Garden Benches
Hope Mother

Hope Mother

Every parent wants the best for their children. No exception Mother.

Some time, this Mom often chat with Ummah over the phone. Since you were gone, once a month Ummah and Abah came to see Ghifa. Sometimes both escorted by Mang Kusdi driver Mas Dikto, sometimes delivered by Mas Dikto and Mbak Dewi with two children. Jogya – Purworejo is not a long distance, but also not close if lived by Ummah Abah who is nearing retirement.

Like this time, Ummah Abah came to visit on Sunday morning. After dawn trip from Bantul, it only takes two hours to travel in a stretch. Ghifa was playing on her third wheel bike with Bik Nah, while accompanying me to take care of your rose garden, when Ummah-Abah came to be escorted by Mang Kusdi.

“Assalamualaikum..” Ummah and Abah said as soon as they got out of the car.

“Waalaikumsalam ..” The mother who had often turned her head towards the entrance became so cheerful when Ummah Abah arrived. 

I hurried to stop my busyness from cutting the dried rose stalk. I put down the flower scissors and took off my thick woolen hand t-shirt. Wash your hands, then grab Ghifa and run welcoming. Behind me Bik Nah followed, rushing to grab the luggage Mang Kusdi took out of the trunk.

“Ummah ..Change,” welcome me to kiss both backs of my second in-laws' hands.

“My son, ngger .. healthy to?” Abah patted me on the shoulder, then teased Ghifa.

“Alhamdulillah, healthy, Abah. How is the family in Jogya, healthy?”

“Alhamdulillah, Masmu still have tasks on the project, so can not nemenin Abah same Ummah,”

“Wah, Alhamdulillah his project Mas Dikto smoothly,”

“Aaamiin ..”

Abah teases Ghifa, churning Ghifa's chubby cheeks while chuckling.

“Funny eyang ..”

 “Hemmm, temphemnya.”.

“Hehehe ..”

“E –yang, who is Ghifa, E –yang ..” I said to Ghifa while stroking his curly hair.

“E – yes..”

“Pinter!”

“Monggo ... monggo in, you know, Jeng,”

Tergopoh Mother grabbed Ummah's hand that could not be separated from her cheerful smile. While Abah was trying to get Ghifa, my little girl wrapped her tiny hand around my neck tightly. His eyes were round alert. Abah laughs.

We entered the house, heading straight for the living room. As a family, the middle room is a favorite place to mingle.  The spacious room, titled fur carpet in front of the TV is commonly used Ghifa play, in addition there is a sofa with letter U position to sit relaxed.

I lowered Ghifa on the carpet, but her tiny hands still tightly hugged my feet while looking up at me. I laughed, then relented, then sat cross-legged on the carpet and carried Ghifa in my lap.

The little girl with curly hair then sat quietly watching Mom, Abah and Ummah who were sitting on the sofa talking to let go of longing. Bik Inah serves hot ginger drink abah's favorite. A plate of serabi solo, and a plate of banana kapok boiled Abah's favorite anyway.

Parents talk can not be separated from the chat about children and grandchildren.

“Iya budhe, Rinto and Rani are now first class and third grade Elementary School, not yet have a sister. If all go to school, the house will be sepiiii ..” Umah complains, Mom smiles. 

Umah looked at Ghifa with a hard-to-understand look, I got scared. I hold my little girl tight.

“Relax Gie, Ummahmu just tease, Ghifa will not we take, but can dong never stay at his eye spot in jogya, yes Ghifa ..” Lerai Abah while patting Umah's thigh. Umah chuckles.

I let out a sigh of relief, I can't imagine it's far away from Ghifa, while you're taka da by my side. I pecked Ghifa's right forehead, my little girl seemed to know what I was thinking. He held me tightly.

‘Aduh, sorry yes, Nok. Which makes you afraid, huh?”

“Cup ... cups ... cups ...” elusku on his back. I stroked his curly hair while standing up.

“Tuh right, Ummah ..” Ummah felt bad, tried to stand up, but saw that Ghifa was getting tighter hugging the neck.

“Ndak nothing, kok Ummah, Abah, Ghifa is still not used to it,” 

“Cup, cup, cup sorryin Eyang yo nduk,” abah come stand up. Ghifa buried her head on my shoulder.

“Sorry, excuse me first Abah, Umah, maybe Ghifa wants to bob this,”

“Ya, yes there ... broken down first,”

I immediately sauntered into the kitchen, asking for help making warm milk for Ghifa in her 280ml bottle. Then still carrying Ghifa, I set my foot toward the room. I closed slowly, so as not to disturb Mother, Abah and Ummah who were chatting. 

“Come, Ghifa bobok first yes ..”

“Mik ..mik ...” 

I gave a warm bottle of milk to Ghifa who immediately grabbed and sipped it. While kneading pillows and bolsters for sleeping Ghifa. The girl placed her head on the pillow while still sipping her milk.

I pat his thighs slowly, until the plump eyes were perfectly closed.  The first hours of sleep for Ghifa, usually between nine and ten and thirty. After getting tired of playing from dawn. The second bedtime is around two noon to three noon, usually after waking up Ghifa will take a shower in the afternoon then take a walk to the park to meet you, on the park bench.

***

“Le, I'll talk to you for a minute,”

Mom patted me on the shoulder, after driving Mang Kusdi's car away from sight. Ghifa began to sleepy held Bik Nah, after previously sulking do not want to be separated from the sling Abah and Ummah.

That's how a child is.  Initially scared, as soon as I woke up to see Ummah beside him while stroking his hair immediately invited to play. Until sticky and do not want to stop, even though Abah and Ummah were overwhelmed following Ghifa who ran to and fro his favorite horn was able to run.

‘Iya, ma'am, what's up?”

Mother led me to sit on the porch bench, her father's face looking at me softly.

“Le, do you want to marry again?”’

“Mother?”

I flinched, not expecting the sentence to come out of my mouth. Suddenly I thought my face stiffened, how could I ask like that, while you were still by my side? I cupped my hands together, oh, I can't blame Mom, doesn't she know that you're still waiting for me on that park bench?

“Ummah earlier felt sorry for seeing you, Gie, so she asked for help to talk about this matter to you.”

I was still down, I breathed air that afternoon, as the rose slid into my two nostrils, as if you were beside me.

“Gie understands, Buk. But Gie hasn't thought of that,”

“My son, Gie .. If you already have a candidate, just tell Mom. Emm .. like Citra for example, she's a good girl, I think your relationship is also close?”

I tried to smile, I held my mother's right hand trying to convince her.

“Gie and Citra are just friends of Buk, Gie never gives her any hope,”

“But, Gie. Are you aware that Citra only considers you a friend?”

I gasped, aware of something I might have missed.

“Means Mother?”

……..