Not the Dream Son-in-law

Not the Dream Son-in-law
Rido and Airin


"Dek, tomorrow morning Mother tell you to go to her house," said Bang Rozi when he just entered the house. In her husband's hands was a black crackle.


I'm nodding. I know for sure at the end of Ramadan like this, my mother-in-law asked me to make a cake.


"That's what, Bang?" tanyaku.


"It's green bean porridge, Dek. Make a certificate of the children of Mother," answered my husband while giving the crackle to me.


I also welcomed the crackle from my husband's hands. It's cold, like it just came out of the fridge. I immediately opened it, it turned out that the porridge was filled with a bushel. I opened that bushel too. The coconut slurry has been clumped and floats on the surface of the porridge sauce.


"Burried yesterday," I said.


"What, Deck?" ask husband.


"Eh, no. When do you make porridge, Bang. It looks good" I replied quickly.


"No idea, just now when Mom took the porridge I just waited outside."


"Oo.." I nodded, I understood that the porridge must have been left over yesterday because it was not finished, Mother gave it to us.


My in-laws often do that. Sending us leftovers, because Bang Rozi and I lived a very poor life and had many children. So, my mother seemed to think we were a dumping ground for food scraps from her.


When breaking my children scramble around the food I have provided. My son of four is almost as big as two years apart. I taught them all to fast and only the youngest was five years old, who fasted for only half a day.


They were excited to see the green bean porridge that I had copied into the glass. Yes, maybe because of fasting and also indeed we very rarely eat well like that.


Since the porridge had only four glasses, my husband relented for the sake of his children. He only opens with water.


My youngest son left a little porridge in his glass while his brothers had all gone down. I also tasted the rest of the porridge. I think it's kind of asem. I was pensive for a moment, after tasting the porridge my in-laws gave me.


The name of coconut milk food, even if stored in the refrigerator, although it does not smell and looks still good. But, it must have changed.


Seeing the expression on my face, Bang Rozi looked at me in surprise.


"What's up, Deck?" askinya.


"There's nothing, Bang," I replied slowly.


Yes, I had to lie because I didn't want my husband to be angry or disappointed in his mother. Bang Rozi could meet my in-laws later, and the relationship between mother and child would be strained, not to mention that my in-laws would blame me and say I instigated Bang Rozi to get angry with him, as it already is.


In my heart I just pray that the porridge my children eat will not be a disease for them.


_____________________


After some time at home I went to my mother's house between by my husband. My mother-in-law's house is in the village next door. My children leave everything at home, because later my mother will be dizzy and nagging to see the actions of my naughty children, he said.


"Eh, Yati long time ago you came," said my in-laws with a sour face, when I just got off the motorcycle.


"Yes, I'm sorry, Mom" I replied slowly.


Mom threw away my face as I passed her into the house.


"I left for work first, Mak." Then there was the sound of Bang Rozi's motorcycle moving away from this house.


I went straight to the kitchen, because it has become my habit since I became the daughter-in-law of this house. Dirty plates look piled up, it seems from breaking yesterday has not been washed. Without my orders, I washed all the dirty tools. Then immediately sweep all the floors clean.


"Yati, here!" call Mom from the middle room.


I rushed to Mom.


"Yes Mak" I said gently.


"Please clean the front room, yes" said Mother slowly.


"Two days, Rido's home." Rido is my husband's sister who lives overseas. Turns out I was sent here just to prepare for the arrival of his favorite son and daughter-in-law.


I went out and started cleaning the room for my sister-in-law later. Because if the protests must be in vain, because I am not like Airin Rido's rich wife, who can please the mother with all the souvenirs she brought later.


"Sweep clean, Ti. Do not be like two years ago Airin did not feel at home because the room is still dusty and there is a nest of spiders," said Emak while watching me work, like a foreman.


"Yes Mak" I said as I continued to sweep the cobwebs on the ceiling of this house.


"Where should you go, Mom?" tanyaku.


"Still asleep" replied Mom.


"Oh yes, instead of Resti want to go to the market to buy bed sheets," said Mother while banging on Resti's room adjacent to the room I cleaned.


"Iyaaa Mak" said Resti cengengesan.


"Say want to go to the market, then the afternoon rush reasoned the heat is no longer gone." Mother to the head of Resti, Resti just smiled wily.


"Let's take a quick shower," Mother orders Resti. My mother stepped into her room.


"Eh, there's Brother Yati," Resti told me.


I smiled at my husband's younger brother. Even though he was twenty years old, he was still very childish, probably because he was the youngest child, so.


"The queen is coming. We all got hit, brother. Must be filial work" he whispered to me.


"Don't carelessly say, later Mom is angry," I said slowly.


"justified? At home there are still many sheets, eh Mother told me to buy a new one. He said let Airin's sister feel at home," said Resti with his sewot.


"Hustt." I gestured on my lips to stop Resti from babbling. If you get to hear Mom can-can me and Resti run out in her omeli.


Resti smiled and gave his thumb.


"Please sapuin my room as well yes, sister," he said as he went towards the kitchen, seeming to want to take a shower.


I nodded and smiled. Although very spoiled, and likes to rule. But, at least Resti has a lot of respect for me.


________________________


Tomorrow morning Eid, today I am from the morning already at the house of Mother. Cooking a variety of dishes for the morning and also to welcome the arrival of Rido and his wife. Because it's scheduled they'll be here this afternoon.


"Open up here, Ti. Later tell Rozi to bring the kids here," Mom told me.


"Yes, Mom," I said gently.


"Masakin this shrimp yes," said Emak while removing shrimp from the refrigerator.


I nodded while receiving the shrimp from my mother's hand.


"Ju ijo chili cake, Airin likes it," he continued.


Envy ran through my heart, how not nearly twelve years to be her daughter-in-law, she didn't even know my favorite food.


The cuisine is ready, it is neatly arranged on the dining table. My kids are all here. I also warned them to be calm and quiet while at his grandmother's house.


After the ashar that was waiting came, a luxury car carrying Rido and Airin was parked in front of my in-laws' house. Mother welcomed her daughter-in-law with a sumringah, she unceasingly kissed Raffa son of Rido and Airin. No matter the seven-year-old boy refused and wiped off the mark of the kiss on his cheek.


Lots of luggage my sister-in-law, there are cakes, mukena, sarong, and clothes for father, mother and Resti. My mother was constantly praising her beautiful daughter-in-law in front of all of us.


Moreover, suddenly, Airin took out a ring that he said was purchased specifically for mother. Make your eyes glazed and instantly praise Airin as high as the sky.


The bedug reads, Everyone goes to the dining room. Except for me and the kids, I purposely last once and have my kids pull over and sit on the floor, let me take food for them. Also because the seats are not enough for all of us to sit.


"Let's eat Nak Airin, may like the cuisine of the village like this," said the mother kindly to the daughter-in-law.


"Yes Mak, this is delicious," said Airin, smiling.


"Dear it!" suddenly my mother called me.


I looked up and immediately got up from my seat.


"I'll tell you to make shrimp oseng, not shrimp sambal like this," he said loudly while pointing at the plate containing the Ijo chili shrimp that I made earlier.


"So, Mom said green chili shrimp, yes I cook so," I said slowly.


"Yes, but the chili is in the iris not in the milled like this. Look, Nak Airin does not like it," he said again with a sour face.


"Mak! Yati is tired from the morning here, don't be angry like that, Mak" said Bang Rozi standing up. It seems my husband was emotionally disturbed.


"How mak is not emotional, Yati is like deliberately let Nak Airin so no appetite for food," replied Emak again cynically.


"Patience, Mother," said Rido while holding the hand of Mother.


"It's delicious too" said Airin, smiling sweetly.


"Already, you guys, it's not good to be noisy in front of the food." My father-in-law who from then was just silent also spoke.


My mother sat back down no longer daring to speak. Maybe I was scared because I spoke up.