Behind The Lies
Root Problems

Ashilla invites Angkasa and Aruna to talk in the backyard, of course Faran participates. As Aruna and Faran walked first, Ashilla drew Space's hand.

“This promise is not about Iyash,” whispered Ashilla in Space.

“Not, but it's about you and Aruna,” said Angkasa as he walked back.

Ashilla frowned and soon caught up with the man.

Arriving in the backyard all fell silent, both Ashilla and Angkasa were equally pensive.

“Says there's something to talk about, about what?” ask Faran curiously.

Aruna turned to her husband.

Space throbs. “It about Adisty.”

Instantly Aruna stared at Space. His chest rumbled and he knew where the conversation was going.

Angkasa stared at Ashilla's innocent face which seemed to know nothing, while Aruna instead looked annoyed.

“I hope this is wrong. I hope this is not true.”

“What do you mean?” ask Ashilla curiously.

Space took a deep breath, then he stared at one face only, that is, Aruna. “Is it true that Aunt Goddess Adisty is your mother?”

Ashilla almost fell over hearing Space's question. While Aruna was just sculpting, but the rumbling on her chest continued to churn.

“So, right?” ask Space. “Shill?”

Ashilla shook her head.

“Run, say that this is wrong, say that everything is not right?” pinta Space.

“Indeed why if yes?” Aruna gave a pause. “Can you remove the blood flowing in my body?”

Space stumbled. While Faran is growing curious, he believes that Angkasa knows about Aruna's past.

“I think Adisty is just–”

Ashilla trims the word Space. “Run, you didn't say that Adisty–”

“Not important,” said Aruna. “If you want to acknowledge him as a brother please. I don't care.”

Ashilla termangu's. He then looked at Faran.

“Sayang.” Faran tried to soften the hardness of Aruna's heart.

“Mas.” Aruna held out her palm in front of Faran. “This is my choice, all this time you never protested, ‘kan? Now also I ask you to support whatever my choice.”

Faran. Of course he could not dwell on it because he himself had vowed not to interfere with Aruna's choice.

Aruna was about to leave the chat, but Ashilla held him back.

“But we cannot break the bond between mother and child,” Ashilla said.

Aruna turned. “We were just born, Shill. Supposedly if she really intends to be a mother, she will not waste us, yes, ‘kan?”

“We cannot repay crime with crime.”

Ashilla pensive. He then looked at Faran, then Space.

Angkasa smiled as he hugged the woman. He is proud that Ashilla is not as hard as Aruna, he is also proud because his future wife is far from having a conscience, although Angkasa has no right to conclude anything because he himself does not know what kind of problem Aruna faced until he took revenge on his own mother.

 Faran patted Ashilla on the shoulder, then went after Aruna. Arriving at the room, he saw Aruna standing facing the window. She did not know that the woman was crying, holding the pain in her heart.

Faran approached then he hugged the wife from behind and felt a shiver from the woman's breath. He didn't have to say anything because Aruna didn't need the contents of her head, all Aruna needed was calm and she sure could give it with the hug.

While Ashilla is still sitting in the backyard with Space.

“Honey, I'm sorry, I actually don't understand why you can–”

“It's too complicated. I can't explain it to you.” Ashilla then rose.

“Why?” Space is rising. “I'm your future husband.”

Ashilla looked at the man for a few seconds. “I'm lazy to discuss this, I just want us to focus on our wedding only.”

Space sculpting. However, when Ashilla was about to leave she quickly caught up with him. “If we invite your Mama to our wedding, do you mind?”

“It is better not if the root of the problem has not been resolved, because I am sure there will be problems in our marriage.”

 “Then we solve the root of the problem,” suggests Space is light, as if the problem and the rusty wound can be lost with vinegar water.

“Thanks for the advice, but you think it's easy, our marriage is only one week away and I don't have time for this,” Ashilla said as she stepped back. Honestly, his heart hurts. If Aruna married in the presence of her father, why she could not get married in the presence of her mother, but how, she still remembers when Ganjar and Miranti drove the Goddess from home. He still remembered the time the Goddess pleaded and he did not want anything similar to happen.

The sky seemed confused by Ashilla's explanation. Really the answer hanging it even makes him more curious.

“I want to know the truth,” pinta Angkasa.

Ashilla shook her head. “You just pray that I can tell you everything."

"Dear." Space held Ashilla's hand.

Ashilla turned. "Our parents divorced when we were babies. I'm even–" Ashilla's throat choked.

"I understand,” Sky. “I used to help Aruna find a boarding place, dia–" Angkasa saw the incident where for the first time he saw Aruna, "a fragile woman," continued the man.

Ashilla nodded. He then sighed. "It was our parents' fault. Do not force me to open old wounds, neither Aruna nor I are equally hurt. We're victims."

The heart of space is beating. "Sorry," he said, embracing the woman's shoulder. "Oh yeah, I pretended I didn't know."

Ashilla frowned while glaring.

Space smile. No matter how dark Ashilla's past, Angkasa is still lucky to get it. He made sure that the man who had left Ashilla would regret it. The most important thing is that he has to prove that Ashilla is happy with him until there is no time to remember the past.

***

After Nadine's departure, in the afternoon Iyash was pensive in front of the orphanage park he made. The garden he made for Aruna, when Ashilla came he was very happy because the woman liked the garden he made, but it turns out he only lied to himself because he also actually knew that the woman was not Aruna.

As far as the eye could see that only he and Aruna were sitting enjoying the twilight accompanied by a cup of coffee, passing the children of the orphanage cheered their closeness. Iyash smiled wryly imagining himself.

Tears did not melt that afternoon. He is ready if he has to let go of Aruna, the most important thing is that she has found happiness, even though she is not with him. However, all he wanted for now was to mend his relationship with Aruna. He was not prepared to pretend he did not know her. Just once she wanted to chat a lot of things even though it was no longer about their relationship.

Why is it so hard? He can't move forward as long as one wants it not to happen. Iyash deliberately restrained himself in the past, not to go back and repeat the time, but at least let go must be in a good way.

Iyash turned his head to the side and looked at one cardboard box containing Aruna's belongings. He got up and went with the cardboard.