MUTE
#3

...Episode 3's...

Since I could already write, Dad gave me a book and a pen. Dad said to me, “Use a book and pen to write what your son wants to talk about and if anyone doesn't understand sign language.” 

I started writing, “Where's my book, Dad?”

“Your mother is no more, don't ask your mother again, here there is a father and grandmother. Dad must immediately go to work, father's son accompanied by grandma yes.., don't be naughty yes dear,” said father.

Dad goes to work, when dad's not home I'm always with grandma. Grandma to me is like a mother figure, grandma always tells me to play and take a nap.

While taking a nap, I woke up and saw my sleeping grandmother beside me. I went to the kitchen to get a drink.

After drinking, I saw the door of the barn open, out of curiosity I went in there and saw a lot of white cloths covering square-shaped objects.

Walking and slowly opening one of the cloth, it turned out that the thing covered with cloth was a very beautiful painting.

Looking at the one-by-one paintings in the warehouse, made my heart so happy. That's when I started to like painting.

“Hani... Hani... Hani...!” Grandma calling. I heard my grandmother's voice calling.

I hurried off and closed the barn door. Grandma asked me, “Hani from where?”

I write in the books I always carry, “From drinking, Nek.”

“Circuits where, grandma nyariin Hani. Tomorrow if you want anything say first to grandma,” said grandma.

I just nodded. The following days I came to the warehouse to see the paintings, unbeknownst to grandma. 

Looking at the beauty of the painting, my hand suddenly moved following the shape of the picture, as if I was re-painting the picture that was in front of my eyes.

Didn't feel like I've been in the barn for a long time, it turns out Grandma's looking everywhere. Unaware Grandma was already behind me, I was shocked when grandma patted me on the shoulder.

Grandma said, “Hani likes paintings..?”

I just nodded. “Here dear sitting on grandma's lap, grandma want to tell me about your mother.”

I was so happy when I heard about Mom. Mother I've never seen before, I haven't even heard a story about. I sat on my grandmother's lap and she started telling me about my mother.

“Your mother is a beautiful woman, just like you. His face is very similar to yours, his eyes, and his nose. He was a famous painter.

Many people admired his paintings. Now the painting Hani saw, it's all your mother's painting, Hani. The days are just sitting here and starting to paint.

Grandma was not surprised, when Hani liked painting, because Hani was the son of a talented painter. But.. lest your father know that Hani likes painting, because your father hates painting.”

I'm curious why my father doesn't like paintings, ask my grandmother, write in books, “Why doesn't my father like paintings?”

“Let's Hani know the reason why Hani's father doesn't like painting, when Hani is already big ,” replied grandma.

“Assalamualaikum, dear father home!” dad's voice came into the house.

“Uluh-ten.. son of his father, father's son has eaten, right?” Ask her with full attention. 

I love my father so much, for me, no one can match his attention. I answered just by nodding.

“Tomorrow, daddy holiday darling, we vacation to the beach with grandma also yes.”

This time I wrote in the book, “Hore, promise ya, Dad. Tomorrow we play to the beach.”

“Iya dear promise, now I want to take a shower first, father's child's time already fragrant father smell wry,” said father.

I got out of her cradle, dad went to take a shower and I watched TV with grandma. While watching TV, there was snoring. My grandmother slept next to me.

Seeing Grandma so tired, I felt pity and then I covered her. It's late at night.

“Honey rest, here sleep with dad, look at this.” dad show off a new fairy tale book he just bought.

I was very happy and ran straight to my father's room. Grandma woke up, because of the sound of my footsteps, then Grandma moved into her room. I started sleeping next to my father and I started reading him the fairy tale he had just exhibited.

“Honey, the title of the fairy tale, Mother Ant,”

Father continued his story, “One day, there was an ant boy who walked with his mother, his mother loved him very much, every go this ant child is always taken.

Once the mother ant was separated from her child. His mother was very scared, looking to and fro but, nothing. Before long it rained the mother ant felt very worried saying where my son?, he cried fearing something happened to his son.

His very young son, who did not know the way home, did not know where, got lost in the vast forest and cold. Shouting, mom...mom, I'm afraid!, yelling continuously while crying.

The ant boy was really scared, feeling that he was going to lose his mother. Suddenly a lizard appeared in front of him, the ant boy ran in fear.

Run running while screaming to call his mother. However, the ant child ran very slowly, because the footsteps were long and fast, the lizard just walked up to again in front of the ant child, finally the ant child was cornered, could only cry.”

I grabbed my father and asked him to stop telling stories in sign language. Then I wrote in the book, “Dad, I don't want to be an ant, I want to have a mother.”

Reading my writing Dad smiled and kissed me on the forehead. Then said, “It's been a night baby, tomorrow we continue the fairy tale. Son dad now sleeps tomorrow we go for a walk.” Father spoke in a sad tone.

I kissed my father and rushed to sleep. Sleeping in my dear father's arms.  If time could be repeated, I wouldn't say that I wanted to have a mother.

My words back then were a painful thing for my father. That night I woke up and saw my sleeping father, I saw his eyes shed tears.

I who at that time did not know anything, just thought Dad was having a bad dream. I wiped her tears and started sleeping again.

The next day, “Come on, soon later on bad luck, call grandma too,” said the father in front of the car.

“Sabar..., this grandmother's granddaughter is still dressed as Snow White.” Grandma smile.

My face is red, my heart is happy to hear my grandmother's words. The sound of footsteps could be heard coming back home and saying, “Try me to see,”

Come closer and see me, “Yes Allah is very beautiful son father,” said father, continuing the words earlier.