Two Ribs

#28

BROTHER ALIF POV

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As the first child I was asked to be a role model for my sister. I'm the one you always ask to make decisions even though I know my decisions that sometimes force to be agreed to make my sister think I'm a dictator.

I never cry. I always try hard so that my sister can see that I am a strong figure. A person they can rely on besides their father.

When Andi called to tell me the news about Handi, what I imagined was how I had to deal with yanti. Our little sister whom we love very much. Which we still call Ade even though they are married and have children.

Along the way to the hospital I tried to organize my heart and string words. What do I tell Ade? What should I do as the oldest brother who has been their role model.

As soon as I saw Handi in the hospital room, my heart grew scared. I want to run and go as far as possible. It wasn't Handi's wound I was afraid of. But my sister I'm afraid of.

I was afraid to see his reaction.

I was confused as to what I should say to him.

I pacified my heart by asking the chronology of what happened to the police. I tried to shake off all my fears.

"There is a child coming home to play futsal in the field six people use a motorcycle. He was beaten and robbed of his motorbike. It just so happened that my brother passed by and saw all the events. Intending to ask for help, the father's sister was even pursued by them as well".

"His son has been arrested?"

"From the first witness accounts, we managed to secure one person. The rest are still in pursuit"

"The first victim?"

"Not bad from your brother. Just a few punched wounds. It was the first victim who ran towards the village and shouted for help".

"Where is the first victim?"

"In the next room. We'll introduce you to Mr. Alif".

"I want to be told about this case".

"Okay sir, we'll always keep the families of the victims informed"

My conversation with the police was interrupted when I saw Andi approaching Handi. Izal and I came closer.

Handi spoke softly in Andi's ear. But I can read her lips.

"Titip Yanti and the children"

Andi looks angry.

"Don't make any kind of sound. You must be healthy again"

I heard Andi say. Then Andi looked at me and Izal alternately.

I saw Father and Fian coming.

You shake weakly. I know what Father meant. It was very difficult for Sandy to survive. But I still believe that Handi can get through all this.

"You're picking up your ad now"

You rule Izal.

I saw Izal was reluctant to leave because Izal shook his head. I gave a slight touch to Izal's arm that was beside me. Izal finally nodded. The four of us went out leaving the father alone with Handi.

"You're closest to ade zal, pick up ade. Ask your friend who's a cop"

I gave orders to Izal as was my custom all along who was the leader of my sister's brother.

Andi added the command to Izal.

"Take Brother Mia with Rei. Let them wait for the children. I'll pick them up tomorrow morning. Kasian son of a son brought in tonight too. Pick up mia at home. She's ready for it".

Izal left without a word. I know Izal was reluctant to be the messenger for Ade.

"I'll call Handi's sister first"

I stay away from my two sisters. Not just to call his oldest brother Handi. But also to calm myself down.

I took a deep breath before going back in.

It seems that this leg is difficult to stand upright when seeing a doctor pumping Handi's heart. I want to fall on the floor and cry.

But when I saw Andi who was still fixated, Fian who hugged Andi tightly while shedding tears, then the father who kept whispering in Handi's ear. The figure as the first child reappears.

I have to be tough. I should be able to be a crutch for my sister right now.

I also helped you take care of the body of Handi.

"Don't call Izal. Izal also quickly melow. Let them come to the hospital first"

I told Andi and Fian that they replied with a wordless nod.

Mr. Andi and Fian were out of the room when police and forensic doctors took over for the autopsy. Me and my new oldest brother Handi came to the autopsy..

We agreed that only an outside autopsy would be performed. There is no internal organ surgery. But all still need an ade signature as a wife.

I also came out to ask her whereabouts ade and Izal.

"Ade hasn't come yet? Need signature for autopsy"

No one answered my question when we simultaneously saw Ade coming embraced Izal.

The father hugged Ade, and he cried down at the father's feet.

I want to feel like I'm disappearing right now compared to having to see the destruction of our beloved sister.

It is better that I be faced with a Judge, and a prosecutor in a court of law than to be confronted with the present situation.

I want to cry with Ade. I wanted to join in yelling, expressing emotions in my chest like ade. But again my logic speaks.

I support my sister.

It's always that sentence I put in my brain.

But I firmly planted that sentence on myself. I finally cried in front of my wife Fani.

"It is not strong ma. Abah can't see Ade and his son. Ade depression ma".

"Eject sump. Cry as much as you. Not arrested. It's just the two of us here"

I also returned sobbing. My wife knew that it was hard for me to cry in front of the crowd.

"Ade's pregnant"

"Yes, I told Mama. We have to support the bah. It's not easy to get pregnant when you don't have a husband"

"Bust pain abah saw ade. I want to wake Handi up again, no matter how"

" Hus abah. This is God's destiny. Now how do we help ade to rise up and sincerely face all this".

After removing all the tightness in the chest, I also returned to the figure of a strong brother.

I'm taking care of all of Handi's funerals. I did everything so I wouldn't be asked to go to the hospital.

I couldn't see Ade who kept crying and screaming.

Facing various criminal events is common to me. Dealing with the police what I do often. But facing the fact that my little sister had to be depressed and even asking the doctor for special treatment in psychiatric poly made me weak.

There wasn't a single chapter in law school that I learned about this.

I fell silent on the sofa in the nursery with my father and three younger brothers. We are busy with our own thoughts. Andi who was angry with the doctor if not calm Fian. Izal since the death of Handi only spoke if asked.

Sandy is just our sister-in-law. But his presence on the side of Ade brings positive changes for ade that has been full of indulgence and various privileges that he can get from us.

Handi is able to change the direction of view ade only with the word smooth. Not with the emotion or the hard attitude I showed. Even the sweet word that Izal always said to Ade was unable to make ade submissive and obedient.

Different from Haney. As a husband, he had his own way of dealing with a spoiled wife like Ade.

We were all very close to Sandy. Closer than Handi's own extended family. Our cries are more audible than the cries of his family at Handi's funeral. Even my youngest son and Rei who was close to Handi tightly hugged his om at the last moment.

"What do you think?"

Father's question broke our silence.

"It's been a week like this, maybe we should follow the doctor's advice. In psychiatric poly there are special nurses who usually handle patients such as ade. They understand better than the nurses in the general poly. There is also a special room, sir. Not just the wards. VIP is also available. Alif agrees with the doctor"

"Andi agrees, too, sir. What matters is that you're healthy again"

Fian and Izal just nodded.

"Azwa and Azka let Mia take care of him. You mind ndi?"

"No sir, Andi even wants to say this as well. Let the child be with Andi. But Andi asks for help to equally give understanding to children about their mother".

"Move also goods ade and children to the father's house. You just set how to make the house empty. We'll rent it after that".

"It's not a matter of rent money, but I want everything that can make you remember with her late husband we avoid it first until you really recover".

The four of us nodded.

"Set it Alif! Coordinate as usual with your sister"

"Good sir".

And finally we moved ade to a special psychiatric hospital. I asked for a special room without any other occupants which of course it requires a large cost.

My wife and I decided to help with the medical expenses. All the costs we make one then we count together.

Izal sold his bike out of fear it would remind him of the events of that night. Motorcycle sales money given to the father Izal for medical expenses ade.

Fian even borrowed money at the bank with his civil servant SK guarantee. At first, he refused Fian's will. I want Fian to save for the future of his young son. But Fian insisted.

"Sir, ade costs a lot. Ade is also Fian. Let Fian bear it too sir. If Fian is in the ade position now, Fian believes that he helped Fian first".

He wiped away the tears that had condensed on the side of his eyes.

"Mama's late must be proud to see you loving each other. I am grateful to have you all"

Finally my father was crying.

"You know how devastated you are to see Ade now? why didn't you call me Alloh before you saw your present ade".

"Because Alla knows sir. Ade needs a father at a time like this"

He was crying and we finally returned to tears.

Get well, brother Alif Kangen is arguing with you. You are the only one who dares to refute the words of Brother Alif.