I Don'T Want To Be Cinderella #1
82. One step closer

One step closer (One step closer)

Home in one of the elite areas of Surabaya —still in the same area as the supermall where E-world is located— has now been transformed into a venue for one of the sons of this conglomerate with a daughter one of Surabaya property entrepreneurs.

Yeah, it's me and Caraka. Admittedly or not it turns out that I am not Cinderella like Disney stories, Korean dramas, or local soap operas that up to thousands of episodes have not ended yet. It turns out that my father who left me was one of the most successful property entrepreneurs, so yeah.

At first I would rent a restaurant for the application event considering that I currently live in an apartment that could not be used as a place for the application event. Caraka had offered her a hotel ballroom before, but I refused. I want this application to take place simply, only attended by family and some colleagues.

But when Caraka and I told Dad about the proposal. My father suggested we have it in one of his houses. Of course I refused, and my mother made me change my decision.

“Minimal we do not need to spend for rent a place,” said mamah with a smile. “It doesn't hurt you to enjoy your father's little facilities. You daughter. Sooner or later everyone will know your status and Oka.”

“I don't want daddy's family to interfere in my show.”

“Likes don't like them being your family. Like those who want to admit it or not, you and Oka are Randi's sons and daughters who are entitled to all hers.”

“What if dad's wife comes? I don't want to. I want a mommy standing next to me later.”

“Obviously dong, that's mama's place. No one can take that place from you. You take it easy, your worries will not happen.” Mama smiled again while holding my hand which still looked doubtful. “Please let us do this in honor of the Caraka family. At the minimum we should welcome them properly. Caraka's parents may not matter, after all they have accepted you, but his other extended family? We don't want to embarrass Caraka in front of her extended family right?”

I was silent thinking, everything that mamah said had a point in making me finally agree to make one of my father's houses a place of application.

After knowing where and when the event will take place, unexpectedly Anggi offered to arrange everything, he just asked me what kind of concept?

“Don't be fancy, brother wants to be simple but memorable.”

“Siap. Anything else?”

“So I want to focus on the application event only, so do not give any surprises about birthdays. The next morning we invite orphans for studies and compensation, the new night of the application event.”

For the event later the father insisted on financing everything, so the money I had prepared for my proposal was diverted to help the orphans, as well as asking for their prayers so that everything could go smoothly until the wedding later.

“OK!”

And after that day Anggi was busy preparing everything, sometimes he invited mamah to try food from catering that will be used later, or ask for my input about decor and others. I myself was again preoccupied with work to slowly shift the responsibility of the work here to Ivan because the plan was Sunday after my application to return to Jakarta, to prepare for my marriage there.

On Saturday morning my father picked us up to his house, before my father and Anggi advised us to stay in the house but we refused. Although luxurious and magnificent with all facilities number one .. it is not our home. When we saw the house for the first time, of course, we were amazed to see a magnificent Victorian house that added to the impression of luxury. But we don't have any feelings, happy feelings, belonging or whatever the name is.

Even Oka who usually will frenzied take pictures for her to upload on social media is just silent, before finally dissolving in the world of games.

“If you like, this house will be your wedding gift from dad.”

I was stunned to hear his words. Home as a wedding gift? This is completely new to me. Oh come on, all this time people give wedding gifts at most a set of pretty glasses, envelopes filled with money, or honeymoon tickets, but this fancy house as a wedding gift? Of course I refused, on the grounds that after marriage we would live in Jakarta. Caraka would have prepared the house for us later, and she would have rejected the gift as well.

We entered the yard of the house that looked busy with the back and forth of the people in uniform. It looks like from the catering side also EO Anggi pointed out for today's event. Outside already stands a tent with shades of white, light blue and gold. Some people look to be decorating with colorful flowers. It wasn't 100% done yet, but it was already enough to amaze me.

“Where, Brother?” Anggi embraced my arm after salim to mamah, and embraced it on the right side and I on the left side.

“Bi, you already said simple, this ..”

“This is simple, Brother, considering who the future husband brother later.” Anggi smiled as he pulled us inside.

And inside the house was even crazier than outside. There is a background full of flowers that are dominated by white, white painted iron chairs look classic on display face to face lined up to the back, ivory color chair pads, and so on, and the flower arrangements adorned on each back of the chair look so elegant. Not to mention a few bouquets of flowers filled the room whose fragrance poured out to the outside.

“It's not finished, new .. 75%?” Anggi seemed to think while staring around. “Later for our study and courtesy we held in the outdoor tent. Preparation for the study is almost finished”

“This ..”

“Kak Nana, must be ready for the study event!”

Anggi pulled me up not paying attention to my protests. Anggi turned out to have prepared the same clothes for the three of us, and the cocoa clothes for Oka were the same as my father. Looks like a whole and happy family, doesn't it?

Unfortunately it was just an image from the outside, because the reality is that our family is no longer intact. Evidently when the afternoon came our guests who made us all speechless. H. Joko came with his aunt Mayang, Pakdade Bayu, bude Ani and his children.

H. Joko who saw mamah immediately cried to apologize, while I and Oka just fell silent.

All of this is a good idea to invite your big family.

"Can't we just welcome the families of the four candidates?"

I was silent because I realized that, there was no big family mamah present considering the show impressed impromptu and held in Surabaya.

"Aren't you not going to invite them to a wedding? So let's just say that now we invite them so that later they are not so disappointed if they can not come to Jakarta."

“This is Kirana, my eldest daughter.” Dad introduced me to H. Joko who immediately hugged me full haru.

“This is Oka, my youngest son.”

H. Joko also hugged Oka who just fell silent like me.

“Your name is Oka?” ask H. Joko after releasing a hug.

“My name is Asoka Danubrata, thank God I am healthy wal’afiat, so I do not need to change my name,” said Oka with her typical casual smile.

“Bi!” Mamah immediately called Anggi after being wide-eyed at the trouble maker's words, while I quietly held back a smile. “Include Oka to your other cousins!” Mama pushed us a little bit away.

Oka and I followed Anggi who seemed to have not recovered from the shock of Oka's words. I quietly stretched out a palm that was immediately patted Oka making us both giggle holding back the laughter of victory. At least there should be someone calling out for our thoughts right?

After Anggi introduced us to ‘cousins-cousins’ who looked at us with full search, Oka prefers to go upstairs and play games on the top balcony whereas I and Anggi chose to check all the preparations.

Lia's brother and Sami's brother from the catering department reported that everything was ready, including Ira's favorite rainbow pudding, among other deserts. Mbak Nia and Mbak Renita from the EO section also reported that for the decoration to stay finishing touch, they both introduced us to mbak Ika and mbak Soraya who was in charge of the event section, they gave us a rundown (arrangement of events) later tonight.

After the magrib prayer was all done, the EO section and the event started to check everything, and I prepared with Amel's mother, MUA who was responsible for dressing me up, while mamah and Anggi are held by mbak Sunny and mbak Tia.

After the makeup is done, Mbak Point helps me with kebaya that Anggi ordered impromptu, but the results are extraordinary. Kebaya with sabrina neck pieces and simple models in baby blue with small 3D flower sequins evenly distributed in each section, and kemben matching colors combined with brown batik cloth, brown, complete my performance tonight.

After all was ready, mamah, father and Anggi waited below to greet the Caraka family who had just arrived. While I and Oka were still sitting on top waiting for the interduction to go down.

“You who take you down later, do not eat blind salary.”

“Hahaha .. ready, Boss!" Oka just laughed at my babbling.

From the bottom began to sound MC who opened the event, followed by the opening greetings from Caraka's side which was immediately done by papah made me more nervous, my chest beating fast, even my palms began to sweat.

“New also application, already tense gini,” said Oka while smiling mockingly, making me glare at him.

“Mbak Kirana getting ready,” said Renita made me stand with the help of Oka. “Ade handsome please go with her brother, or ade handsome want to go with aunty?" continued Renita with a big smile staring at Oka who immediately took me tightly. "Now come down slowly.”

Bismilbornrahmanirrahim …

Slowly I took my foot one step closer to the man I would spend the rest of my life with, and with him would weave my future and wonderful stories together.

***

Carnival, pov.

The nervousness that I thought from earlier now evaporated when I saw the woman that I had long wanted to hunt down slowly climbing each step gracefully, my eyes were locked only staring at his figure who was now bowed in shame to get the attention of the guests present. How not... Tonight, she became her star, her beauty was really radiated to make me feel proud, because that extraordinary woman had chosen me to edit her.

I stretched out my hand when he was standing not far from me which he immediately greeted with a smile that made my heart feel warm.

We now stand face to face with smiles adorning our faces, as if forgetting the presence of family and guests around us.

“Kirana Az Zahra .. You are the woman who made me feel very loving for the first time. You are also the first woman to see me and love me as my personal figure, without seeing my background.”

Kirana looked at me with a wry smile on her face.

“Falling in love with you is easy, but convincing you to love me is the hardest thing I have to go through.”

He was smiling and embarrassed.

“You were the first woman to make me dream about a wedding. Only with you, I dream of wading through the household, and only with you do I want to spend the rest of my life.”

“I am not the perfect Prince as you often say, but I will try to be the best husband and father for you as well as our children later.”

I was silent for a moment, I took a deep breath before I continued my words.

“Bismilbornrahmannirahim .. Kirana Az Zahra, will you accept my proposal for me to marry and spend the rest of our lives together, until we regroup in his paradise Allah.”

Our eyes locked onto each other for a moment, his smile slowly expanding before he finally said,

"Bismil was bornrahmannirahim .. I accept your proposal to spend the rest of my life with you until later we regroup in God's paradise."

I breathed a sigh of relief with a wide smile on the back of a thank God sentence that made our smile wider.

One step we have passed, to go even higher.

*****