looks more mature than twenty-seven years ago.

“True, that's it!” saith.

“Who is he?” ask Madam Naima once more.

“Hupff, her name is Zora. Our parents are both friendly. Zora has feelings for me, even some time ago our parents had a chance to match us. Alin knew him, they had fought before.”

Beryl had guessed that Zora was behind all this mess. Zora's obsession completely destroyed her. If Zora were still in this town, she would have hit him.

“How can Alin know him?” Madam Naima was surprised to hear that.

“Hmm, that was a pretty bad incident. Alin helped my eldest daughter who was in a fight with Zora. Zora's mistreatment of my children which made me reject our matchmaking,” Beryl bowed her head, as the image of the incident repeated in her memory. A bad event that will only stir up emotions, but he can not deny that it was also the incident that prompted his courage to kiss Alin for the first time.

“By the way about Alin, you already know the fact that she is the daughter of Zivaa. Tell me that won't change your relationship. You promised,” Madam Naima reminded Beryl of her love for Alin.

Beryl looked at Madam Naima nanar, there was really no answer she had to that question at the moment. At first he was so angry, he almost hated Alin. His anger at Zivaa made Alin an impingement. Looking at Alin at this moment, it was like looking at Zivaa, and making him doubtful.

“That's it,” Beryl bowed helplessly, her chest started to feel tight.

“What do you mean?” Madam Naima glared, Beryl's reply was simply not up to her expectations.

“Listen! You said you loved her so much and would never leave her, you even promised me! Don't let you lick your own spit!” madam Naima's emotions were back on fire.

“Right now, I really don't know.”

“You don't know? Hah, what kind of man are you! You can't leave Alin! You can't hurt her like you hurt her mother!” madam Naima's hands clenched tightly, almost breaking the table, but she didn't want to fret the children of the parlour with the commotion that was in her study.

“It wasn't me who hurt her,” rebut Beryl.

“But you are the source of the problem!” sahut Madam Naima is no less fierce.

“I remind you once again, do not make Alin as the next victim! The girl had already suffered greatly with her trauma! Never make him fall into depression again! If that happens, I swear I will ruin your life!”

Beryl stood up, this conversation made her even more anxious. His surprise knowing Alin's status and the fact about the cause of the breakup with Zivaa really clouded his mind, ruffling his senses.

“I need time to think,” he said.

“How long?”

“I can't say it now. Thanks for the explanation, good afternoon!” Madam Naima just silently stared at Beryl's passing back leaving her with a hanging question. A shadow of Alin's gloomy future shimmered in his dead-end mind.

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