Pamite
73. Hospital

Anang is almost ready with a major operation that he will run. Since then he begged the doctor who will operate on him to wait for the arrival of Ayu and Jaka. He still hopes to meet his eldest son.

"Mas, we're ten minutes late from the surgery schedule. Maybe Ma'am Ayu and the others are not here. So please, don't delay again, you can meet with Alif later after surgery."

"But, Fad ak..."

"Take it to the operating room, Doc," cut Fadil out quickly.

Anang just breathed a long breath. Finally he lost also with a brief debate his sister. The man hoped to meet Alif in his agitation.

"Fad, you still saved the paper yesterday, right? Not that, right?" asked Anang when she rolled into the operating room.

"Still, Mas. The paper is still safe, you will give it to yourself later with Ms Ayu. I've focused the same operation, don't think of anything. I'll wait for you outside, fight back for your children."

He arrived in front of the operating room. Just as they were about to enter, there was a shouting sound that made them stop at the door.

"Dad," cried Alif running towards his father who was lying with and around the doctor and also his second Om.

Anang's eyes immediately sparkled, he was happy to meet his eldest son before he fought for himself. A hug he gave to Alif who is now getting bigger and looks handsome like him.

"Dad, it'll heal, right? Dad promised me and my sisters that one day we would take a walk. Dad has a debt with us" said Alif sobbing.

Anang as loud as possible try not to let out his tears that have been born in his eye patch. It was sad that his heart heard the stuffing and pleading of Alif that he had never heard during his stay home until separated.

"Yes, Honey. Dad's gonna heal. I'm sorry for all of your mistakes. Dad can't be a good father and a good example for Alif and his sisters. Remember Dad's message, take care of Mom and sisters. Same with Jaka's Mom and Dad. So a good child can be an example for brothers. And one more thing, you want to be a doctor, right? Promise Dad to achieve your goals. I'm sorry you used to be too much of a loser to support what you wanted. Dad's saying goodbye, yeah sweetheart." An old kiss landed on Alif's forehead. The eight-year-old boy sobbed in his father's arms.

"Dad will definitely see me as a doctor later" Alif said in tears.

Anang glanced at Jaka who had been embracing Ayu's shoulder.

"So, I'm sorry for all my mistakes with you. I put my kids in you, yeah. I'm not asking for anything, you're a much better father than I am. Please accompany them at every step."

Jaka walked over, "You've never done me wrong. For the children, you take it easy, they're my children too. Not only am I going to accompany them every step of the way, but you are too. Promise to hold on for your children." Jaka patted Anang's shoulder twice.

Meanwhile, Anang and the medical workers who were in the room were praying before the operation. Pray for the smooth running and success of the major operations they will run.

'O God, if You have ordained me to endure after this test, make me one of the people who walk in Your way. But if You want me to return home, strengthen the shoulders of those closest to me, strengthen their hearts to let a despicable human like me go.'

Anang uttered two sentences of shahadah as his gaze began to blur. The grip of the prayer beads that were originally very tight slowly began to loosen, but the prayer beads remained in the palm of Anang's hand, as if it would accompany and strengthen the owner to survive.

"Why is your face so moody?" tanya Jaka sat next to Fadil. "Trust me, everything will be fine." Jaka touched Fadil's shoulder to calm the man down.

"I don't know what makes me sad. I felt like something was going to happen, I forced Mas Anang to have an operation long ago, but when Mas Anang granted what I asked for, my heart felt heavy. I'm afraid I'm still traumatized by death. Mom left me when I still needed her, I left her alone while I was struggling to be what I wanted. And Now.."

Fadil was unable to continue his words, he drowned his face in both palms. His shoulders shook violently even though there was no sound of sobbing. Jaka's hand stroked Fadil's back, hoping that his touch would calm him down.

"We better pray, we pray for Anang. Let him be strong, too" Jaka told everyone there.

They all agreed. Prayer is the best choice in all circumstances. Putting all the heart and mind on a prayer strand can ease all the burdens.

Thirty minutes they were there. With a heart that was a little relieved and felt a reduced weight they flocked to return to wait for Anang to finish the operation.

In the midst of a precarious situation like this, Ayu's stomach suddenly cramped, but Ayu was silent because of the cramps she felt she could still endure. However, the cramps he felt not only happened once twice, but many times with the duration of pain that is getting longer. Aware of her giving birth makes her voice.

"Mas, my stomach." Ayu's words stopped as the contractions came back. "Sick," he added squeezing the dress he was wearing.

"You want to give birth? Arrange the breath, do not panic," said Jaka wiping sweat on Ayu's forehead. "Fad, Ma'am Ayu wants to give birth, I accompany her first, yes. I can nitip Alif, right?"

"Can, Mas. Should I get you a wheelchair?" his offer suddenly panicked.

"No, I can carry him. Alif here first, yes, son. You accompany Anang's father Om. Baby grandpa wants to be born, I have to take Mom to the doctor."

"Yes, Dad." Alif walked towards his mother who was sitting with pain. "Baby grandpa, don't make Mom sick, yeah. Get out slowly." Alif kissed Ayu's stomach for a moment and asked Jaka to immediately take her mother to the doctor.

Jaka kissed Alif's forehead before actually leaving from there. Jaka walked quickly while shouting to call the sisters, a panicked face was clearly drawn on Anang's face as he heard Ayu's groaning in pain.