VLOGS
Episodes 10
Aleta fell silent. His legs, which had just entered the room of the mother's house, came to a halt as he watched the woman sit bending her legs over the bed. His head bowed, deliberately hiding the face between his knees. Several times he heard a sobbing from her that made Aleta realize, that Arini was crying at that time.
Slowly Aleta approached. His eyes were fixed on a picture frame near Arini's feet. A photo of her, Arini and a man dressed in a black suit with a red shirt inside. Aleta still remembers the incident when the photo that still looks happy was taken. Aleta was a child, still twelve years old. The little boy who only knows about the affection of his parents, without realizing that behind it all, there is a wound that Arini deliberately harbored alone. Unfortunately, the wound was there long before Aleta managed to move her own two legs. Without the help of others.
Aleta grabbed it, snorting annoyedly watching the trick of the smile of the two people who were now divided just because of the greed of one party. Aleta's breath is wasted rough, pulling both the look of Arini's eyes directed at her. Aleta put the picture back on the frame as she watched Arini's tears slide from her eyes. Arini's soft voice called out to her and Aleta cried, approached and hugged her tightly. Arini's cry broke out instantly.
“You home? You home, honey?” asked Arini repeatedly while releasing Aleta's embrace, touching Aleta's cheek as if to ensure that the one in front of her at this time, right the child.
Aleta nodded, “Aleta came home, Ma.”
Arini hugged her again, this time tighter than before. Her crying became a sign that she missed him. His embrace was painful to receive Aleta, not because it was too tight, but felt the wound in Arini's heart, channeled through his embrace.
Aleta momentarily drew her gaze to the wall clock that now showed at one o'clock in the afternoon. There should have been a nurse present delivering lunch for Arini. The schedule of the medicine that Arini had to eat, just an hour away from her lunch schedule, made Aleta release a hug. His gaze was directed at Arini who was still staring at him in disbelief.
“Mama has eaten?”
Arini shook her head, her face looked innocent which made Aleta's heart sliced at her. Want it to feel at that time he continued to hug the woman who now looked chaotic with her messy hair. His body was thin and no more lip dyes on his thin lips. Aleta took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. His memory drifted to Ferdy. A man who was once a hero in his life, but now changed the role of a sadistic villain who never had a heart.
“Mbok Minah where, Ma?”
Again Arini nodded. No answer from his lips. Arini instead plays her own fingers by twirling both index fingers, banging circles. Aleta was really upset instead of playing to see the fate of the mother this time. Instead of improving after his departure, Arini even worse. Really bad.
“Aleta is out for a while, want to find a nurse for lunch Mama. Mama's here first huh, okay?”
This time a different answer was given by Aleta. Arini nodded her head in understanding what Aleta said. She smiles. The smile that made Aleta miss. The smile she used to ask for as a condition when Aleta sulked. A smile that was also able to dampen his emotions, when an argument with Ferdy occurred at home. Making a home is like a war that never ends.
Aleta touches Arini's right cheek, rubs her affectionately, then steps away followed by Arini's eyes. He looked calm with a smile that continued to cling to his lips. Back playing her fingers as Aleta disappears behind the door.
Aleta ran to the nuns' desks on each floor. Arini's room, located on the second floor, is always crowded with visitors. The hallway of the special hospital room patients, the reason why all visitors often pass by there. Unlike the hallway in front of the hallway room Arini is in, there looks silent. There are only a few visitors who are present there, just come to see the mother and newborn, or just wait in the delivery room. I hope to worry about the next life.
“There can I help you with, Ma'am?” Sister Yuni greeted Aleta just arriving in front of the long table for the sisters, Aleta smiled back at Sister Yuni's spontaneous smile standing up, upon seeing her coming closer.
“I want to ask, it's lunch time, but my mama's lunch has not come yet. What's up?”
“Sorry for the delay, Ma'am. Trolly food has arrived in this hallway, but it is still in the 200 in-room, soon it will come to her room Ms. Arini.”
“Sorry before, Ma'am, I want to tell you that the cost of care for Ms. Arini since last night was stopped. We already told the woman who always took care of him, but since this morning, he has not returned.”
“Stopped?” Sister Yuni nodded. “Kok can? Any reason, ma'am?”
“I also do not know, Ma'am, who must have been Mr. Ferdy yesterday had come and said that the cost of care for Ms. Arini was stopped.” Sister Yuni took out a piece of paper and directly handed it to Aleta who received it with a look of disbelief. “This is the cost of treatment until today, Ma'am. And should be repaid immediately.”
Not yet had Aleta read it, someone snatched the fee sheet from Aleta's hands. Aleta was shocked and immediately turned her gaze to a woman who was none other than Salsa.
Salsa smiled, then took out a brown envelope from inside her bag. With a casual gesture, Salsa pulled out several piles of already separated blocky money each of which was worth one million blocks. The value is written on a circular paper in the block of money that is now on the table.
“This is the payment until the day after, Sus, and make sure Aunt Arini can the best care before she comes out.”
“Good, Mbak.” Sister Yuni recorded the fee Salsa had already paid on her computer. His fingers looked ligat that made Salsa amazed until without realizing Aleta's gaze since then was still on him.
“This is the receipt, Mba. Thank you very much.”
Salsa smiled, pulled Aleta's hand away from the cashier's desk and sat down in one of the ad chairs in the hospital hallway. Salsa gave a receipt to the hand of Aleta who was still dumbly staring at him.
“Loe need not hesitate, we are legitimate, difficult to be happy we are together.”
“But, Sa, this is too much.”
“Many of the same actions loe who managed to save my nyokap when want to mingelirin my sister?” Salsa tried to remind. “If you were not in my house at that time, maybe both lives would not be helped. Loe without fear take me to the hospital using a loe car. Yeah, well, that time wasn't a drive, but a loe driver, what's his name? Agh yes, Mr Ardi! She still works at Loe's house? Tuh good people...”.
Salsa who continued to grumble nonstop, silenced for a moment as Aleta hugged her. Aleta's trembling voice that continued to say thank you, made Salsa also moved by it, returning Aleta's embrace and trying to calm her down by continuing to tease her.
“Makin love loe equal me, right? Come ngaku!” it was Salsa's temptation that made Aleta embrace her even more tightly. A small laugh as she heard Salsa continue to praise herself in Aleta's arms.
Without both of them noticing, there was Biyan there. Standing at the entrance of the hallway where Arini's room is located while watching Aleta's face that leads towards her. Aleta seemed to close both eyes, enjoying Salsa's scolding which continued to praise herself.
There was no smile on Biyan's lips. For a moment both of his eyes were shifted to the cashier's table. The incident that had happened to Aleta just now, she witnessed it without being missed. It feels like he is present like Salsa who is present with help. It feels like Biyan is closing in on being a hero to Aleta. But unfortunately, Biyan is not Salsa who can easily spend money in front of Sister and Aleta. Biyan lowered her head, retreated in order and turned away towards the elevator door as Aleta's two eyes opened. As if aware of her presence, Aleta turned her gaze to the door, yet there was no one there, leaving her speechless without letting go of her embrace on Salsa's body.
