You're Not the First

Aya

We went in more and more and each door to the other room there was always a guard who lowered his head as we passed. Unlike the guards at the main gate who wear royal guards, the guards inside the palace wear full formal suits. Maybe under their clothes there are guns and other weapons like the mafia.

Now in front of us there are some old people sitting in a semicircle. I just swallowed my own saliva. Although I had prepared myself in fact the groggy came again. The unfriendly view especially of the old woman who sat in her seat of greatness that resembles a throne made nyaliku ciut back.

"Have come?" The heavy voice of the old man broke the silence in this room.

"We came "Said Koko while bowing her little body giving respect like the tradition in ancient China to respect the older person or the person she just met. And in this day and age it is not much cared for by its youth. I also reflexively follow the movements of Koko.

"Come here!" Said the old man.

Koko took my hand to strengthen each other because it felt like she also did not like to linger here. If it wasn't mama who told him he wouldn't have come here, it was the word that came last night while trying to temper his anger after mama persuaded him to come to the main house

Koko stood right next to her throne and I was like a habit taught by my mom to grab the gray man's hand and kiss his hand. I faintly saw a faint smile and a happy look emanating from his face.

"What's your name?"

"Sophiya po..." My answer is though I'm sure they already know my name is also my family background.

"Call Just Tata!" Said.

"Good Tata!" I said while smiling. Suddenly my heart felt tight. It feels like having a big family. I have grandparents and grandparents. Although they're annoying but this feels good

"How long have you been married?"

Ask the grandmother who was sitting next to Tata. I don't know what to call it because the racial and tribal differences within Chinese affect our calling. There are yeye and nainai for maternal grandparents. There is also akong or apoh, waipoh. There are also kungkung and pohpoh from the father's side only or from the mother and father's side calling him with the same call. There is a change in the calling that follows the course of the times.

"Almost a month" answered Koko flatly.

"Where is your courtesy to your extended family and ancestors? Get married without telling us!" Said the other woman.

"We got married suddenly because I forced Koko to fulfill a promise to my mother" I answered honestly before koko answered him with ambiguous words.

"You're forcing her because you know she's a descendant of the Han family?" The woman I believe to be Daniel's real mother, Koko's stepmother.

"I've heard that name before but only today do I know that koko is surnamed Han. Previously koko never told me anything" I myself did not expect to have courage like this.

"Now that you know where he comes from, it means that you also have to accept the consequences. We will not accept the common people to be members of our extended family. You can be his wife but you don't need to be announced to the world. Keep it to yourself. You must also allow Basofi to remarry with women who are equal and from among us. Or better yet if you split up. Mumpung you're not pregnant" said the old woman who I believe to be her grandmother Koko.

"I have no intention of getting married again" answered Koko.

" I am currently pregnant but if Koko wants to remarry it doesn't matter but my status is a legitimate first wife" she said.

"Come....." Koko looked at me while frowning her forehead.

"We're going to have a party to announce our wedding" I said again. I don't know where my power is. To be able to talk smoothly like that against the elders in this creepy family.

" to yao liun!!" (Not Knowing Shame!) the words of the male elders were almost the same to me except Tata of course.

"Aahaha....." Tata instead burst out laughing filled the entire room which made the elders confused with each other.

"It seems... I like you young man!" Tata told me. "Take me to the park!" He said again but without turning his head and immediately walked with his cane.

"Why stay there? Follow me!" He said while looking at me. "And do not try to do anything without my consent. I'll decide!" He said to the people who were there walking slowly.

I immediately caught up with him and held onto Tata's arm. I don't know what the other family members have done but I just want to feel like I have a grandfather. Before long, cocoa also managed to line the toes of Tata's slow footsteps like a snail that was running out of fuel.

In the spacious and well-kept garden we sat three with Tata in the middle.

Because Tata was speechless I grabbed her wrinkled hand and rubbed it and gave it a gentle massage because it was said that the old man's skin would return like baby skin again.

"This one is also very sore" he said as he patted her on the shoulder.

"You like my granddaughter?" Ask me?

I nodded steadily while smiling.

"What if I don't agree?" Ask with a flat face.

"Depends koko. If koko really wants to split Fiah can what? But if Koko wants to defend our marriage, Fiah doesn't want to hide. The function of marriage is to carry on the offspring. Fiah doesn't want things like what happened to Mama to happen to Fiah again. After all Tata disagreed with Fiah for what reason? Because Fiah is poor? Man is born into the world and brings nothing. Even when I die, wealth will not be useful" I replied diplomatically like discussing with peers.

"Ahaha.... You're so good at tricking this old man...." Tata looks like a happy face and I like to see it.

"You know, your guts used to be good at funny" too "

"Know Akong's eyes?" I asked with sparkling eyes.

"Hem, we met a few times"

"Akong is the guy how Ta?" I wanted to hear a story about the akong figure because he died when I was a child. So I don't have much memory of him.

"Same like me. Ambitious and stubborn. And she's very good at cooking. That's what I know"

I looked at Tata for saying bad words about my grandfather. Even though I forgot how my akong is but I can't accept that anyone has said anything about its ugliness.

"That's a reality. Why are you so mad at me?"

I turned my face away with an annoyed grunt.

"Grandfather's has turned out to be a bitch" I said muttering to myself but Tata heard it.

"You are!"

"Oh" Tata touched my forehead making me complain.

"Don't try to hurt my wife" Koko took her hand off Tata's shoulder. He then rubbed my forehead and kissed her for a few seconds. I seemed to be lulled and forgot that there was still Tata with us.

"Ehem!! It depends on my decision" Tata's voice broke our romance.

"That's none of my business. I can't admit who my mother is but this time I won't make the same stupidity as your son. I will announce to the world only Aya my only wife" Koko stared intently at Tata as if beating the drums of war and fomenting resistance.

"You must not forget the young man. The wealth you have comes from whom"

"Take it if you want. I don't need that. I can live like an ordinary person. Come on Let's go home!" Koko said as she left.

"You must not forget that my blood is flowing within you. Until you can't remove it!" Tata said he would not lose.

"Came....!" Koko did not answer Tata anymore but looked at me and pulled me with her gaze.

"L-yes ko....! Tata, Fiah go home first. May long life, abundant blessing and health can see the son of Fiah. Tata's great-grandson". I kissed the back of Tata's hand then kissed Kira's cheek and her right. Somehow I got that familiar to the new Tata I knew. I definitely like him. He's not as scary as I imagined.

"Big.....!" Koko called me again because I didn't catch up with her soon.

I lowered my head in salute to Tata then smiled and rushed after my sulking husband.

"May...!" Tata's screams made me look at him. I like that call. I vaguely remember it as if someone had called me that.

"Yes Ta?"

"Come back and make me a dish like yours!"

My brain immediately turned around and replied, "If Tata wants to come to my mother's house, Fiah will cook all the secret recipes from Akong". It's a lie because I don't know the recipe for papi. I've never even seen papi cook anything complicated. It is precisely the recipe that I can come from my mother's family.