
My Past (My past)
Let me tell you a secret that you only have, no one knows about it, not even Mamah or Siska.
His name is Elvan Anggara, he was my senior back in college, one level above me. Smart, handsome, also one of the campus activists. Arguably she is one of the campus idols, her supple upness makes her surrounded by many male friends and liked by many women, but the lucky woman to be her lover is.
You could say Elvan was the first man who dared to approach me and express his feelings. Like Caraka, Elvan never gave up even though I repeatedly refused until I finally gave up after seeing his persistence.
She is an almost perfect lover ..very considerate, also understanding. Many are envious of our relationship, not a few who consider that we are the ideal couple on campus, so not a few who guessed that we were destined to be together until the end.
Am I happy when I am with him? Yes of course, very happy .. until for a moment I forgot about the difference in social status between us.
Elvan is not the son of a businessman or a conglomerate like Caraka, but his parents are a fairly successful trader by having stalls in Tanah Abang and ITC, while I … I'm just the daughter of a single parent. At that time, Mamah was still working as an honorary teacher at one of the private schools in Cibubur, East Jakarta.
Seeing such a good Elvan and accepting me for who I am, I naively thought that their family would accept me like Elvan, but I was wrong. Still ringing in my ears how his mother insulted me. I don't mind if I'm the only one insulted, but when Mamah is insulted, then I won't take it for granted.
That day Elvan took me to his house to attend a family event. With a thumping feeling, but also happy because I will finally meet with Elvan's extended family I attended a family event that turned out to be my punitive event.
From the beginning I came I've been getting unpleasant treatment, everyone looked at me judging from top to bottom with contempt making my confidence plunge right then and there. No one asked me to speak, as if I were an invisible astral being.
“Slips, bebits and weights are important in finding a partner,” said the woman with an appearance that shows her wealth.
A golden bracelet filled both of his hands, not to mention a necklace with a chain of 2 finger segments and a large round pendant made me think that his neck did not hurt and his hands were not heavy? The woman was sitting gracefully in the living room among the extended family, not only the nuclear family but also the other siblings who were also wearing jewelry were no less excited.
“And I was lucky to get a husband with seeds, bebet, and incredible weights.”
Everyone smiled at him making me smile without knowing that it would be a boomerang for me.
“I also hope my sons and daughters will get a partner with seedlings, bebet and weights like his parents.”
“Young people now rely only on outer appearance than that.”
“What good is beautiful only from the outside only, if the family background is not clear.”
I began to frown on my forehead trying to guess the intent behind the word.
“That bet, the appearance of it we can change as long as we have money, but the name of the seedlings, bebet, and the weight of it will not be able to lie. That's the most important.”
The words agree with each other about the importance of seedlings, bebet and weights. I can only be silent.
“I hope the women who approach my child will be aware of his position, because however I will not accept women from families whose origins are unclear.”
I still remember the woman's eyes looking at me sharply when she said that, my body trembled to hear her. It's not enough to get there, the conversation continues.
“Your name is Kirana?” the woman looked at me still with a sharp look.
“Iya, Mum.”
“I heard your parents divorced?”
“Betul.”
He was still silent with his eyes looking at me full of probing. The room suddenly became silent, everyone was staring at us as if this was the main show they were waiting for.
I was silent before shaking my head.
“How long have you not met your father?”
I was speechless before answering that question, “From my six-year-old.”
Everyone in the room gasped at my honest reply, before returning to silence after hearing the sigh from the hostess.
“What can we expect from a child growing up from a divorced family.” All were speechless, so was Elvan who was just bowed speechless. “But not all bad, there are parents who are divorced, but they still keep each other in communication for the good of their children. But it's been a dozen years since your father never met you? Not a responsible father.”
I was silent because there was truth to his words.
“But we can't blame your father alone, it could have been your mother who was at fault here. A man will not cheat let alone divorce his wife if there is no problem with his wife.”
“That bill, surely his mother did not serve him well at home.”
“Or maybe his mother cheated?”
“It could be, if you see his father to not want to meet him for a dozen years, of course, his father is very angry and disappointed to abandon his son also.”
“Children usually imitate their parents. Her mother was like that, how was her son.”
“There is nothing wrong with my mother, and my mother is not having an affair.” I can't stay silent anymore when they start judging Mamah without knowing her.
“See that? You dare answer me? You have no manners!”
Everyone was now looking at me, the words that insulted me echoed through the room as if I was someone who had no morals.
I tried to find support and help from Elvan who just fell silent and did nothing to see me insulted and judged by his family. At that moment I realized that I was fighting alone.
“How does your mother educate you until you dare to answer your parents when speaking.”
“My mother educated me very well. He educated me to respect and appreciate others.”
I don't care when he insulted me, or my father who I didn't know. But I won't stay silent when he insults Mamah. I also no longer care how those people will judge me at this time.
“Did your mother tell you that answering your parents' words was rude, and wrong?”
“My mother taught me to respect and appreciate others, especially parents. But he also taught us not to remain silent when others insult us. And you have insulted my mother .. the most valuable person to me.”
The woman looked at me sharply as well as all those who did not believe that I would dare to answer the woman whose note was the mother of my lover, or may I say at that time had become my ex-lover.
I stood with my body trembling with anger.
“I am indeed from a divorced family, may not have seeds, bebet, weights according to your family criteria, but I believe, and feel have the highest degree .. excuse me.”
I left with a trembling body trying to hold back the anger and chest that felt tight considering how they insulted me especially mamah. That's when my relationship with Elvan ended without ever breaking up with me or apologizing from him. Every time I met on campus I would dodge, fed up with seeing his face when I remembered how he had just kept silent to see his extended family insulting me and Mamah.
To Mamah and Siska I gave an excuse that our relationship ended because Elvan was focusing on thesis and preparation for college abroad.
That's one of the reasons I ended up thinking realistically about finding a partner. But God said otherwise by introducing me to the figure of Caraka Continent, as if to tell me that not everyone with high social status behaves like that, proof Mahesa family accepts me as I am, as I am, even when I got into trouble they were the ones standing at the very front to support and protect me. And now they gave me wings so I could fly as high as I wanted to show the world that even children from broken homes could fly high.
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