For A Husband Who Doesn't Love Me
13. Shunted

In the evening junction Hidayat woke up. Sayup-sayup he heard the swish of the Quran recited solemnly. His eyes that still felt sore he forced them open as well.

How amazed he saw Maira get up from prostration, then he turned to the wall clock in the room. She smiled, her memory fixed on her brother's writing. If his heart had fallen to Maira, perhaps they were currently in tahajjud congregation. He became his priest, and Maira became his aunt, as almost every night his brother and sister-in-law did during their lifetime.

"Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wa barakatuh..." Maira said while looking to her right and left.

"Maira set an alarm?" Hidayat asked in a raucous voice, making Maira slightly jerked in shock from not realizing the wake.

"N-no..."

"After two dozen hours we sleep, is it not sleepy? How can I wake up without an alarm?" Ask Hidayat again with a sense of admiration.

"God is all-hearing of the request of His servant who wants to do good, Bang... Last night Maira asked Allah to be awakened to perform the tahajjud prayer, and Allah granted it..." Maira replied so gently, that it made Hidayat stunned by it.

"Sleep is disturbed, isn't it?" Maira's asking looks bad.

"Eh? N-not so, Mai... Maybe God missed you in the fork tonight. These few days you never see Him..." Hidayat said as he got up from the bed, then immediately passed to the bathroom in the room.

When Hidayat prayed, Maira opened her lecture book. He seems to have been used to dealing with his life situation. The presence or absence of Hidayat nearby, does not affect his feelings at all.

He only tried to endure the pain behind his helplessness, rather than begging for love as Hidayat had done the first time they were in this house.

"Is it always like this?"

Hidayat walked to the sofa, where Maira sat while flipping through the books in her grasp.

"What, Bang?" Maira asked confusedly.

"You wake up praying tahajjud, and you learn?"

"What else should Maira do in this house?" Reply Maira while closing the book in her hand.

"Not sleeping anymore? Is Maira not sleepy until the campus later?"

"God willing not, Bang... Today Maira's course is only until ten. After returning from campus, Maira will rest at home before leaving for the kiosk... At home it'll be more fun because there's a mother..." Maira.

"Remember if you're sleepy, just sleep... There's still an hour and a half left..." Maira continued, then she refocused on her book.

Hidayat sighed, then leaned his head against the back of the sofa. Maira only glanced for a moment, but then went back to reading the book in her hands.

A few minutes into the book, Maira was made to gasp at the subtle snoring next to her. He looked at Hidayat who had fallen asleep back on the sofa sitting down.

Maira smiles. How peaceful his heart was to see the face of the husband he loved so innocently asleep beside him. Although she can be cold in front of Hidayat, but that does not mean her feelings for her husband can change.

Maira picked up the blanket she had been wearing, and then she gently covered Hidayat.

***

Before the world was bright, Maira was already in the kitchen. She prepared breakfast for him and his two mothers who still did not come out of the room. Three small cups of tea along with one bowl of fried rice have been neatly arranged on the dining table.

Maira poured the fried rice into three dishes that had been on each side of the table.

"Maa yes Allah, this is very fragrant... Maira cook what early in the morning?" Ms. Zainab and her mother Maira came to the dining table.

"Mothers... Mommy up yet? Here, Maira just made tea with fried rice... Come on, breakfast, Mom..."

Maira shifted two chairs to be occupied by her mother and mother-in-law, then she sat opposite them.

"Eh? I-this is for M..."

"We if we eat or drink anything are always one together, ma'am..." Hidayat suddenly came cutting Maira's words. He immediately sat down beside Maira and drank the tea that was supposed to be for Maira herself.

Maira. He swallowed his mouth violently. Seeing Hidayat so, his heart beat irregularly. He's very nervous.

"Come, Mai... Didn't you have class this morning?" Said Hidayat while offering his used tea to Maira.

Maira flinching. He still looks not confident with Hidayat who can act like that in front of their mother.

"Mai, how come you're still dumb?" Call Hidayat while gently shaking Maira's hand perched on the table.

"Eh? I-yes, Bang..." Maira flinched, then her gaze turned to her hand which was still touched by her husband.

Maira slowly pulled her hand, she was afraid that her feelings would become more intense. He drank tea in the former part of Hidayat. His face was increasingly made tense by the atmosphere that was so stifling his chest. Plus fried rice for him, also eaten a plate together with Hidayat. His mother looked at them with a smile.

After breakfast, Maira is not allowed to beberes. Ms. Zainab asked that homework be set aside for them only.

At first Maira had thought of going to campus by riding a matic motorbike belonging to his late brother who came last night, but Hidayat instead quickly played the role of the motorbike driver in front of their mother.

"Mom, Hidayat ran out to bring Maira directly to campus, yes..." Pamit Hidayat while greeting his mother and mother-in-law alternately.

"Assynoltom..." Say them together, then Hidayat drove the motor out of the yard of the house.

Maira's mother smiled, "what worries about our children is not reality, right? Although their marriage is impromptu, but Thank God they are both happy to live it..."

"Yes, besan... Alhamdulillahot... I'm just anxious as Hidayat's mother, worried that she can't make Maira happy..." Said Ms. Zainab while forcing her smile. In his heart, the young man was still doubtful of the behavior of the child and his daughter-in-law. It is very clear how nervous Maira is when dealing with Hidayat.

Arriving at the front stop, Maira asked Hidayat to stop his motorbike. It is very clumsy if they continue to be near Hidayat, let alone their bodies attached so.

"Calm down, today you're going to pick you up..." Hidayat did not comment on Maira's request. He continued to drive the motorbike to the Maira campus.

Maira got off the bike, then turned to Hidayat for a while.

"Whose side, May? How come you didn't get on the bus?" A student came to say hello.

"Huh?" Maira surprised. He grew nervous when the young man asked him.

"Didn't you have to say goodbye to your husband before?" Hidayat said quickly.

"Husband?" The young man was surprised to hear Hidayat's words.

"Who? Who?" Another student joined.

"Eh?" Maira looks pale. He quickly grabbed Hidayat's hand, then placed it on his forehead.

"Maira come in first, Bang, Assalamualaikum..."

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