My wife Kuntilanak
Chapters 14. Nay!

"Why don't you know, if you get sick again?"

Satya sat on the edge of the bed, massaging her father-in-law's arm. The sixty-year-old man's face looked pale and haggard. His lips were chapped like he was drinking less. Satya could not bear to see him living alone in this house.

"Father is just a normal fever, really. Why-why not?" reply Mr. Shaman with a small smile on his face.

"Fever is sick too, sir. I am now a son of Father. Don't worry if there's something. Laksmi now has HP, sir."

Whether it's a scolding, a reprimand, or just a small talk, but Mr. Shaman is happy to hear it. It was like having another child, after decades of solitude.

"Kata Laksmi Father likes rawon. While here earlier, we bought rawon in a famous restaurant. Eat first, yes. Abis is taking medicine."

Pak Dukun could not answer, Satya had twisted his body and talked to his wife. "Please prepare a meal for Father Yes, Dek. Just bring it here," said Satya.

Laksmi obeyed her husband's orders. He rushed to the kitchen and prepared lunch for the man who was lying weakly on the bed.

When Laksmi's back disappeared behind the door, Pak Dukun pulled Satya's arm, as if telling her to come closer. Satya obeyed him. The young man moved closer to his father-in-law.

"Ehem! Earlier I apologized, if all this time I lied. But you have to be honest," whispered Mr. Shaman, as if this conversation is a secret for both of them.

"Honest about what, sir?" whispered Satya anyway.

"On Laksmi. She was actually ..."

The words stopped in the middle. Pak Dukun's mouth agape without being moved. Of course, the sudden situation made Satya panic.

"Sir?" satya said as she rubbed her father-in-law's arm.

Pak Dukun looked at his son-in-law with his eyebrows linked. His mouth had clenched, but it moved again without a sound. It seemed like he wanted to say something stuck in his throat. I don't know why his voice suddenly disappeared. His eyes also glared towards the back of Satya.

The young man who was still a newlywed was also looking back. There's no one there. Only Pak Dukun could see a pale figure covered in blood, which floated behind Satya.

"A single word about me coming out of your mouth, then it's not just the fever you're feeling. But it will stroke to mute forever."

The threat of the creature makes the courage of Mr. Shaman ciut. His mouth was back together. His jaw moved slowly, as he gulped down the saliva violently.

"Mother why? Need drink? Or I take it to the doctor, yes," said Satya increasingly anxious.

The young man got up from where he was sitting, and reached into his pants pocket to retrieve the car keys. But suddenly Mr. Shaman held back his daughter-in-law's movements, and asked him to sit back. His head nodded indicating he was fine.

"So, is it really okay?" ask Satya to make sure.

"It's okay, son." Pak Dukun finally made a sound, although it sounded raucous. The old man then changed his sleeping position to sit leaning. "On the secret earlier, in fact you have not dared to eat meat for a long time, because you are afraid of high blood. But I'm not telling the same story Laksmi," he said.

Kening Satya wrinkled. "Don't you just want to talk about Laksmi's secret?" thought.

When Pak Dukun opened his mouth again to say, Laksmi also came with a bowl of rawon, complete with rice and warm water. Mr. Shaman also canceled his intention to speak.

"Well, the rawon has come. Eat first, sir. I'm a bribe" said Satya. He took over the tray containing the lunch and fed his father-in-law.

"Father can eat alone, son," said Mr. Shaman after the first bribe.

"It's okay. Let you eat it" Satya said with a smile.

Satya gave a small laugh seeing the spoiled attitude of her in-laws. "If you promise to spend this food continue to take medicine, we will eat together" said Satya.

"Yes, I promise" he said.

Without feeling her tears melt. For a long time, he did not get this kind of attention. If there are neighbors who visit him, most just deliver food or invite him to chat.

"Dek, bring his lunch here" Satya said.

"Yes, Mum." The man returned to the kitchen and brought two rice dishes and a bowl of rawon.

"Lho, how do you eat both of them? Was she full?" ask Mr. Shaman.

"Enough, Sir. We were on the way too, snacking fried food" Satya replied.

After eating, Satya helped her in-laws take medicine, wiped her body with a wet cloth, and then tidied up the restroom. Laksmi washes dishes in the kitchen.

Pak Dukun trenyuh saw Satya's attitude that was so polite to him. The young man looked deftly taking care of the old man.

His desire to tell Satya the truth is getting bigger. But the figure floating behind Satya's back, made him speechless.

"Remember your promise, Mr. Shaman," whispered the figure, flaunting his rows of pointed, blood-filled teeth.

...***...

Laksmi placed two cups of warm jasmine tea on the guest table. He then sat down next to Satya, who was busy checking his HP. It seems like he was chatting with someone. Occasionally the man rubbed his open arms, to ward off the cold from the gusts of wind.

"I think we'll go home waiting for the rain to stop. Mr. Damar said the river in front of the village overflowed," Satya said as he yawned.

"Oh, yeah. It's also noon, really," Laksmi replied.

The weather this afternoon is very supportive to stay indoors. It was still at one o'clock in the afternoon, but it was dark out there, because of the black clouds rolling in the sky. Plus the stomach is full, making the eyelids heavier.

Throwing away boredom, Satya also observed every corner of this country house. The design is not much different from the houses in general. It looks modern and is made of bricks. Its cemented walls, still retain their original color, which is dark gray.

The ceiling of the house is full of spider webs. Likewise between the ventilation windows. This house has not been cleaned for a long time.

Suddenly, Satya remembered something. "Which room are you in, Dek? Maybe we can rest there this afternoon?" ask Satya.

"Huh? Oh? Rooms?" Laksmi looked surprised until both of her eyes grew bigger. "My room must be dirty dusty. It is not comfortable to rest there," he added stuttering.

Satya frowned. "But haven't you stayed a week?" said it.

"Yeah. But here is very dirty quickly, especially the dry season," said Laksmi.

"Hm? Though said Mr. Damar, it always rains here. Is he ashamed to show his room unkempt? But during my stay at my house, she always painstakingly cleaned up, really."

"Then we clean it together" Satya asked.

"Don't, Mas!"

(Connected)