Heaven In The Eye Pelupuk
Hamides

..."Be assured that something is waiting for you. After all the patience you've had, which will leave you stunned until you forget how painful the pain is." ...

Drops of dew fell to the ground. Slowly the sky began to erase the darkness. The orange glitter of the eastern horizon began to emit its rays. After performing the morning prayers, Aida went to the kitchen to help Umi Salamah prepare breakfast. Ah, Aida's not used to waking up this early. When he was still unmarried doing all the housework was his mother. But now it's different again. It feels awkward if it does not help with homework even if only a little.

"Eye." The girl with a mere footstool walked up to Umi Salamah who was peeling onions.

He turned to the source of the voice that had now aligned the body with Umi Salamah. "How do you sleep Aida, is it good?" Aida turned her gaze to look at Umi Salamah.

"Alhamdulillah, Aida slept pretty well last night, Umi." That was all Aida could say. The girl grimaced. Although the reality did not match what Aida said. Ah, maybe this is because she lived in her husband's house early. It's just natural, isn't it?

"What's the chicken going to cook, Umi?" Aida took over her duties. There was actually a bit of awkwardness, given that this was the first time Aida had cooked together with her in-laws.

"The plan is to make chicken curry and long beans will be sauteed with tempe."

"But wash first, after that marinate with yellow seasoning and leave for thirty minutes. If it has been well-marinated, first fry the chicken. Let umi make the season." The girl was silent, God is ashamed. This was the first time in her life that Aida held a spoon. If the chicken has been washed, what should Aida do? Please him.

Seeing Aida who was only petrified after washing the chicken, Umi Salamah chuckled softly while shaking her head. Aida could only look down and scratch the nape that was not itchy. "Sorry, Umi. This is Aida's first time cooking."

Umi Aida approaches Aida and takes over her job. "It's okay. You will cook over time."

Seeing the wrinkled hands that were very deft in doing kitchen work made Aida dizzy. Many spices are used to cook one type of food. Aida regretted that when her mother used to take her to cook together, she always refused.

"This chicken dish is Bima's favorite food, son." Aida looked at Umi Salamah's face. The focal point was scrapped when the woman said something that ended with Bima's name.

"Yes, Umi?" Umi Salamah nodded. Whereas, that was all Aida could say, the girl was confused as well as awkward. What should he say again?

"Tempenya let Aida cut yes, Umi." The middle-aged woman nodded her head. It was boring to just stand by, watch her mother-in-law cook and she did nothing. However, Umi Salamah reprimanded her daughter-in-law when she saw Aida who was wrong in cutting tempe.

"Cutting it up isn't like that, son." Netra Aida was sidetracked to the middle-aged woman with wrinkles that had already nearly filled every inch of her face. Ah, Aida was so embarrassed. Perhaps, every work he did was always wrong until Umi Salamah who finally had to do everything herself. So, what's the point of it being here for?

Aida was pensive, sometimes she cursed herself to be stupid about kitchen work. However, the daydream disappeared when the sound of knocking on the door from outside the door.

"Maybe Bima was just as his ashes had returned from the mosque. Umi open the door for a while you continue to cut the temple yes, son." Like knowing what she was thinking, Umi Salamah said it. After getting an edict from her mother-in-law, Aida nodded and carried out the trust. In the same second, Umi Salamah passed away to open the door.

After it was finished, both cutting the tempe and frying it, Aida chose to stay still for a moment. Given that he did not know what spices were used to saute these long beans. As a result, the girl just cut it, not long or not short.

"Aida, come here for a second, son." From the living room came the voice of Umi Salamah calling her name. Aida put the knife back on the coaster, washed her hands and chose to approach Umi Salamah.

"Yes, just a minute, Umi."

However, just at the end of the living room, his steps came to a halt. Precisely a few meters from where he stood, the girl saw a beautiful girl with a wink in her eyes was chatting coolly with Umi Salamah. It looks very familiar between the two of them. Ah, Aida just husnudzon maybe he is the son of santri here who visited the house of bu nyai.

Looking at Aida who was standing around, Umi Salamah greeted her with a witty smile and nodded her head. "Aida, come here!"

Aida jerks. I don't know, that girl is now so dreamy. Not even knowing a place. The girl quickly heeded Umi Salamah's call with a nod of her head and rushed over to her mother-in-law.

A few steps from Umi Salamah sitting, seen a red-brick sofa middle calling Aida so that she wants to occupy the sofa.

"Include this is Hamida, santri princess of the pride of our boarding school. The daughter of Kyai Hasan." The girl looks friendly. She smiled at Aida, and so did Aida. However, he should not judge a person by his front cover alone, right? He might not be this friendly. Astagfirullah, stop Aida. Being bad about someone is not good.

"Oh, so this is what Aida is called ... His wife Mas Bima?" Hamida raised one eyebrow so that the look of the face looks evil and judes.

Aida could only bow, nod and occasionally gulp. Right, if he's equated with Hamida maybe he's just a dust grain that's nothing. However, why would Gus Bima's parents prefer Aida as his son-in-law?

"Congratulations on the wedding, I'm sorry I couldn't attend because I couldn't get back from Cairo." After a few minutes of not moving. Finally, it was the girl who first opened the conversation. Aida nodded in response to the answer.

"How's it?" Aida slightly sharpened her hearing, scrunched her forehead. Confused by Hamida's question, it sounded ambiguous. Hows it? What how is it?

"I mean, how is your marriage with Bima, are you happy to accept this matchmaking?" As if he understood the look on Aida's face, the girl explained. But what question is this? Why would Hamida ask such a question?

"Alhamdulillah, Aida is happy, Ma'am." I don't know what Hamida was thinking, the girl's face was beaming.

"Do you know, back when I was in the sixth grade of elementary school, I was often betrothed to Bima by my Abah."

Hamida let out a long sigh, his net staring forward. The girl wore a sweet smile so that Aida could see the dimples on her right.

"The five is a very kind person, patient, his religion deserves a thumbs up. But, baby we're not fools." That word sounded disappointed. So, did he become a destroyer for his childhood betrothal? No-no.

"You are lucky to be married to Bima, if I were in your position I would feel the same." Aida only grimaced a few times with her head down. Know that what Hamida sees is not as beautiful as the original reality. This matchmaking was not Aida's will, but her parents. Until now, the man that Aida pinned was Kenzo. Why did Hamida say that. Does he really wish he could marry Gus Bima? The knocking of the door was heard with the greeting spoken from the doorway.

Aida looked up as she answered the greeting. True, the handsome face of her husband was clearly plastered standing in the doorway while giving a smile to his wife.

"Five." Hamida got up from his seat and approached Gus Bima. The man in the white shirt is paired with a black glove. Don't forget the sleeves rolled up to my elbows. Plus thick eyebrows and tanned corneas make Gus Bima look more handsome.

"Hamida, have you finished your studies in Cairo?" Hamida. In the corner of the living room, Aida just squeezed her fingers to look at each other.

"Aida, where are you going?"

"You help Umi to prepare breakfast first," he replied briefly and indifferently.

***

The sound of spoons clashing against each other over the food that was on a white plate. Not much talk this time, they are enjoying the delicacy of food served by Umi Salamah.

"The taste of Umi's chicken kare remains delicious yes, unchanged from a few years ago." Until the voice of the girl with the khimar veil melted the atmosphere. Umi Salamah just smiled at the praise from Hamida, making the fine lines in her eyes look obvious.

"Do you enjoy Hamida?" Now it was the turn of the middle-aged man who made a sound.

"Very Abi. Hamida misses Umi Salamah's cooking, let alone her rawon. Allah, that food that Hamida always longed for during his stay in Cairo." Aida only listened to the conversation between her in-laws and Hamida. Not knowing, Aida was a little distracted by the girl's presence.

"Do you want to do more for Aida?" Petrifying. Aida flinched, the baritone's voice always making the strange thump in her chest felt again.

"That's enough, Mom. Aida's full."

"Once in a while you have to learn to cook from Umi, the time of the newlyweds, but do not cook breakfast for her husband. Umi keeps having to cook?" Telak. The sentence managed to pierce Aida's heart niche. Sliced, it hurts so much. Aida knows that she is not superior in every way. However, should he be humiliated like this? Especially in front of her husband and father-in-law.

Aida tried to keep the clear liquid from dripping. As deep as possible Aida lowered her head while playing the spoon she was holding. The girl bit the bottom of her lips, trying to resist this sobs. No Aida, this is not the time to cry. Hold it, I can!

Gus Bima was silent, not a single person was defending Aida. Rabb, it feels like the liquid is full. His vision was blurry, only exposed to the wind might those tears fall.

Seriate....

Pasuruan, February 03, 2023