Not the Perfect Wife
273. S2 - Living in the home of in-laws
The dawn of Azan reverberated to wake the Muslims up to perform their duties. Afrin squirmed and opened her eyes. She saw her husband sleeping next to her. The man entered his room at almost midnight so, his wife had of course already slept.
The woman chose to clean herself first in the bathroom, all while taking ablution water. When she finished, she saw that her husband was awake and sitting on the edge of the bed. Maybe he was waiting for her to come out of the bathroom.
"Wait a minute, yeah, honey. I take ablution first, we pray the congregation," said Khairi when going to the bathroom.
"Yes, Mas" said Afrin.
The woman also waited for her husband while preparing worship equipment. Both perform prayer. In every movement they make with passion and a sincere heart. Their prayers go out, not only to themselves, but to everyone.
After praying, Khairi turned his body to face his wife. He wanted to say his intention carefully so as not to hurt his loved ones.
"Darling, I want to say something" Khairi said.
"Yes, Mas, just say it," Afrin said, staring at her husband.
"I want to invite you to stay here. You know how papa is. I could've hired a nurse to take care of him, but I couldn't have done that. Although from a small papa does not pay much attention to me, but only papa I have at this time. Even my biological mother I don't know where she is. I don't want to regret later on for ignoring papa's existence. I beg you to understand that" Khairi said, clasping the palms of Afrin.
She smiled, and she knew how her husband felt. Afrin would have done the same if it had happened to her parents.
"Mas, I've said wherever you go, I'll come along. Even if you want to stay in the middle of the forest, I will be there with you. Moreover, your goal is good, want to be devoted to parents. Of course I'll support him. I'm just asking for one thing, whatever I do in this house later, please trust me."
"Of course, I know how you are. You won't do anything if you feel it's a bad thing."
"Thank you for believing me. I hope it lasts forever."
Khairi hugged his wife. He was so happy to have a wife as good as Afrin. Though before the man thought that his wife would refuse because this house had made the woman uncomfortable. However, Khairi forgets who his wife is, a woman with great understanding.
"Here you go, Mas, I want to cook first" said Afrin by taking off her husband's embrace.
"There's something cooking here, honey. You don't have to bother anymore."
"I want to cook for you. Even if everything is available here, I still want to serve you."
"Yes, it's up to you. I'll see papa first."
Both went to their respective destinations. When Afrin entered the kitchen, there was already Bik Asih and Fatma who were doing her job. There was no Mama Merry, the woman was on the porch watering her plants.
"Good morning, Bik, Fatma," said Afrin.
"Good morning, Non. Is there something Miss needs?" ask Bik Asih.
"No, Bik. I just want to help you cook."
"Don't, I'll be scolded by tuna Khairi. Non Afrin, just sit down, let us cook. Just tell me what to cook let us do it."
"It's okay, Bik. I'm also used to cooking every day for my husband."
Afrin started to help what the two ARTs were doing. Bik Asih and Fatma could do nothing. Both of them only let what this family's daughter-in-law did. No need to wait long for food to be served. Afrin chose to go back to the room before breakfast, but she had not yet cleaned her body. Today the woman has morning classes so, should get ready soon.
*****
"You're really gonna stay here? Papa doesn't want to if you do it by force. Moreover, you know if a wife lives with her in-laws, vulnerable to problems."
"If you've decided like that, Papa can't do anything about it. Papa just hopes that you can recover quickly and you can return to life as before. Papa doesn't want to trouble you."
"What's the talk, anyway! Nothing troublesome here. I did it because it was my duty as a child" Khairi said.
"Papa is pleased with the presence of Afrin in your life. He has made Papa's son a good person and has a heart. Papa wasn't very attentive to you. Papa's too busy with work."
"No need to think about the past. Everything is over, which is important now, Papa must take care of health. What, Papa, don't want to see the grandchildren?"
"Isn't Afrin still delaying her pregnancy until she graduates from college?" ask Papa Hamdan.
"That's exactly what, Papa, you have to wait patiently until my wife graduates."
"It's still a long time, isn't it after giving birth able to go back to college? Why don't you guys program first?"
"I don't want to force it, Pa. I was happy enough with his presence. I don't want my wife to be distressed" replied Khairi, who was taken in by Papa Hamdan.
He understood what his son was thinking. Just like Khairi, the man also did not want to force his daughter-in-law. Afrin was pretty good with following her husband living here.
"Whatever you think is good, Papa will support" Hamdan said.
"Thank you, Pa."
As the two men were conversing, the door of the room was knocked on by someone from outside.
"Come in" cried Khairi, the door opened. Afrin entered the room.
"Mas, come on, let's have breakfast first!" take Afrin to her husband.
"Yes, honey."
"Papa, is breakfast done? I'll take it to the back, yeah, the plate?"
"Yes, the drink just put it on the table, Papa will drink again," said Hamdan while looking at the drink beside his plate earlier.
"Yes, Pa. We go first."
Afrin brought her in-laws' plates to the kitchen. She went with her husband to the dining room.
"You don't work, Mom?" ask Afrin in between their steps.
"No, Honey. Today I take a leave, you will be picked up with Ivan so that he takes you to campus, I sent him a message earlier," said Khairi, who was embraced by Afrin.
Afrin wanted to ask again, but they had already reached the dining room. There was Mama Merry waiting.
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