Only Substitute Women
Shakila's Belief

Radit pulled over his car in the parking lot of the flat, where Shakila and her mother lived after last night he arrived in Singapore again.

The man walked towards Shakila's residence with his hands holding a food box that was safe for cancer. The food was deliberately cooked by the mother who fully supports Radit's intention to get the heart of the woman he loves. The middle-aged woman was completely unconcerned about Shakila's illness and was convinced that she would one day recover.

After standing in front of the door of Shakila's flat, the man with a sparkling face pressed down on the bell.

No need to wait long, the door was opened by someone from inside.

"Eh, Radit boy? didn't you come back to Indonesia yesterday?" Maya, Shakila's mother scrunched her forehead.

Radit slipped a smile and thrust his luggage into Maya's hands.

"I came back last night, Tan. It's breakfast for Auntie and it's for Shakila. My mom cooked for him intentionally. Shakila's still asleep, Auntie?"

"Wow, why bother cooking? Auntie is not good. You go in first! Shakila's up, I called her first!" Maya opens the door wide and gives way for Radit to enter.

Then, Maya steps towards Shakila's room and knocks on her daughter's door.

"Yes, Ma?" asked Shakila who looked fresher because she had taken a shower. Only her pale face showed that she was not okay.

"There's Radit in front. He brought you breakfast, cooked by his mother. Let's go meet him!"

Shakila scrunched her forehead.

"Radith? isn't he back in Indonesia, Ma?" tanyakanya.

"Said he came back here last night. You met there!"

Shakila exhaled, feeling a little reluctant to meet the man.

"Why are you still not moving? don't you want to see him?" maya's eyebrows are sharp-linked.

"L-yes, Ma, I'm going out!" shakila's voice sounded forced.

Yes, the woman was reluctant to go out, to see Radit, because actually these days she spent time with the man, she had begun to realize that the man she loved was her best friend, put her heart on him. He wanted to avoid it, but he had no reason to.

Before coming out from inside her room Shakila exhaled quite heavily, hoping that her heart would be airy. After she calmed down, Shakila stepped out and published a sweet smile on her lips as soon as she saw Radit standing up to greet her.

"Why are you in Singapore again, Dit?" ask Shakila.

"Arjuna said let me in Singapore take care of the branch company here" Radit said. While Shakila's heart immediately churned upon hearing Arjuna's name called the man in front of her.

"How are you, Juna? she's okay, right? why are you in Singapore? didn't you say Haris would run the company here? and who would be Juna's assistant if you were here?" Shakila asked in succession, not giving Radit a chance to answer.

"Can't you ask one-on-one? I don't know which answer I was going to answer? but from all your questions, it seems you don't like me here in Singapore," Radit said so loudly, leaving Shakil speechless.

"Not like it. I just don't want to, you expect more from me and I don't want your feelings to get deeper into me" said Shakila, who unfortunately only dared to say in her heart.

"Why are you quiet, Kila? what did I say right?" Radit re-opened his voice in a soft tone.

"Of course not!" protest Shakila quickly. "I'm glad you're here. I had a friend to talk to,"

Radit finally commented on the sweet smile upon hearing Shakila's words. The man was truly happy, feeling that the woman in front of him needed him as a friend.

"For now, you may need me as a friend, but I will try to make you need me more than a friend" Radit whispered to himself.

"Emm, you haven't answered, how's Juna doing?" Shakila repeated the question.

"Arjuna is fine of course" Radit said briefly.

Meanwhile, Radit did not immediately reply. The man suddenly felt guilty for breaking his promise.

"Emm, as you wish, I didn't tell him about you" Radit told him.

"Oh, thank you!" shakila lirih. He tried to smile, but his heart was disappointed. "Why should I be disappointed he didn't tell Arjuna my situation? am I not the one who wants it myself? did I come back to wish Arjuna would come back to me?" inner Shakila.

"Kila, I'm sorry for giving you hope to get back together with Arjuna. It seems that now you have to keep the spirit to heal, not because you have hope to return to Arjuna. You're a healed spirit, at least for your mama, and the people who love you," Radit's temples seem to be sweating, as they begin to sweat, while reciting those words in his heart before he conveyed them directly to the woman sitting in front of him.

"Radit, you can definitely say it! you should be able to!" Radit went back inside, encouraging himself.

"Cila, I ...."

"Crazy, you have breakfast first, son! You're Radit too, we'll have breakfast together!" just as Radit was about to vent, suddenly Maya had already come, stopping his intention to speak.

...ΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩ...

"Son Radit, your mama's cooking is delicious!" praise Maya as soon as the middle-aged woman finished her meal.

"Thank you, Auntie!" Radit smiled with a tail of eyes that glanced towards Shakila.

"Oh yes, Miss Radit, Auntie would like to ask, how is the life of his wife Juna, with her mother, before marrying Arjuna? are they from a distinguished family?" ask Maya very carefully.

"Not at all, Tan. They live in moderation. Carnations work as SPG in malls with a mediocre salary. She can't go to college even though she is a smart student first, because of the limited costs and Aunt Mirna who is getting sickly,"

"What father? what's the job of the Papa?" maya's tone sounded very cautious.

"Oh, as far as I am concerned, Carnations no longer have papa starting her baby. He was raised by Aunt Mirna."

"So-so she's not marrying again?" maya murmured, nervous.

Radit and Shakila looked at each other in confusion.

"Not married again? she mean? did you know her mother Anyelir before?" shakila's eyebrows are linked suspiciously.

"Oh, not-not at all!" protest Maya quickly. "You mean, ever since her father Anyelir died or left, did he not remarry? that's what Mama meant. If she is, then she's a great woman" Maya tries to find an alibi hoping Shakila and Radit aren't suspicious.

"As far as I know, Aunt Mirna is no longer married. He grew Carnations by being a laundry worker and selling breakfast" Radit said.

"No wonder Carnations wanted to marry Arjuna, even though she knew that she was only a surrogate. She must have wanted to change her life with her mother, being tempted with the rewards that Arjuna would give her,". Shakila open the sound. "In that case, I must be eager to heal. Mama can find a donor heart for me again. I want to recover quickly so that I can get back to Arjuna, before she hopes to be Arjuna's real wife" Shakila continued, with an excited look on her face.

"But, Carnations never wish for treasure, Kila! dia__"

"Ah, that must be just his speech, to make Arjuna's heart, moved and considered that he was different from other women,". Shakira immediately cut off Radit's words.

"She had lived in poverty for a long time, so there was no way she would not expect treasures. Just think, if not for wanting a treasure, why would he want to marry Arjuna try? moreover, he knew that she was only a surrogate woman? only a foolish woman would marry a surrogate woman, without expecting anything" Shakila continued, very confident in her thoughts.

"What you think is not true at all, Kila! it seems I forgot to tell you, that Anyelir just found out why Arjuna married her, after she got married, not before marriage. Meaning there was no previous agreement by which Arjuna would give a reward. The only reason Arjuna invites Anyelir to get married, is because Aunt Dewi wants to see Arjuna get married immediately so that Arjuna can quickly forget you. Arjunalah who uses a devious way to get Carnations married, by making Carnations owe Budi. Meanwhile, after Anyelir finds out, Arjuna's real reason, Anyelir can't back down anymore, and chooses to follow Arjuna's plan, in order to keep his mother from getting sick," radit's light is wide and without pause.

Shakila was unmoved, feeling ill hearing the fact that her mother Goddess Arjuna wanted Arjuna to forget her immediately.

"Actually Arjuna is also already __"

"Ma, sick!" suddenly Shakila grimaced in pain while holding her heart. So as to cancel the intentions of Radit who initially wanted to be honest.

Radit immediately rushed towards Shakila and raised the body of the woman he loved, about to take her to the hospital.

Tbc