Ex-Husband Love
20. Tell each other stories.
Sheet by sheet photos of Asih and Amira's past, open one after another. A happy portrait of where he is, and Amira's brother are printed there. Amira's sister, another father's sister, the mother looked beautiful at her age, which was about six years from her.
Behind the family photo full of happiness and warmth that Amira holds, stored curiosity, will be the figure of Amira's older sister.
"He's your father, Ruslan's name. On the right, that's Asmah, your father's first wife, and that left is Mom. See, the smallest and the greatest of you, is your brother. He's a good, obedient boy. Back when you were three years old, your brother used to cry to Dad, to play together by the beach," Asih said with a smile.
The middle-aged woman's eyes flashed with nostalgia, as if, she was exploring a warm past. Guilt, he was forced to withdraw unilaterally from a happy marriage.
"Father's mother and first wife, do you live in one house?" amira asked curiously.
"No. I live in a different house than Asmah. But even so, your father is so fair, it does not distinguish you and your brother. What he buys, always two. Sometimes one for mother one for mother Asmah, sometimes also one for you one for your sister. You should have been happy then, but I felt like a thorn, Amira. Mothers are like women who seize people's husbands even though Asmah has never cornered Mother," replied Asih.
"Then, why did you leave so without saying goodbye?" amira asked curiously.
"Because of guilt, and because I failed to love your father even though he was kind to me. I don't know, it feels like I can't forget the late ex-husband Mom told you about" Asih replied nostalgically.
Love's.
Even if the distinguishing nature, even if distance separates, even if the distancing dimension, even if time gives distance, will never be destroyed. Asih just felt, he was too much of a burden for Ruslan and Asmah.
"What, do you have a plan for the future?" asked Amira, who was replied by a nod by her mother.
"Yes. I wanted to come visit Ruslan's mas, to apologize. The rest, if you are still well received, maybe the communication and friendship rope will still run. But if you go back to your father, you can't" Asih replied.
Silent greet. The evening began to arrive, with the sound of prayers in the surau not far from the house of Asih. This village though far from the word luxury and modern technology, but Amira felt at home.
In the past, being the daughter of a poor woman with many shortcomings here and there in finance, Amira had rebelled. Amira tired of living poor, only became the subject of ridicule and insults people have no heart. Until Amira's brain had thought to find a rich man who could support his life.
For that purpose, Amira willingly poured a lot of money from his savings, to pay some people who helped him.
Instead of living a well-to-do and loving life, Amira falls into many tragedies and misfortunes. Andika, the man is indeed responsible for Amira's life, but not what Amira had imagined before.
The insults, mockery, insults and hate speech he received from Andika, enough to make him realize one thing, that his reality is not in line with his expectations are too high.
"How many times should I say, and oppose your marriage to Andika? In fact, you took Mother's advice, just the wind. What did you get? You even suffer and choose to give up" continued Asih again.
Amira inhaled a deep breath of air, before finally returning to exhale slowly.
"Mira knows, Mom. But don't worry, me and Andika will get divorced soon after this child is born. But . . . maybe Andika will take this child for her to foster, because she feels much more financially viable to raise Amira's child, Mom. Honestly, Amira was sorry, and Amira felt guilty. No matter how poor Amira is, no mother should be kept away from her child" Amira said.
The Asih could only be stunned in its place. This is the end, the weakness of the marginalized who lack here and there. Being able to send Amira to college alone, is a miracle for Asih. Hearing that his future grandchildren will be taken care of by his son-in-law, Asih's heart was sliced with grief.
Inevitably, he still had to fight for Amira's custody of his prospective children.
Slowly, the woman's hand closed the photo album she had just held. His mind glared far at the burden he was carrying right now.
"It has. I'll talk to your husband well. You are wrong, but he has no right to treat you like this. I believe, you can change your self-improvement after this," Asih tries to calm down.
"Talking to that bastard is tantamount to gambling, ma'am. If it is, we will breathe a sigh of relief because it can melt his heart. But if we lose, we won't be able to fight him again. It's just, our chances of losing, it's bigger than winning. Yes, unless there is still a conscience in Andika mas," said Amira later.
"If you can tell, how much do you feel about Andika?" ask Asih.
Amira can only speak a thousand languages. What does he have to say?
"Mira, Mira is very in love and affectionate with Andika, Mom. Yes, even though he was often evil to Amira, and often uttered harsh sentences. But despite all that, do not know why Amira's feelings hurt so much in a situation far apart and rarely meet like this. But to stay at her house, Amira was worried that Amira's mentality would hurt," replied Amira smiling bitterly.
"You can separate and divorce from Andika. But no matter what happens, I will never accept if she takes your child. You are guilty of having him trapped in this situation, but that does not mean he can arbitrarily against us," he said.
Amira's return this time, managed to make Asih find worry. The mother and daughter told each other, trying to pour out all the restlessness that weighed on their hearts.
"Amira, tomorrow I will take you to visit your father's house," suddenly broke up.
The woman must soon meet Amira and Ruslan as father and son. Because to leave Amira to Andika, that's the impossible thing Asih did. Just worried, his age will not be long.
**