
My fear has not subsided, I did not expect to see Mas Han again at least for today. Mbok Nah sat next to me restlessly. I'm sure my brother knows something.
"Now do you know something?" although I spoke, I did not distract myself from Ken's puffed cheeks, I pricked my son's cheeks with my fingers, his cheeks so soft.
The sound of heavy breathing pierced my ears. I turned to look at Mbok Well, "just tell me mbok, I'm ready to hear anything."
"I've promised to shut up Princess Ndoro, forgive me."
"Yes, I understand that loyalty is always Mbok Well look after," I refocused on Ken, "but he almost killed me mbok."
"Ken almost lost his mother," look at how strong this baby suckled, and it reduced my pain from the pain that came when my breast was full.
"At that time Ndoro Kakung was still a few years old, not even entering the five years when Ndoro Kakung came to the house."
I stopped playing Ken's drowsy cheeks and put my ears on to hear sentence after sentence that would slide off Mbok Nah's lips.
"He's a handsome and funny boy" Mbok Nah smiled as if reminiscing about that time.
My body slowly sways as my arm Ken, may he sleep better.
"But unfortunately he did not come alone Ndoro, the little boy came with a beautiful woman whom he called mother."
I stopped swinging my body. Raising his face and looking at Mbok Nah wholeheartedly. This middle-aged woman held deep sorrow in her eyes. Like the middle of unraveling the forgotten strands of time one after another.
"Ndoro was as old as the Princess left the house already a few days when the child came. I remember very well the woman he called the mother lowered her face until her chin touched her chest, perhaps out of fear or disbelief."
Ken was asleep, I laid him on the bed next to me. My hand patted my son's chest softly, so that he would know that I would always be there for him.
"Not long after that Ndoro sepuh Kakung came, spoke with a tone pressed on the woman and immediately held the little handsome in his arms. I still remember what Ndoro Kakung said back then."
Mbok Nah said one sentence with a lowered voice, "go to the place I provide, I will come there later."
Nah's breath again sounded heavy, "but unfortunately, Ndoro Putri Kakung came before the woman left."
"Ndoro was a princess approaching Ndoro Kakung's mother. The woman tried to smile as the princess Ndoro approached. But the smile disappeared as her hair was pulled roughly. The screams of Ndoro as old as Putri echoed throughout the main house. All swearing out of his mouth."
"Ndoro Kakung who is still in the arms of Ndoro sepuh Kakung cries as it happens, thrashing to ask to be lowered."
"Basar bitches, shameless women, women with no degree, pregnant with men's husbands, poor people who just target my husband's property through your children! that's what you want!"
"Such talismans kept sliding out of Ndoro's lips as old as the princess, her hands kept hitting, grabbing, doing all she could to hurt the woman and Ndoro Kakung saw it all."
"Ajeng..silence you!"
"When Ndoro yelled to his name, Ndoro Sepuh the new princess stopped. He lowered the little one from the sling, approached Ndoro as old as the Princess and slapped her face hard."
"At that time Ndoro's eyes were as old as princesses glazed but there was hidden anger, he ran back and came back with a big knife. It all happened so quickly, with one stab of the woman slumped in blood. All speechless, Ndoro Kakung yelled at his mother while crying. When the woman was taken to the hospital, she breathed her last. Ndoro was a princess standing with a knife full of blood in her hand."
"The little boy hugged his mother's body tightly, no one could let go of the tiny body except for the father."
"Why didn't anyone tell me?" my heart is broken hearing everything. How could a child of that age see his mother killed with her own eyes.
"The event was closed, so that Ndoro as old as Putri did not receive punishment, and the child never remembered everything again. He had received psychiatric treatment because of the incident, to the point that the child forgot everything, even he did not remember that he had another mother, the mother who gave birth to him."
"Where is the body of Mas Han's biological mother buried mbok Nah?" Mas Han must have never seen his mother's grave.
"In my father's rose garden?" many surprised. Maybe that's why I'm so happy to be there, I love the colorful roses in the garden.
"The woman has no family, the funeral in the house also aims to cover the events that occurred so as not to stick out."
I looked at Mbok Nah nanar, "it was so cruel that they mbok, they took the mother of a young child."
"Today's events remind me of that time. I am afraid that the old stored memory is actually still there and buried. Because since then Ndoro Kakung did not want to lose a single item of his. He would cry loudly and tantrums if any of his belongings were missing. As an adult he always said, it's better I don't have it in the first place than I have to lose it."
Mom came in when Mbok Nah finished telling me, "are you okay Rum?"
I nodded, my voice gone after I heard all the stories from Mbok Nah. I felt my mother-in-law's knife stab at my body.
"Nehan brought his father home. He kind of forgot what he did to you Rum. After realizing he was crying and forcing to come in and see you. He begged while kneeling in front of mother."
My eyes began to blur. My eyes were covered in dew that started to pool.
"Kang mas besan managed to calm him down and bring him home."
Now my snot is flooding out because I am holding back tears. I raised a face that had been bowed to look at Ken in his quiet sleep, his tiny chest rising and falling regularly.
"Shrot.hiks.hiks," I opened my arms, mother approached me then hugged me tightly, "what should I do mother...The Hua...Hua.." My tears broke.
"Hush.don't be so loud when you cry, worry about disturbing Ken, he can wake up to hear your voice."
"I feel sorry for Mas Han, but I can't live with him anymore Mom...The Hua...Hua.." how's this.how's this.
"Ishtighfar, calm yourself, shut up."
"I can't keep quiet Mom.I feel sorry for Mas Han, but I'm also afraid of Hua...Hua..."
"There's a mother, father-in-law and your friends, don't cry anymore."
"Hua...The Hua...Hua," mother patted my back gently.
"Rumi loves mom, Hua...The Hua...Hua... Never stay in Rumi Bu, wait for Rumi to get old...Rumi needs mom, Hua..."
"Shhh.. I know."
For a while I was unwilling to let go of mom, after a little calm new mom let go of her embrace. It took me a few hours until I could shut up and neutralize my heart. I have to close this story, the same as Mbok Nah did for many years. Seeing her reaction to me, who knows what Mas Han would do to the mother who took care of her if she remembered.
Mbok nah has not budged, "Ndoro princess is fine?" worry was so apparent on the face of this middle-aged woman.
"Hopefully yes, now how should I mbok? I was afraid that what I would do would trigger something like that. Endanger my life and my son."
Why is my brother silent, if he who knows Mas Han all his life can not answer how I am.
"Hopefully Ndoro knew what to do at that time."
Today I feel like my body is being carried away in a very deep black hole. Life can be unpredictable like this. A handsome man who I once thought was so perfect turned out to have a strange life. A black history that even he himself was unaware of.
...***...