HANNA: Married a Cold Cousin
Frozen Kiss
"This is the first time there are capital brides plain jerseys, jackets, torn pants, while wearing a helmet! You're sane, Gerald?" Salina greeted with anger the arrival of her only son who had been slower to arrive due to riding his own motorbike. The woman placed her back on the back of the chair, looking very weak and mixed with frustration over what her son had just done.
"You also said you didn't want to come? Why suddenly come?" Fauzan, who tried to help massage his wife's shoulders to calm her, added another comment.
Gerald looked relaxed at first, dropping down on one of the single sofas that happened to be directly opposite Hanna's sitting position. He only glanced at the worried and confused looking girl, then focused on his parents. The body is slightly inclined forward, with each arm resting on the knee.
"I'm guessing it will be finally, Ma," replied Gerald followed by a long sigh coming out of his nose. "First, I'm sure Uncle will not be separated Hanna who became the backbone of the family only with a dowry of 25 million, because I know the total debt of more than 78 million rupiah."
Hanna looked up quickly after hearing the nominal that her cousin mentioned, because the father himself never said the number.
"But, Gerald, I've never—"
"Are you sure your father was honest?" gerald replied sharply, instantly cutting through Hanna's soft voice before the girl finished her sentence. "I know everything you don't know, Hanna."
The girl immediately silenced, and again lowered her head while trimming the tip of her white hijab. She was really agitated, given the nominal that her cousin proposed for the dowry, not to mention Gerald's ability in compensation to Hasan—the former husband-to-be.
Hanna ... confused to have to pay her debt how.
"Second, my reason why mama-Papa— not come with me because I was late to know, if her future husband Hanna ... turned out to have been married." Again, Gerald turned to his cousin. "You know about this info, Hanna?"
Gerald already knew the answer to his question, but kept asking his cousin. He was not at all surprised when Hanna shook her head in response.
"We ...." With a trembling voice mixed in doubt, Hanna began to explain, "New acquaintances for less than a month. He's nice, and doesn't wear a ring, so yeah, I don't ask him his status anymore. He wants to take me out of my father's pressure, so I don't think long to accept his proposal." At the end of the explanation, Hanna lowered her head deeper than before. "Sorry, Om, Auntie .. If I make the Om-Tante family mess up because of my marriage."
"It's not your fault, Hanna." Salina immediately voiced out so that the nephew was not anxious, even though he himself was still difficult to calm down. "It's not that Aunt doesn't like you being Aunt's daughter-in-law, Hanna, Aunt just. You are cousins, who although halal married, still many negative things. First, it will be difficult for the community to accept. Second ... Your child—naudzu billah—can be disabled due to lack of gene variation. Aunty does not understand medical science in detail, but the closeness of the relationship distance in a marriage: like a cousin gini, vulnerable to make children born into physical deprivation."
Hanna looked down too deeply, honestly never thinking more about the affairs of the child in this impromptu marriage. He clearly knew that his cousin just wanted to save Hanna from a lifetime of shame.
"In addition," Fauzan spoke up, "This gerald has not convinced his readiness to be a husband. The handshake capital of—akad alone, is not enough because it is about a lifetime commitment. Remembering him like this ... Papa so doubt the same quality of Gerald as a husband, let alone starting from an impromptu marriage without the slightest preparation, Papa doubt Gerald can be a quality husband."
"Papa's right," said Gerald. He who originally advanced the body forward due to the seriousness in the discussion, now begins to relax by sticking the back on the back of the sofa. "I'm not ready to be a husband yet."
"So, Gerald, do you want to get Hanna out of this marriage? Later Papa same Mama who will find candidates—"
"No." Gerald weightlessly cut off the father's words, with a glance that could not be read pointing at Hanna. "There's no free word Hanna here. He ... my wife now." He said it in a low voice, full of mystery.
"Gerald, please ...." Salina who was heartwarming, when Hanna could only deepen again the bow of her head in a resigned condition. "You married Hanna to help her, didn't you? Please, son .. Don't play Hanna. He's not like your ex, Gerald. You ... does not pity your cousin who from childhood has been suppressed and tortured by his own father? You ... please .. don't be a second hell for Hanna, son."
However, despite Salina's pleading as much as possible, Gerald still did not turn his cold gaze to the cousin. When Hanna felt sore and started looking up, they met. It was then that the girl gave a goosebumps when she discovered that Gerald was pulling the corner of her right lip to form a grin.
...🥀
...
For some reason, seeing that the man was so busy, Hana was moved to help. His instincts reigned thus, as a thank you for his cousin's helping earlier.
"What are you looking for, let me help you find it" Hanna said gently. She simply removed the prayer skirt as there was still a black long skirt inside, while the mukena remained covering the head.
"No need." Gerald answered briefly, just to tell. He continued to rummage through the contents of the cabinet that was not shaped, until he found something from the folded clothing gap.
A KTP and whatever letters, issued from there.
"Will you go?"
"Hm." Gerald simply replied with a mutter, not even looking interested in glancing at Hanna for a moment. "KTP same identity papers, you bring, right? Herein, I want to register our marriage to be official."
Hanna did not answer immediately, but was stunned for a moment to hear the seriousness of her cousin.
"M—Mas?" Hanna called out doubtfully. "I don't think we're going to continue the marriage? Mas can divorce me, and I promise—seriusan true—promise, will change money Mas. Just tell me the nominal amount I have to compensate—"
"Two hundred and ninety-four million, the total of the whole." Gerald mentioned the fantastic figure, glancing sharply at Hanna. Double kill for the girl. "Could you?" The man was challenging.
Hanna gulped roughly. Sure ... he wasn't sure when he could raise that kind of money to pay Gerald.
"No, right? So, where's your KK ID?" sue Gerald again.
Now, Hanna could only nod stiffly, then move by staggering a few steps until she arrived at a large blue-colored bag. He knelt down to tear apart the contents, and took out what his cousin had asked for.
"You're ready" said Gerald. He glanced briefly at his watch, then cast a sharp look at Hanna. "You're my wife now, and I don't like wasting golden opportunities like this. You ... See what I mean, right?"
Naturally, Hanna knew, that the man was discussing vaguely regarding his 'rights' as a husband, and as a wife, the girl could only nod stiffly.
Gerald hasn't bothered his cousin enough. He also stepped forward, until the tip of his foot met the tip of Hanna's ankle. When the girl tried to duck down to dodge, Gerald had already used his right index finger bent down Hanna's chin, helping the girl look up.
Then, without warning, he landed his lips on Hanna's soft jelly-like lips. There was no movement from Gerald, let alone Hanna who was petrified with bulging eyes. The two remained silent for a split second, until tightness in Hanna's chest sparked soreness and heat in the eyes, then produced a salty liquid that rolled down the cheeks.
It was only then that Gerald backed off. Get far.
...🥀...