Behind The Lies
Never Force the Will

Asa fell asleep in the car on her mother's lap, when she had previously said she was hungry.

“Live home?” Iyash asked into the back seat, while the one sitting next to him was Queensha.

“You don't mind if we stop by the place to eat first, Asa said laper.”

“No-no, we don't mind, yes, ‘kan Queen?”

Queensha.

“You're also laper, ‘kan, Queen?”

Queensha is back.

“Tuh, said he was also laper.”

Ashilla smiled, she knew Queensha was shaking. “Queen, Om Iyash is good?” ashilla asked, as if something was becoming extremely important.

Queensha turned her head then whispered, “Jahil.”

Ashilla's mouth was puffed up and both of her eyebrows were raised. “What is it like?”

“Dia–”

“Sstttt. Om down,” threatens Iyash.

“Oh, kayak jahilnya like that,” said Ashilla while laughing and it even made Asa wake up.

“Why, Mom?”

“Hei. We want to stop by the place to eat first, you want?”

Asa nodded. He seems to be very hungry.

Not long after they arrived in front of the restaurant. Asa and Ashilla are quick down while Queensha is the last one to get out of the car because she always asks to be carried by Iyash.

Then they look for a seat. Asa and Queensha ordered a small serving of rice and chicken. While Ashilla chose a serving of dumpling chicken noodles, while Iyash chose a bowl of bakmi.

“Asa looks more like your sister than a child,” Iyash said.

“You are the umpteenth person who said that, but want how else, he ‘kan my son.” Ashilla kissed the top of Asa's head.

“Asa, Om can ask?” ask Iyash.

Asa nodded.

"What kind of person is Mama?"

Asa looked at her mother. “She is a good person like an angel.”

Ashilla smiled, and Iyash smiled.

“She was never angry. Do you know? She’s so gentle and generous.”

Iyash. “I can see it,” whispered Iyash as he bent and brought the face closer to Asa who was sitting in front of him.

Ashilla smiled then sighed. “Well, thanks for the compliment.”

“You're welcome,” hiss Iyash while upholding body.

That afternoon there was a little nervousness in Ashilla after getting praise from her own son, however, what made her more nervous was Iyash's gaze and the man's smile. Somehow Ashilla must present a soaring feeling accompanied by nervousness, she should know that feeling should not be present between herself and Iyash because there is a Space waiting for her to be ready to be betrothed.

Suddenly a call came into Ashilla's phone. “Opa phone,” he said on Asa. “Ya, Opa?” ask without saying hello.

“Where did you go, why has not come home, here is a big rain, Opa worried.”

“We'll eat first, Opa. Opa want to order something?”

“Ngak. Be careful on the road. Streets must be slippery.”

“Not raining here, Opa.”

“Oh. Thank goodness, may the rain here quickly subside.”

“Iya. Want to talk to Asa?”

“Mana?”

Ashilla then gives her phone to Asa.

“Why not eat at home?” ask Ganjar. “Nearly five o'clock still haven't come home.”

Instead of answering Asa instead gave her phone to Ashilla. “Grumble,” says Asa slowly.

Ashilla's forehead frowned. Supposedly if Ganjar wants to nag him why not just him, why should Asa who was tired of waiting for him to pick him up.

“Now where is the car?” It wasn't Ashilla who was worried, but instead her car.

“Have brought people to the workshop.” It just so happened that Ashilla got a message from a workshop person and she gave the address where her car was.

“Thank God. Quickly home.”

“Iya.”

Ganjar quickly closed the call while Iyash eavesdropped and he did not see Ashilla's face angry, while Asa looked annoyed.

“It's over?” ashilla asked Asa after putting the phone in the bag.

Asa nodded.

“Yash, we took a taxi home, afraid Queensha's parents panicked because almost five hours his son had not returned.”

“No panic, he, ‘kan with me. I also sent a message to them.”

“Nothing, Yash, we took a taxi, afraid you got stuck.”

“I'm not afraid,” said Iyash. “I'm more afraid to see you guys take a taxi home.”

Ashilla was instantly moved. Iyash's seriousness was as vivid as that night, when he was insistent on coming home from the hospital in the middle of the night.

“Ya already, thanks, Yash.”

Iyash. Finally the man drove Ashilla to his destination. Queensha was asleep in the car.

“Yash, once again thanks,” Ashilla said before descending.

“Thanks, Om,” Asa said as he got off first.

Iyash just smiled as he nodded. It seems that approaching Asa is not so easy. The boy sometimes only spoke as necessary, but he felt increasingly challenged especially after hearing Asa praise Ashilla in front of him and that was because he intended to answer her question.

Remnants of large rain is indeed very pronounced, but lucky when they until the rain has stopped. Ashilla stood in front of the door while Asa had already entered first. He stared at the departure of Iyash's car from his yard.

***

In the morning Iyash drove Queensha to school in Iqbal's car. Coincidentally, Queensha was forced to stay overnight at her grandmother's house because it was not possible to go home, while Rasya did not ask much because he fully believed in Iyash.

Iyash waits for a few minutes hoping to see Ashilla there, but nothing as it turns out Asa was ushered in by Yayan.

“Good morning, Asa,” greet Iyash.

Asa smile. “Good morning, Om.”

Just having that smile Iyash already felt very happy, every positive thing he got as a motivation to keep trying to win the heart of Ashilla, more precisely Aruna because she still believes it.

Iyash couldn't ask about Ashilla because he felt it wasn't the time, let alone Asa continuing to enter the classroom. Iyash meets Iqbal in the principal's room.

“Where was yesterday?” Iqbal asked Iyash who had just sat on the sofa.

“Current.”

“Good. You like her, ‘kan?” guess Iqbal.

With complete confidence Iyash nodded.

“What because she looks like Aruna?”

Immediately Iyash fell silent. But what is wrong if it is true? All this time he believed that Ashilla was Aruna.

“If you like him because he looks like Aruna, you better not. Because you will hurt him later,” Iqbal's advice.

Iyash sighed, then turned around and left Iqbal's room without saying anything more. Maybe he felt Iqbal had a point.

“I'm pretty sure that you still hope that woman is indeed Aruna, yes, ‘kan?” guess Iqbal again.

Immediately Iyash's steps stopped, his heart pounding painfully.

“Mas knows your heart answered yes. You better let her go. Aruna and Ashilla. If you force the will to be close to Ashilla just because of that, you will indirectly hurt her.”

“Mas Iqbal jealous, ‘kan I can be close with him?” Iyash thought that short.

“Where can I be jealous? You know I'm married, even Zahra is pregnant with my son. I used to expect the news of death to be a lie and the tomb to be empty, but the reality is not so, Yash.”

Iyash nodded back. “The more Mas says so, the more I see the opposite.”

“Sshhh. You can't accuse me of that. I told you that I didn't expect Aruna to come back to me, even though I wished she was alive. I just want to see you and her get back together. However, you should know that Ashilla is not Aruna. That's it.”

Iyash snorted and he felt like he was wasting his time talking to Iqbal, who felt it was just him, not anyone else. “Still for his car loan. I'm h-home. Assalamualaikum.”

“Waalaikumsalam.”