Giving Birth to My Brother
33. Elin Becomes Unemployed

"I'll pay the damages if I make a mess, sir," Elin said. Well, he has a lot of money now from Ariel. He could also ask Ariel to deal with the matter if it was needed. Ariel was able to pay a lot of people to hold the secret wedding, so it was definitely not a problem to compensate for the company he caused.

Galang looks to massage his temple. "That's not what I mean, Elin. You really ... That's your dream! And if you stop now, I don't think I will. You can be a star and you can help."

Elin looked at Galang with wet eyes. However, his stance was firm. "But I can't continue my dream, sir."

"Just because you're pregnant? Ah, though many pregnant women are still in a career. I know the first months must be tough, but if the production team knows you're pregnant they're going to soften, you don't have to jump into the production process and your movie can stay on air," said Galang with a persuasive tone.

"I'm .. I told you, I don't want anyone to know I'm pregnant like this, sir. Plis, don't hold me."

Galang was silent for a few seconds and then he spoke again, "Then tell me who you are pregnant with?"

"With my boyfriend, of course. I ... I'm married siri to my boyfriend," Elin told a lie.

"What kind of person is your boyfriend? Why should it be kept secret? Why should I marry Siri?" asked Galang in an unacceptable tone.

Elin shook her head. He did not want to make another lie and he did not want to hurt Galang more deeply. "I can't tell you, sorry. I had to give up my dreams for the sake of the baby in my womb. My husband forbade me to work again. So, I have to obey."

He took a long breath. He turned his face away from Elin and nodded. "OKAY. You just get out."

Elin stood up trembling now. He is really unemployed now. His dreams are shattered, his career is in shambles. His tears spontaneously decayed as he blinked.

"Your resignation will be processed for a week or 3 days at the earliest. And during that time you are free to go to work or not" said Galang.

Elin sucked her nose and rubbed her face. He sat down in front of Galang. "It's wearing my script" Elin said. "Can it still be a movie? I do not care if Mr. Galang uses other writers to acknowledge the manuscript. I ...."

"You don't go crazy! That's your script!" sergeant Galang. "That won't ever be a movie because you're back, Elin."

Elin nodded slowly. "OKAY. Sorry."

"You just get out. Don't forget, wipe away your tears. I don't want any more gossip around the office." Galang held out his handkerchief to Elin. However, the action made Elin cry even harder. "I'll wait for you, if you want to go back to writing after giving birth, you can come back, Elin."

Elin rubbed his cheek with a handkerchief Galang. He nodded even though he did not know if he could return to the company Galang. He was so embarrassed.

"You can go home if you're not well. Send again your resignation letter via email," said Galang when Elin looks calmer.

"Thank you, Sir. I'm sorry that I've disappointed so many people" Elin said. He hesitated, but he again said, "If I need to compensate, I wait for the bill."

"I was just kidding. Do not take it seriously" said Galang.

Elin nodded slowly. He left the room with heavy steps. He turned right to go to the toilet instead of going straight to his desk because he didn't want to be caught just crying by Mirna.

Elin washed her face until it looked fresher and then put on powder and lipstick again. He immediately walked to Mirna's table. He wanted to greet Mirna one last time. He decided to go home because he did not want to make Galang feel bad.

"El, you're why you've just been nongol."

Elin nodded slowly. "Sori. I'm not feeling well from yesterday. It's me going home."

"Seriously?" Mirna.

"Yes. I say yes, I want to rest" Elin said as she knocked on Mirna's desk.

Elin just nodded. He waved at Mirna and quickly left the second floor where he worked. She almost cried because she was so sad to leave. He held back his tears to come down again until he came out of the building.

Elin looked up at the dark sky, it felt like the sky was also sad for him. Elin walked faster towards the stop because she did not want rain. He waved a few times at the taxi that happened to be passing by and just before the rain came down, he had already entered.

Elin rubbed her wet cheeks with Galang's handkerchief. Ah, he won't even have a chance to return this handkerchief, he thought inwardly. Gently Elin squeezed the light blue handkerchief.

"Where are we going, Neng?" ask the taxi driver.

"Pioneer Road, sir. Citra Laguna Housing number 12," replied Elin.

"OKAY. But it's stuck, Neng. It rained so much."

"No papa, sir. I am relaxed. The important thing is to be careful, I'm pregnant" Elin said. The driver nodded slowly.

Elin rests her head on the condensed car glass. He rubbed there and wrote Ariel's name unconsciously. He wiped it off instantly because he felt so stupid. How could he love a man who never loved him?

Elin also felt his stomach which now feels nauseous again. He wanted to cry again, but he remembered a mother's emotions could affect the fetus in her womb.

"Sorry," muttered Elin. "I'm so sad again. Are you following sad? No, don't be sad .. baby."

Elin squeezed his hand. He doesn't know how to call a fetus in his womb. Ariel always called it her baby and she felt weird. That's his baby too.

Upon arriving at the front of the house after a trip of almost an hour due to traffic jams, Elin got off the taxi. It was so cold because it was still raining. He had already called Sinta to bring her an umbrella out, but Sinta did not answer his call. So, Elin decided to just break through.

Shaking, Elin went into the house. He hugged his bag and sat on the sofa.

"Oh Allah, Neng!" pekik Budhe Sarti's. "Why rain?"

"Just raining a bit, Budhe. I'm going to the room" said Elin.

"I'll get you a towel." Budhe Sarti returned quickly and enveloped Elin's body. "Let me help you up, Neng."

Elin climbed the stairs slowly. Because he felt so cold and dizzy. He meets Sinta when he arrives upstairs. Sinta seemed to have just read her message and was about to come out with the umbrella she held. He has not spoken to Sinta since yesterday Sinta was angry with him.

"Neng Elin is raining, Mom," Budhe Sarti told Sinta.

"Yes. Just take it to my room, Budhe." Sinta follows Elin and Budhe Sarti to Elin's room. He looked at the worried Elin who was so pale. He had just finished performing the Dhuha prayer when reading a message from Elin so he was late to come down with an umbrella.

"I'll get you a hot drink, Neng."

Budhe Sarti left them alone in the room. Elin was still covered in towels and did not want to talk to Sinta. While Sinta just stood stiff, he just realized having honey is not good at all. On one hand he wanted to pay attention to Elin but on the other, he also wanted to hate her.

"You wet?" ask Sinta in the middle of silence.

Elin shook her head slowly. "Just a little."

"Royal change," said Sinta. He opens Elin's closet and takes a long nightgown stel for Elin. "Wear dry clothes, you catch a cold."

Elin did not protest. He knows, not only Ariel, Sinta too. They only care about the state of the baby in his stomach. And he began to feel fed up with the attention they were given.