I Don'T Want To Be Cinderella #1
73. The real truth
The real truth (the real truth)
Andi Santos, pov.
There is still disappointment clearly visible from the look in my daughter's eyes. I can understand that. My mistake of twenty years will certainly not be eliminated with just an apology. I admit it's all my fault, because of my ego and my pride.
Actually I'm still keeping secret the real reason I divorced her mother …
My business did not fail, the proof is that every month I can still send them enough money to meet their needs. When my profit was enough to pay the compensation fee for the cancellation of Mega contract, I took care of everything and prepared to go to Japan to pick them up. But fate said another .. I had an accident severe enough on the project that I had to be hospitalized for several months to undergo several spinal repair operations that caused paralysis in my legs.
I was paralyzed from falling from the height of the third floor of the building I was building left me just lying on the bed for a few months hoping for a miracle for me to be able to walk again as I used to I can pick them up to Japan soon.
I forbid my family to call Mega, I don't want to worry her, but I don't forbid them to tell Mega's parents. I did want to meet with his father Mega to apologize for leaving his daughter and granddaughter in Japan.
My father-in-law, his father Mega who got word of my accident came to visit. When I met her I cried apologizing for leaving her daughter and granddaughter in Japan and not being able to pick her up because of my condition like that, but what I heard from my in-laws' mouths at the time was getting worse.
“Certify my daughter!” Like being struck by lightning, I could only stare in disbelief at what I heard. “Mega is young, she is smart with a bright future. He deserves to be happy.”
I just fell silent, speechless, surprised, unable to believe that my father-in-law would say that.
“Mega won't ask for any gono gini treasures, I'll make sure of that. Regarding childcare rights ... you can babysit Bi, and Kirana is nurtured by Mega.”
My mouth is really mute, my heart hurts so much to hear that.
“You don't want to be a burden to Mega right?” At that time I could only nod. I don't want to be a burden on anyone. “I heard the news that you are paralyzed, is that true?” I can only go back to nodding. “Then you will only be a burden to Mega. This may be the punishment God has given you for abandoning your wife and child.”
I was completely speechless, my legs were paralyzed but my whole body was numb.
“Think carefully. If you love your wife and daughter and don't want to be a burden to them .. divorce Mega, let her be happy.”
“No need to think about!”
I was even more shocked when the father suddenly entered with a crimson face holding back the anger. It was in the room as if there was a clash of self-esteem of two families.
“Pak.” I tried to hold back my father's anger.
“My son will divorce your daughter as you expect.” You didn't break my call trying to stop him. “You need not worry, my lawyer will take care of everything.”
At that time my world was completely destroyed, because I knew my father would be serious with his words especially considering that the father did not approve of me and Mega at first because of the myth and it seemed to be his weapon to attack me.
"Wes a opo seng mr... Sakjane bien your crew ngandel opo seng dikat pak, Ojo mating ampek arek iku! Ancen koen was stubborn (what you said, you should have listened to your father at that time.don't marry him! You stubborn child), now divorce that woman!”
After that day he immediately contacted his lawyer to take care of my divorce, which still could not move on the bed. At first I refused and tried to keep my marriage, but seeing the condition of my feet that there is no development at all also remembered the words of the father-in-law that I would only be a burden to make me reluctantly sign a divorce papers.
After the divorce, that was what really made my life worse. Paralysed legs and a divorce decree made me no longer have the spirit of life. With my condition really bad, my business capital money runs out for operating and medical expenses to make my project neglected and suffered a considerable loss even some vendors will sue me. No more funds to cover the loss, inevitably my parents sold their assets to cover all my losses.
My only encouragement was Bi who was then renamed Anggi, and Mayang who always took care and was beside me. Seeing Bi and the people closest to me gave me the spirit to make me decide to bring Bi to Surabaya to undergo various kinds of therapy in order to get back to walking and can prove to the people who have been looking at me one eye if I wasn't gonna be anyone's burden.
But Bi who was close to Mayang did not want to be far from him, and on the advice of both families we finally got married. Don't think I married Mayang so easily. Nah! I refused because at any time I was just divorced from Mega and it is undeniable that I still love her. Mayangpun knew that, but he did not mind because he had loved Bi very much, and it turned out that he secretly loved me.
At first I was a little difficult to accept Mayang as a wife, but as time went on and saw how she sincerely loved me and Bi made me finally give up. They are my encouragement to get back up.
For about a year I was in therapy, although slow and full of slow footwork I could move, until finally I could take one or two steps, then walk with the help of a cane and finally can be separated from the cane and can return to normal walking.
I'm slowly starting my business, but I have to start from scratch. As a result of the failure of the previous project no one believed in me anymore, but it turned out to give me another way to start a business. I started selling houses. At first I only bought one house that I would then renovate to resell, slowly from one house finally increased to two, and continued to increase until I could return my parents' assets, he said, and the rest of the profits I made the initial capital to start my property business.
Because of longing and trying to make up for my guilt, looking for Kirana's whereabouts. That day with confidence I came to Bekasi in addition to looking for Nana, I also wanted to show his father Mega that I could get up and he was wrong to think I was just a burden for his daughter. At that time I did not care if Mega was married again or how, because my desire was only to meet Kirana.
But what I met again was my father-in-law who showed a picture of Kirana with a handsome little boy with white skin who was smiling to show his eyes that only stayed in line.
“Mega is already happy in Japan with her children.”
At that time my eyes were only focused on looking at the face of the little girl with shoulder-length hair with the middle of a swing play."
“You no longer need to find your son.”
“Kirana is my daughter. I have the right to search and meet him.”
His father Mega fell silent looking at me who was a little emotional.
“Your son will definitely be looking for you. Doesn't she need a guardian to get married later? I promise you, someday your son will be looking for you. Until then you should focus on your new life and also Bi, take care of him well.”
My former in-laws were silent for a moment, he exhaled a puff of cigarette-white smoke before he said again,
“If you keep your promise to take very good care of Bi, I will also keep my promise, someday ..
At that time I just fell silent, did not understand the words of the children from his words, I thought it was referring to Kirana and Bi, but now I realize that it was Kirana and Oka.
A few months later I heard that he had died, and the house in Bekasi would be sold because his daughter would return to Japan. And I'm the one who bought the house at a price above the market price in the hope that it would be enough to become Kirana's stock, while the house has been renovated and all this time I rented the money I put into a special account for Kirana, and the house was later I will give it to Kirana.
Every year I count Kirana's age, how big is she? Is she happy? Does his dad love him like Mayang loves Bi? When she was 23 years old, which I felt was enough to marry, I anxiously waited every year for her, hoping that her grandfather's promise would be kept by sending her to ask me to be her guardian, because I have kept my promise not to look for her and take very good care of Bi.
I promised myself that I would not stand in the way of any man my son chose as his future husband. From what tribe, from what social level, I don't care what I care about is that she loves my daughter and won't make the mistakes I made.
Until now I do not know why his father Mega told me to divorce Mega. But I thought maybe it was a form of disappointment for him to leave Kirana and Mega who was pregnant at the time. Separating me from them and keeping a secret about Oka's status seemed to be a punishment for me because she knew how much my family wished for a grandchild, and also knew how much I loved Kirana, my eldest daughter.
About this truth let it be my secret, neither Mega nor Kirana need to know the real reason. I do not want the image of father and grandfather who had been their pride to be destroyed, after all he was dead. Let this be my own responsibility . They are angry and disappointed in me, because it all started with my mistakes and my family.
“We never returned to Japan.” I looked at Kirana awakened from the daydreams of the past. “After my grandfather died, he did get an offer to return to Japan because that's the house in Bekasi sold, but then mamah got an offer in Jakarta and mamah preferred to take that in Jakarta. Mamah also never married anyone, so father don't hesitate ... Oka really dad's son.”
Kirana's voice was still full of annoyance, so I could only be speechless not wanting to make her even more upset.
“Oka .. does she know about dad?”
Kirana looked at me then nodded. “Yes, there's nothing you can hide from us, Oka has every right to know who her father is. Unlike the father who hid us from Bi.”
I could only sigh after hearing his words, but without feeling I smiled feeling happy because the son I just knew my existence actually knew about me.
“Father janggan feel happy first,” said Kirana make me look at her. “Oka won't be that easy accepting father.” My smile instantly lost hearing his words, changing with a deheman.
Aaah .. Kirana Az Zahra, my little daughter who is as smart as her mother. He was the smartest at playing words. And now the chatty little girl has grown into a beautiful girl, her intelligence is increasingly visible from the way she speaks words and acts. There were no shouts of emotion, although I knew how angry and disappointed he had been all this time, seen from the look of the eyes and also the tears that continued to flow, but under such circumstances he can still keep his emotions very well.
“Nana also has not been able to forgive father completely. Nana still can't accept dad's excuse.” My heart breaks hearing his words, but these are the consequences I must accept. “Nana will really forgive dad if you have cleared up this problem ... about Bi, Oka, also mamah.”
“Daddy promises to solve this problem.”
Of course I have to solve this problem. It's been a long time since I've put off solving this problem until it ends like this. I can't postpone it anymore, and another one that I have to finish really well.
I wasn't on their side when the baj*ngan hurt him. But now it's different .. there's me here who will protect them.
*****