Baby Amber
The Past (Past)

I tightly squeezed the increasingly elongated hair and looked tangled. I look rough my face that I had folded earlier. Reading daily income reports that are decreasing every day makes me quite frustrated. How not, the restaurant business that I've been struggling with has never been like this. Customers who come as if non-stop, the money storage box is always full at noon. But now, when the night has come, I see the money box contains only a few small sheets. In addition to the loss of food that was not cooked because the sepinya visitors added to the nominal loss that I experienced.

"If it can't be fixed, shouldn't we just end it, Mas?"

I let out a long sigh when I heard the words of Ratih, my wife. Over and over again he persuaded me to immediately close his restaurant and start a business again from scratch. We better start from zero again as a small-time food seller like warteg, rather than having to continue to maintain a quiet restaurant visitors. Especially if you have to pay employees and also the cost of care.

There is also a point in thinking about his words. It's just that I have not been sincere if I have to lose the livelihood that has been successfully supporting my family. Moreover, there was a reason why I was still hard at letting go of this one and only effort.

I was once just the son of a poor family. To eat everyday we have to wait for more windfall. Mom works in a simple food stall. Sometimes when coming home from work bring the rest of the vegetables and side dishes for us to eat. Are all the foods you bring good food? Of course not. The food stall pickers are very stingy. He was very thorough and frugal on what was in his dining window. Mother will only bring the rest of the food from the visitors' food that is not exhausted. When mothers wash the dishes they used to eat, Mother will collect food scraps that are still worth taking home.

Actually, Mom never told me. He always said that it was good food and gifts from the owner of the food stall. But unbeknownst to Mom, I've seen my mother put the remaining pieces of tempe into the plastic when Mom washes dirty dishes next to the stall. Because the location of the dishwasher is located outside the stall, of course anyone who passes by can see what my mother does.

I wiped away the tears that unconsciously flowed out. Remember how painful the past I went through with Mom was. My father died a long time ago. I don't even remember the face of my father. We lived three lives with my sister Ratna. It's just Ratna's sickly. Therefore, the money from your work is often used up to buy Ratna drugs. Sometimes Ratna did not take medicine money work Mother only a little and can only for us to eat everyday.

Ratna has never been treated in a hospital, or even to a specialist. He only relied on generic drugs from puskesmas. Or sometimes buy stalls to just relieve pain.

When Ratna was eighteen years old, her health condition worsened. Until Ratna finally resigned and gave up. So too with Mom. He was sincere about what happened to Ratna. Ratna left us both alone. Following the Father into the afterlife.

"Ratna's not sick anymore now, Le. You're the one who took your sister off." Mother told me.

Ratna's my only sister. She is very dear to me. We always share in everything. Even for the matter of food, I was willing to endure the hunger as long as Ratna was full and could rest soundly. Ratna has suffered too much since childhood. If I only hold on to hunger, I can still.

I remember our memories when we were together. After Ratna's departure, I decided to join Mom at work. The difference is I work in a restaurant. Just as a handyman cleaning and washing dishes used by customers.

"You work here anyway, Di?" a hard pat on the shoulder made me look. At that time there was a friend Rudi during high school and also Dessy. The girl I was taking away from at school. But he rejected me because I was poor.

"There's been no progress at all in your life, man." Rudi laughs. While I saw Dessy glancing at me with a gaze that I don't know, I myself don't understand what it means. I assume that their smiles contain ridicule.

"Sorry, I'm doing a lot of work" I said as I passed carrying some dirty dishes used by customers.

Prpbuzz ...

Instantly my face paled. The plates I was carrying fell and broke apart. How could I possibly replace all this damage, while my salary is not much.

"Are you okay?" soft pat felt on the shoulder.

"Ma, I'm sorry, ma'am." I said stammered. Ms. Sofi the owner of the dining house suddenly was right behind me.

"You collect all these fragments so as not to hit anyone else immediately." I wave. Immediately I ran to find a broom and other cleaning tools to collect broken glass. A few eyes looked at me.

"Ma, I'm sorry, ma'am." I went to Bu Sofi after I cleaned things up.

"Don't worry. I'm not asking for material compensation for all the plates you broke earlier" he said casually.

"Te, thank you very much, ma'am. You're so generous."

"But I'm asking for something from you" he said.

"Find all this. Immediately bring it to me." he ordered while giving a note and also some red sheets to me.

Why try Bu Sofi asked me to buy all the baby and children's supplies. Bu Sofi has no children. Questions ran through my mind. Moreover, I have to keep this all a secret from the other employees.

I helped Bu Sofi decorate a room to make a room. More precisely the children's room. Various toys and knickknacks are installed in such a way that it looks attractive to anyone who sees it.

"Don't ask or discuss anything related to this room."

It seems like Bu Sofi knows my head.

I finally broke my intention to ask about all this.

"Aren't you still living poor, Di?" asked Bu Sofi on the sidelines of busy activities we both decorate the room.

I looked up, just a smile I gave.

"You better start fighting, I'm sure you can be rich" he said, making me stop my work.