When Potatoes Fall in Love

6

Unasked, Aidan heads to the kitchen to fetch a glass of water for Nadin who is currently continuing to drown himself in his mother's arms.

“Tante, this is water for Nadin,” said Aidan while giving a glass to Damara who still hugs Nadin on his living room sofa.

“Thank you. You can just look, son. Aunty will take Nadin to her room,” Damara said after giving Nadin a drink.

After reaching the room, Damara pulled out the bangs that closed Nadin's temple. His heart returned to heat when he saw a fairly large bruise there. He held onto Nadin's cheeks so he could see Nadin's face.

“Im sorry mom, son,” Damara said staring at Nadin's face still shrouded in fear.

Nadin observes her mother's messy hair, instantly a shadow as her mother is grabbed and she is hit by Bu Jaim invades her memory. Her mother's tears that welled up made her cries that had not been able to come out finally break. He hugged his mother tightly and continued to cry, his feelings mixed thinking about the events that continued to befall them both.

He was often bullied by his friends to make him fight often. Meanwhile, her mother continues to be accused of flirting with the husbands of the women in her village. To the extent that the women often came to the house to nag her mother with words that were not pleasant to hear, exactly like the incident earlier. Only, the women did not hit his mother.

Aidan who had been petrified in front of Nadin's room finally returned to his room. He threw his thin body into the bed. His eyes that glared at the white ceiling did not also find a focal point as his memory continued to rotate the events he had just encountered. During this time he lived in a harmonious environment and family, it could be said that the incident had surprised him enough. Suddenly his heart also grieved when he heard the sound of crying Nadin who was still caught by his ears.

The next day, early in the morning Damara went to Mr. Heri's house and explained what had happened. Mr. Heri who became RT in Semilir village then called Bu Jaim and Bu Diah with people who gossiped about him tempting Mr. Burhan. Employees who were yesterday near Damara also came to Mr. Heri's house.

“Mom-mother, Miss Damara never teased Mr. Burhan. I was there yesterday too. I was eating near Mr. Burhan when he spoke to Ms. Damara. They only talked about the price of the food that Mr. Burhan had eaten. That's all, nothing more. Why do mothers even talk that is not-not ?” ask Mr. Heri after he proves the truth of Damara's words.

The women who were gathered at Mr Heri's house were silent and lowered their heads in shame because their accusations were not proven.

“But, yesterday I saw them talking, Sir.” Madam Diah who was the source of the gossip finally raised her voice.

“Did mom hear what they were talking about?” asked Mr. Heri turned his gaze towards Bu Diah who is the mother of Joko.

“No,” says Bu Diah with a sour face.

“Then why do you dare accuse Bu Damara ?” Mr. Heri's question left Ms. Diah speechless.

“Then, why do all the mothers think that Bu Damara seduced Mr Burhan ? Have you guys seen or heard Bu Damara do that?” asked Mr. Heri again looked at the women who were there one by one.

“We only heard the story of Ms. Diah,” replied one of the women who had gossiped yesterday with Ms. Diah.

“Astagfirullohal’azim,” Sir Heri did not believe in the power of gossip belonging to Bu Diah.

After all the interrogations, Mr. Heri gave advice to the mothers not to accuse others without clear evidence. Meanwhile, Ms. Diah felt very embarrassed when the mothers gave an uncomfortable look after they realized that the gossip about their husband being teased by Damara came from her as well.

Miss Diah did have a grudge against Damara because she had seen her husband and Damara once spoke while sharing a smile, but at that time she also misunderstood. Damara smiled as she thanked her husband when Ms. Diah returned her wallet that had fallen on the street. However, Miss Diah who is famous for being pregnant with her husband was immediately angry and accused Damara without accepting the truth after being explained by Nadin.

Joko annoys Nadin at school because she is angry after often hearing her mother who likes to call Nadin an illegitimate child and considers Damara p****r which causes her to always fight with her husband. The same thing happened to other children who like to disturb Nadin, they were consumed by the talk of their mother. It was as if Nadin and his mother were the cause of their family life to be unpleasant.

A day after that incident. Suddenly Ami came to Nadin's house to invite him to play hide-and-seek. Without a second thought, he agreed to Ami's invitation. Aidan, who was in the bathroom, told Nadin to leave first and would follow after his dealings with the WC had been completed. However, Aidan did not find Nadin at the place already mentioned. The sky began to cloud and it finally rained. He returns home to pick up an umbrella and searches for Nadin again. It took him a long time until he found Nadin yelling at him from inside an old house.

In the midst of his crying, he told me that Ami and her genk took him to an old house to play hide and seek. At first, he refused. Ami who did not want to give up continued to persuade him until he wanted to. However, after Nadin entered the old house, Ami and her genk immediately closed the door and held the handle with wood so that he could not get out. They left Nadin crying for the door to open after Ami said, “who told your mother to hit my mother.”

“You are so stupid ! You can be trapped like that ! From now onwards you do not play again with that Child !” spray Aidan without caring Nadin who is crying.

Aidan is upset that Nadin has not complied with his ban on playing with Ami. Aidan forbade Nadin not without cause, he did it because he remembered what had happened to their mother both. In the end, the rest of the semester break used Nadin to play with Aidan. Yeah, just with Aidan. Lala does not play with him because Lala goes to visit her grandmother and will stay there until the day of school.

The days Nadin and Aidan spent were a lot of fun. But, the sentence may only apply to Nadin because he always invites Aidan to play women's games, such as cooking, ball bekel, unloading paper pairs, congklak, and jump rope. While playing jump rope, Nadin tied one end of the rubber rope in the tree, then they played alternately. However, Aidan did not expect Nadin would invite him to take chicken manure to fertilize his plants. He immediately vomited because he could not stand the smell of chicken manure that was never inhaled by the nose of his nose.

“Don't touch me ! Your hand has been exposed to chicken manure,” said Aidan immediately distanced himself from the hand of Nadin who was ready to stroke his back.

“Eeh ? I wear gloves,” said Nadin while trying to hold back his laughter. Actually, he wanted to laugh at Aidan. However, his wish was undone for the pity of seeing her.

One day, Aidan lays out a protest to Nadin.

“Why do you always invite me to play women's games?” aidan's protest is trying to wake him up if he's a man.

“To believe that I am a woman,” replied Nadin with wide-open eyes.

Aidan was silent after hearing Nadin's reply. He did not expect that Nadin would prove his words when he considered Nadin a tomboy.

“OK, okay. I believe you're a girl,” timpal Aidan.

The next day, Aidan took Nadin on a bicycle after he found an old bicycle lying behind the house. However, he was forced to teach Nadin because Nadin could not ride his bike. Aidan's patience was really tested because Nadin always fell and hit the fence and wall of people's houses.

Before the sun set behind the hill, Aidan hugged Nadin to go home. Unexpectedly, the old bicycle they were riding suddenly broke in two until they both fell. Finally, the two of them went home while carrying the piece of the bicycle.

The next day, Damara accidentally does not come to the stall to spend time with Nadin and Aidan. Aidan was so happy and excited when Damara invited him and Nadin to go fishing in the pond. After bringing food supplies, the three of them went to the pool in the rice field owned by Damara.

At the same time, Damara was busy taking pictures of Nadin and Aidan fishing. Previously, he also took a photo of himself with the two children when he just arrived at the rice field to be used as a memento.

“Iiisshh. Why didn't the fish eat my bait ?” gerutu Nadin while throwing away the bamboo fishing rod that he used for fishing. Now, the fishing rod is swimming in the middle of the pool after being dumped by Nadin.

“Hahahaha.” Damara and Aidan could not help but laugh at the surly Nadin after throwing his fishing line away.

That was the reason Damara gave Nadin a bamboo fishing rod because he knew that Nadin did not have patience when it came to fishing. Meanwhile, Aidan was given a fishing rod commonly used by her late husband. Actually, the camera and fishing rod is a relic from her beloved husband. The two objects could remind her that she and her husband had spent time together using the objects.

On the night of Thursday, which coincides with Nadin's birthday, Aidan's parents come to Nadin's house to pick him up. Nadin was surprised when both of Aidan's parents suddenly brought a birthday cake and willingly celebrated his birthday, even though his birthday was tomorrow.

Aidan contacted his parents to inform them that Nadin was going to have a birthday on April 20. So, he asked his father to bring a new bike for Nadin as a gift. He did not expect that his parents brought a cake and some gifts for Nadin. Of course Nadin was happy because usually he always celebrated his birthday was only with his mother. However, his fun does not last long when Aidan and his parents are willing to go home.

Aidan's parents are very grateful to Damara for taking good care of their child. They also gave Damara some money. However, Damara refuses because he already considers Aidan like his own son.

Now, Nadin and his mother stand in the alley where he will let go Aidan. The car lights that Aidan will drive show drizzle points that slowly wet Nadin's head. Nadin's tears trickled slowly in sadness when he saw Aidan riding in his car.

Nadin's feet spontaneously stepped towards Aidan who suddenly got out of the car and approached him as well. Aidan clasped Nadin's hands. Now the two of them stood among their respective parents.

“Why are you crying ?” ask Aidan to help Nadin wipe away his tears.

“Are you going to be here again ?” tanya Nadin clasped Aidan's hand.

“Of course, I'll be here again when I have the chance. So, don't cry,” said Aidan stared at Nadin's face without blinking.

Nadin just nodded in assent to Aidan.

“Remember, you cannot be stupid. Don't get bullied again. Fight anyone who dares to prank you.” Aidan's Message.

Again Nadin just nodded.

“And also..can you lengthen your hair until we meet again. I want to see your long hair when we meet. You want ?" ask Aidan expectantly.

“Iya, I want,” replied Nadin although he

surprised by Aidan's request.

“Peach yourself well.” Aidan's hand clasped Nadin's.

“Yes, you too,” Nadin said.

“See you,” Aidan said as he kissed Nadin's hands.

Nadin was so surprised when Aidan kissed his hand. Meanwhile, her cheeks immediately felt warm receiving such treatment.

“See you too,” said Nadin accompanied by his tears. He continued to stand in the alley without regard to the drizzle that kept on rushing at him. He got into the house as soon as the car that Aidan was driving had disappeared from his sight.

FIVE YEARS LATER

Tok tok tok tok

“Nadiin, let's wake up baby. You will have to leave school early in the morning,” call Damara after knocking on Nadin's room door.

Hearing his mother's voice calling, Nadin rushed to open the door.

“Nadin is awake, Mom. Have a shower too, now just braiding hair,” said Nadin while opening the door.

Damara was so impressed to see Nadin who is currently standing in front of him wearing a high school uniform. His smile expanded because Nadin was happy to grow very well. Now Nadin has a height of 163 cm and he has to look up every time he talks to his son.

“When will you cut your hair, son ?” damara asked who was helping Nadin braid his hair that was almost reaching the knee.

“If you have met Aidan,” said Nadin who was also busy braiding his hair.

Damara smiled, she always got the same answer every time she asked when she would cut her hair.

“Be careful on the road, son. You will definitely get a good friend,” Damara said while putting the MOS Nadin equipment into the bike shell. Not to forget he kissed Nadin's forehead before he left for school.

After ten minutes of pedaling a bicycle, Nadin finally arrived in front of the school gate. As usual, she was the first student to arrive at the number one school in the capital.