Behind The Lies
Not the Moon

Marissa was washing the dishes used for her meal, even though Grandma Alma had forbidden and let Lastri do it.

“Nothing, Grandma. Icha aja, all hand cleaner let not smell.”

Grandma Alma smiled. “Hasa often stories about you,” he said as he stroked the top of Marissa's head.

Marissa smiled clumsyly.

“Grandmother is happy, finally Iyash can be close again to women.”

Instantly Marissa frowned. “Nek, Icha equals Sister Iyash–”

“Yes, Grandma has heard everything from Hasa. After the maghrib prayer, he called.”

Marissa wet her throat. Hasa said Iyash is like this because of him.

“Iyash will not sacrifice his life, if the woman he protects is not important to him.”

Marissa's heart was beating nervously. “Grandmother is exaggerated,” says Marissa clumsy.

“Ngak. Grandma knows how Iyash,” said Grandma Alma while giving a glass of warm tea.

Marissa took a breath while accepting it.

“This is for Iyash. He doesn't like tea, he only drinks milk. Exactly like a baby.”

Marissa then stared at the glass of milk on the table. “Baby bear,” spiteful.

Grandma Alma laughed. “You're right.” He patted Marissa on the shoulder. “Now you give her milk to that baby bear.”

Marissa smiled. But, maybe he wants to refuse Grandma Alma's request.

“Do not give sleeping pills,” said Granny Alma in front of the kitchen door.

“Grandma,” whining Marissa does not accept.

Alma's grandmother curled her lips as she walked away and brought a glass of warm tea to her husband who happened to be on the porch with Edgar.

While Marissa searches for Iyash's whereabouts in each room, she eventually finds the man in the room with the door open.

“Sorry, go straight in,” Marissa said without knocking because she saw the door already open. Iyash himself was sitting in front of the window staring up at the night sky.

Iyash did not turn his head and just stared at the glass of milk that Marissa had just put on the table.

“Waw,” comments Marissa amazed to see the dark blue sky with dim moonlight. “Here can be very clear yes,” comments.

Iyash got down from the window, then walked up to the closet. He took the telescope and the pole.

Marissa herself watched Iyash raise the pole. The man then gestured with the movement of his head, so that Marissa would peek at the moon behind the telescope.

Marissa came closer to see the miracle of God. Iyash turned the tip of the telescope to zoom in on the lens so that Marissa could see it more clearly.

At once Marissa's lips were on their backs. “When the moon is the same yes, only maybe the atmosphere is different,” said the woman without the slightest step away from the telescope.

“Here is quieter,” Iyash says quietly while again sitting on the edge of the window. He deliberately made a table of concrete right in front of the window so that every time he was there, he could sit in front of the window. Maybe he wanted to remember Aruna from there, but now everything has changed.

“Befit Brother Edgar does not want to go home.” Marissa straightened her body

“That's not what makes him not want to go home,” replied Iyash pretently without looking at Marissa.

“What's it?” marissa asked in a sneering tone as she was sure Iyash didn't know anything about Edgar. Although he himself did not know why Edgar was there, while all his family was sad.

“Maybe she is interested in Rania,” replied Iyash of origin.

Marissa chuckled as she approached the man. “Not possible.”

Iyash turned his head and looked at Marissa. “You like him, ‘kan?”

Marissa quickly turned her eyes away from Iyash. He leaned back in front of the telescope. “He is not a month, so it is not difficult for me to reach him,” said the woman citing a dialogue in the book Expectations written by Edgar.

A few seconds ago, Edgar was already standing at the door, so his heart soared to hear Marissa recite one dialogue she wrote in the twenty-first book. She always liked it because Marissa kept her work in her heart.

“Cha,” call Edgar soft.

“Kak.” Marissa turned her head and went straight to Edgar. “Icha read the book. Good,” said the woman enthusiastically.

“Iya?” ask Edgar curiously. Her lips are thin.

The woman just nodded and she really looked excited every time she talked about Edgar's books.

“Still.” Edgar stroked the top of Marissa's head. Then pass through and go into the room to pick up his bag.

Marissa's smile faded. “Ka Edgar where to go?” tanyanya.

“I want to go home tonight,” Edgar replied without lifting his face and even he forgot Marissa's sense of enthusiasm.

Marissa flabbergasted. “Loh, can't wait tomorrow?”

Edgar smiled. However, without looking at Marissa's face. He then left.

“Kak,” call Marissa quick. Iyash was standing next to him. Marissa looked at the man. “He can't go home tonight,” he said slowly.

“Indeed why would he come home tonight?” ask Iyash.

“Ngak. Cannot. If he comes home I should go home too.” Marissa took immediate steps. However, Iyash's left hand restrained his right hand.

“You came with me, then went home too,” said Iyash.

“As for who I want to go home with,” replied Marissa upset while removing the man's grip. He then went after Edgar.

Edgar himself was already in the middle room of the house because it happened that Granny Alma and Juragan Hartanto were there.

“Nek, Cake, I want permission to go home. Thank you for accepting me here.”

“Sudden pocket?” grandma Alma asked in surprise. “Newly Grandma same Grandpa plans to invite you guys to go for a walk.”

Edgar smiled. “Thank you. Sorry to bother.”

“Yes, but why go home tonight?”

“Because of the time I have ha–.”

“If Brother Edgar comes home tonight, Icha will come,” said Marissa interrupted Edgar's remarks.

Edgar looked back. Grandma Alma and Juragan Hartanto were surprised to hear Marissa say so. Just now Grandma Alma was talking about Hasa's intentions to her husband.

“Cha, you just arrived this afternoon,” said Edgar.

“Indeed why?” ask Marissa upset. “Kak Edgar deliberately avoids Icha? Or does Edgar not want to room with Kak Iyash?”

“No, it's not so. Icha won't understand,” said Edgar exactly as he treated Asa.

“Then it is, leukain, let Icha know.”

Edgar immediately pulled Marissa's hand and took the woman away from the living room of Juragan Hartanto's house.

Somehow the story goes, so what it looks like is that Marissa likes Edgar's spoiled treatment of her. That makes Granny Alma uncomfortable. He became so convinced that Marissa had a relationship with Edgar.

Edgar stopped on the front porch. He then let go of his grasp. Iyash watched as the man pulled Marissa's hand. Even Marissa was also aware of Iyash's whereabouts because the moment Edgar pulled his hand, they passed Iyash just like that. Even Marissa's eyes had a chance to rub with Iyash.