GENK DUDA ACUTE
111. Happiness For Grief

Asih was still stupefied at the door of his house when he saw the arrival of Musdalifah and Santoso. The first thing the girl asked was, “Bu Anderson was fine, right?”

“Both-good. Now it is recovering,” replied Musdalifah.

It turns out that the girl is still secretly worried about the health of Ms. Anderson, Mami Toni. Indeed, he never forgot how his mother advised about returning the favor and caring for Ms. Anderson who was sick.

“Sorry, Ma'am Asih still remembers me, right?” ask Musdalifah again to make sure.

They were all still standing in the doorway. Asih was awakened from his daydreams because of Musdalifah's question. He was busy looking at the appearance of two guests while remembering about their last meeting. One man never met him. But, with just a single look, Asih could draw a conclusion as to who the man who held the shoulder of the woman in front of him was.

“Oh, I inget. Of course I remember,” Asih said. “This is Ma'am who brought me home to the back porch. Her secretary is Mr Toni, right?” ask me for pleasantries. He knew Musdalifah. The question is just to fill the awkwardness.

“Yes, I'm his secretary Mr. Toni. We both came here also at the request of Mr. Toni and his wife,” Musdalifah said.

“Congratulations on Mr. Toni's wedding. I was told yesterday by Mr. Toni, but could not come because it was far away. There is no cement there too,” said Asih slowly.

Musdalifah and Santoso looked at each other. There was a bad taste in the hearts of both. True too, inviting Asih without remembering the difficulty of reaching the reception venue is just like a pleasantries.

“ Toni must understand,” Musdalifah said. “Can we come in first? I want to chat more casually,” said Muzdalifah, a little visit his head inside. He was also curious about the activities of Asih while alone at home.

“Oh, can—by. Please enter,” Asih slightly inching, allowing both guests to enter and occupy a set of wooden chairs whose pads have faded. Inside there was nobody.

The Asih house looks very dull and somber. Clean window fabric with outdated pattern. Wooden ornamental cabinets that contain classic glasses that spawn. There's nothing new there. Only the living room door looks different.

The view of Musdalifah is pounded on a wooden door that looks different. The walls of his house were thin boards, but why were the doors thick and expensive? Musdalifah's forehead. Apparently, Asih noticed Musdalifah's curious face.

“That's a new door, Ma'am. Toni sir changed it. Previous door broken, off.” Smiling looking at the door of his house. He has not forgotten how four men broke into his door by accident.

“What did Mr Toni break?” musdalifah asked still curious.

Asih laughs. “Rame, Ma'am,” sahut Asih holding a smile.

“Rame? It could be four guys who always hang out at Beer Garden. I can already confirm it,” said Santoso suddenly.

Musdalifah turned to her husband, still with a curious look. In his mind, the question arises about the purpose of the four metropolitan type men were in the house of a girl who was in the middle of the forest.

“Kok, come here not to say, Ma'am? If I am not at home, I can be disappointed,” Asih said sitting in a seat in front of Musdalifah and Santoso.

“I also have a science of branching, you know. Not you,” said Musdalifah laughed.

Asih laughs at the words of Musdalifah, “So, what is it, Ma'am? I never sat with guests. Usually there are certain needs. What is this Mbak and Mas, want me to open also?” ask Asih with a big smile.

“Don't—don. If for that, do not. I don't like it in the open. Let everything happen and flow without me knowing,” replied Musdalifah.

Musdalifah immediately glanced towards Santoso. In his heart he immediately admitted that it turns out that the science of insight is not kidding. He didn't even tell anyone about his marriage to Santoso.

“Conclaminated? How many?” Musdalifah asked. “What is so many fathers that were predicted five days ago?” musdalifah asked a little worriedly.

“Whose fathers, Mus? What is five?” ask Santoso.

“There, Mas,” replied Musdalifah without turning his head. His eyes are still staring. “Not that, is it, Ma'am?” ask Musdalifah again.

“Enggak—. The father who was undefeated,” replied Asih chuckled.

Musdalifah breathed a sigh of relief, unconsciously holding his hand to Santoso's arm.

“We both came here, meaning to take Asih back to the city. Pak Toni intends to finance Mbak Asih's education, if Mbak Asih wants it—”

“Call Asih aja, Mbak,” cut Asih.

Musdalifah again continued, ”As said Bu Wulan, wife of Mr. Toni, you are too young to marry or live alone in this area. If you like, you can stay at Mr. Toni's house or anywhere that makes you comfortable. Want at Mr. Toni's house, or a location close to where you are studying. How's it? Still no intention to continue education?” ask Musdalifah.

Just shut up for a moment. His eyes traced the entire room they occupied back then. His mind returned to the memories of his last time with his mother at home. As long as the mother is gone, she is more often in the household industry owned by one of the wealthy people in their village.

Actually lonely. He spends more time outside the home. The money given by Ms. Anderson was pretty much in her savings. He had intended to continue his studies, but in the city he had no one he knew.

Should he take the opportunity to accept this offer? As a young woman, Asih wanted something new in her life. He is 21 years old and his future is long. About marriage, he had not thought about it at all.

For Asih, the purpose of a woman's life is not only about finding a mate. Right now, the most important thing is to find the happiness of being yourself.

Asih looked at Musdalifah, his smile expands, “I want, Ma'am. I would like to accept Mr. Toni's offer to pay me to continue my education. But I don't want to stay at Mr. Toni's house. Not because I don't want to take care of Ms. Anderson. But, I think it would be wiser if a young woman was not in one house with a newlywed couple who were at the peak of happiness. Soon, a hostess will have an unusually handsome baby boy. Mr. Toni would have wanted Ms. Anderson to focus on her granddaughter. I will come to visit him occasionally,” explained Asih.

Musdalifah exchanged looks with Santoso. No matter how the young lady looked or not. Clearly, he considers Asih so wise at his very young age. Musdalifah then nodded. “Good then. We'll both wait for you to get your clothes cleaned. We leave immediately if you're done.”

That night, Santoso and Musdalifah managed to drive Asih to meet Toni and Wulan at their residence. Musdalifah's work is not yet complete. He appointed one of the administrative staff in the T&T office to accompany Asih to take care of all matters regarding his education. For the night, Asih stayed in the guest room of Anderson's residence. Early the next morning, a driver and a female administrative staff would pick her up to find her place to stay during college.

Meanwhile at the other residence, a man was still awake at midnight. His face was already sleepy, but a book was clasped in his right hand. The man sat in a massage chair holding a baby boy.

“You're like you want to play Father, huh? I was sleeping, I put it in the box, you wake up again. It's two o'clock in the morning, I'm working tomorrow. You sleep dong,” whine the man on his son.

The man's eyes then glanced towards the bed. The place where his wife rolled up slept comfortably under the covers.

To Be Continued