MYFATHER
Episode 7's
“I also did not expect you to be so friendly to parents.” replied Mirna who smiled amusedly found Yudi's position.
Just realized his attitude looks like he was threatening, hastily released the old man's arm, ”This is not what it looks like.I'm just talking to this father.”.
“You want me to sit there?” Mirna whispered then pointed at the bench that was on the right end. “I don't want to be alone.”
Yudi looked at the old man and smiled, “Excuse me but this girl needs me this time.”
The service walked solemnly. The priest gave a short sermon that miraculously did not allow Yudi to evaporate boredom, followed by communion as a sacrament of consolation, one by one the ones in the room came forward to receive the bread of communion. Mirna observed the entire activity with awe. The girl seemed to enjoy the worship to refrain from asking this, when clearly she wanted to do it.
The most heartwarming part was when the priest gave communion bread to Stella Felds and the woman cried for some time before she could eat the bread she was part of. It is still difficult for the woman to accept the fact that she has just lost a baby in her womb.
”The strength of the Lord may accompany the family left behind, in the name of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.” The priest ended the prayer by making a sign of the cross which was followed by everyone in the room.
”I just found out that you have three Gods, similar to the Hindu gods; Brahma, Shiva, and Vishnu. How do you choose it?”
”Nothing to choose because the Trinity is actually one.”
”One how?”mirna's eyebrows shot up. “You heard yourself, didn't the man mention three names just now?”
Suddenly Yudi felt himself so stupid, all this time he was so used to what had been conditioned on him, something his parents had emphasized since childhood without any chance for him to question it. It only took one simple question from Mirna which made her realize that she knew nothing at all about him, but to kink from the sense of prestige Yudi hurriedly responded, ”Ya, anyway one. Explaining it takes a long time. Can't be in a while ago.”
”Then sometime we should take the time for it..”.
”Really?” Yudi did not expect Mirna to answer like that. It was not an original answer, from the look in his eyes Yudi caught a tremendous thirst for such an explanation. Pure thirst and making Yudi less aware of himself is not the right source to explain it.
“Why not?” Mirna smiled nodding.
“Because..” Yudi whispered with a sharp gaze that led to people throughout the room. There's no way Mirna didn't understand the code. But seeing the girl will continue to insist if she does not give a satisfactory explanation even though the consolation service is ongoing, Yudi finally nodded to finish. “Alright, I'll explain at a later time.”
“Of course,” Mirna nodded and went back to following the course of the ceremony.
The consolation service was over and the guests came home one by one after greeting the host. Mrs Felds seems to have been better able to control themselves although still not so strong standing for long because it has not had enough strength. Faintly Yudi saw the legs of the beautiful woman was a little trembling, although he could force a smile in order to return sympathy from the position and condolences given by the guests.
Mirna said to Yudi, “You're in a hurry?”
“Ngak. Why?”
“Wait, yes! I want to help others clean up first, after that we go home.” Yudi was stunned to hear that, not immediately answered because he was confused by some things that were later revealed by Mirna herself. “Why is your face like that? You're confused on the part I'm getting sorted out or because I'm taking you home?”
“Two,” Yudi replied.
“I explain later. Not long, kok..” Mirna blinked her eyes. “...wait another fifteen minutes yes.”
The young man decided to go out to the terrace, breathing the night air accompanied by cigarettes while waiting was certainly a pleasant thing. Rick Felds is a lucky guy, or maybe that's the fate of foreign workers in this country, they got the best things. The high salary is unquestionable, and it includes the official house that the company provides as an additional facility for the worker.
Yudi is not sure other employees with the equivalent level of Felds can get a service house as good as this, which faces a clear lake surrounded by trembesi trees that slowly blend with the forest in the southeast region. The forest behind the Felds' official house looks dark and mysterious at night but during the day it provides a beautiful view with a refreshing green hue.
He had just started smoking, when the back door opened and Rick Felds walked out of it, joining him on the porch. The grieving host only realized Yudi's presence when he was standing next to him, “Oh, hi...Yudi. Nice to see you here. When did you come?” he asked a little doubt.
“Since the ceremony started,” Yudi continued his colleague's speech. This man really lost attention to everything, but when he came to this house clearly he had time to greet Rick and his wife, Stella, before sitting down to worship.
Felds nodded, “I see. Thanks for coming.”
Yudi looked at the foreign man sympathetically while his brain was trying to choose the words carefully, “I’m sorry for your lost. This incident is really unpleasant.”
Rick smiled blandly before replying with an East Coast accent that sounded strange when used to pronounce the Indonesian language., “Cannot be described the heart of Stella and I at this time.”.
“It must be like a dream that was snatched away..”
“How can the baby come out of his womb?” muttered Rick.
“So it is usually a miscarriage..” said Yudi slowly.
“Yudi,” cut Rick in a sharp tone because Yudi did not understand the meaning. “Stella is not a miscarriage.”.
“What do you mean?” tanya Yudi looked at the clingy Felds.
“The baby...babyiku...what happened to Stella was not a miscarriage,” Rick Felds said tensely, so tense that his voice sounded like a choke.
“So I’ve heard!” Yudi nodded with an understanding expression. “They said it was an accident..” that was all that Yudi said even though he had heard Danu's story that some people thought it was because of a strange myth in this city, but he had no interest in discussing anything unfounded, let alone in front of grieving parents.
“There was something that took the baby from Stella's stomach.”
“Taking baby from his stomach? Rick, what are you talking about?” said Yudi.
“Sounds gla! I would also say the same if I did not experience it myself,”tone that came out of Rick Felds' mouth made Yudi sure this man did not pretend.
“How did it happen?” ask Yudi.
Felds puffed his cigarette deeply while looking at Yudi probing, “I'll tell you if you promise not to laugh at me.”
“I promise..” Yudi responded quickly.
***