Garden Benches
Ghifa and Ghilman

Ghifa and Ghilman

The body is cleaned with water. The soul is cleansed with tears. The mind is cleansed with knowledge. And the soul is cleansed with love. (Ali Bin Abi Talib)

This afternoon, Ghifa was sulking, as I was just entering the living room. The little girl with curly hair has been wearing her scarf since releasing her face after the ashar prayer with Mom. His face looked at me impatiently. He ran after me in the room while jumping up and down. His curly hair that began to lengthen swayed up and down.

“Ayaa .. let's dong cepetannn!”

“Iyaaa, Daddy shower first, beautiful.” I glanced at the wall clock that pointed at 15.35

“Don't be long, Ayaaa, Ghifa want to meet Mommy!” ghifa exclaimed while sitting on the chair in front of my desk.

A cold wind infiltrated from the window that was nearby. There is a framed photo that he always looks at with a sparkling face.

“Iya ..” I replied while picking up a dry towel that was in the locker. My legs came to a halt for a moment when a knock on the door leaf sounded.

Tok

Tok

Tok

“Ghifa ..” Call Mom after knocking on the door of the room that is still open while bending her face towards Ghifa. My little girl turned to look at her.

“Tadi Ghifa said what?” back Mother asked as she approached. In his hand was a pink comb with a pony. Then slowly Mother immediately combed Ghifa's black hair.

I glanced at Ghifa and placed my index finger on her lips before entering the bathroom. Ghifa rolled her eyes in return to state she understood what I meant. 

I always wondered if I was busy telling Ghifa about you, Laras.

Of course I can only try to understand, because he doesn't see where you are. Not like me and Ghifa.

Fortunately Ghifa is a smart girl who easily learns that not everyone is the same. Until Ghifa will bring the story to the pigeons, swings, slides and castle stairs in the park to divert the story about you.

“Ghifa wants to go to the park, Eyang.” 

I heard the faint answer of Ghifa before the water poured down my head and my entire body. The tiredness I felt when struggling with data at work, gradually reduced. 

Warm water piercing. If Ghifa hadn't stopped me from moving fast, I'd like to enjoy this water for longer. But remembering it made me wash my body immediately with soap foam and immediately go back to cleaning it. 

I came out in a neatly dressed position, an orange-collared T-Shirt with moca jeans a little loose under the knees. I'm still there talking to Ghifa. His gaze was on me when I was combing my hair.

Slowly, Mom approached me.

“Gie ..”

“Yes, Buk?”

“Don't play with something halu.” His message softly snapped.

“Iya ..buk.” Answer's short. 

I felt a tinge of worry in his message. Ah, this is not a halu buk, Ghifa and Citra also saw what I saw. We feel comfortable and happy to meet Laras, even if only at 16.15 to 17.37. Enough as an antidote to longing, enough for Laras to see Ghifa grow up big and smart, as we promised at that time.

“Aya is ready?” 

Ghifa approached and grabbed my finger. I nodded to throw a smile then I tidied the purple scarf around her neck. Long sleeved t-shirts of light purple color with a picture of a pony on the front wrapped in Ghifa's body. Both of his legs are starting to look level wrapped in loose jeans.

“Come we leave!” 

Ghifa nodded strongly as usual as she expressed her consent.

We both rushed to the courtyard, where my black matic was parked. Mother still had time to rub my shoulder while waiting, not too late to go home when we said hello to leave.

It didn't take long, only about fifteen minutes by the very leisurely walk we arrived at the city park. As usual I parked my motorcycle between the rows of motorcycles that were already there first.

Ghifa was waiting for me to lift her from her singe made of rattan wicker. Then running small to the end of the curve of the sidewalk, there are two stairs that are intended for children of the age of Ghifa to go up to the sidewalk.

Running off those nimble legs accompanied by his little laugh, occasionally Ghifa turned towards me jumping up and down and invited me to hurry, then he would come back running.

Ghifa's face looked even more cheerful as the Garden Bench was already in sight, impatiently waving both of her hands for me to speed up the pace.

Just as he turned around and wanted to set his run back, from the opposite direction a boy bigger than him ran along the line with Ghifa.

Dugm!

Bruck 

“Mother!!!” ghifa's screams are spontaneous.

“Ghifa!” I scatter to where Ghifa fell, but, swiftly my little girl stands up and shakes her waist.

The boy who hit Ghifa immediately stood up and looked at Ghifa glaring with his head staring straight at his face.

“Ma ... ma ..af.” His speech stammered.

A young mother ran small, behind him a father with an age not far adrift followed while carrying a small child of about a year with both arms. 

“Ghilman, mom says be careful!” The mother clasped her son's shoulders, then her gaze was fixed on Ghifa.

“Sorry yes, beautiful sister, sick?” 

Ghifa's head shook strongly, her lips tightly shut, but her eyes were still sharply staring at the boy in front of her sharply.

“Ghilman, let's apologize.” Pinta the young mother is back.

“It's done, Ma. But he was silent, too fierce!” the boy fights his mother while pointing to Ghifa.

I smiled knots, You're right Laras, our son is a tomboy, his style is like a heroine who does not want to lose in the fighting arena.

“I'm sorry my son, Mom. It's true that the mother's son apologized, my lerae”, when I saw that she was seducing her son to apologize to Ghifa.

The mother looked at me, her face was shocked. At the same time the young father who was carrying the little boy arrived and stood beside him.

The mother met the father who was probably her husband, I think. Then his hand turned towards me.

“Mas Gielang is it?” the faces of the two people before me were hopeful.

I try to remember where I've met the two people in front of me now. My memory seems uncompromising, the more I try to remember the more my lips are drawn to make a smile.

“Iya I am Gielang, and this is my son Ghifa,” I replied at last as I held Ghifa into my sling, releasing both of his hands that were being ruffled waist furiously.

Ghifa pouted looking at me with a gaze of protest, she wriggled back down. Maybe my little girl didn't want to look weak in front of the boy who hit her. 

Sure enough, the boy mocked Ghifa.

“Wee, already big still carried like a baby sister!” stick the boy out while sticking out his tongue.

“Biarin, huh!” ghifa replied fiercely, leaning her face towards Ghilman's face with her eyes fully rounded.

“Ghilman, let's apologize again! Forgive my son Ghilman, Mas Gielang.” Now the young man is speaking. Because I saw Mom's face become a little sad and stammered.

“Mas Gielang, forgive us, does mas Gielang remember we met first?” The mother looked at me then looked down rubbed Ghifa's hair that had managed to get down from my sling, then she continued, “Wife Mas Gielang, Ms. Laras, used to save Ghilman when he ran to the middle of the road. Mas Gielang remember?”

Deg

The instant my smile disappeared, an event that nearly four years had passed again loomed in that place at the same time …

Dugm!

The arrgg!

...……...