Healing
10. Super Mom's

That's a glimpse of my past that doesn't deserve to be told to anyone, even to my son who just celebrated graduation yesterday with his friends at school.

My son Shaka is now 12 years old, my father gave him his name, because from birth my son became the son of my mother and father, in the family card Shaka became my sister, that's why papa gave him the name Arshaka Saputra, sister of Arjuna Saputra and Diva Soraya Saputri.

Although there are some neighbors who know that Shaka is actually my son, but they never tell Shaka the truth. They may feel sorry for me or my mother who has begged them to keep this truth a secret.

That's right, once upon a time, after Shaka was born, some neighbors did come home to look. But there were some of them who deliberately said in a satirical tone. Mama obviously knows what the insinuation means. Mama also admitted that Shaka is actually her grandson.

But my mom said that the man who impregnated me ran away from his house. That's why for the sake of the clarity of Shaka's status, mama made her grandson her son. Actually all of that was advice from Midwife Ara. My mom agreed with the idea.

My mother even begged the neighbors who knew not to tell Shaka the truth, and made the truth a shared secret. Although from then on they finally looked at me with a pitiful look.

They judged me as a girl who failed to maintain chastity, and those who had boys my age always warned me not to get close to me.

My youth that should have been beautiful, instead had to work hard, take care of Shaka himself, only occasionally helped by mama and papa when they were at home. Because after 3 months of mama leave, mama went back to work as usual. Likewise with papa who even every day has to pull a motorcycle taxi to feed us all.

A mediocre income of papa can not meet the needs of our lives are more and more, especially since there is little Shaka, the need for life more and more, more and more, not to mention to buy additional milk for Shaka because the ASI I spent only a little.

That's why my mother returned to work to help the family economy. I took care of Shaka myself, as a young mother of course I was very difficult and overwhelmed.

When my mom was with me at home, I could still relax and do things comfortably, eat casually, defecate casually, and even take a nap.

But ever since my mom started back at work, and Shaka has started to crawl, to eat and poop, I have to take her. Wherever I take her. Once I tried to leave her alone in the room, I thought Shaka was sleeping, but when I was just hanging out on the closet, I heard Shaka's cry that had fallen on the floor. And the hanging out in WC had to be delayed because it had to calm Shaka who was crying hysterically because her forehead hit the floor.

Sometimes I feel very tired and lack of rest, but I do not dare to complain to my parents, they are also tired all day working to meet our needs. If night falls, I try to make Shaka a henchman, so that my mom and dad can rest comfortably after being tired after working all day.

After having a child I just knew that being a mother must have super strength and hardiness in any situation and condition.

Sometimes during the day I sometimes invite Shaka to play out, but unfortunately the neighbors just seem to stay away from us, I'm like garbage that smells rotten, if I get close as if making them want to dodge the smell.

That's why I'm home more often, and I rarely go out. It seems that my whereabouts and my son were a mistake.

If it's like that sometimes I cry and nelangsa himself, whether until when the attitude of the neighbors will continue like that to us.

I really wanted to move house. In order to live properly like others, do not continue to be away from neighbors. But where are you going?, this house is a relic of the late grandmother.

Where to move, and where to buy a house. It can meet daily needs alone is very grateful.

And after the struggle to take care of little Shaka until he was 3 years old, I decided to finish my school which had stopped, I joined package B, I took package B, and left 3-year-old Shaka with Juna who was 12 years old at the time and could invite Shaka to play.

You could say maybe I've completely forgotten his father Shaka, all this time he never again appeared and showed the trunk of his nose. I think it's better, than seeing his face again, to just make the disappointment that has been buried deep grow back.

I followed pack B for one year repeating 3rd grade, I finally obtained Junior High School in my 17th year.

And after that I started trying to find a job that I could take home, sometimes washing irons, sometimes I made cakes and I put them in stalls. What is clear is what can make halal money I will do.

Until when Shaka was 5 years old, I enrolled Shaka in PAUD (early childhood education) for one year, continued to Kindergarten (Kids Park) also for one year.

Shaka is often included in races since he was in PAUD, because according to the supervisor, Shaka is a smart and responsive child.

Shaka often earns coaching money every time he wins and becomes a champion. And Shaka always gave it to mom.

As a dutiful child, Shaka was very obedient to the orders of his mother and father who were actually his grandparents.

But I am happy and proud of my son, because he grew up to be a smart, brave, and devoted child to parents.

I started looking for a job at the factory when Shaka was in 2nd grade. Our living costs are more and more, because Juna has graduated from Junior High School, and is about to apply to High School. It costs a lot to apply to High School. And I want to help my mom and dad fund Juna.

Unfortunately already registered at some factory, I haven't got a call yet. Maybe because I am only a junior high school graduate and have no previous work experience.

Eventually I tried to register at the diner, and I was accepted initially as a dishwasher and cleaner.

I was so grateful because it was my first job, I got a base salary of 1 million each month, and got food and transport money . It's good to help mom and dad finance Juna school.

For 3 years I continued to work in the same restaurant, but my work increased, from dishwasher and janitor to waitress, and my salary also increased although not much.

After Juna graduated High School, I started to save a little to finance Shaka later applying to Junior High School. It's still 2 years away.

All this time I struggled with my family never feel tired even though our work is actually very tiring.

Juna goes to work in a big city because a cover letter sent in one of the electronics factories receives a call.

We are very grateful, because only a few months Juna graduated, he has got a job in a big factory with UMK that city that I heard reached 3 million, not with an additional overtime salary.

Stay focused on financing Shaka, but unfortunately my mother had to stop working, because of her age and less productive. Mama was stopped from the factory with severance limited to UMK only, because all this time my mother was just a contract employee.

It's still a good thing you stopped working after Juna finished school. At least papa narik ojek's income and some of my income can make family meals.

A few weeks ago when I accidentally met an old friend of mine, she knew I was working at a diner and offered me a waitress at the restaurant she was going to open.

The contemporary style restaurant is quite spacious and in the middle of the city, I was tempted by the lure of a larger salary. And I resigned from the restaurant, moved to work in a restaurant owned by an old friend when I was Junior High.

And this is where I work now, my friend's restaurant that's only been open for a year. But with an incredible opinion.

An old friend of mine named Bian, he used to be my class in 7th & 8th grade, but in 9th grade he switched schools because he was following his parents who moved, that's why Bian doesn't know about me quitting school all of a sudden.

We used to be close friends, because Bian is a friend who is fun to talk to, and also not picky friends, even though Bian is a rich man's son, but he wants to play with anyone, he said, including with me the son of a motorcycle taxi driver.

" Ra.. have you come back?, I drive you home?, all of you, right, let you save the cost too".

Bian often offers me a ride. This is not unusual for other employees. Because they all know, Bian and I have been friends for a long time.

Of course I would agree if Bian brought her home together, it was true that it could save costs. And we went home almost every day, except Friday, the day I got my holiday.

The restaurant where I work is open every day, but employees will get a day off every week. And my Friday holiday.

Bian has also stopped by my house several times, because my mom and dad have known Bian since a long time ago, Bian has also met Shaka, only Bian does not know that Shaka is actually my son, because of what Bian knows, Shaka is my youngest brother.