Hot Couple: Inspiration From God (I Love You, Ustadz!)
CHAPTER 6 Noble Reason

I'm gasped. I stared for a moment with a face full of bewok smiling at me, then I nodded, allowing him to call me Zahra as he wished.

"Thank you, Zahra."

Yeah, he's the only one who calls me Zahra. That sounds. yeah. Back again, maybe because he was the only one, and the first one.

Why not call me darling?

Eh?

And it makes me smile. "Name-sama, Ustadz. Uh, I mean, equally, Mas Ilham."

"Customize, yes," he rebuked. "I'm not an ustadz, anyway. Not an ustadz in the sense of preachers who broadcast religion everywhere, from mosques to mosques. No, kok. I was just a teacher who taught one of the religious subjects at a madrasah school. Alias teacher. It's the same as you. Same with educators. Aye, right?"

I teach modern art and culture. Not teaching religious education.

I'm nodding. I greeted Ustadz Ilham with a smile. At least he tried to tell me that he was not an ustadz who made me parno polygamy that seemed to be a tradition. There is no point in arguing. And I thought hard, how do you change the course of this conversation? To take it as I should: to make sure that Ustadz Ilham is a pro or to reject polygamy? Minimal for himself. And, for me, if we were to be a match and I would be his wife.

But, how to ask that question so that he does not take offense and want to answer me honestly honestly?

"Zahra," he called. "May I speak first?"

I'm nodding. "Please" I said.

"Look, maybe you are confused how to start a chat that must be very long if we have talked about it. I mean, if we talk about it, it's definitely a very long discussion. So let me start it all. But you must promise first, you will stay here, do not get angry, and do not put forward emotions. Can you?"

I nodded again.

Ustadz Ilham cleared his throat gently. "Actually, I already know a lot about you. Abi and Umi have already told me the outline of your personality. All the big lines."

"Oh," barely audible.

The man nodded before reopening his voice. "Abimu," he said, "he has also said what and why he wants us to mate. The desire that you marry a good man who is ready to guide you into a better person. And, yeah, including his wish that I could help him later in the pesantren. But that's not what I'm here for. Not because I just want to help him take care of the pesantren. That's not it at all."

"Then, what?" cut me -- in a slow tone.

He drank a little iced tea in front of him, then refocused on me. "Because of their expectations, that hope also rubbed off on both of my parents. Again, this is also not their expectation of pesantren, but rather of you. Umi's only daughter. That's what got me here. For your mother's sake, for my mother's sake, also for yours. But. I also will not force you to accept this matchmaking. It all depends on yourself. I just want to do the best I can for the noble women who hold our heaven. So, I think it would not hurt if I tried to recognize you further and accept this matchmaking. There are many people who will be happy about this relationship. But again, not to be forced."

I nodded, not knowing why I should nod. Kutatap twinkle sincerely in the eyes of Ustadz Ilham with a feeling of unease.

"You're a good girl, Zahra," she continued. "Far from your heart, everyone knows that you are a good person, a good child, you love your parents. And, no one blames you for why you.You understand what I mean, you're like. No one blames you for all that. Everything that is on you. After all, it was only a rebellion that even you could still control. You're still here, on both sides of your parents. That's enough to prove that you're still obedient to them."

The waiter came, brought two servings of grilled fish to our table. I turned my gaze to his fast-moving hand doing his job.

"Anything else to order?" tanyakanya.

I shook my head, Ustadz Ilham shook his head. "No thanks" Ustadz Ilham said. "Let's eat," he said to me, he immediately scooped the rice on his plate. I did the same thing.

While enjoying my food, I thought, Ustadz really is a good man. He was willing to approach my heart because he fulfilled the request of my mother, as well as her mother. Though he already knew about the outline of my personality that does not match the personality of a santri, let alone the personality of a famous kiai child. If in fact he already knows the outline of my personality and he can accept all that, do I need to still disclose about things that are not appropriate?

And this triggers my memory of Umi's story last night. He told me never to ask Ustadz Ilham the question I asked him last night: why is Ustadz Ilham not married at such a ripe age and willing to be betrothed to me instead?

Umi said, Ustadz Ilham had been about to get married a year and a half ago. But destiny says something else. His wife died in jihad. Jihad that Umi did not explain in what form and what kind even though last night I had asked.

And now, she was ready to rearrange her heart in this match: for the sake of the two noble mothers. Setting our hearts together? Or has he prepared himself to accept all my shortcomings, plus a sophisticated way to touch my heart?

Oh my God.. Should I do the same? Should I accept this matchmaking for Umi? I want to make her happy. But...

"Zahrah?"

"Emm?"

"You just shut up. Don't you like me talking like this? You can say that there is a part of my word that does not fit your heart. It's okay."

I was feeding the rice into my mouth, stopping my movements. "No, kok. I accept and absorb everything Ustadz says."

"Mas Inspiration!" reprove again.

"Oh, yeah, sorry. The Inspiration."

"You will get used to it too."

"Yeah, um, definitely."

"Look easy, Zahra. Even if we're not a match, at least I can be your brother, right? I'm willing to consider you a sister. Beloved sister."

Eh?

I'm appalled. He makes me feel more.