You are my destiny, my Brondong Husband

13. Substitute Husband

Lena and Raya continue to comfort Mel who is still crying, slumped, regretting her fate.

"Why did you leave me, Ar? Don't you want to accept this kid? I'll drop it if it gets you back to me, Ar. I'll throw this kid away soon. Come back to me, Ar! Back!!!"

Mel rampaged blindly and shouted. Raya and Lena were overwhelmed to calm him down. Till, until,

"Mell!!!" the loud snapping boomed astounding everything.

Platkk!!!

"Father!!!" mama Mel ran to hug her daughter while crying sadly.

"You should pray for Ardi and keep what he left for you, Mel. Your son is innocent. He's your flesh and blood. Do not blame him for the death of Ardi. It's fate, son. Remember, Ardi was willing to leave his house for you and your son."

Papa looked sadly at the princess he loved.

"But this child will be born without a father..."

"Son, honey. Your son has a father. You're legitimately a wife." Mama caressed Mel's hair, soft.

Mel looked at his confused mom and dad, as well as his two best friends who were equally confused.

"Married? Who is Mel married to, Ma? Pa?" tanyakanya.

"Comeout. Meet your husband. He's waiting for you."

In the guest room,

Bismilbornrahmanirrahim."

Aji rubbed his face, resignedly. He tried to strengthen his heart by his choice.

"Pray that I don't regret it, Ar. For our friendship."

the flashback

Aji was preparing to go to Ardi and Mel when her phone rang. Sena called.

"Assalamualaikum, Sen. Wait for me again..."

"To the hospital*****now, Ji. Ardi's accident!"

"Astaghfirullahaladziim!"

Without a second Aji immediately fled his car to the hospital.

"Oh God! Please save my best friend. Do not let a mother-to-be become a widow before marriage and the baby-to-be become an orphan before the father recognizes her." Aji's prayer full of love to the Almighty.

Ten minutes later, Aji witnesses the face of his best friend, Sena, who appears to be very withered.

"Why did Ardi get into an accident, Sen? Didn't you guys go together?" ask Aji, worried.

"Ardi was hit while trying to cross over, buying flowers for Mel. And the one who hit him ran away without a trace."

"How is he doing now?"

"don't know. Still in the doctor's care."

"Do Mel's family know, Sen? Right now they must be waiting for Ardi..."

"Family patient?" a doctor came out of the ER room. Sena and Aji approached the doctor.

"We're his family, Doc!" both, compact.

The doctor stared fixedly at Aji and Sena alternately.

"Who is Aji Barata?" ask the doctor.

"Me, Doc!" Aji pointed at the hand.

"The patient wants to talk to you."

Aji looked at the nodding Sena, telling her to go inside the room where Ardi was being treated. Aji entered, and was transfixed to see Ardi whose face and body had been wrapped in bandages.

"That..."

"Ji!"

Ardi's eyes opened slowly. A faint smile was engraved on his pale face. Aji is approaching.

"Ji.. please replace me.. get married. Please take care... Mel and son. I.. say.. if I. love..."

"That?" call Aji, watch Ardi quietly fall asleep.

"That?" Aji awakens Ardi by slowly shaking Ardi's body. He wanted to clarify the meaning of Ardi's speech earlier. But Ardi was silent. Aji suspects.

"That?" he shook even harder, and Ardi was still silent.

"Arm!!!" aji chuckles when she realizes that Ardi has left this world forever.

"Wake, Ar! You should get married now! Wake up!!!" yell Aji, hard.

Sena who entered with the doctor and nurse immediately pulled Aji away, out of the treatment room so that the Doctor could handle Ardi.

"Ardi can't go, Sen. He's the one who should marry Mel, not me. Does she not want to see her child born?!!" Aji kept shouting.

"Quiet, Ji. Istighfar. The doctor is still trying to help Ardi. We better pray that Ardi will be fine "Sena tries to calm Aji down.

"Astaghfirullahaladziimwas. Abaghfirullahaladzim aposha. Azaghfirullahaladzim."

"What about Ardi, Doc?" sena asked quickly as she saw the doctor coming out of the room.

"Sorry, mom. We have tried, but God willed another. The patient died..."

"Arm!!!"

"Why does my destiny have to be like this?"

flashback off

"Bang!"

Aji. Dian and Firman smiled and looked at her.

"Thank you for the sacrifice of bang Aji. Please take care of Mel with all your heart Brother." said Firman.

"If even bang Aji is forced, please take care of sister Mel until she gives birth." continued Dian.

Aji smiled stiffly.

"God my whole life I'll take care of Mel and his son. Because I promised Ardi I'd look after and love Mel and his son forever." she said earnestly.

"That's not easy, Bang. We all know this marriage happened because Ardi left us."

Aji nodded, understood.

"I know. And I'll try to take it slow. And God willing I can." said Aji, steady.

"Aamiin." said Firman and Dian together.

"We believe that bang Aji can do it" said Dian.

Aji nodded, smiling.

"Thank you for accepting me to be your brother-in-law. Help me strengthen my heart to make Mel happy." Aji asked Dian and Firman who is now her sister-in-law.

"Sure, bang!"

Later that night, in the bridal room, Mel and Aji sit next to each other and shut up.

"Why do you want to marry me, Ji? You pity me?" mel asked, after a long time they were silent. However, there must be a reason that makes Aji want to marry her.

"You shouldn't have to sacrifice. Ardi shouldn't have told you to get married..."

"I'm sincere, Mel. For the sake of the child in your womb..."

"It's not your responsibility, Ji. It's my responsibility and Ardi's. And because Ardi doesn't exist, so now it's my responsibility." said Mel.

Aji glanced at Mel.

"You're my responsibility now, Mel."

Mel turned his head, looking at Aji, sharp.

"What do you expect from this wedding, Ji? We are friends. We both know that we don't love each other. Are you ready to live with someone you don't love and don't love you at all?"

"I told you, Mel, it's for the kids..."

"Thank you earlier, Ji, but I don't want you sacrificing your life just for the sake of me and my son. I can raise him myself..." Mel was silent when Aji put her index finger in a lip, Mel.

"Don't ever expect me to cancel this wedding, Mel. From this moment on you are my wife, and this child is our son. We'll raise him and keep him together. You're both my responsibility, and I'll take care of you with all my soul and body."

"But, Ji..."

"Focus on your pregnancy. Take care of your health and that of our baby. Let us both learn to be responsible. I'm sure love will grow on its own."

"Are you sure, Ji? I know you still love Raya..."

"Raya of the past. Now you're my wife, my future. Remember that! We should both move on."

Mel was silent for a moment. Then, "Can I forget about Ardi, Ji?" tanyanya.

"Slowly, Mel. Remember the good and forget the bad. We start a new life. The spirit!" Aji gently clasped Mel's smiling hand.

"Hopefully your choice of bringing Aji to be your replacement wasn't the wrong choice, Ar. Goodbye, dear."

Dian's room, Dian,

"Yank!"

Raya who was preparing to sleep, turned to look at Dian who had just entered the room.

"Hm."

"Are you jealous when Aji is married to Mel's sister?" ask Dian carefully.

"Huh?" Gawking.

"Yank?!" whinek Dian spoiled.

"Be an adult, Bib. If jealous it looks like dong. I'm your wife, and Aji your brother-in-law."

"You still have the same feeling as Aji."

Huf! Raya breathed an annoyed sigh.

"You think getting married is a joke, Bib? You don't trust me?"

" No, Yank. I mean..."

"Alright, Bib. I'm tired of you being jealous all the time. It's hard to have a boy, the innards are suspicious. Mending to sleep." She slept behind Dian.

"Yank?" Dian pulled Raya's shoulder to sleep facing her. But Raya didn't budge.

"Yank?" call Dian again. "Sleep facing here dong?!"

"Bobo's'! Tomorrow's school!" sahut Raya without looking.

Huf! Dian rubbed his face, resigned.