NIGHT BUTTERFLY
#194
The crowing sound of the rooster aloud opened the silence of the morning. The sound of a broomstick that collides with the paving block of the yard and dried sugapubuya leaves, is heard among the pingai bird whistles that perch on the tree branches. Bi Aisyah and Munawarah both turned their heads when they heard the door slowly open. Sulastri smiled looking at the two who were sweeping in the courtyard of the house. The two retaliated by nodding their heads towards Sulastri. After looking for a moment to see the guard post that looks quiet, Sulastri chose to sit on the porch chair of the house. His eyes closed along with his long breath felt the fresh air blowing. But it was just for a moment. He opened his eyes again when his feet that touched the floor felt the grains of dust. It makes him feel uncomfortable. He sighed short and then got up. The broom that was leaning near the door was then taken away. He was seen starting to look down to clean the dust in the house. Seeing that, Munawarah immediately released his broomstick and ran small towards Sulastri.
"Mom, let me clean it up. You just sit down" said Munawarah, holding a broom in Munawarah's hand.
"Here you go on there. Let me clean the terrace, all sports," said Sulastri. Munawarah's hand held her and released her from the handle of the broom. Munawarah smiles. He stepped back.
"Jamila is not yet seen. Is he still sleeping?" sulastri. Munawarah who was about to leave to continue his work, turned back his body. He looked to the side.
Don't know either, Mom. I haven't seen him yet" Munawarah replied.
"Still sleeping maybe, Mom. Last night he had a chance to help auntie peel the onions," said bi Aisyah when she heard Sulastri ask Jamila.
Sulastri was silent for a moment. Brow shriveling. He smiles.
"Oh yeah, maybe he's exhausted. I didn't sleep last night with my mom" Sulastri said. He continued sweeping. Feeling that there was nothing that Sulastri would talk about anymore, Munawarah turned his body and returned to where he had swept.
Sulastri ran around in the yard after he finished sweeping the porch. The air this morning was so fresh. The breeze blowing breezes rolled up the sweat that started to come out of Sulastri's body. The multicolored flowers growing under the tabebuya tree caught Sulastri's attention. Yesterday he and Jamila had not finished inserting ornamental plants to replace dead plants. She likes the floral layout that Jamila arranged. With the sun not yet up, he felt it was good to call Jamila and continue the work that was not finished yesterday.
"Munawarah, you wake up Jamila. Say, called mother," said Sulastri. Munawarah. The broom in his hand rests on the trunk of the tabebuya tree. He rushed to Jamila's room.
Some time waiting, Munawarah looks back.
"Account, Munawarah. Is Jamila awake?" sulastri asked before Munawarah was really close to her.
"Nothing, Mom. Jamila wasn't in her room" Munawarah said. Sulastri frowned.
"There's no such thing. Have you been looking in her room?" ask Sulastri. His tone sounded agitated. His mind went straight to his conversation last night with Jamila. Sulastri.
"I've been looking for everything, Mom. There was nothing in the bathroom either" Munawarah said. Sulastri's heart is pounding. A mind that does not make his heart beat fast. He stepped closer to Munawarah.
"Come, let's find it again" Sulastri said. Munawarah's hand was held by him and invited him back to Jamila's room. Bi Aisyah who saw the two hurried to the side, immediately took off her broom. Curious, he decided to follow the two.
"Jamila, Jamila."
The sounds of calls alternated out from the mouths of Sulastri and Munawarah. There was no one in that room. Jamila was not in her place. Sulastri took Munawarah out of the room.
"What's wrong, Bu," said bi Aisyah when she saw Sulastri look anxious.
"Care, Bi. Not in his room. Try aunty looking in the kitchen" Sulastri said.
"I don't think he's ever been there, Mom. From earlier I swept in the same page Munawarah," said bi Aisyah. He glanced towards Munawarah asking for justification. Munawarah nodded his head.
"It's okay, aunt check again. Maybe Jamila went through the back of the house" Sulastri said. Bi Aisyah turned her body around, but turned around again.
"Before, ma'am," said bi Aisyah. He scrunched his forehead, like he was remembering something.
"If I'm not mistaken, last night Jamila borrowed money from me a hundred thousand. He said to buy a pad. Maybe Jamilanya came out looking for a kiosk," said bi Aisyah.
Sulastri. He sighed softly. But suddenly he held the hands of bi Aisyah and Munawarah and invited him to the guard post. He thought, if Jamila did come out, Bayan would know.
"Pak Bayan, get up," said bi Aisyah while shaking the body slowly of Pak Bayan who was sleeping on a long bench inside the guard post. Mr. Bayan rubbed his eyes. He stared as he slashed his eyes at bi Aisyah. Instead of waking up, Mr. Bayan covered his head with a blanket that covered part of his body.
"Loh, Mr. Bayan, let's get up. There is a mother" said bi Aisyah. Hearing the name Sulastri mentioned, Mr. Bayan immediately woke up. He smiled as he rubbed his eyes in embarrassment when he realized Sulastri was in front of him.
"Sorry, Mom. Sleepy," said Mr. Bayan blushed in embarrassment.
"It's okay, Mr. Bayan. I just want to know if Mr. Bayan knows where Jamila is," Sulastri said.
"He said he wanted to go out for dawn prayers. All of you want to buy pads, ma'am," said Mr. Bayan. He looked towards Sulastri.
"His Jamila hasn't come home yet, Mom?" asked Mr. Bayan when he saw Sulastri looking alternately towards Munawarah and bi Aisyah.
Sulastri gave a long sigh. His feelings that were not good since knowing Jamila was not in his room were apparently right. Seeing Jamila's expression that didn't seem to fully accept her story last night, further made her believe Jamila had already left the house.
"Munawarah, let's call Mr. Mustarah. Tell him to find Jamila. Maybe it's not far, yet" said Sulastri weakly. He turned his body and left the guard post. Bi Aisyah followed him from behind. While Munawarah immediately rushed to wake Mr. Mustarah.
Sulastri let out a short sigh as he threw his body on the porch chair of the house.
"What's up with Jamila, Mom. Mom seems so nervous. Maybe Jamila found a friend out there. Or maybe you want to relax for a while," said bi Aisyah. He wondered why Sulastri looked so bad.
"The whole story, Bi. But hopefully it's true what Aunt said. Let's hope Jamila comes home soon," Sulastri replied as she slightly mumbled a smile staring at Aisyah.
"Come, Bi. Aunt to the kitchen first. Prepare breakfast for Mr. Bayan" Sulastri said. Bi Aisyah nodded and got up. He then stepped into the kitchen.
* * * * *
The scorching sun stings. The air feels hot. The sun is right in the middle of the sky.
Jamila chose to sit under a roadside mahogany tree after ordering a cold drink at a stall not far from where she was sitting. He took a sitting position behind a tree, in the hope that motorists and motorists passing on the road could not see it. He was sure that at this time Sulastri would look for him. He didn't want anyone in the house to see him and finally bring him back.
It was too much for him to accept Rianti's wish. He felt he had become a traitor even though he only assented in his heart. It is inappropriate, he who has accompanied Rianti in joy and sorrow in prison will share a husband with Rianti. Even though once again, Rianti wanted it. She, who hopes that Rianti will make her a maid after her release from prison, wants her to be her husband's second wife. And he felt that he could not accept it at this time. After the dawn prayer, he tried to reflect. Until he decided to leave the house. Although at this time he felt confused looking for a place that he would go. If he had to go back to his village, it was a long way away. His hopes of returning to his hometown were already slim. There's no one he'll meet there. After all, he felt that the residents of his village would not accept his presence again. He has been labeled evil and damaged the village. And maybe the people there already thought it no longer existed.