Knights For Mundika
20

TING-TONG!

TING-TONG!

“Assalamu’alaikum.”.

“Assalamu’alaikum.”.

The sound of the house bell rang and the sound of Ayu from outside the house. Janitra and Jayanti who had been looking forward to meeting with their grandchildren from Artika soon got up from her seat and walked towards the main door and opened it. How shocked they were when they saw that there was only Ayu who had a gloomy face.

“Ayu? Why are you alone? Where are my grandchildren?” Ask Jayanti.

“Bude...,” Ayu immediately rushed to hug old body Jayanti then cry. “I'm sorry Bude, Pakde, I failed to bring Mundika and Zayed here.

Ayu was still in shock with the incident that so quickly happened. Two cars suddenly blocked the car he was riding with the driver, Mundika, and Zayed so inevitably Ayu driver anticipates stopping the speed of the car with a sudden braking action to make the body of Ayu, Mundika, and Zayed almost bounced forward if there was no safety belt protecting them all.

“Astagfirullahadzim Pak Didi, Mbo’ drive tu yo slowly, ojo kemrungsung!” Ayu Protest in Javanese. What he usually does when he is upset.

“I'm sorry Madam, but there are two cars in front of us that suddenly block,” Didi shows towards the front. How surprised they were especially Mundika saw four large and quite stocky people with ‘tan’ or brownish skin and neat beards coming out of the car and he knew three of them.

“Mansoor...,” Mundika said slowly while Zayed could only pat her face with his right hand when what he had previously predicted had actually happened.

“You know them?” Ask Ayu.

“The story is long Bude,” Zayed replied with fluent English. “All I can say is the man dressed in an old grey t-shirt with short, knee-length cargo pants and a shirt-like sneaker worn by him is Mansoor bin Maktoum, fiancee as well as one of the children of the ruler of the city where we live.”

Ayu was silent for a moment. It seems that if such an important man takes his time to catch up here there must be something wrong going on.

Mundika who saw the look of her frightened face then hugged the woman from behind to calm her down.

“Bude need not worry, let me face it,” Mundika said then get out of the car and approach Mansoor with a cold expression followed by Zayed from behind.

“Do you feel guilty because you have to make me sacrifice my precious time to come all the way here?” Mansoor answered Mundika's question by asking again. He was as much as possible to control his anger in the face of Mundika and try to understand the position of the girl now. “If yes, then come with me back to Dubai now.”

“But I've come this far Mansoor, can't you give me a chance to meet my grandparents first?”

“If not because I heard that your mother went to the hospital because of stress and sadness thinking about you and your sister who left without your parents' permission just because you obey your curiosity I will definitely give you a day's chance two days you were here,” Mansoor rubbed Mundika's pretty face and touched the girl's chin.

“You lied, this must be just your wits so that I undo my intentions now,” Mundika lowered her head in embarrassment when Mansoor did not hesitate to touch his face. “Don't you already know that this moment is the one I've been waiting for my whole life for?”

“I am not that lowly man, even more so when it comes to dealing with you who is the one I love, the one I love, because I am a man who highly upholds honesty in my life even though it is something painful though.” Hearing the statement from Mansoor inevitably made Mundika's eyes teary as if realizing that he had been selfish with a unilateral decision without realizing the consequences to both parents, especially his mother.

“Kak..., let's just go home..,” Zayed who listened to the conversation between Mansoor and Mundika pulled up the pink hoody shirt his brother wore. “I do support you but if it makes Mama fall ill, I also feel guilty.”.

“But what about Bude Ayu, Mansoor?” Mundika looked back at Mansoor. “He has been working hard to help me so I can meet Grandpa and Grandma.”.

“I will accompany you to approach him and apologize that you and Zayed were forced to be unable to continue your business here,” Mansoor embraces Mundika's small shoulder and walks towards Ayu who has been standing outside her car. “Bu Ayu, my name is Mansoor bin Maktoum, I am the fiancee and the one who was given the mandate to pick up Mundika and Zayed to return to Dubai because her mother is currently sick and hospitalized.”

“....,” Ayu could only be silent unmoved feeling the aura of the man speaking before her at this moment. It felt a little intimidating and made him disinclined.

“I thank Bu Ayu for taking care of my fiancee and her sister while in Indonesia even if only briefly. I also apologize for having to do something that if not polite by blocking your car in front of it. Maybe this is not the right time for Mundika and Zayed to meet their grandparents from his mother's side because after all they are still the responsibility of his parents. I hope someday somehow, hopefully Mundika and Zayed can be reunited with them without having to make both parents worry like this. I will take Mundika and Zayed now, and for their belongings my two bodyguards will take him with Bu Ayu. Again I am sorry.”.

“That's the story Bude, sorry Ayu ya Bude.., Pakde…,” Ayu still hugged Jayanti who she believes is currently crying with her but trying to look tough so just respond to her with silence and sobbing.

“Pak...,” Jayanti's voice sounded hoarse. “It's all our fault sir.., we shouldn't have boarded and expelled Artika from this house. We should have accepted her condition back then and given her blessing and her husband got married despite being forced to be second.”.

“Already Mom..., already..., it may be true as the man said, now is not the right time for us to meet them…,” Janitra rubbed his wife's back to channel strength in order to be heartened to accept the current reality. “All we do is ask forgiveness to the Almighty for all our mistakes and pray that Artika will heal soon and be knocked in her heart together with her husband to come here to visit us with their children.”

“Mr..”.

***