My Ex-husband Lecturer
Chapter 4 The Hidden Thing

“Den Rian is home?”, asked a middle-aged woman at the age of about 60-65 to open the door for a man.

“Already, Bi. I just want to take a break. No need to prepare dinner. Aunty can go straight home.”, said the man immediately entered and went up to the second floor where his room is located.

He is Rian Aksa Pandega, a lecturer at a famous State University. The man lived alone in the mansion left by his parents. She had not met her mother since her parents divorced in their youth. Rian was probably 4 years old.

Rian's custody is held by his father, a businessman and the owner of several foundations founding private schools in Indonesia. They lived together until Rian turned 25 and intended to take S2 abroad.

Papa Rian passed away a few years ago when he was 32 years old. Now, he's alone in this big house. He had thought several times about staying in the apartment alone, but his heart still returned to this house.

The middle-aged woman earlier was Bi Risma. He's a resident around here who's been working for them for a dozen years. Kira - I think since his father moved and built this big house here. Before, they didn't live here.

Although working here, Bi Risma then did not come to live here. Every night at 8 o'clock, she must have gone home after dinner. Sometimes, if it was like today, Rian did not have dinner at home, he might be able to go home early.

Tomorrow, Bi Risma will come around 6 am. Start preparing breakfast, cleaning the house, then go home at 10 am and come back to this house at 2 pm to prepare for dinner or if there is any other work like ironing that he can do.

Since Papa Rian died, Bi Risma's working hours have been more flexible because there's not much she has to do. But Rian still gave the same salary. Even if Bi Risma came home early.

“Tonight no more dinner, Den? Yesterday also did not have dinner.”, said Bi Risma who began to worry about Rian.

“Quiet Bi. I ate outside. As usual in the refrigerator already stocked fast food right? Or something that can be warmed up? If I get hungry again, I'll take it. No need to worry.”, Rian turned his head in a smile before returning to continue his steps up the stairs.

Although Rian was smiling, but Bi Risma did not feel the radiance of happiness at all from the man. Bi Risma did not want to interfere in her employer's affairs more deeply. He then immediately turned and went home.

Rian entered his room, put his bag on the nightstand and sat on the edge of the mattress. His eyes were fixed on the picture frame on the nightstand. The frame was covered.

Rian stared at the frame without returning it to its original position. A position that may have been three years ago. Rian stared at the frame as if he had memorized what photo was there, who it was.

He then took a deep breath and laid his body with his feet still on the floor. Rian looked at the sky - the sky of the room. There is nothing special in his room other than white walls, a closet containing books, a dressing table, and large windows that are currently covered in curtains.

Cheerfully looking at the sky - the sky with a blank mind. No, actually his mind went back to the atmosphere in the classroom earlier.

**********

“You, plus the rice. Time is just that.”, said Kirana's mother who saw her daughter only took one barrel of rice.

“Gapapa, mom. Kirana's on a diet. Kirana take the rice a little, but the side dishes are many, so mama calm aja.”, said Kirana who has circulated her gaze on the row of cuisine of her mother.

“Mama what's the event tonight? How to cook a lot.”, said Kirana wonder.

Unlike most single parents who may be good at cooking, Kirana's mother can't cook at all. Until two years ago, they still routinely order catering. For both, it should not be expensive.

Kirana's mother worked for a multinational company. He will retire soon. He worked from 8 am to 5 pm, sometimes even more when he was overtime. So, there was no time for her to learn to cook, let alone to cook.

For two years now, the company he worked for will soon merge with another company. Her mother's job desk is now widely replaced with machines and digitalization. He no longer takes a lot of work in the office and can even go home more quickly.

For the size of his mother who was about to retire, it was common. Since then, Kirana's mother slowly learned to cook and now at least can for the basic - basic only.

“So, mama has decided?”, asked Kirana ventured.

“Oh? Decide what?”, asked his mother who still has not caught where Kirana talks.

“Already. Mama has decided.”, said her mother steady.

“What?”, Kirana is very excited to hear it.

These few months, Kirana's mother was busy thinking about what she should do after retiring. Although, Kirana told her mother to rest in old age, her mother refused.

Kirana has explained. By the time her mother retired, Kirana had graduated and should have gotten a job. So, he could already bear the cost of living both of them.

But her mother did not want to just be quiet. More than half of his life, he was used to working. Come in the morning home in the afternoon. When the activity is no longer there, he is worried that he will feel bored and stressed.

Therefore, he has been busy asking questions, making plans, and choosing what he will do after his retirement.

“Mama wants to open a flower business.”, said his mother steady.

“Flower?”, not surprised, but just astonished.

“Hm..not cut flowers. But ornamental flowers. Mama wants to open an ornamental flower business that can be purchased or also rented.”, her mother said with excitement.

“Not that tiring?”, asked Kirana still confused.

He didn't know much about this type of business.

“Mama will hire employees. Maybe for a start, one first. The rest mama pay daily.”, his mother said then explained about this business model.

Although unable to cook, but mother Kirana likes to grow crops, especially flowers. Their house is not so big, but it has a large yard. Luckily, in the past when divorced, papa Kirana did not include the following house of this land as a treasure gono - gini. This house he left to Kirana.

Count as the guilt of his father for cheating behind his mother.

“Good.. but if one employee is less, I hire one more, yes. Anyway, mama should not be the lift - lift or work that makes tired.”, Kirana said.

“Iyaa. mama part of planning and marketing, really. You just calm down. In fact, my mom already has several target customers. So, it seems like your plan after retirement is mature. So today mama cook a lot.”, said her mother.

“Mama will retire is still two years away.”, Kirana asked while taking a piece of rolled omelet in the middle.

“Should from now on begin. Mama already has a lot of collections, just see how the market demand. You will help make the social media, yes. Mama did not understand that it was like that.”, said her mother took one piece of parchment and put it on Kirana's plate.

If the daughter does not want to eat rice, count potatoes can add carbohydrates.

“Iyaa. if that's leave it to Kirana. Plus, photos are also.”, Kirana said even posing as if she was taking pictures, like,

Kirana is very good at photography. In the early semester, while still the spirit - the spirit of being a student, Kirana often took part in hiking and photographing the beauty of the mountains. However, because her mother was too worried, Kirana stopped and chose to take pictures of the city.

“You really don't connect with him anymore?”, after talking about fun things, Kirana's mother tried to open a sensitive topic.

“Who?”, asked Kirana.

Although he could already guess who exactly was the mother talking about, but he chose to go back to asking.

“Your ex-husband.”, replied his mother.