Garden Benches
Hook and Jab, not Uppercut

Hook and Jab, not Uppercut

Give a thousand opportunities for your enemies to be your friends, but do not give a single chance to your friends to become your enemies (Ali Bin Abi Talib)

“Argg!”

“Yeaaaahhh! Come on, Mas Gie! Don't give me mercy!” 

A flash of the ancient shadow standing behind me was five steps away, visible from the reflection of the long window glass of the mother house. The girl spread out her hands and opened her legs parallel to her shoulders, her clothes expanding like a bat. I think Kunthi tried to cover up my actions from Ghifa's view. 

Anton rubbed his left cheek, his body pushed a few steps, staggered, not ready to take a hit. Good thing his hands can still hold on to the pendopo pole connected to the corridor, seven meters from the mother house.  

“This is for my mother's tears that spilled yesterday, because of you!” I'm full of pressure. 

“Shit! You!” objurgation. His molars harden his eyes nyalang look at me sharply, his index finger held rigid. 

I said his gaze straight through his manic, my lips tightly clenched. Anton charged in with a right-handed punch leading from the side. I hold it by opening my right arm pushing it in a position to form a right angle, until the hand is wasted to the side. Then I put my left hand back in the same spot with a shorter range.

Bugs!

“Arrgghh!” Anton fell down, his right leg could not bear the weight of his body when getting a blow from me. But he quickly got up, his face completely red this time. Both of his hands were clenched very strongly.

“This is for a distressed image because of your treatment!” I said again, slowly with great pressure.

“Ciiih! What do you mean?!” sahut fast.

“Come on Gie, just break his legs, what his hands can be too! Hajar!” 

kunti's voice sounded like a whisper, but sharp as the tip of a sword. Maybe he doesn't want to be heard by others. His attitude was still like that, his tunic was like bat wings or, like a batman with his cloak covering the darkness of the night? Actually he's Kuntilanak or batman, anyway?

I don't want to raise my fist anymore. I just want Anton to confess to everything he did.

“You no longer need to pretend, Anton!” my steps approached him with a threatening gesture. Of course stay on alert, because I see Anton's position is ready to attack.

“Ciihhh! The image of my wife, what do you want, huh?!”

“Listen Anton, I let go of the image as you asked not for you to treat like a slave, all you want to do yourself!” kataku.

“Hahaha, it's none of your business, asshole!” solot Anton with his lips cherished.

My face stiffened, Anton's face looked very annoying. Kunthi's voice shrieked back behind my back.

“Stop arguing, Mas Gie! Just hajar! Police Affairs, I'm the one!”

Whahuh? This is a girl, so insistent. Actually who has any business with Anton, him or me?

“You are just a rodent pest!” exclamation Anton.

The man then came back to attack me more regularly, some of his punches almost hitting my face. Not only was his fist floating, Anton also took out his kick. It seemed like his ambition was to hit me. This time I just stopped him. The first two punches were meaningful, but the next one would only be worth the emotion.

“Gie,” Ardi's voice breaks through Kunthi's arms.

“Do not interfere, you, Ar!” jolt Anton.

“Quite, not for this we came here!” Ardi tried to break up.

I took a step back, but Anton still felt until his fist almost hit Ardi's cheek that pulled my arm. Lives a million, when I catch Anton's fist with the palm open and I push it forward, the pain I feel.

“Cihhh!” aspir Anton.

“Stop, what is this?!” Mr. Cipto who just came out of the mother house looks stuck approaching us. Kunthi immediately turned to face the arrival of Mr. Cipto, his hands united on his back. Then he pointed innocently at Anton.

“Anton sir!”

Everyone stared at Anton, then turned towards Kunthi. Huff, can the girl not interfere first with this matter? 

“Inspardon us, Sir.” I extended my hand which was greeted with a close position as well as Ardi. 

“Come sit down first, Mas Gie. Guests are even invited to fight, to, come .. sit, sit.”

Mr. Cipto led us to a chair around a round table. There Ghifa waited on Citra's lap, and Adam, asleep on Lidya's lap.

Citra's face looked confused, but her eyes were emitting sorrow. I let out a heavy sigh, clenching my chest. The sunken eyes of the woman who is now Anton's wife are no longer cheerful. 

“Ayaa ..” I replied to Ghifa's call with a smile. I set my feet to sit next to Ghifa, but Kunthi's movements were faster. The girl pulled the chair next to Citra and sat there with her leisure. I had to take a seat next to him to sit on.

Kunthi stared at me while grimacing. Fuck up! I didn't give a reaction, I showed her a flat look.

Mr. Cipto nodded respectfully to Lidya, then had Anton sit down on the chair next to him.

“Mas Gie, healthy right? How is Mom, as well as healthy? Why is it never seen? Yesterday also did not attend, I was waiting for you,” asked Pak Cipto in a row with a relaxed tone.

“Alhamdulillah be healthy, sir. Greetings from Mother.”

“Waalaikumsalam .. Actually, I also hope Ibu Mas Gielang also present yesterday.” 

I bowed for a moment, before then staring intently at the unsettled Anton sitting down.  Many times his gaze was fixed towards Citra who became very quiet in my opinion. 

“Sorry, sir. Actually yesterday we wanted to come, but there was a problem ..” my voice was cut off. Worried about telling the real events. I don't want Citra's parents to be in the mind because of the work of Anton who just became his son-in-law.

“What problems, Mas Gie, Mas Ardi?” urged Mr. Cipto, his gaze was directed towards Ardi, when he saw that my mouth was only tightly closed.

“Emmm is done, sir. That's why we came here today, wishing to congratulate Anton and Citra.” Answer Ardi quickly.

“Oohh, Alhamdulillah when the problem is finished. Thank you, please pray friends, so that Anton and Citra's wedding will last.”

"Amijn ..."

Mr. Anton took a gentle breath, his face looked sad.

“Actually you are still thinking, Citra is often sickly since this wedding process took place,” murmured Mr. Cipto. 

“Biasalah, Sir. Maybe tiredness, it is indeed a lot to prepare.” Anton replied.

“But Citra is my least sick son, you know, Ton.” elak Pak Cipto.

“Partner is fine, sir. Only miss on Ghifa.” Citra's voice mediated, her smile expanding while clutching Ghifa. Pasting his thin cheek on Ghifa's puffed cheek.

“Lha, if you miss Ghifa, you just call Mas Gielang to send here, Citra. No need until your blood pressure drops! Yes to, Mas Gie?”

“Iya, Sir.” 

Answer me while nodding. I saw Ardi staring at Anton who looked clumsy. So all this time Mr Cipto did not know, if Citra could not communicate with his friends because his HP was seized by Anton?

“Well, now calm your mind, Despite being Anton's wife, Citra can still play with Ghifa, right Mas Gie?” ask Mr. Cipto again.

“Of course Sir. Ghifa also misses Citra.” Reply definitely.

“Good, thank you yes, well now explain to Father, what is the problem you fought earlier?”

I flinched, I glanced at Ardi asking for an opinion through the eyes. Mr. Cipto looked at us one by one and waited for an answer. Anton was silent. His white face flushed. And a small, crisp sound dominated the atmosphere.

“Mas Anton, kidnap Ghifa, Sir!”

“Haaa?”

.............