My student's my future husband?
Episode 123

A jet of orange chime violet was painted over the sky this afternoon. The birds chanced to flap their wings, flying towards each other's nests. Various solid vehicles fill the road that increasingly feels narrow. Ajeng returns to his parents' house to pick up Arsene.

The woman was lucky to have met her great friends, so the burden felt during this time was slightly reduced. Especially with Sita who is very good at joking when they are together, a side of personality that he never raised when he was in the clinic. They were made to laugh, to the extent that Karin had to say Istighfar several times worried that her heart would become hard, he said.

Ferdian's black sedan car entered the courtyard of a classic-style house. Ajeng carries a creamy plastic bag containing a box of truffle chocolate cake for his parents. Papa Ajeng is very fond of chocolate cake, lucky there is no history of diabetes at the age of twilight.

“Mommy...” cried Arsene whose mouth was purplish because he was drinking dragon fruit juice.

“Haiii..” Ajeng immediately carried his son, so that Arsene's mouth did not stick to his pants or clothes.

“Mwuaah..” Arsene even nosy kiss his mommy cheek, and leave a trace of purplish stains on his cheek.

“Aah, Acen! Mommy's cheeks become purple!” namel Ajeng wiped his cheeks with his hands.

Arsene grinned, revealing his small, neat teeth. Mom and Dad were there laughing.

“Arsene prank also yes?” papa sahut.

“Iya looks like his daddy if it is,” reply Ajeng looking for a piece of tissue.

“But Ferdian it if silent is not visible, even a cold and cold kayak,” said papa again.

“He did, Pa. On campus is also like that, let alone the same foreign girl, where there is friendly!” tukas Ajeng wiped his cheeks after successfully finding a tissue on the dining table.

“Good, it's called self defense aka self defense from a man. Anticipation let the women not approach.”

Ajeng sat next to his father, wiping his son's mouth.

“But the first time I entered her class, she wasn't the same as me.”

“That's because he already has a crush on you.”

“Yes anyway!”

“But good, papa trusts him. So you don't have to worry too much as long as he's in America.”

“Iya.”

Papa peeked at the box that Ajeng put on the table. The handsome face of his papa was sparkling when he saw there were some brown circles with various toppings on it. A sharp and sweet brown fragrance directly pierced his nose. Papa took a with topping almonds.

“You don't miss him?” ask me with my mouth busy chewing.

“I can never sleep, Pa!” answer Ajeng honestly, after he washed his hands.

“So how dong?”

“Yes I have to be busy until I am really tired of sleeping.”

Papa smiled at his youngest daughter, as big as it was his son's love for Ferdian. In the past, he fainted when betrothed to the man.

“For example, if it turns out Ferdian was placed by his father abroad, how? You want to come?” ask papa looking seriously at his son.

Ajeng was stunned by his papa question. He knew that his father-in-law had many subsidiaries that were not only in Indonesia, but abroad. With Ferdian having finished training, it was not impossible for his father-in-law to put him anywhere.

Then what about the career he built so far, his ambition to continue higher education for the professionalism of his career? He hadn't thought that far at all. After getting married and having Arsene, there was indeed his intention to continue his S3 studies abroad. Only he was still hesitant, could he still be a good mother and wife?

“Jeng, are you okay?” ask papa to spread his mind.

“Yes!”

“Do not answer now, dear! Papa wants you to think about this and think about your future. Ferdian is still very young and his career is arguably already good. Naturally, his father would very much expect him to help in his many companies. Not impossible, he could instead lead his father's company.”

“Papa just wants to see you happy with everything you choose yourself. Your career and ideals so far, can you make your child and husband happy too? Consider it all well. A long distance relationship is not healthy for the household. Learn from what happened to papa first, it is enough that you see this as an example that is not good.”

Ajeng widened his eyes. He did not understand what his father meant.

“What happened to Papa?” tanyakanya.

Papa sighed.

“You know, the man whose name is the most important need is biological needs. Papa is an ambitious person and has a great desire, different from your mother. Our personalities are contrary. When you used to work in Kalimantan, you were still in elementary school. Papa can only come home once a year to see you. Papa's great desire, sometimes make papa stress easily but papa can not channel it. That's when papa looked for a mistress.”

Ajeng's heart gasped.

“Papa once betrayed mom. Without telling him, papa married the woman there secretly.  Somehow eventually, your mama can figure this out. But papa realized, papa was wrong. Papa didn't bring you all along. Your mother begged to come along. Lucky mom still wants to accept Papa. After a month of marrying Siri, papa divorced the woman and decided to return to Bandung and finally met your excellent in-laws.”

Ajeng is stunned by the life story of his parents he never knew.

“Papa want the story that happened to us first, do not let you experience it. Loyalty is very expensive. You as a wife should be able to be a robe for the husband anywhere, anytime. Can warm, can also give coolness. You have to trust each other, and be open. Do not let you hide the slightest problem. Put aside your ego, and don't feel one of the more elevated.”

Ajeng's eyes glazed over. He tried to understand what his father said. Indeed, to learn and understand the household is not a year or two years, but a lifetime. He recalled when Ferdian had said it at the time of their first conversation. Even that was never thought of. Everyone can make mistakes, then forgive mistakes, and correct what has happened.

The cry that had been contained in his eyes, finally burst out flooded his glittering cheeks. Papa hugged the youngest daughter he loved. She knew that her son was fragile because he was far away from her husband. He also knew that his son's ego and tough attitude still dominated their household. During this time many Ferdian succumbed to all his wife's wishes, and it was never realized by Ajeng, except in this day.

“I miss Ferdian, Pa!” he said lirih while as much as he pleased.

Papa rubbed his back.

“Patience, Son! It's a test for you, once you get through this, your loyalty and Ferdian will be tested.”

“But I'm not strong to last long without him.”

“Patience, Dear! Pray with God, it will strengthen you. Suspended miss will be delivered.”

Ajeng removed himself from his papa's embrace. He wiped his tears. Arsene played on the carpet. Seeing her mommy's reddish face, she went up to him.

“Mommy crying?” ask her with her face.

His grandfather immediately grabbed him.

“Your mommy is missing your daddy so much (Mommy you miss your daddy!” replied his grandfather.

Arsene jumped to the floor and looked for something. Seen her mommy's bag, then reached into it.

A silver flat box object is held by him, then given to mommy.

“We call daddy!” he said he held Ajeng's arm.

Ajeng smiled at Arsene's spontaneous behavior that was sympathetic to him.

“Thank you, my sweetheart!” he hugged and kissed Arsene.

“Before dear, mommy would like to remove tears first.”

“Ajeng, don't pretend in front of him. Show me what he should have seen,” his papa said.

“I don't want him to be burdened by my condition, Pa!”

Papa could only appreciate what his daughter's choice was. Then Ajeng put concealer and powder on his face. He also smeared his lip cream. He walked into the backyard while guiding Arsene.

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The dark sky still covers Chicago. The wind felt strong sounding at the height of the building, entering through small cracks and whistling. Chicago is famous as “The Windy City” aka Windy City. The wind in the city was strong enough to blow every year.

Ferdian tightened the blanket cloth all over his body. But apparently his closed eyes can not sleep anymore. He looked at the screen of his cell phone, then got up from his sleep. The man who always wore a thin sweater in his sleep walked to the bathroom.

His teeth chattered after he washed his face, it turned out that he had taken ablution water to perform tahajud prayer before dawn arrived. He wears his extra jacket. And then he laid out his prayer rug. His whole mind and heart were focused on the Owner of the Universe. His heart is honoured in every dhikr, hoping that the prayers offered can be delivered.

Her soul somehow felt stifled. Again the longing took a peek into the deepest recesses of his heart in this cold early morning. Nothing can warm except the thread of his prayer to the Owner of the Heart to convey the message of longing to his beloved wife.

Suddenly the vibration of his phone sounded great on the nightstand. Soon the man took it. His eyes sparkled, his prayers instantly granted. Ferdian turned on his room light and picked up the video call.

“Assalamu’alaikum,” greet the man.

“Wa’alaikumsalam. Hi Baby!” sapa Ajeng, his voice sounded vibrating, like holding something inside his tongue.

Ferdian smiled radiantly.

“Where are you?” asked Ferdian, looking at the scenery behind his wife's body which was set against the background of green plants.

“I'm at home papa.”

“Ooh, it was the same meeting with Karin and Doctor Sita?”

“Iya. But Arsene I tipped papa, so I picked up again.”

“Ooh... You just stay there, so it's not too quiet. Bi Asih also come, right?”

“Iya follow!”

“Hai daddy!” arsene interrupted both of his parents.

“Hello handsome, kiss daddy dong!”

Arsene did the usual thing he did. He kissed the screen of his phone.

“Mommy crying,” she said without burden, making Ajeng jerked because his son even told the incident earlier.

Ferdian surprised, “Ah, really?” tanyakanya.

Arsene nodded cutely.

“Okay, daddy wants to talk to mommy first huh?”

“Okay!” Arsene ran again to the middle room, where the toys that his grandfather had provided were scattered there.

“Really cry? I don't doubt Arsene anyway?” ask Ferdian.

He turned his eyes in the other direction. His eyes returned to tears. His heart trembled again withstanding the longing stored up all this time. Then he closed his eyes, his tears falling from there.

Ferdian who saw that also felt trembling.

“Why are you, honey? Any problem? Same story with me!"

Ajeng tried to hold back his cries, making his lips tremble.

Ferdian was still waiting for his wife's answer, staring with a look of pity.

“I miss you,” he said softly, he close his lips.

That answer made Ferdian's netra glow. He swallowed his saliva.

“Sorry, I can't lie to you. I need you,” said Ajeng again whose face looks red.

Ferdian raised his face to the ceiling, trying to hold back the pace of his tears. Her nose looks like a flower.

“I miss you too, Honey!”

He cried in front of his phone screen. Then the camera occasionally leads to something else that is not clear, because the woman is wiping her tears.

“I always say your name in my every prayer, that God may protect you,” Ferdian said. Of course it makes Ajeng cry even more.

“I want to meet you, I want to hug you,” said Ajeng shuddered.

Again Ferdian could only swallow his saliva. His throat felt like something was stuck there. His chest felt tight because of his burning longing.

“Sabar ya Darling, we'll see you in about 4 months. Hopefully it can be faster than that,” deliberately Ferdian make that wish so that his wife is no longer sad, even though he himself does not know.

“Iya I will always wait for you.”

“Call my name in your prayer huh? It's my prayer that our longing may be healed as long as we are far apart. You promise?”

“God willing, I promise!”

“Good, that’s my queen!” ferdian smiled.

Fortunately, the virtual meeting ended with a smile, even with high expectations that were equally placed on the Most High.

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Duh LDR tortured me >.<

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