Not Just a Promise
Bring Two of Your Friends
Nehta closed the door to Hanifah's room, she knew, what Reyhan needed right now was calm. He saw Reyhan sitting his weight on the end of the bed.
His gaze swept over the room where Hanifa was resting from her fatigue. His messy state, made him no longer able to stem his tears. If the aged woman had seen him, there would have been a long lecture, coming out of her mouth. Because her grandmother is a person who always wants to look neat with anything.
Standing still, in front of Reyhan, Nehta pulled the man's body into his arms. So Rehyan's face met directly with Nehta's stomach, because of his position sitting, while Nehta was still standing.
“Taa... Grandma, Ta.”
Reyhan's voice choked in his throat, aching, stifling, crystal twisters crammed out of his eye sockets.
“Cry as much, Rey. Release all your loads.”
Nehta felt Reyhan's two hands start to circle around his waist, his sobs sounding bitter in his sense of hearing. His face was already wet from his tears.
Reyhan's cry began to subside, the man unraveled his embrace. His outstretched palm erased the remnants of sadness on his face.
“We pray first.” Sluggishly.
Nehta and Reyhan came out of Hanifah's room, heading for Reyhan's upstairs room. I don't know when the last time Reyhan entered this room. Because he goes back to his apartment more often.
Reyhan entered the bathroom first, while Nehta waited her turn.
A few minutes later, both were ready to carry out their duties. Want to know where Nehta got the mukena? The answer is his face that was left here. Yes, sometimes Nehta came to this house to meet or accompany Hanifa.
For so long, it was not until today that Nehta prayed together with Reyhan. Because never before.
Finished praying Reyhan turned himself towards Nehta, extending his hand to salim by his wife.
“You don't mind if we stay here tonight?”
“Neither.”
...*****...
Reyhan's family gathers for dinner, still in a state of grief at the loss. Moreover, Reyhan who most felt lost the figure of Hanifah, he himself was very sorry, when he always refused the invitation to dinner together.
His heart and mind rejected the taste of the food he was chewing at this time, but his body needed energy to simply remember his friendship with the grandmother.
“Gosh. I think I'm eating at the graveyard.” Rasti complained, stopping his eating by putting a spoon roughly.
“Rasti!” Haris's Sweat.
“I'm done.” Rasti got up from the dining table.
“Pardon your sister-in-law, yes Nehta.”
“Nothing, well.”
“Rey, are you still going out of town? Can't you delay it first?”
Out of town? What's the business? Nehta looked at the man who had become her husband.
“Can't, yeah. Faster is better, I do not want to take too long to let the rats harm the company.”
“Take your wife, Rey. You are newlyweds.”
Haris and Reyhan never spoke from heart to heart, as father and son. But at least Haris is trying to regrow his son's trust, after the wounds he once gave.
“No well, the atmosphere there is not conducive. After all, Nehta must also be busy with boutique affairs.”
Though, even if Reyhan took her away, he was sure that the woman would refuse. Because Reyhan knows, his marriage relationship is not based on love.
“By the way about boutique.”.
“Why?” Haris looked at his wife, waiting for the woman who had given birth to his daughter to continue her words.
“Mom's color is no, can you manage it?” Persuade the Goddess with her seducing voice.
If in front of her husband, the Goddess always called herself Mother. Another, if there is no Haris.
Nehta was aghast at Reyhan's voice which sounded resolute and unwilling to be rebutted.
“Lho why? What's wrong if the mother who runs the boutique is Rey?”
“Grandma entrusts the boutique to Nehta, if you forget.”
“That's when your grandmother still has Reyhan.” Dewi began to raise her tone, because furious with the attitude of the child, he continued.
“Granny's grave is not even dry yet.”
“Already.... already... We better rest.”
Today passed so long, Haris did not want to get dizzy with the debate of his son and wife. The man pulled his wife's hand away from the dinner table, leaving Reyhan and Nehta.
“Rey..”.
“I'm tired, Ta. We better rest.”
Maybe next time, I'll talk to Reyhan. Indeed, even if aunt Dewi wants to manage her boutique. I don't mind at all, because the boutique is not my right. Inner Nehta.
Both of them sleep in the back position. No, they did not sleep, but just closed their eyes. Both dissolve in each other's minds, until drowsiness is inevitable.
As per what was talked about last night, Reyhan was preparing to go out of town. But Reyhan went home to the apartment first, only then did he drive his wife to the boutique.
During this time, Nehta did live in an apartment together with Azka. He spends more time in the shop. Although it is shaped shophouse, but the place is so spacious for boutiques on the first floor and also a resting place for Nehta on the upper floor if it is overtime.
“Ah... I forgot.” Nehta brushed off the eel slowly.
“If aunt Dewi takes over this boutique, can I, Rizki and Vienna still work here?”
Given the attitude of the Goddess so far, Nehta was sure that her husband's stepmother would never allow herself to continue working here. But Nehta hopes that his two best friends can still work there.
Her thoughts returned to her marital status with Reyhan. During her life, there was absolutely no shadow of being the wife of her own best friend.
But that does not mean, his marriage is considered playful. The principle of his life is the same as Reyhan, married once in a lifetime. It's just that, maybe for now, he just followed the fateful path leading him where.
Nehta opened her laptop, looking for a place to open a new boutique. It's okay even though small, the important thing is that he already has a plan, if one day Dewi takes over the boutique in his club.
“Gibran has absolutely no news, is he angry?” Nehta saw the notification of his phone, not a single message came from Gibran.
Nehta had just wanted to send a message to Gibran, but his sense of hearing caught a noise from outside his room.
Hurry him out, to ascertain the source of the uproar that occurred.
“Tante Goddess, Rasti.” The name came out of Nehta's lips.
“Sorry, Ta.” Chick Rizki.
“Nothing, Riz. Continue your work.”
“You must be the one who told them to make me banned from entering.” Rasti said while pointing right in front of Nehta's face.
“No, Race. Let's talk inside.”
“Ndon't need. I came here just to say, from now on I will manage this boutique. So, you need to get out of here!” Say the Goddess with pride.
“Love me time aunt. There are still some unfinished designs. I'm still..”
“You don't have to worry. I can go ahead and finish everything.” Cut Rasti with confidence.
“But..”.
“You tulli?” Pekik Goddess.
“Ba-good aunt.”
“Don't forget, bring your two friends. I don't like them!”