
If previously Yanti came to Surabaya alone, this time she brought a toddler who was sleeping behind a sling.
After arriving Nglegok a few days ago, Yanti was surprised by the state of her house that was almost flat with the ground. After his death, Mount Kelud coughs volcanic ash so that most of the population must evacuate. The woman was grateful to be able to meet her father's mother, and Waskito was safe.
Even so, his father broke a bone and his mother could not go to the garden for a while. Yanti did not have the heart to complain or tell me that he had been fired by Dennis. He was silent when his mother and father forced him to bring the boy who missed looking for his mother.
"Ngeo, Nduk. Kito keeps crying out for you. You just bring work, usually he's a henchman, not fussy," said his mother.
Armed with a little salary money a few days at Dennis' house, Yanti will return to Surabaya. Kito coiled comfortably in his arms, only occasionally waking up thirsty and hungry.
His heart was tight-fisted and constantly overwhelmed with anxiety since knowing their house needs a few weeks until it can be lived again. Now, he also doubted that Dennis would still take it to work. The last time they parted was bad.
Along the way swung around in the carriage, Yanti thought to herself, is indeed marrying the only way contract. The longer, the bitterness and confusion made him tempted by Dennis' offer.
The woman thought, loyalty to her husband all this time did not produce anything. His marriage to Darto was also forced.
It's just on paper, legally. They are not married religiously or customarily. And Dennis just needs a woman to pretend to be a wife.
While his life and Kito can be guaranteed if Yanti married again. He was willing to do anything to take good care of Waskito.
Yanti will still be a babu who is paid to work. It's just that now the pay is a lot, because it doubles as a wife if needed. In fact, if necessary he would throw away all the shame he had.
The woman looked again at the flip-flops Dennis gave her. Sandals that are slightly oversized but protect the soles of his feet from dirt. The sandals were also more comfortable to wear than the clompens he used to wear.
The sandals that brought Yanti back to Dennis' doorstep.
.........
"Yes" said Dennis from the house. He doesn't like to knock his door.
After leaving Yanti, Mbok Jum only occasionally stopped by. Dennis, who happened to be on assignment, had to stay outside for a few days and only returned this afternoon. The break is not yet cool.
Inside the house, Dennis peeked out from behind a curtain of brownish-white stork motifs. Up ahead, Yanti stood with her blackish brown buluk bag. A smile of victory flashed on the white man's thin lips.
The smile that instantly withered after seeing there was a small bundle on Yanti's waist. Small legged bundle.
So, it was with a sour face that Dennis opened the door.
"What do you want?" asked Dennis while shaking his waist.
"Sir Dennis, I want to work here, sir. Please, Mr." Yanti cupped both hands in front of her, her face that was tangled after the trip looks slashed.
"Hmmm..." Dennis just muttered softly, waiting for Yanti to speak again. But the woman didn't pick up on the signal from him, so Dennis had a little door closing.
Yanti immediately blocked quickly. "Wait, Sir. I want!"
"You what?" dennis asked impatiently, looking at the woman's face, her young child covered in a sling.
"I want to be Mr. Dennis's contact wife" said Yanti quickly with a smile, as if doing so could solve all problems.
Dennis who knew the goddess Fortuna was siding with him, shook his head slowly. "Yes yesterday, now yes now. What did you bring? Your kid?"
Yanti looked at Waskito with a look of despair. "Sir, help me and Kito. The house in the village is broken, hit by mountain ash."
When the man in front of her did not respond, Yanti grabbed a white hand and long fingers that felt cold. "Sir Dennis, I'll recite all Mr. Dennis's talk."
"You sure? You can't back down if you sign the contract later. Especially now that you take your son," Dennis shrugged his shoulders with a reluctant face, slowly the man pulled his finger.
Yanti again grabbed Dennis' finger, this time holding him tighter. "I promise, Sir! Kito his son is silent, no fuss! I promised Kito I wouldn't bother Mr. Dennis!"
The woman's scream shocked the small bundle that had not been heard from earlier. Little Waskito started crying, feeling the uneasiness that was in Yanti's voice.
"Young... Whaaa!!"
"Shhh, cup, cup, son... Cup, cup, cup," Yanti said as she patted her son slowly. His eyes stared at Dennis.
"Yes, you go in first. You ride in the carriage anyway, until the smell of goats gini." Dennis's sneer that usually makes Yanti annoyed and pouty, he accepted happily.
His body that has become more tense since deciding to return to Surabaya, can now relax a little. He came into the house with a big smile. His hand stroked Kito's back which began to calm down.
"Come, Son. Now we live at Mr. Dennis's house. The henchman, yo," whispered Yanti, his lips peeping on Kito's head with his eyes wide open.
Dennis waited until Yanti was done with her business before sitting the woman down at the dinner table.
It was late, there was no point wasting any more time. Since Yanti could not read, Dennis read out the agreement he had prepared beforehand.
"If you agree, sign here" Dennis said, pointing to the place in Yanti's name. "Cap Thumbs can also."
Yanti dipped her thumb in ink then placed it in the place Dennis pointed to.
.........
The next day, Yanti and Dennis set off for the log office on a trip. This time Dennis sat in front while Yanti was in the back with Kito.
Dennis has not been able to linger near the baby. He was a little worried that his suit would be hit by droplets or crumbs of food that were still attached to his short and fat fingers. If it wasn't for Yanti, Dennis would have brought along the one-year-old.
"Nobody left behind, Yan? You brought a drink for your son?" dennis asked as the vehicle began to leave the small road in front of Jum's house.
"Already, sir," Yanti replied briefly.
Intrigued, Dennis looked back and was surprised to see Yanti casually giving Kito asi.
The man immediately turned around and faced the front nervously. Just this time he thought about the recklessness of his actions, half forcing the woman with a baby child. He will not change his decision if he is given a second chance.
Dennis makes a mental note for Yanti, so that the woman is more careful about choosing a place when giving her baby breast milk.
In the government office,
Dennis and Yanti waited in line long enough. When it was his turn, the process took place quickly because Dennis had prepared the full file. They came out by midday.
Dennis' mood was good, he invited Yanti and Kito to eat at a nearby depot.
"What do you want to eat? Lontong racing what is rujak cingur?" ask Dennis.
Yanti did not reply, neither of them were food that she was familiar with. "That's hard, sir," he answered. She was a bit confused by her son who was starting to fuss.
Dennis finally ordered 2-porsion lontong racing. She had already started eating while Yanti was still struggling with Kito. Initially Dennis let in, but for a long time he was careless to also hear Kito's whining.
"Why your son, it wasn't that fussy."
"Don't know, sir. Maybe I'm still hungry, I'm just dropping out" Yanti said, without giving too much information.
Dennis cleared his throat again, he could feel his ears heating up. He was looking for a wife to be able to concentrate on him, not even make himself lose concentration.
Yanti then tasted the cold sauce to Kito's lips. After rejecting with mulat-mulet, finally the baby wants the soup mixed with mashed lontong.
The finished Dennis was forced to wait until Yanti and her son finished eating. He had expected that his plans would change a lot since seeing Kito's small legs in Yanti's arms. In the future, he planned something else for the boy to make his plan smooth.
"Then we buy clothes for you, let me believe that we are married." Dennis' hand unconsciously grabbed the documents he had already painstakingly obtained.
Yanti just nodded. He promised to die, follow what Dennis ordered. The woman just wishes Kito hadn't ignited Dennis' emotions, and for the man to keep his word.
.
.
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