Behind The Lies
Not the End, but the Beginning

Ten o'clock and forty-five minutes later, Iyash knocked on the door of the room Rahma was in. He wants to apologize to Marissa. However, the woman had already fallen asleep on her mother's lap.

“Cha,” call Rahma on the child. “Ih even sleep.” He's shaking Marissa's body.

“Mama, Icha sleepy, please, permission Ica sleep here,” Marissa murmured with her eyes closed.

“But you have to permission first with your husband, the newlyweds even sleep separately.”

“Ma, don't discuss anymore,” muttered Marissa lazily.

Immediately Iyash was stunned at the door. His hand was restrained, he paused his intention to knock back on the door. Iyash chose to return to his room and spent the night contemplating until he fell asleep and the morning picked him up.

***

While there was something different about Edgar, the man woke up early. After performing the morning prayers at the mosque complex, he changed his clothes and started his morning activities by jogging.

Miranti was proud that Edgar was back at the end of the day, and she had no idea what Edgar was getting out of the way until his only child underwent a major change. Miranti hopes this will be a good start for all of them. Pain in the past teaches them to be strong.

Not all problems can be revealed. Even if someone was looking for an answer like Edgar did, asking why would only make him tired.

Last night Edgar told Marissa that he had reached Jakarta, he also apologized for not saying goodbye directly, but until this moment Marissa did not read the message. Edgar thinks Marissa is too busy caring for her patients.

Although he felt arrogant, but Edgar knew that he was wrong, he asked the mother not to involve Marissa, but by behaving like that, of course he indirectly involved Marissa into his problem.

When busy jogging around the housing where he lives today, suddenly Edgar's shoulder accidentally collided with the shoulder of a woman.

“Sorry,” said Edgar and the woman together. The two adult humans will not be looking for who is wrong in this.

Edgar smiled, and so did the woman. “This is Maira her son Doctor Mirza, ‘kan?” ask Edgar.

Maira frowned and tried to remember the man. Of course she would not remember because she had only met him once.

“Iya, ‘kan?” Edgar made sure, “Eh or am I wrong?”

“Iya, I'm Maira.” Maira smiled gently. “Mas stay in the area here too?”

Edgar nodded. “I am his grandson the late Mr. Ganjar.”

“Oh, yes-yes. I am very sorry. Dad lost his chess partner.”

“Oh Doctor Mirza likes to play chess?” In the past Edgar did not have the opportunity to approach Maira because despite often jogging in fact he did not have the courage to say hello to the woman. “Concidentally, can I play?”

“Can, come to the house, Dad would be glad someone accompanied him to play chess.”

Edgar's lips kept on leaning.

“I first yes, Mas.”

“Iya. Careful.”

Maira smiled and left. The woman who was studying S2 obstetric medicine passed from the presence of Edgar, while Edgar felt his life had just returned from suspended animation.

While in the same morning, but in a different hemisphere, someone just experienced a big problem in his life. It is not impossible to rebel or choose another way of life, however, squeezed circumstances make him have no choice. Marissa was forced to accept the marriage, not because she loved, but because she loved her mother more than her own life.

At that time Marissa went to Iyash's room to pick up her toiletries, but, when she was about to get out, she accidentally broke into bed with the man who happened to be about to enter after returning from the mosque.

Iyash's attitude like this is what makes Marissa feel arrogant.

“Listen,” said Marissa as the man turned to look at her.  “Icha was forced to accept this marriage for the sake of Mama, so, never expect Icha will love Sister Iyash.”

Iyash stared silently at the woman for a few seconds. Then he took a step and opened the window of the room. It made Marissa frown. He did not expect that Iyash would ignore him again.

Honestly this makes Marissa even more reluctant to talk to Iyash because the man always makes her feel goiter. He didn't want to stay in one room with Iyash any longer. So he decided to go back to his mother's room. However, when he was about to come out he heard Iyahs cleared his throat.

“Ehem. Marriage is just a formality, so, never talk about love,” Iyash said without turning around and keeping a straight look at the sky that still looks so dark.

Marissa pensive. Of course he heard it well. In fact, every word would be recorded in his memory well. He went back to his mother's room.

Marissa stood back to the door of the room that her mother occupied. His chest churned withstanding the flames of anger. Marissa felt something was wrong with her life.

“Why you?” asked Rahma who had just finished packing her things.

“Mama where to go?” ask Marissa as she approaches.

“Rome.”

“When?” Marissa's approaching.

“Later noon.”

“Then, Icha will go home with Mama.”

“Loh, can't.” Rahma got up from her seat. “Iyash, ‘kan not healed yet, as a wife, you have to take care of her.”

“Oh. Icha knows.” Marissa then left and returned to Iyash's room. It seems that the man is still engrossed in his solitude enjoying the silence of the morning and the sky is beginning to show its light.

“Icha does not understand what Iyash Kak thinks, Icha just did not expect Kak Iyash will do this.”

The man looked, but said nothing. He looked at Marissa's two slowly dewy eyes.

“Why involve Icha?” Marissa took a breath and fell her hard-earned tears.

Iyash's chest rumbled. He was confused to respond to Marissa's words until he was completely unable to compose words.

“Divorce Om Hasa and Aunt Ira, not the responsibility of Icha,” Marissa continued.

“I–”

“If it's a matter of return, why did Kak Iyash have to sacrifice his life?” Marissa took a breath, she then turned around while wiping both her wet cheeks, then left.

Marissa had been crying for a long time, until she forgot how to cry, but since Iyash came into her life, she couldn't control her emotions anymore and it was Iyash who made her cry again after her ex-boyfriend.

Iyah was stunned and she was staring without being able to explain anything to Marissa, even the apology she should have said was not conveyed to the woman.

Iyash turned back and contemplated the silence of his own heart while looking up at the morning sky.

There were three dumbest that made him regret ever living in this world. The first is to fall in love with Aruna, the second is to wait for Aruna to not be able to open her heart to others and the third is to marry a woman that she already considers like her own sister.

If life and death were a choice, he would have chosen to die before all this happened, or since ten years ago, when the accident took away his love and made him like an undead.