My Husband's Second Love
Episode 52

The rest of the night I spent thinking and weighing what I should do. Finally I decided, rather than bewildered myself, I knocked on my mother's room door one third of the night.

"Mom.." I'm going to slow down.

"Hmmm..."

Just two taps, I quickly opened the door, "why Rum, does your stomach hurt again?"

I shook my head, I took my mother's hand and held her tightly, "her son Mas Han died" I said slowly, though I did not cry but now there is a big, bloodless hole in my heart.

"What?!" mom's shock was obvious, just as I was when last night hearing from Mbok Nah, "how could it be?"

"Rum, you take a bath, however the boy was once almost your son."

"We must be ready to come there, mother come, mother does not want your mother-in-law to act arbitrarily to you."

"Where's the shuttles to the night terminal like this, ma'am?"

"It's important you take a shower first, I'm out for a minute."

I saw my mother coming out of the house and I rushed to the bathroom. I decided to wear a pantsuit and a loose top, my four-to-five-month-old pregnancy was becoming more visible.

"Rum you accompany Mr. Parminto in the living room, I want to get ready first."

Mr. Parminto is our close neighbor. The person is nice, it also happens to have a car rented out to villagers who need transportation.

"For Mbak Rumi," the man is fat with a fat stomach, typical of the appearance of chartered driver.

I took a seat in front of him, "morning Mr. Par," I replied.

"Pak Parminto wants coffee, I make coffee."

"You can Rum."

This morning it is important to coffee first because we will travel far. Prevent sleepiness coming as long as we go to the funeral home.

"Sorry you mas Par, just coffee, no partner. Kendel coffee, there's no way we can make an instant fried banana anyway."

"Wes ndak not bother mbakyu, if it is ready we just leave, the hunt is hot."

"Where's the coffee?"

"Yes ma'am, this is to be brought to the front."

"If you have, we leave directly, Mas Par," it is better not to waste time.

"Yes it's monggo."

The three of us left at dawn. This is the life in the village, we never mind to talk to each other, no matter the time, we are ready twenty-four hours selflessly to help anyone in need.

Our four-hour journey was smooth. Our morning prayers were on the way, stopping briefly at one of the mosques we met. We had breakfast in the car. For Mr. Parminto, let him eat breakfast later after we arrive at the destination, it was at his request.

Arriving at the funeral home, the atmosphere is not so crowded. A little wonder in my heart, is it possible that the body of my future son has been buried?

Mom held my hand tight. Entering the door of the house, I did not see Mas Han anywhere.

"Rum" only the father greeted us.

"Forgive Rumi" I kissed the back of your hand. He hugged me warmly and patted me on the back several times while whispering the word, "keep your son well nduk."

"So sir," I nodded.

"My hand sing ayu dewe teapot, hmmm.hebat, kok wani kowe mrene, kene ora family need kowe Rum, ra do pretentious kowe, sad ass."

[my most beautiful man came, hmmm.great, how dare you come, the family here does not need you Rum, do not be pretentious, sad pretentious].

I was surprised by the welcome mom got out of the room, but no longer surprised by the talk. If I used to be silent I consider it a form of devotion, if now my silence is a form of my abandonment of the existence of mother.

"Mom!!" the loud voice of the father made the mother close her mouth, a new thing that had never been seen, the father could make the mother silent and then walk back into the room while pouting.

The other thing that kept me from getting hooked was my mother who was standing next to me and was holding my hand showing incredible calm.

She chose to sit next to him, so I followed her. I just plainly heard my mom and dad talking to each other.

"How did kang mas besan happen?"

"I also don't understand jeng, Sekar made his own decision, scheduled the operation did not say Nehan, the doctor is also not a family doctor, the hospital is also we do not know, Nehan said, we know on the phone the hospital baby is dead, has been purified and stay buried. Nehan alone could not see his son. Only me and my mom saw. We wanted to wait until Nehan came, but Sekar insisted on being buried immediately, pitying his son he said."

"Didn't Sekar say what his cause of death was?"

"The word of the hospital, because of an infection originating from his umbilical cord, the bacteria are evil so it only takes a few hours to die immediately."

"Assalamualaikum," I immediately turned my head, I knew it was Mas Han's voice.

Sure enough, he came, his clothes were still the same as the ones he had worn yesterday, he looked even more disheveled and shabby, seemingly untouched by the bathwater. I saw mom asking permission without a sound, when mom nodded I immediately stood up.

"Father, Rumi would like to accompany Mas Han for a moment."

The father nodded, "don't listen to Han's mother talking nonsense Rum."

Mas Han stopped at the door, the years that linked our hearts made our bodies reflex each other. I reached out and Mas Han greeted him warmly.

We walked around to enter Han's old room. Being in the room, my heart was pounding, the scent of Mas Han's body was pouring out filled the room. Nothing has changed in this room, the photos on display are the same, our wedding photos. The cupboard position, the couch, everything stays the same.

Mas Han threw himself on the sofa, I approached and sat by his side. His hands clasped my body, my husband hid his head in my chest, his breathing grew heavier, then I heard a slow sobs and shaky shoulders.

I greeted her body and gave her a hug to calm down. My head looked up to prevent my tears from dripping out. This time it was not my turn to cry.

"I'm sorry Rum, I'm not a good father, I lost the baby we once looked forward to. There are a lot of plans that I have made for the three of us and our two children" he said, hiding his head.

"Brand first mas," I took off his embrace, he still lowered his head when our bodies came off, I opened the closet and took clothes to change.

Mas Han's hand I took, I pulled slightly forcing him to stand up. Pushing her slowly towards the bathroom.

"Finished shower I'll shave your sideburns," there was no reply but Mas Han finally entered the bathroom.

I waited patiently while again observing the room. This means that Sekar has never spent the night in this room. Did he never spend the night? or if he stays overnight he sleeps in the guest room?

Mas Han came out with a fresher body. He was just wearing a towel to cover his lower body. My heart was pounding violently, I twisted my body so as not to see the scene that was now plastered in front of me.

"Why is his shirt not worn, was it taken to the bathroom?"

"Forgot."

Forgot..forget? had he intentionally done this to lure me, I glanced at the door about to escape, only to approach Mas Han's foot door first until and lock the room door, when a "click" sound was heard" it felt like my heart was falling to the bottom of my stomach.

"Why do you turn your back on me Rum, I'm still your husband right?!" there was a heavy, hunting breath, a low-pitched voice, a voice that I recognized when I was passionate.

"There's a lot we have to finish first, especially for me, I can no longer tolerate the words my mother says."

"Tlck..." Mas Han clucked, "it's our lives, we should have arranged," I saw the towel thrown on the floor near my feet, he deliberately, my inner self.

"Can we really manage our own lives?" my heart was pounding, I heard footsteps approaching, and I walked forward toward the wall to get away.

"Reverse Rum, are you afraid I'll rape you? or will you who are not confident be able to reject me?"

Both mas—and of course that sentence I didn't get out of my mouth.

"Not both," I took a breath, convinced myself, and then I turned my body but my eyes were still closed.

"Hahaha..you comfort me, when my heart is breaking, what are you doing? open your eyes Rum."

I opened one side of my eye slowly. The blurry shadow appears. I moved my eyeballs down looking in the faint whether Mas Han's lower body was covered—and it was indeed closed.

I cleared my throat, "ehm." and immediately opened my eyes wide.

"You're funny, now you're more attractive because you dare to argue with me, not like you used to."

Mas Han held out a set of shavers to my hand, we headed for the sink. Mas Han took a chair and I stood in front of him. His hands hugged my waist, his lips kissed my stomach a few times.

"Hello baby, we'll see you again. Today I'm sad because your brother died, "I'm silent, my hands are busy preparing the shaver and waiting for Mas Han to look up, "but I'm also happy because today I can hug you," without excuse Mas Han hugged my stomach and clasped his hands around my waist.

I saw the top of his head, his sadness made me feel sorry, I put the shaver in my hand, I bought the top of his head.

"You must be strong."

"Yes I know, because there will be another son who needs his father," for a while I let my husband embrace my belly. Apparently my son was happy to meet his father, I felt my stomach move surging a few times, I smiled happily.

Suddenly there was a bang on the door, "Rum.ayo, don't stay in the room together."

Ah.. Apparently my singa was worried I couldn't help myself. Okay, mom, I'm going out.

...***...