Islam Learning Fasting
83. Invitation

The atmosphere of the kitchen is now becoming noisy by the sounds of busy mothers who are cooking to break their fast.

"Islam does not exist? He's always in the kitchen."

Umma Nur stopped her activity peeling onions, she looked at Grandma Sia who had just asked.

"He went to Katrin's house, Una's granddaughter. Katrin is sick again so Islam helps keep Katrin."

Instantly, the movement of Khadijah's hands pegging kale was stopped after hearing the speech of Umma Nur.

"Well, now Islam is the same Katrin so close, yeah?"

"Yes." Yeah."

Khadijah again continued the movement of his hand cutting the kale trying not to think about it.

Why should he be sad? Khadijah must realize that he and Rahman are officially getting married.

...***...

Khadijah arranged some clothes into a wooden closet after he folded them neatly.

"Used!"

Khadijah looked at ustad Hasim who was standing at the entrance of the room.

"Yes Abi?"

"There's Islam ahead."

"Islamic Akhi?"

Khadijah stepped towards the living room to find Islam now quickly rising from the sofa.

"There is Islam. Abi called him to accompany antum to the wedding invitation printing place."

"Ta..but why should Islam?"

"Smart Islam takes cars."

"But iftad Syuaib can also. Abi too."

"Ustad Shuaib has business, Abi is busy and here Islam is not busy. After all, Islam is a city person and he must know a good invitation model, right Islam?"

Islam smiled and nodded.

Khadijah was silent for a moment. He stared for a few seconds at Islam and decided to go into the room to grab his bag.

15 Minutes later...

Islam is now driving Abah Habib's car through uneven streets and rows of houses of villagers who occasionally shout to greet Islam.

The two of them were silent like strangers who did not know each other. Several times they glanced at each other and became misbehaved when they met eyes.

The car is now pulled over in front of a not-so-large invitation printing shop, it can be Islamically seen on an obsolete banner with some invitation printing prices listed there.

Islam stepped down after turning off the car engine followed by Khadijah who came down from the car.

"Here?" asked Islam while propping up his waist with his gaze staring towards the banner.

"Yes" replied Khadijah who slightly nodded.

Islam nodded then his brows clutched as a whispering voice rang out to disturb his ears making him turn to look at some girls who were whispering to each other and smiling at him.

Are they whispering about it?

Islam smiled intending to greet the girls and as a result made them scream and run to hide inside the figures.

Islam loosened, what's wrong with them?

Islam stepped in to approach Khadijah who first entered the store greeted by a man sitting in front of the computer who then rose and smiled welcoming the arrival of Khadijah.

"You want an invitation model?" ask the man.

Islam stopped his steps right beside Khadijah making the man nod.

"You want to make a wedding invitation, Dad?"

"Yes" answered Islam.

The man nodded then shouted at the fat woman who then came over.

"Give them some invitation models!" he then sat back in front of his computer.

"Let's sit down!"

Islam and Khadijah now sit in long chairs while the fat woman puts down several invitations of various types of models and colors.

"This is the model, please choose! If there is a suitable one, call me."

The fat woman stepped away from Islam and Khadija who was silent stiff.

Islam breathed a nervous sigh. I don't know what's going on with his uncomfortable feelings and his heart beating so fast.

C'mon Islam! This is not your wedding invitation but for Khadijah and Rahman!

Islam grabbed a few invitations and looked at them, staring at the front and back.

"Akhi Islam, is this good?" asked Khadijah whose tone sounded excited.

Islam put the invitation in his hand on the table and grabbed the invitation that Khadijah was showing.

"Yellow color, maybe yellow gold is better."

"Yellow gold?"

Khadijah stared at the whole table and touched one by one the invitations.

"This?"

Islam took the golden yellow invitation from Khadijah's hand and flipped it.

"Lumayan, but that's good too!" Point Islam towards silver invitations.

"God, everything is beautiful, so we must choose which one. Yellow gold or silver?" ask Khadijah while warming one by one the invitation in the hands of Khadijah.

"When do you like it?"

Khadijah smiled as he stared at the invitation in turn.

"Both are beautiful, Akhi."

"But we can only choose one, Khadija," replied Islam in a tone that followed Khadijah's style of speech making Khadijah laugh.

Islam smiled, this was the first time he heard Khadijah laughing.

"Is there a match?"

"How's aki?"

"Em, yellow gold only," answered Islam.

"Then please come with me!"

The fat woman stepped towards the man who was still sitting in front of the computer and was heard talking something until finally decided to leave after giving a smile to Islam and Khadijah.

"When is the wedding date?"

"2nd next month?" answer Islam.

"It was a big day, huh?"

"Yes." Yeah."

"Why isn't the show after Lebaran?"

"Well let the food be lebaran at once make the celebration also to be economical," replied Islam made the man laugh.

"Smart is also the way you think."

"How many is this?"

"How much?" islamic whispers in Khadijah.

"Say Abi was just 200."

"Oh 200 said."

The man nodded and recorded it on a small notebook.

"Who's name is that?"

"Khadija" answered Islam.

The man nodded and pressed the keyboard button on his computer until Khadija's name was plastered on the computer screen.

"Whose name are you?"

"I?" ask Islam.

"Yes." Yeah."

"Islam Ramadan."

The man nodded and pressed the keyboard again until the Islamic name was seen on the computer screen.

"Is it right?"

Islam narrowed his eyes to look seriously at the computer screen where his name and Khadija were there.

"Well, that's right" replied Islam.

"Akhi Islam!" whispered Khadijah while pulling the tip of the Islamic dress that immediately looked down at Khadijah.

"What?"

"Na.na..name."

"Why is his name the same?"

"Sa.salah," Khadijah answered carefully.

Islam looked at the computer screen that had done the printing process.

"It is true" answered Islam casually.

"Afwan, ta.ta.but there's no Rahman's name there."

The shocked Islam turned his head and stared in shock at his name on the name of Khadijah.

"Sorry, it's wrong. Please exchange it for Rahman's name" Islam explained.

"But this is so."

The man held up the printed invitation, there were Islamic and Khadijah names there.

Islam smiled at his name there. If only it were like this. If only there was a name not the name Rahman maybe Islam would be happy.

"Just throw it away!" islam said with a sad face.

Khadijah was bowed after hearing Islam's answer. I don't know why it hurt so much to hear it especially when the man crushed the invitation and threw it in the trash.

"Changed by whose name?"

Islam was silent to make the man ask again and consequently made Islam shocked.

"What?"

"What is his name going to be changed to?"

"Roman."

The man nodded then removed the name of Islam and replaced it with the name Rahman there.

Islam stared silently at the surface of the computer.

20 Minutes later...

Islam opened the car door and let Khadijah enter first while carrying a black bag containing an invitation.

"I go to the toilet first, Dad!"

Khadijah nodded as Islam ran into the store and approached the man who was still busy in front of his computer.

"Well, the invitation that was thrown out is still there?"

"There was but I've been crushed."

"I bought it, yeah."

Islam took his wallet out of his pocket.

"What to buy? It's not good anymore."

"It's okay."

"Well, take it."

Islam smiled then grabbed the almost ball-shaped invitation and opened it slowly.

Islam smiled, his fingers staring happily at his name which was on the surface of the invitation.