Wulan In Night Wound

Chapter 109 Fulfilling the Promise

Three Years Later

PoV Sky

"Mas, are you ready for the re-list?" Ask my mother while feeding my sister, Earth, who is now almost five years old. Mom will take me to re-list into one of my favorite high schools in Jakarta.

"Already Mom. The sky can go by itself, it's good to be left behind" I said trying to refuse.

"Seek Mom if you don't want to get scolded" said Dad while sipping his coffee.

My mother rolled her eyes, while Yangti and Uti chuckled.

"Dad left for work first" said the father, then kissed the Earth, mother's forehead, then my forehead. Then it was Uti and Yangti.

"Be careful, yes, Dad!" Mom said while kissing the back of dad's hand. Ever since Earth started talking, Mother changed the call to father, from 'Mas' to 'dad'. Because once upon a time, my 1.5-year-old sister called me 'Mas'. Now the call 'Mas' is pinned on me. Maybe I don't want the Earth to just call my name.

Soon, Mom and I were ready to go to my new high school.

"Mas, let's go. The hunt is jammed" invited Mother who was ready to wear a floral motif maxi dress, with her stomach protruding. Yes, Mother is now pregnant 32 weeks her 3rd and 4th child. Soon I will have two twin sisters.

Earth initially whined to ask to come along, but with a little lure of ice cream and allowed to watch YouTube finally Earth willing to be left with his two grandmothers.

What I was waiting for happened. Not Jakarta if it doesn't get stuck. Almost every street in Jakarta is bound to be jammed. An hour drive is just a 4 km journey.

"Mom, can I have something to ask you?" I asked as we waited for the queue to hand over the file.

"What, Mas?"

"They want a motor. So if you go back to school, Mas can ride his own motorbike, Ga ngerepotin Mom or dad" said I tried to convince.

Mom looked at me fixedly. "Road in Jakarta is not like in Surabaya. I'm worried you're okay. Just ask dad"

I can only smile wryly. The older I grew, the more I realized that my father was a conjoined father, and that I was different from Earth's sister. I feel sad if I want to ask him something. And without asking more often Dad gave it to me.

Moments later, our queue number was finally called. Mom and I went straight to the registration table.

Eleven o'clock through my school business is finally done. "We're looking for lunch first, yeah, Mas. What do you want to eat?"

"The burger is Karls, ma'am" I replied. After ordering, we sat at one of the desks. My height now exceeds my mother's. A lot of people wrongly think that if I walk alone with Mom, that I'm on the road with my sister. At the age of the mother who is now 34 years old, her beauty does not fade at all.

"Well remember Mom's promise? When the time comes, I'll tell you everything. Still want to know about it?" mother cetus when I just bit my burger. Hearing Mom's question, my mind floated as I asked about a man who claimed to be my father.

I chewed my burger slowly, then swallowed it with great difficulty. My throat feels so dry right now. Then I took a sip of my cola, nodding slowly.

She pulled out an envelope from her handbag. "This is a DNA test. It says, who's your real father"

I don't know what to do. I honestly didn't think it was time. I don't know how to describe how I feel right now. There was a sense of worry, why there had to be a DNA test to find out who my real father was. Did my real father not want to admit me as his son?

"Before I start telling you, I want to promise. Promise that! Once you tell me your origins, I will never blame myself. Mas will not feel, that Mas is not wanted" said Mother while looking at me fixedly.

Wh why? The assumption that my biological father wouldn't admit me is getting stronger. Once again I nodded, in order to know the story of my origin.

Finally, Mom revealed everything. There were no tears when Mom told me, although I could catch a wounded sirat in her eyes. So this is why Mom used to be so sad when I asked about 'dad'.

The first emotion that got me was anger. The fact that Mom was the rape victim of four immoral men made me angry.

Without my tears dripping. I was so shocked, angry, disappointed, sad about the fact about myself.

"Why cry? Sorry I made Mas sad. Don't ever think that you are unwanted. When I first heard your heartbeat, I fell in love with you. Mom loved Mas Langit since she was growing up in Mom's womb" I couldn't say anything. I was confused by the reality that Mother had just revealed.

"Mas deserves to know. I will not forbid Mas to know who Mas's real father is. But the one you asked for, please don't ever tell Mom who that guy is. To Mom, Sky is Mom's own son" I nodded stiffly, then grabbed the envelope on the table.

I'm rattled. I decided that I was not ready to accept this heartbreaking reality. I put the envelope in my backpack.

"Let's eat the burger again" Mother ordered. I became more silent, and it seemed like my mother was understanding me. I ate my burger half-heartedly, because my appetite had evaporated.

"Where are they right now, ma'am?" Finally curiosity defeated me.

"Two are in custody, Angga and Deni. Tama and Aldo are dead. Tama due to liver cirrhosis. The liver transplant did not produce the desired results, and Tama died just as we left for Jakarta. Mother receives word from Lisa, Tama's wife, that Tama delivered a deep apology before she breathed her last breath. And Aldo died a long time ago from HIV" she replied at length.

Back I was stunned. I don't think I can ask anything more. The information I got really made me feel less and less.

When I got home, I went straight to my room. I thought about a lot of things. I was wondering, if Mom married one of the culprits. What's gonna happen? Will I be able to know my real father? Is it fair for Mom if I know who my dad is, as if I feel that Mom's affection isn't enough. Would it also be fair to Adit's father who had loved me so much without the slightest difference in treatment with Earth?

Worries surrounding me. I subconsciously grabbed my phone, and typed the keyword on the search page 'if the rape victim is married to the perpetrator'. So many articles came up, and I clicked on the top article.

I read the article, and was struck by one of the opinions of an expert in the article, 'Dr Natalia Kanem, executive director of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), said, yang published the report in mid-April, saying such laws were 'very wrong' and 'a way of controlling women'. Denial of rights must not be protected under the law. The 'Married to your rapist' law shifts the burden of guilt to the victim and as if clears one act of crime'©

I clicked another article again, still trying to justify my supposition. I honestly want to know who my real father is. Back another article revealed a similar thing, 'if peace happens will potentially be imitated by others to do the same. That is what is meant by sacrificing the victim and also getting others to do the same, said Imam Nahei, Commissioner of Komnas Perempuan.™

I was still not satisfied, then clicked on another article entitled 'Marrying the Victim of Rape with the Perpetrator Is the Most Common Thought', written by a person named Dimas Purna Adi Siswa. The title of the article that most made my forehead wrinkled.

The author wrote down four views that underlie the title of the article, and the most make me establish myself on my decision is the fourth view of the author '#4 Try to equate rape like other crimes# Now this way, why is this crime of rape as if it is a crime that can be exclusion or impunity for the perpetrator? Mean how? Instead of healing the wounds of rape victims properly, this offender gets a special place to coexist with the victim'

'Try to see other crimes, where there is a corruptor told to live poor with his people who he has really squeezed his money. Or a case of begal, have you ever seen a begal perpetrator told to nurse the victim? Otherwise, try a murder case, have you ever seen the perpetrator of the murder told to replace the position of the victim as a member of his family?'®

After reading the articles, with a steady heart, I took a glass of water from the nightstand. Unseal the envelope, then take out a folded sheet of paper. Without opening the fold, I dipped the entire paper in the water in the glass.

I watched the paper melt in the water slowly. After the paper was completely melted and crushed, I threw it away in a closet.

"I don't need to know who my real father is. A depraved and immoral man! True said Mother, I am only the son of a Wulan Febriana Lestari. And now I have a father who loves me and my mother. The past is dark, it's good to be buried forever with dirt!" Mumamku himself. I pressed the flush button, and the dark past vanished.

I went out of the room and looked for my mother. She was in the kitchen with my grandmother. I went up to her, and hugged Mom tight. Mom was silent for a moment, then a few seconds later returned my embrace and stroked my back.

"Mom, what time do you come home? Mas want to seduce father to buy a motorbike" The sky grinned very wide. He has decided, for him Adit's father is not a father. Dad yeah dad, no matter he's dad or real dad.

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Excerpted from various sources.

© Article from BBC News Indonesia, published May 2, 2021, with the title of the article 'Married to a Rapist' laws in 20 countries that exempt rapists.

™ Article from tirto.id, published May 26, 2021, with the title of the article 'Rape Victims Will Experience Double Trauma If Married by the Perpetrator'

® Articles from mojok.co, published on 28 May 2021

This chapter actually wants to be the last episode of manteman all of you. But what is power, it is already an extension to add PoV Deni.

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