MAHMUD, I Love U
Secret Admirer

CHUCKLE

Mayra realized a flash of camera was catching her. He saw Rendra directing his camera at the lake that stretched wide in front of him.

They are now in a large area of a tourist spot. The Blue Lake. The lake that stretches as far as the eye can see with beautiful green land and pine trees around it. It's comfortable to be there. The bluish-green lake whose little ripples rumbled along was chasing with the cool breeze. Across the lake towering small hills add to the beautiful scenery. Mayra was sitting on a wooden chair under a pine tree enjoying the atmosphere.

"You were my portrait?" Mayra is now next to Rendra.

"Hm??" Rendra stopped his activities.

Mayra pointed at the camera the man was holding in front of her with a glance.

"I? Your motret? No. gabe. I'm just interested in photographing something beautiful. Are you beautiful?"

Mayra nodded cynically in disbelief. He was sure that the flash of Rendra's camera light had caught him.

"Do you want a portrait?" Rendra offers.

"No, Thanks. The right job!"

Mayra turned her back and walked towards Lina. His friend was busy polishing and tidying up the makeUp of the bride-to-be.

Their team was on a prewedding project at the time. Both candidates chose their place, the Blue Lake. He said, whoever binds the promise in the lake, his love will be eternal forever. And Mayra, who doesn't believe in myths, just nods to respect when the bride-to-be tells her about it.

"Need help?"

"Haha. No!!! Thanks." Lina laughs. He was right that his friend was not at all the right person to give let alone be asked for help in that matter. Mayra is not good at dressing up, wearing lipstick is rarely evenly distributed, especially to draw eyebrows.

"Haha." Mayra is not an expert in makeup. But to decorate the room and choose clothes that are suitable for the bride, she is an expert.

DRTTTT.

Mayra's phone is shaking. He deliberately changed his phone settings in vibrate mode while he was working. On the screen of his phone it says 'My Azka'.

📞 "Yes, baby," said Mayra directly swiping her phone screen.

📞 "What time is it today?"

The voice on the other side answered with a question, which was none other than Azka, her husband.

📞 "It looks like up to maghrib, Yank. There's one more costume on that."

The sun is starting to fall. The breeze of water wiggled the leaves of the dancing pine gently. Mayra breathed in the air, cold. I think he just wants to stay there.

📞 "You're home?" Mayra.

📞 "Huum. It just arrived. Sleep gracefully."

Azka looked at her little daughter who was not even a year and a half old.

📞 "Have you eaten?" Mayra worried about her husband who was forced to be independent. Both are busy with their work every day.

📞 "Already. But not yet."

📞 "I've eaten aunt's cooking. But your cooking is not yet. Hehe."

📞 "Hehehe, haven't kapok also yaa eat sauteed salt?"

📞 "Hahaha." Azka laughing. For four years he was married to the woman he was calling, but it can be counted how many times Mayra had cooked for him.

Azka is not a problem with his wife who is not good at cooking. But still, in his heart he wanted his wife to cook for him, even with a daily salience.

📞 "I'm sorry. Tomorrow I'm off. I'll cook it later. Hehe."

Across Azka smiled. He really loves that woman. Already eight years together, his love is not reduced, even more every day. Especially since there was Grace beside him. Her love multiplied if she remembered the struggle Mayra gave birth to her beautiful daughter.

⬅️

"I'm not strong, Yank. Sakiiiit."

Mayra, who had just opened three, hugged Azka tightly in the delivery room. Mayra is a strong woman but also weak in some ways. He was afraid of syringes and all the tools that were within reach of doctors, especially wheelchairs. Mayra was afraid of the chair because several times the horror film she watched featured a wheelchair as a mystical object, which could instantly spin itself in the dark hospital hallway.

"Pull your breath, yank. Fuuuwwhhh, buaaang!" Azka led his wife in a breath while practicing it.

Mayra endured the pain while continuing to waste her breath. She had been in the delivery room at the hospital where her husband worked all day, but the opening of her birth canal had not increased. Azka is a pulmonary specialist at the Happy Hospital, where Mayra is due to give birth to her child.

Mayra's tears fell on Azka's shoulders. Azka led his wife to sit on the bed with blue sheets. He rubbed his wife's cheeks gently.

"Patience, yank. You can!"

Mayra crying. He remembered his mother. She imagined her mother giving birth to her, how painful it was. Her tears were dripping again. God placed heaven on the feet of the mother. Because indeed his struggle gave birth to a new human being this sick. It is not enough even if the world and its contents are paid to repay the kindness of a mother.

"Thank you, Mah." Mayra. He caught his breath again. "Yet not here?" Mayra asked her mother.

They were both in the hospital at the time. Their parents are on their way to Bandung. They were both forced to move to Bandung when their marriage was just one year old because Azka was assigned to this Happy Hospital. Mayra's parents are from Solo, while Azka's parents are from Yogyakarta. Just yesterday Mayra started to feel her stomach break down, she and Azka decided not to tell their parents first, wanting to surprise her, her intention. But all day this baby in the womb Mayra has not wanted to go out. For that, a few hours ago Azka just called her parents and in-laws.

"No, Yank. Probably still in the car. You calm down. There I am here."

Azka kissed her female forehead gently while still holding her hand tightly. Mayra groaning.

"Sound...."

He held his tightened stomach. Azka looked at the face of his wife who was closed in pain. In his unbroken heart of prayer, may his wife always be in the protection of God.

Azka led his wife to take a walk around the room. And Alhamdulillah, the opening of Mayra is gradually increasing. Until finally the first cry of the red baby from Mayra's womb sonorous sound filled the room. The cry of Azka. He hugged Mayra's limp body tightly.

"Alhamdulillah, Hank. Thanks though. I know you can, you're great. Thanks." Azka buried her wet face on Mayra's cheeks.

➡️

📞 "You'll pick me up, right?" Mayra's voice on the phone shocks Azka's daydream.

📞 "Yes dear. Call me when you're done, yeah."

At the edge of the lake, a pair of eyes were watching Mayra earlier.