EMBRACE YOU: Presence & Poison
EPISODE 5'S

***

“Good morning. Excuse me.”

I greeted as I bowed slowly as I passed through the mothers chatting around the street of the house complex. I don't know why I've been seeing some groups of complex mothers talking in the morning. Whereas usually in the usual hours I go to work, they rarely get together.

Or maybe it was because of my passing these past few years that I didn't know their new habits? I don't know, obviously I not only often see them, but not infrequently they have time to look at me from the bottom up, like I was judging my appearance.

Because actually did not want to take a headache, I had ignored it but it felt like over time they were increasingly blatantly looking at me with a look of disdain. It has been almost a week every morning my daily food is looked at by them.

“Oh, Boy Icha!” I turned around as soon as I heard someone call me from one of the crowd of mothers at the vegetable vendor. A beautiful woman with fashionable clothes for size ‘morning buy vegetable’. I know this woman, she's RT's head mother.

“Good morning Bu Lulu.”

“Thank God I finally got to talk to you this morning. It's been hard to see you lately.”

I just smiled a little, I don't know what to react to because my daily life was like this. I went to work early, came home almost midnight after finishing graduate school.

“Can we talk at home mom?” I frowned in wonder.

“Is there anything so urgent? Oh citizen dues I already paid—“

“Not no! Nak Icha has already paid the dues for this month. There's something else I want to talk about.”

I paused for a moment then nodded approvingly, it seems like today I have to notify the office if it will come too late.

.

..

…

“This drink first, is Nak Icha in a hurry?”

Of course I'm in a hurry. This is usually the time I go to the office.

“I already informed the office will be late today.” I replied with a smile after Mother Lulu put down a cup of hot tea.

Now I'm sitting in the living room of his house. There is no one but us. I don't know how many kids Lulu's mom had.

“Drink first. Just relax with mom. No need to strain.” I nodded then grabbed the cup that was still emitting small smoke.

“Thank you Nak Icha already want to come here. actually the mother several times to Nak Icha's house, but the afternoon is always empty her house.”

“Ahh is fine ma'am, I am also rarely at home. Usually I go home at 11 pm.”

“Waah once a night it turned out. Is Nak Icha not afraid to go home alone?”

I shook my head slowly. “It's usual mom. I came home late because I had a class. If there is none, surely I go straight home.”

“Oh yes, Nak Icha just came back here a few weeks ago. I forgot, hehehe.”

I swallowed my hard-earned salivary, Lulu's mother's laughter visible on the force. “What's wrong mom? Does this have anything to do with other mothers who are often seen gathering every morning?”

Mother Lulu looks a little jolted in shock because of my guess. From his face I guessed it right.

“Sorry, I'm going to ask. Nak Icha works as what is it in the city center manufacturing company?”

“I only back office staff. Administration.” I answered softly and directly in the nod to Lulu's mother.

“Not what mom. Just say, maybe there is my behavior that offends the residents of the complex?” I encourage Lulu's mother not to have to be stale. After getting approval, it was as if Lulu's mother was ready to let out what she was thinking.

“Actually mothers here are a little uncomfortable because of rumors circulating about Nak Icha.”

I frowned not understanding. It feels strange to hear gossip circulating in this complex while I myself rarely appear in this environment.

“Gossip?”

Mother Lulu nodded and exhaled her breath before replying.

“Say, about ten days ago Nak Icha often brought men home every night. While the complex people here know that Nak Icha lives alone.”

“Not only that, the news circulating also says Nak Icha snatch people's husbands, the man already has a wife but every night comes to meet Nak Icha.”

“What? It's just a rumor mom! Haha. I don't even understand where the gossip came from.” I became laughing feeling funny with the gossip talk of mothers can get that far.

“There were people who had seen him on the street. If a man is fighting with his wife on the streets of this complex and leave his wife to catch up with Nak Icha.”

I frowned not understanding. Then Lulu's mother suddenly handed her phone to me.

I accepted it and saw a rather dark photograph taken not far from where I was standing on the side of the road. It was the night I met Bayu for the first time. Inside there were indeed three people, Bayu, me and the woman standing in front of the hood of the car, the car that almost hit me.

“Mother says this because mom knows Nak Icha is a good person. Mother Rose is a good person, then the person she trusts to take care of her home is also definitely a good person as well.”

I was stunned when I heard Lulu's mother mention Aunt Rose, who loved and cared for me more than my own mother. Aunt Rose left me her home and some land.

“Not to worry mom, it's just gossip. And this photo is actually just a misunderstanding. This car was driven by a drunk man and almost hit me, while this woman was the one in the car. This is my friend, she eumm—“

I was confused looking for a word to say if Bayu was a soldier, but I didn't want to say it. There will be more and more rumors going around.

“This is my friend. Actually that night this friend of mine and his other friend took the man who almost hit me to the police station. So there's only three of us left. Next time I'll bring my friend to explain it.”

“Oh really? Thank goodness then, I'm relieved it feels.”

“And about me bringing my friend home too it's not true. Maybe people see my friend often visit at night, but I never bring him in even into the gate. We just chatted in front of the house for a while and he left. My friend visited because we had not met for a long time and we were both busy so only had time to meet at night.”

“Thank God that everything is just gossip. Please understand, son Icha, mothers are always like that. Rarely do they seek the truth first.”

“Not what mom. If you do not believe you can check on the CCTV complex when he comes and goes.”

“Oh yes. I believe in Nak Icha. I don't have to worry anymore then.”

I smiled after explaining everything. Feel very grateful to have a RT Mother who can communicate well like this.

“Nak Icha, if there is anything can contact mom. I see Nak Icha's house is rarely cleaned, Mother can come occasionally to see the state of the house.”

“Nothing ma'am, I don't want to trouble bu Lulu.”

***

“Just go home. Soon finished.”

“Ya already, we go home first yes.”

“OK be careful on the road.”

I waved at my office friends who came home late this afternoon. Being late for work half an hour this morning, my work is not done yet. I know, the center guy gave me more work deadlines today because suddenly I got late this morning.

After I joined the headquarters in this city for less than a month, I felt unusual pressures. Demanded more finishing with in the existing system and space restrictions.

In addition, a group consisting of company important people to more easily communicate directly also still makes me unusual to deal with it. They always ask about work until late at night. And what's more interesting when employees who have positions like me can only answer ‘Bok pa/bu’ without being able to voice our opinions.

Since then my phone continues to vibrate indicating that there is an incoming message. I know it's from a company-created chat group. They must continue to discuss other jobs without considering previous work that has not been completed.

Aarrggh..

I leaned my back against the chair while propping my chin up. Between tired and upset. Back office has always been like this. I have the same job always.

Ck. Is it possible that everything feels boring because my life has always been like this? Go to work, attend a class last night and go home and repeat the same activity tomorrow morning. Keep repeating like that.

STOOP…