Annanta
A Different Dress

It had been ten minutes before Anta went to the toilet, but the girl had not returned. Elvano who was already sitting in his place initially felt uneasy. He mispronounced another woman in front of Anta. I don't know what he was thinking until he called Violla.

"Can't! I have to explain it to Anta." Mumbled.

Elvano got up from her seat, making Haris who was sitting nearby hold her back.

"Where are you going?"

"To the toilet."

Without waiting for what his Papa would say, Elvano passed quickly from before the old man. Devita glanced at her husband with questionable eyes.

"Vano to the toilet." Said Haris, who got the nod from Devita. The woman thought, maybe Elvano was looking for Anta in the toilet.

Elvano's move accelerated. When he arrived at the toilet, he stood in front of the door and knocked slowly.

Geck... Geck... Geck...

"Anta?" There was no answer from inside. Elvano knocked again and the result is still the same. He tried to turn the doorknob, apparently the door was not locked. Elvano went in to check the toilet. There is no Anta.

"Nothing. Where's Anta?"

The man walked out and looked for Anta somewhere else. His steps came to a halt as he passed through the door to the backyard. From a distance, he could see a man sitting behind him.

Elvano walked slowly towards the man whom he believed was Anta. In the long chair, Elvano sat right beside Anta without looking at the girl. His face was bent, describing if he did not like Anta lying to him.

"Mas El's..."

"What's? Shocked? He said go to the toilet, why sit here?"

"Sorry, Mom."

"I'm sorry?" Elvano smiled lightly and then turned her head to look at Anta. "You know, I... You why?" Intentions want to scold Anta immediately Elvano paled when he saw the dress that Anta was wearing wet.

"Why you?" Once again, Elvano repeated his question.

"I accidentally hit Selly. So the drink spilled."

Elvano raised next to his eyebrows, staring in disbelief at the girl before him. Although she is not close to Tommy and Selly, she knows how the characters of both of them are.

"Tell me honestly, Anta. I don't like being lied to."

"I'm being honest, Mom." Anta really doesn't want anything to happen in the Elvano family relationship. He doesn't want to be the trigger for a fractured family relationship between Elvano and Aunt Yuli.

"Well, if you don't want to tell me. There is a cctv. I can..."

"Why does Mas El take care of my business? Don't we have to take care of each other's business?" Anta said quite calmly.

Elvano was silenced by Anta's remarks. He clenched his hand. Unable to deny, what Anta said was entirely true. He himself said it. But, why did he not like to hear Anta bring it up.

Elvano caught her breath trying to control her feelings. After being calm enough, Elvano took off her coat and put it on Anta.

"You can catch a cold."

Anta didn't say a word. He did not even try to tighten the suit that Elvano gave his body. Elvano grunted softly. He stood up and grabbed Anta's hand.

"Follow me!"

Anta looked up at him. "Where are you going?"

"Follow it!"

"But, Evan?"

"There's Bi Ijah with Mama."

Elvano immediately pulled Anta to follow him. Elvano's grip was quite strong, making Anta feel a little pain. Elvano takes Anta to her parked car. The man opened the car door for Anta.

"Lake in."

"Where are you going?"

"Just get in."

According to Anta, get in the car. Elvano also came in and sat in the driver's seat. The man drove his car away from Dinda's residence.

During the trip, Anta and Elvano were both silent, until finally Elvano stopped his car.

"Come, get off."

Anta came down following Elvano's speech. He was quite surprised when Elvano stopped his car in front of a clothing store.

"Come on!" Elvano just pulled Anta's hand. He took the girl into the shop.

"Sorry, ma'am. Our shop will be closing soon."

"Give me a dress that fits the size." Elvano said without caring about the words of a girl who was one of the employees of the store.

Ck. Luckily handsome. If not, I push it out. Inner of the employee.

"Sorry, this is prose..."

"I can make this store go bankrupt tonight."

"Mas," Anta turned to Elvano.

"Give her the appropriate clothes." Said Elvano, ignoring Anta's reprimand.

He's handsome, but scary. The employee shuddered.

Anta turned to Elvano for a bit, then followed the employee. After a few minutes, Anta had already changed into clothes. The girl was wearing a simple gray dress with the length of a piece.

Elvano nodded her head at the sign she agreed with what Anta was wearing. He paid it immediately. Even the pay is more, making the employee sparkle.

Really rich people. It's handsome, rich again. Inner of the employee.

Elvano returned to his car. As before, Anta did not say much. He also did not ask where Elvano would take him.

After a few minutes of travel, Elvano's car stopped. "Let's get off!"

Anta again followed the words of Elvano. He got down and was confronted by a restaurant. He looked at Elvano, but the man focused on the restaurant in front of him.

"Come on!" Elvano stepped first, letting Anta follow her.

Anta walked quickly in order to equalize his steps with Elvano's. As their steps aligned, Anta turned to the man.

"Why come here?" Ask.

"Eat. I'm hungry."

"It's not at Dinda's house..."

"I didn't eat that."

Anta fell silent. He thought Elvano would take him anywhere else. It turned out that the man took her to the restaurant because she had not eaten yet.

"Message what you want." Anta looked at Elvano who was focusing on her menu book. He was not hungry, and did not want to eat.

"I don't want anything."

Elvano glanced at Anta. From what he knows, women who are upset will eat more than the previous portion. Why isn't Anta?

"Usually..."

Drrtt... Drrtt... Drrt...

The vibration of the mobile phone made Elvano stop his speech. He pulled out his phone and received the call.

"Hallo, Vano?"

"Yes, Ma."

"Where areyou? Did you meet Anta?"

"I'm at the same restaurant as Anta. Eat."

"Ohh... Quickly home. Evan..."

"Jagain Evan, Ma. We also just arrived at the restaurant. I'm gonna eat."

"Yes already. Evan same Bi Ijah Mama brought to Mama's house. You guys pick up later. Don't go home last night. Evan likes Cariin Anta."

"Yes, Ma."

"Yes already. Mama close first."

"Hmmm..." Reply, then put the phone to its original place. The man called the waiter and ordered his food.

"What did Mama say, Mas?"

"They find you. Especially Evan."

"Evans? Then I'll go home first. Kasian Evan find me."

"Do you have money?" Anta who was already standing shook her head slowly. The girl again sat her body with a lethargic face. He doesn't have a penny to pay for a taxi.

"Just sit. I ate not long. After that, we go to Mama's house to pick up Evan with Bi Ijah."

"Yes, Mum."

***

Devita looked at her daughter-in-law with a shriveled forehead. Because, earlier the dress that Anta used was maroon-colored. But now, her daughter-in-law was wearing a gray dress with a different motif and also a little longer.

Devita and Haris looked at each other. Then looked at their son with a probing gaze, along with a line of smiles on the lips of the two. Elvano took a breath and threw it away slowly. He knows what's going on in Mama and Papa's brain right now.

"Dress Anta was hit by a drink. So, it has to be replaced. Otherwise, it could catch a cold." Elvano.

As if not believing his son's words, Devita looked at Anta. Her daughter-in-law must be honest when speaking.

"The truth says Vano, Ta?"

Anta nodded. "The truth, Ma."

Devita lowered her shoulders and threw out her breath. And so is Haris. It seems that if they are disappointed, their hope does not come true.

"Oohhhhhhhhhhh... Mama thinks, you guys stopped by Elvano's apartment." Devita said in a disappointed tone.

Elvano had a flat face, but her heart was very upset with her. Is your mom not shy about asking people for privacy?

Meanwhile, Anta, the girl does not understand what Devita means. He just nodded and smiled a little.

"No, Ma. We did not go to Mas El's apartment, we just stopped at the clothing store to buy this dress, the same as eating at a restaurant. That's it." Answer Anta plain.

"Ooh... Yes already. You guys go home! It's late enough." Both Anta and Elvano nodded. Anta grabs Evan from Bi Ijah to his carrier, then bids Mama and her father-in-law farewell.

Evan who was already in Anta's arms immediately began to fall asleep. Bi Ijah said, the boy was already so sleepy. But he refused to sleep. It seemed like he only wanted Anta who accompanied him to sleep. If not Anta, at least Anta's voice that he heard.