What a Beautiful Divorce

52. Silence on the Terrace Mr. Oscar

Prapto looked at the night rain from his terrace gloomily. He then shifted his gaze towards the lamp surrounded by larons. Prapto closed his eyes, hoping to hear the flaps of tiny larons flying.

“Bos, are you sleepy?” ask Nimo.

Prapto. “I tried to separate the sound of rain from the sound of the wings of the laron-laron, Nimo.”

“Not even rain seems you won't be able to hear it, Boss. Drink coffee first.”

Prapto opened his eyes. He sipped coffee and started a cigarette. “Thank you, Nimo. Why do you think the larons go around the lights?”

“I guess, it's just because they love the light, Boss.” Nimo lit a cigarette.

Prapto was still looking at the laron-laron. “My neighbors' grandmothers said, larons surround the lights because they think the lights are the moon, Nimo. They wanted to fly to the moon, but their wings could only reach the roof. They're like me.”

“Bos. Why you?”

“Maybe I have been mistaken, Nimo, about the business cooperation we offer to those companies. Just like those larons, I was only able to get to the roof, not the moon. This business partnership will fall apart. Damn it.” Prapto ruffled his hair.

“We have to keep trying, Boss,” Nimo said. “If tomorrow no change, there is still another day to find a way for the plants in the five gardens to be harvested.”

“What kind of solution can we get in a day, Nimo?” Prapto raised his head. “Sorry, Nimo. Instead of encouraging, I even wailed continuously from earlier.”

Nimo smile. “That's it, Boss Prapto. If later our business cooperation is messy, we can still convince them on the next harvest. If they don't want to cooperate anymore, we can still sell the crops to market traders. But I'm sure they're not that kind of people, Boss.”

“But I'd be embarrassed if our supply wasn't enough, Nimo. Shame on Mr. Gumiro, shame on the two businessmen, and shame on the villagers of Kejora, because I offer business cooperation before our harvest is clear.” Prapto sighed.

“You told me yourself, Boss, if we don't offer as soon as possible, they could form a business partnership with others and our chances would be lost. Anyway, we ‘kan know the harvest quality of Kejora village how. We're not deceiving them.

“Nobody thought it would rain like this, Boss. And I'm sure no one will blame you if our efforts fail.”

Prapto nodded weakly. “Hopefully we find a way, Nimo.”

***

The next day, Prapto and Nimo again shook their heads to see the puddles in their garden. They re-fixed the aqueducts and made some new channels.,

“There is no change in the slightest, Nimo,” said Prapto, while putting down the coffee cup. “If calculated, maybe the aqueduct in our garden already amounts to one hundred.”

Nimo laughs. “Maybe more, Boss. Come on, let's find a solution on the internet, where do you know there is. Just in case if later in the afternoon there is still no development.”

They then scroll through each other's phones.

Until the afternoon arrived, their heads became a little dizzy because they continued to stare at the cellphone screen. They got up and checked the waterways.

“Damn it!” prapto Umpat. “Still the same, Nimo. And our time is only one more day.”

Nimo shook her head. “Come report to Mr. Oscar's house, Boss,” Nimo said. They then rushed to get a bicycle.

***

“Is there still hope the five gardens can harvest, Miss Harni?” tanya Pinaka while compiling the book.

Ms. Harni just told her about five community gardens threatened with crop failure.

Pinaka nodded. “Why are only five gardens affected, Mom? Is it possible that the rain is uneven?”

“Kata Bu Inari, because the soil structure of the five gardens is different. Hopefully we will find a solution soon. Tomorrow all gardens must be harvested. One garden alone failed to harvest, Kejora village failed to meet the supply at Pak Gumiro company. By the way, one of the five gardens is the Prapto garden, Pinaka, your future husband,” said Bu Harni, scrolling through a mobile phone.

“This Bu Harni, how many times have I said, Mas Prapto is not my future husband.” For a moment Pinaka could have guessed that Prapto must be very dizzy now. He knew that not only his garden would be thought of by Prapto, but also four other gardens.

Still looking at her phone, Miss Harni smiled. “Ah, you still shyly tell me.”

Pinaka sighed. “Bu Harni looking for a recipe? Very fun from earlier.”

“Not. I was looking for a solution to the problem of the five gardens. You come too, help Prapto.”

Pinaka thought for a moment. “Inter, yes, Ms. Harni.” Then he went to the middle of the library. “Lapen, come here briefly.”

As always, where there is Lapen, there must be Taro and Lennon. And the three of them now stepped toward Pinaka.

“There can we help, Auntie? Ask Lapen.

Pinaka scrunched his forehead. “I just called Lapen, why did Taro and Lennon also come?”

Lapen smiles. “We are in agreement, Aunt Pinaka. Where I am, there will be Taro and Lennon. If Aunt calls me, then Aunt also calls Taro and Lennon.”

“Ya. Auntie wants to ask you guys for help.”

“Say, Aunt Pinaka. We will help,” replied Lennon.

Pinaka then told the three friends the help he needed.

“Good, Aunt. We will try.” Taro answered. They then split up.

***

Prapto and Nimo sat on the terrace of Mr. Oscar with Mr. Dwipangga and four fathers whose gardens were also threatened with crop failure. There was no sound, only the afternoon rain filled the silence. The smell of hot coffee is ignored by them.

“About what time is our deadline tomorrow, Mr Dwipangga?” ask Mr. Oscar. Then he grabbed his coffee.

“At most, two noon harvest time should start, Mr. Kades. It was finished by night.”

Mr. Oscar nodded. “There is still time until two in the afternoon. We can't give up.”

“Nak Prapto.”

Prapto turned to the fathers who had just called him. The men smiled softly at Prapto. “I see, Nak Prapto is very burdened with this problem. Relax, we still have time. Even if we don't find the solution, this is not the end, and no one will blame you. I am personally proud and grateful for your presence in this village of Kejora.”

Prapto was silent for a moment to hold back the feeling of haru that was about to flow through his eyes. He nodded. “Thank you, Sir.”

They re-scroll the phone. Only the internet is where they look for solutions, because in Endonesa only Kejora village is the only one that implements a natural farming and livestock system.

The rain continued to fall without slowing down in the least. Each trickle is like adding anxiety for Kejora villagers.