Knights For Mundika
37

“Alhamdulillah..,”

Mansoor's body squeezed out a sign of unrivaled relief after successfully executing Kabul's Ijab to Dalmouk Al Hassimi who has now officially become his father-in-law as a promise that he accepts responsibility mundika who has been officially handed over from his father-in-law. The solemn recitation of the closing prayer by the people in the room was done to pray for him and Mundika to become a family of sakinah, mawadah and warohmah until the end of their lives.

Shortly thereafter, Mundika accompanied by mothers entered the Kabul Ijab room to be reunited with Mansoor who has now become her legal husband. Mansoor's unblinking eyes looked at Mundika's beautiful and graceful appearance with a white jalabiya abaya embroidered with gold thread, strands of gold necklace embedded cover the entire chest and veil in the same white bisht with a gold fringe that he wore as the official suit companion white kandoora pride of this nation. Lord...., which other favors do I deny? The answer doesn't exist!

This time he was not dreaming, this time what he saw was very real in front of the eyes! He finally got married! A violation of his promise that once did not want to marry anyone and chose a celibate life forever because he never met a woman who sincerely loved him without the frills of his family background. Goddamnit! In the end he had to lick his own saliva which he had thrown away first. But it's okay, after all basically man turned into the best version of himself, and he was grateful to have been met by Mundika who was able to change his view of love.

“The groom is welcome to recite a special prayer to the bride,” Penghulu said and only silence was the answer from Mansoor who was still sedated by the charm of his bride who had stood before him.

“He-em, groom?” Ask Penghulu back to awaken Mansoor's dependence on Mundika. “You are welcome to recite a special prayer for the bride.”

“Eh, oh, yes,” Mansoor who realized his stupidity immediately acted cool like his usual self to cover up his embarrassment because caught several pairs of eyes behaving outside his fairness. Of course, the little oddities of his behavior were heard in his ears including Mundika who tried to refrain from laughing. Come on, he is also an ordinary man who can feel nervousness like this on his once-in-a-lifetime wedding day with his loved ones.

The dashing man immediately stood up from his seat to face each other with the wife he had just finished marrying. He recited a special prayer on Mundika's forehead then dipped it in as a form of affection followed by the girl kissing her right hand as well as the exchange of wedding rings for the two.

“You are very handsome today, my husband,” Whisper Mundika.

“You are also so beautiful today, my wife, that I was made to be lulled by her,” Mansoor replied with her heavy voice making Mundika blush in shame. It could have been his deadly seduction…

After the wedding ceremony was completed, followed by the gahwa slaughter event, a small event to just drink coffee and eat snacks together to strengthen the relationship between the two families while enjoying the gambus, and also to enjoy the relationship, songs sung with Arabic verses and zafin dances performed by men. A unique dance by moving the legs forward and back like a fight with other dancers.

On the sidelines of a simple but boisterous event happy laughter because it is devoted to family, relatives and close friends only before the actual reception event, he said, it looked Maitha who continued to look at the newlyweds with longing gazes. Not envy, but rather asking inwardly, can he get his own happiness? With the presence of a man who will propose her to be a bride like her sister who is currently so happy while joking with one of the good men in Dubai and has legally become her husband, his priest and friend in the journey of home life. After all the bad things he did to his sister. Does he still have a chance to get a good man like Mansoor for Mundika?

*“From your gaze, do you want to get married too?” A familiar figure sits next to an empty chair left by Haya to dance with female family members in the middle of the stage with the zafin* dancers*. So also Zayed who participated became part of the zafin dancer.

Maitha looked towards the voice. “You're..”

“Hakeem bin Saeed, Babamu's best friend and your sister's boss at the hospital,” Hakeem smiled at Maitha while playing a small cup of coffee as a sweet pastry at the table.

“Te..., of course I want to get married! Anyone who is a single like me certainly has dreams of having his own little family,” Maitha answered Hakeem's question nervously. For some reason since their first meeting in the hospital, he felt something different in this middle-aged man. Plus the spiced story of Mundika who was so enthusiastic about telling the goodness of the widower without children who was left dead by his wife. He was so hoping that there would be something more between the two of them.., the base of the stove was melting Mundika!

For him no matter what age the man is if he is a good figure and can give himself a chance to change into a good person, he will gladly open his heart. But is it possible that this man can accept his dark and manipulative past because of the long misunderstanding he once had?

“The question is, does anyone want to be with me after what I did to other siblings of mothers just because of the rudimentary hatred first?” Maitha's eyes turned toward her mother who was talking to her older brother Majid and her fiance, Rabiya.

“Means?” Maitha raised her right eyebrow to make sure that she did not mishear Hakeem's question.

“If I have any intention to marry you, are you willing to accept?”

“Eh?” Maitha's pair of brownish irises widened Hakeem's follow-up speech. He's not hallucinating, is he?

“If you are willing, allow me who is struggling to get the blessing of my best friend as well as your father that I believe will need a little struggle.” Hakeem smiled looking tenderly at Maitha. A beautiful girl who looks so much like Raana, her mother. His first love that can only be harbored because of his bad taste first to Dalmouk who is his brother and best friend until finally married by others first. And now he does not want to lose the same opportunity by establishing the heart that he also deserves to fight for his own happiness after he always sacrificed for the happiness of others. At least he now has supporters like Mundika and Mansoor who will always be by his side to persuade Dalmouk to accept him as part of his family members. That was also if Maitha accepted her proposal at this time…

***

“Mundika, it's time,” Mansoor gave a message about the plan he had made carefully with Mundika before their wedding day.

“Iya,” Mundika nodded and took the available microphone close to her to then take over the temporary event. “The guests that Mansoor and I love and love, sorry to interrupt this party for a moment. Allow me to turn on the teleconference with people who cannot attend this happy day. And this teleconference is a gift of me and Mansoor to Baba and Mom for successfully raising me and Zayed well until now.”

Dalmouk and Artika looked at each other full of questions what Mundika meant by his words just now when a video was displayed on a television screen that had been connected to a laptop that had been placed Ali, one of Mansoor's bodyguards.

“Assalamu’alaikum my daughter Artika, my son-in-law Dalmouk,” The voice and face of Janitra and Jayanti are displayed in front of Dalmouk and Artika smiles to them. “Hopefully on this day of happiness of my granddaughter we can re-link the relationship that once broke up just because of ego and heartache so that it takes a decision to hurt.”

“Bapak..., Mother...” Artika was surprised to not expect to get an unexpected gift by him so far. He who was moved to hold back his tears saw his parents who had been disappointed by him and Dalmouk to throw him out of the house and remove himself from family members are now in front of him to communicate directly even with the use of advanced technology media like this. Dalmouk was no less surprised that after a long time together, he was finally given the opportunity to have parents again after his parents were gone.

“Thank you to Sheikh Maktoum and Sheikha Shaikha who have raised and accepted our granddaughter to be your son-in-law and part of your family, may health, may, longevity and happiness are always bestowed on you and your family,” It seems that age is just a number for Janitra in English grammar skills. His abilities are apparently still attached to the brain and its oral even though it has been eaten by time. “For us the existence of Mundika and Mansoor is very valuable so that our relationship with our children and daughters-in-law can return as usual. They were the opening gate until we were here and could meet our daughter and daughter-in-law. Without the two of them, there might not be this event.”

Mansoor and Mundika join hands and look at each other with smiles of happiness. They are determined that the moment of their happy day is a turning point for loved ones around them to also be happy.

“Special to our daughter and her husband, we have forgiven your mistakes,” Janitra continued. “Let us start a new page by throwing away the past because in fact humans are creatures that do not escape error. Moreover, our age may be too soon so it feels like it can fix the bad things that happened and turn it into goodness and happiness until the end.”

“Nduk, Le’, if you have free time, stop here to accompany Father and Mother,” Jayanti continued with a subtle Javanese language that only Artika could understand and translated to Dalmouk until the middle-aged man was powerless not to be moved to shed tears. After what he had done to their beloved daughter just for the sake of love, he still got forgiveness from both parents.

“Thank you Sir, Mom, thank you for our opportunity to be able to serve the Father and Mother,” Dalmouk bowed his head in gratitude for this grievous gift. “We will definitely be there to visit Father and Mother.”.

***