Only Substitute Women
Everyone has a different destiny

Arjuna walked down the path to find the place said by Mirna. From far away the man saw the figure of a woman sitting leaning under a tree with her head bowed and hands hugging her knees.

Arjuna sighed first and resumed his steps to approach the woman who was confirmed to be his wife's carnation.

Without burning even a little bit the man sat himself beside the Carnation, to make the woman gasp in shock.

"Ma-Mas Arjuna? w-why are you here?"

"I'm the one who's supposed to be, what are you doing here?" Arjuna asked back.

"I didn't do anything. I just ... uh, how do you know this place?" Carnations cringed his forehead.

"I know from Mama Mirna. I was in the hospital looking for you, so Mama told me this place" said Arjuna.

Silence is created for a while above the two people.They dissolve in each other's minds. Arjuna himself was confused about where to start.

"Why didn't you just walk into my room and drop the food box on the secretary's desk?" finally Arjuna opened his voice, stopping the silence that had been created.

"Emm, I just don't want to interrupt your conversation with Radit. It seems like the conversation between the two of you is very important," Anyelir's tone sounded soft. The woman was trying to be mediocre.

"If only, if you go inside, it would be okay. I don't mind at all, because then I'm __"

"So you can immediately decide to go back to Shakila, in front of me," Anyelir said, not giving Arjuna a chance to continue.

"Not like that? how can you think that way?"

"Mas Juna, I already know that Shakila has liver cancer. He left because he didn't want to trouble you. I'm sure that your heart will be stirred and want to accompany him to get through everything. I'm totally fine, Mom. I've decided to step down, because I know your love is huge. You don't have to think about what happened between us. I sincerely accept all of that. Now you go back to Shakila, because she needs you so much!" said Carnation with a quivering voice, enduring the pain in her heart.

Arjuna growled and looked at Carnation with very sharp eyes.

"What are you talking about? are you talking like this in your right mind?" cetus Arjuna with a resentful tone.

"Of course I'm sane. I just want you to go back to Shakila because she's been suffering a lot. I'm sure if you're next to him and support him, he'll have the spirit to heal,"

"No! I'm not going back to him!"

Carnations flinched in surprise. He thought that Arjuna would cheer and thank him for letting him go back to Shakila. But what he thought was wrong.

"But why? don't you and him love each other? isn't it because he loves another man? he left because he didn't want to trouble you, Jun. That he did because his love is so great for you, so do you. I know, you chose to stay with me, because you felt responsible for what happened. Didn't I say that I was sincere and wouldn't mind it? you take it easy, I will never hold a grudge against you," Anyelir's tears just flowed, as he said his words.

"Listen, I've said that I'll stay with you, and that's absolutely inviolable. For Shakila's matter, I can still support her without having to go back to her as a couple. I can give you support and encouragement as a friend. That's enough!"

Carnation blinked her eyes, as Arjuna said all his words while looking deeply into his eyes.

"Anyelir, you don't always think of others. You also have to think about yourself. I know, you feel Shakila would be hurt to see me and you, but what about you? don't you feel pain as well when you say those words? Everyone has a different destiny. Me and you getting married is destiny, and our marriage destiny, created because of the passing of Shakila. Likewise with what was experienced by Shakila was destiny for her. We cannot blame destiny. God let him experience it, because God knew he could get through it. God will not give tests beyond our ability. Our task now is to pray for and support Shakila in order to get through all this. You want to help me to support Shakila?"

Arjuna's gaze deepened, making Anyelir nod his head, saying yes. Honestly, at first he really doubted Arjuna. But the man's earnestness when saying his words, erodes the doubt in the heart of Anyelir.Although actually he knows that Arjuna defend it not because of love but because of a sense of responsibility.

"Mas, are we going to Singapore to support him?" ask Carnations after they have been silent for a while.

Arjuna did not answer. The man closed his eyes for a moment and reopened them along with a breath coming out of his mouth.

"I don't think for now, just yet,"

"Why?" eyebrow Carnation, linked.

"Because of my outpouring, for now it's very unlikely. I decided to give Radit a chance to make Shakila aware and get used to Radit's presence beside her. If we go there now, I'm afraid Shakila will get sadder and make things worse,"

"Regular with Radit? meanin?" Carnations really fail to understand the meaning of Arjuna's words.

"Actually, I've known for a long time that Radit keeps a taste in Shakila. It's just that I pretended not to know and was being selfish because by the time I got to know Shakila, I was in love with her too. Radit knew I liked Shakila, and foolishly supported me to approach the woman he loved. With the events that have happened, somehow I realized that maybe it was God's plan to unite the two of them by making Shakila realize that there was a man who had loved her for a long time and was always there for her," said Arjuna with a thin smile on his lips.

"So now you're going to sacrifice to Radit, by giving your best friend a chance to show his love for Shakila, even if you're hurt by losing the one you love?" there was a pain like pinching, as Anyelir blurted out those words.

"You mean?" arjuna's eyebrows are linked.

"You can't possibly not understand, by what I mean? you still love Shakila a lot, right? but you give up the one you love to your best friend,"

Arjuna. The man suddenly questioned how he felt about Shakila. Whether he really still loved Shakila as Anyelir said or the feeling of love was already eroded. Because, come to think of it, inexplicably no pain arose when he said, giving Radit a chance to get close to Shakila. Likewise when the man tried to imagine Radit marrying Shakila, Arjuna did not feel any pain at all.

"Why are you silent? are you starting to regret your decision to bring them closer?" Carnations mean another, Arjuna's silence.

"Not at all! I just.. ah, never mind, no more thinking! Now I'm hungry. Let's find lunch yuk! I'm sure the food you brought back must have been spent by Haris," Arjuna stood up and stretched out his hand to help Anyelir stand up.

Tbc