Womb of Titipan

Cuddling.

"The two of us will sleep on this bed, no one will sleep on the floor." Aaric repeated his words.

"But.." Naina looks confused.

Aaric ignored Naina's words, he opened the suit he was wearing, then hung it on a nail on the wall and then sat on the edge of the mattress while opening his shoes and socks, opening the tie and rolling the black shirt she wore, from her face Naina could see that her husband looked very tired.

All that because before they came here, Aaric still had to go to the office to finish his work first, until by late afternoon Aaric could just return home to pick up Naina and go here.

Plus Aaric had to drive alone for approximately 2 hours drive because the distance of the city and Orphanage on the outskirts of the city is quite far, it certainly makes him more tired.

Naina sees Aaric laying down his body on the bed.

"Do you need anything?" ask Naina.

Aaric immediately woke up and sat down to hear Naina's question, he then looked at his wife's face sharply

"Until when are you going to act awkwardly like this to me? don't call me 'you' anymore, it sounds like I'm so old" said Aaric, visibly annoyed.

"When our age is only eleven years apart, not too far in my opinion," added Aaric again.

"Sorry, it's not like that, I just feel bad" Naina replied stammeringly.

Aaric grunting.

"I don't need anything, I just want to sleep now," Aaric returned to his body.

"But you haven't eaten." Naina blames it.

Aaric woke up again and sat down, but this time with a face that looked radiant.

"That's better to hear, I like it." Aaric smiled at Naina.

Naina looked with a small smile and looked down in embarrassment because Aaric continued to look at her face.

"This time I saw you smiling, and you looked even more beautiful."

Naina's cheeks looked red.

"I go first, help mom prepare dinner."

Aaric nodded with eyes that continued to look at Naina until she was lost behind the door.

For the third time Aaric had laid his body back on the mattress, his eyes staring at the ceiling of the room while occasionally smiling to himself.

"It seems like what Dani said was true, I've started falling in love with Naina."

***

After performing Maghrib prayers and teaching in the mosque next to the main building of the Panti, the administrators then led the children to the dining room for dinner together.

In a large room that looks more like a cafeteria, where there are many benches and chairs lined up neatly, children are waiting in line to take the food served, Naina stood up with a cheerful face giving them a plate and helping to fill the rice.

"Didn't your husband eat?" farida's question surprised Naina.

"Say he's not hungry Ma'am, he's resting in the room."

Farida looked at Naina.

"Mom didn't think you were married now, so I calmed down because there was someone who would take care of you."

Naina smiled, then approached and hugged him.

"May you be happy with your home."

"Thank you, Mom."

***

Naina walked very slowly into her room carrying a thin mat and a pillow she was carrying from the outside, she then spread it out also slowly did not want Aaric who was asleep woke up because of it.

Naina prepares to sleep on the thin mat, she seems to have sat down to lay her body down.

"I told you to sleep here." Naina is aghast at the sound of Aaric apparently waking up.

Aaric instantly shifted his body, giving Naina enough room to sleep beside him.

"Alright or I'll go down and we'll both sleep on that thin mat."

Naina knew that if it wasn't just a threat, she knew that if she didn't follow Aaric's words, her husband would actually come downstairs and sleep with her on the mat.

Naina got up from her seat, stood up slowly to the bed and sat on top of it. It was silent for a moment because Naina did not dare to directly lay her body there.

"Sleep, I'm not going to mess around" said Aaric.

Doubtfully Naina flung her body beside Aaric, she tilted her back to her husband, trying to keep their bodies from touching each other, seeing that Aaric smelled a smile.

Naina looked tense, her body slightly trembling, both her hands squeezing the end of the pillow she was sleeping on.

"Did your mother trust us?"

"Yes.."

"Thank God" answered Aaric.

"Oh yes. Thank you for wanting me to perform in front of Mom. Convince her if we love each other"

Aaric smiled.

"You call it a charade?" aaric asked, glancing at Naina.

"We did have a show earlier." replied Naina flatly.

"Which part do you think it's a charade?"

Naina was silent for a moment not understanding."

"Everything." answered Naina flatly.

"Our wedding?"

"It was a charade too, right? we get married just so as not to go against the norms of religion, so that what we will do will be done by our religion."

Aaric who was shocked immediately raised his body with his elbow resting, he saw Naina who was behind him.

"So you don't think that our marriage is sacred?"

Naina shook her head, making Aaric seem very upset.

"It seems like I'm the only one who's been thinking about finding out what marriage really means" Aaric laid back on the bed, tilting his back to Naina.

Aaric is disappointed that Naina thinks their marriage is a charade

Naina seemed to frown, not understanding what her husband meant.

Both of them were both silent, with their backs to each other they finally fell asleep.

Midnight.

Aaric opened his eyes because he felt someone's hand overlapping him, he then glanced and felt shocked to find Naina's face right next to his face.

Apparently Naina who had fallen asleep unconsciously hugged Aaric with one hand.

Aaric smilingly looked at Naina's slumbering face while hugging her and he purposely let the hand continue to hug her because somehow Aaric felt so happy, it also made him more sure if he had indeed fallen in love with his wife.

Aaric tried not to move, he did not want to make the slightest movement so that Naina was not disturbed and finally woke up from a deep sleep, Aaric still wanted to enjoy this important moment, this was the first time he had been this close to Naina.

Suddenly Naina moved a little, Aaric quickly closed his eyes pretending to be fast asleep.

Naina gasped to find herself asleep while hugging Aaric, she immediately pulled her hand slowly and turned her back to her husband.

Naina seemed to grumble inwardly, cursing herself for sleeping so hard that she did not realize she had slept while hugging Aaric beside her.

"Geez, what have I done? Hopefully he doesn't know if I hugged him just now"