Dusk (And Taste)
Chapter 22

After family. Reyhan invites Nadhira to return to the hotel room. However, his invitation was immediately rejected by Nadhira.

“Why, Dik ?”

“Street first. Can ?” Nadhira asked hesitantly.

“Bby dong, Darling. Where do you want to go?”

“Near-near here, Brother. Let's not go home later.”

“Good. Come with me. Not far from here is the beach. We can enjoy the sunset.” Reyhan clasped Nadhira's hand tightly. Interestingly slowly then took Nadhira away from the hotel to the beach that was intended earlier.

“Created ?” Ask Nadhira sumringah.

“He’em.”

“Surely good yes, Brother ?”

“Very.”

“Ahhh. Want to get there quickly.” Nadhira said impatiently.

“Kok not very impatient anyway.” Reyhan rattled his wife's hair covered in the hijab was anxious.

“Ihhh. Love to mess around with my hijab.”

“This is now my new hobby, yes. In addition to Raina's random hair, I can mess with your hair too. Hahaha.”

“Ehh. Shy around people.” Nadhira shut Reyhan's mouth with one hand.

“Iya yes. Sorry.”

Reyhan stops a taxi and enters it with Nadhira.

It only took ten minutes for Nadhira and Reyhan to reach the destination. A beautiful beach with quite crowded visitors. A clean beach decorated with white sand stretches as far as the eye can see.

“Maa shaa Allah. Very good yes, Brother.” Praise Nadhira with the charm of the beach that spoils his sense of sight.

“Come!” Bring Reyhan.

Nadhira just followed Reyhan's steps. Her hands did not stop being clung to her husband's hands.

Slowly Nadhira and Reyhan set foot on the white sand.

A few steps Nadhira preceded her husband's steps and walked towards the pier. Standing facing the open ocean. Stretch out both his hands. Raise your head and close your eyes. Nadhira so enjoy the breeze of the beach that blows his face.

Nadhira opened his eyes slowly. Look at the sun who is getting ready to go home to his stadium.

“Where ? You like, Darling ?”

Reyhan hugged Nadhira from behind. Stacking his chin on Nadhira's shoulder.

“Not like anymore. But, very-very like.”

Nadhira enjoyed a natural phenomenon that he always glorified it. Simultaneously, Nadhira also enjoyed her husband's embrace.

Nadhira held Reyhan's hand which was placed right in his stomach. Full brush tenderness.

“Thanks.” Nadhira said slowly.

“For what to thank ?”

“For everything. Thank you for coming back. Thank you for not breaking the promise. Thank you for making the choice to make me a wife. And, thank you for taking me to a place as beautiful as this.”

Reyhan twisted Nadhira's body facing him. Hold her shoulders gently.

“Thanks also for your availability to accept this man who is far from perfect as your companion.”

“Have been perfect. Because I know, in this world no one is perfect. Be a responsible husband. Who is able to account for the affairs of the world and our afterlife later.”

“Sure, Dear. I dare not promise not to hurt you in the slightest. But, I will always try not to hurt or disappoint you. Will you help me be a good husband to you ?”

Nadhira smiled then nodded his head.

Reyhan kissed the top of Nadhira's head and hugged him.

“Then, every twilight is yours. But, not with twilight this time and twilight the next. Because those twilights will be ours. And we'll enjoy together.”

Reyhan whispered in his wife's ear. Unknowingly the sentence he threw was able to make Nadhira's cheeks create a red hue.

Reyhan took off his embrace. Bringing Nadhira's tiny body to face the increasingly rolling sun to return to his throne.

Nadhira leaned his head against Reyhan's field. Enjoying the new comfortable place.

Reyhan occasionally kissed the top of his wife's head that was still covered in her big hijab. Gently stroking Nadhira's shoulders.

“Dik ?”

“Heemmm,” reply Nadhira without turning his head.

“This is the first twilight we witnessed together as a couple. And this place is also the first place.”

“Lantas why ?”

“But, this will not be the last twilight we enjoy together. It's not the last place either. Because, after this I will show you places that are no less beautiful for us to watch as well as deliver the sun home.”

“Created ?” Nadhira raised her head so that her gaze could reach out to see her husband's face.

“Iya. Of course.”

Nadhira smiled towards Reyhan. Then refocus on the sky with a tinge of orange color.

For the first time. Nadhira and Reyhan enjoy twilight in halal ties.

___

Arriving at the hotel.

“I cleaned-up for a while huh, Dik. After that we pray maghrib congregate here.”

Nadhira replied with just a nod of his head before Reyham passed to the bathroom.

While waiting for Reyhan to clean himself and take the water. Nadhira prepared the cocoa clothes, sarongs and peci that Reyhan will use to perform prayers. Not to forget Nadhira held a prayer mat facing the qibla.

I heard the bathroom door open. Nadhira stood up from the bed he had just been sitting on.

“The prayer clothes I have prepared.” Nadhira said when she saw her husband emerge from the bathroom with wet hair that she still tried to dry with a towel in her hand.

“Thank you, Dik,” Reyhan walked to the edge of the bed where Nadhira put his prayer clothes.

“Ya. I'll take ablution water, Kak.”

Nadhira passed towards the bathroom and Reyhan rushed to wear the prayer clothes that had been prepared by Nadhira.

Nadhira came out of the bathroom.

Reyhan began his first congregational prayer with Nadhira with the phrase takbir. Chant the divine words solemnly and melodiously. Adding to the peculiarities between the two in carrying out obligations to the Khalik.

With a greeting Reyhan ended his prayer. Continued by saying do’a-do’a amiinkan by Nadhira who sat behind him.

“Alfatihah," said Reyhan ended do’anya.

Reyhan turned his back. Seeing this Nadhira approached Reyhan.

Reyhan thrust out his hand which was immediately received by Nadhira and kissed her. Reyhan only smiled seeing Nadhira's treatment of her.

This is the most beautiful moment that Reyhan experienced during his time as a prayer priest. So far, he felt the mediocre to pray to his friends. But this time he felt something unusual. There was a happiness Reyhan felt.

Not much different from her husband. Nadhira felt the same. We both felt unusual happiness.

“Dik ?”

“Iya, Sister ?”

“From now on I will always receive your every prayer. Are you ready ?” reyhan asked gently while stroking the top of Nadhira's head.

“When brother shakes father's hand and recites ijab qabul. Then I was ready to be your mother. Stand one shaf behind you and marinate do’a-do’amu.”

“Help me to be a good role model for you and our children later, yes ?”

“Of course I will. And help me also to be able to be a good teacher for sister.”

“Iya, Darling.” Reyhan kissed the top of his wife's head.

“We naji yuk, Brother! While taking advantage of the time before the prayer time Isya arrived.”

Reyhan asserted Nadhira's invitation with a single nod of his head.

“After I take mushaf first.” Nadhira said as he stood up and went to pick up the mushaf he had brought from home.

Nadhira again sat beside Reyhan with a Qur’an measuring the size of an adult hand held by him.

With Reyhan, Nadhira recited the verses of Allah simultaneously and in unison. The chanting of verse by verse from Surat Ar-Rahman echoed filling the hotel rooms they occupied.

“Shadaqallahul ‘adzim.” Said Reyhan and Nadhira simultaneously after hearing the adzan reverberate.

“Udah adzan, Darling.”

“Iya, Brother.”

“We pray Isya first yes.”

Like the Maghrib prayer. Nadhira and Reyhan pray Isya worship together solemnly.

After performing the prayer. Both Nadhira and Reyhan immediately changed their prayer clothes with casual clothes.

“Dik ?”

“Iya, Sister ?”

Nadhira turned to Reyhan for a while before he continued his activities of tidying up the prayer rugs and clothes he had just used with his husband.

“What dinner do you have now ?”

“So big brother. I just follow.”

“We had dinner outside yes, Dik ?”

“Bby.”

“Now you change clothes there. Let me waitin.”

After putting the prayer clothes that he tidied earlier. Nadhira rushed to change his clothes using a pink-colored robe combined with an instant headscarf in old ash. Not to forget Nadhira smeared his face with a little make up and lips gloss on his tiny lips.

“Don't dress up too thick, Brother. I don't want, yes, your beauty seen by others.”

Nadhira turned her back to Reyhan who was sitting waiting for her on the edge of the bed.

“Enough the beauty you have only for me who enjoys.” Reyhan continued with a smile on his lips.

Reyhan walked up to his faithful wife in a bedside chair.

“Come!” Reyhan grabbed Nadhira's hand.

“But this, Sister ?” Nadhira asked with a look on his own face.

“It's okay. I'm just reminding you. So that in the future if the grooming is mediocre. This make up is also very simple.”

Reyhan embraces Nadhira's small body. He walked out of the room to where they had dinner.

___To Be Continued__