My Brother's Bed Rattles
Meet New Friends

Risa walked down the road without knowing the direction and destination. He stopped at the bus stop and sat there unafraid. He was not alone, there were still some other passengers who were also waiting for the bus to stop at that place.

Not long after, a large bus stopped right in front of Risa. Everyone who was in that place immediately boarded the large transportation tool. Only Risa was silent and dumbfounded to see him.

"Follow, no, Ma'am?" asked one of the passengers who saw Risa just silent and not moving from her position.

Risa seemed to think for a moment until she finally decided to join the big bus.

"Wait, Sir. All right, I'll come."

Risa grabbed her suitcase and boarded the bus. There was an empty chair and he sat there, next to a young woman who might still be his age.

"Where are you going, Ma'am?" asked the woman to Risa while smiling warmly.

Risa smiled bitterly. He did not know what to answer, for he himself did not know where his feet would go.

"Where is this bus going, ma'am?" tanya Risa looked hesitant.

The woman furrowed her brows in wonder. "To town A, Ma'am. Where are you going? Don't-don't Mbak get lost again," asked the woman back while paying attention to Risa's suitcase which is quite large.

Risa shook her head slowly. "No, Ma'am. I'm not lost. I really want to go to town A and find a job there," replied Risa.

"Oh, kirain Mbak is lost." The woman was a beard. "I'm also going to town A, Ma'am. I work there, '" he continued.

"Ehm, sorry. If I could ask what kind of work you do there? Is there a job opening for me, but ...." Risa glanced at the sleeping baby Lily in her arms. "I have a baby, Ma'am. Is it possible that there is a job that can accept with my condition like this?"

The woman scratched her head that was not itching. "I work in a restaurant, Ma'am. And sorry, there the work is quite busy, so it seems unlikely that they allow their employees to bring a baby," replied the woman with a sad face looking at Risa.

"Oh, like that, huh?" Risa took a deep breath and then exhaled again.

"Ehm, you already have a place to live there?" ask the woman again.

Risa shook her head slowly. "It's the first time I've set foot in that city, ma'am."

"If you want to find cheap boarding houses, I can tell you. I happen to live there too. But yes it is, in accordance with the condition of the boarding as well, anyway. Small and far from the highway."

Risa looks worried. "How far is the highway?"

"Not really, anyway. It can still be reached on foot, Ma'am."

"Ehm, it seems I am interested, Ma'am," said Risa with enthusiasm.

"Thank you, Ma'am."

"Together."

"Ehm, know my name Ayu," said the woman as she extended her hand before Risa.

"Riss." He smiled and welcomed her hand.

Long enough Risa and Ayu talked on the bus. Ayu did not even hesitate to talk about her origin and status as a spinster to Risa. Until it did not feel the bus stopped at a stop in the city of A.

"Come, Risa. Follow me," said Ayu.

"Good." Risa again dragged her suitcase and followed the steps of Ayu, the woman she just knew.

Risa can only resign herself and hope that Ayu is a good person who will not take advantage of her current misery.

Not far away Risa walked with Ayu in the heat of the sun. Eventually the woman stopped in front of the hostel, where she lived.

"Well, this is the hostel, Ris. Yeah, like I said. It is small and far from the highway. But, when it comes to price, you don't have to worry. I've surveyed all the prices of hostels around here and this is where the cheapest ones are," said Ayu with a big smile.

Risa was paying attention to the place and the surroundings. Looks pretty comfortable and safe. The people around the place looked friendly.

"Hows it? If you are pleased, I can invite you to meet the same who has the boarding houses. After all, there are still two rooms that are still empty" said Ayu again.

Risa also nodded. "alright. I agree."

"Yukk, follow me."

Risa also immediately followed Ayu to meet the owner of the boarding houses.

Meanwhile, at the Arga residence.

Arga's eye bags looked enlarged. Last night he couldn't sleep and today he can't even get to work. The man's heart and mind continued to be fixed on Risa who was now gone from her life. Arga sat pensively on the edge of the bed with a blank look fixed on the open closet door.

There are rows of clothes belonging to Risa's negligee that are still left there. The clothes were deliberately not brought by the woman at Arga's request. Go with just one piece of clothing on the body.

"I didn't expect you to be so desperate to make that decision, Risa. But, it is not Arga Wijaya's name if I have to beg and whine for you to come back to me. I'm sure, in the midst of your despair, you'll come and whine to get back to me" Arga murmured.

...***...