Papa To Oleander
55. The Mission to Get the Whole Olavia: Final Step

Goslings

"Hm?" Om Arif muttered again. This time while turning his body slightly so that he faced towards the gye again. With his hands tied behind his back, the typical standing style of fathers all over the world I think, Om Arif asked, "What do you want to talk about?"

I again had to massage the nape of the neck because it was under the pressure of the gaze of his father Olavia who felt a bit intimidating. "Engg .. there is, Om. About ... about ...." My cheeks bulged as I exhaled heavily. "I think, um, we'd better discuss this together somewhere, Om."

Om Arif's eyebrows instantly rose to his forehead after hearing the answer from me. "Is that so?" tanyanya in kalakian.

Siaaa.

Why do I feel like I'm being played by these fathers? Did my future in-law know that I would talk about the possibility of him becoming my future in-law?

Fxck. I am talking in riddles again.

My brain seems to show signs of wanting to hang if Om Arif does not immediately approve my request.

A few seconds, only a few seconds but it feels longer than a few seconds, Om Arif just stared at me, observing me with the look in his eyes that easily stated that he was an experienced person.

Shxt. Surely Om Arif has discovered what I mean, or at least have a little idea on the subject of my discussion later, and he is now testing me for some reason.

Maybe to see how strong my faith is in facing him. Or to see how much I intend to get what I want. Or, perhaps, he did that just for shxts and giggles.

Fxxxck. Is this what Oliver meant last night? Bro, I can't wait to see what I'm talking about this lo plan. Did Oliver actually know that his father knew of Gye's plan and they conspired to test my mental resilience?

What the heck?

Is that really so?

Xxxxt.

God fucking.

After I made my own discovery and found out that they were putting me in a situation that they had set me far away (at least so my theory), I can easily get back to my zen. Not long after, after figuratively cross-legged in the middle of that serenity zone in my center for a certain amount of time, I was finally able to challenge Om Arif's gaze more confidently and stably. And I proudly admit that I can answer the rhetorical questions of the future in-laws standing before me. "Yes, Om. Maybe we can go to Om's office for a while while the ladies are busy playing?" I said as I glanced at the three correct people still busy playing with Oleander.

This time Om Arif's eyebrows go up the forehead, but I think for a different reason. If he had done it playfully, now the eyebrows were climbing his forehead in shock. Where did the stammering Angga go?

Well, he's gone, Om Arif.

Om Arif also had time to follow the direction of my eyes to check his wife, children, and grandchildren before nodding. "OK if that's it. To the workspace Om aja. Yuk." yuk."

Game on's.

****

I followed Om Arif who led our way to the workspace in the eastern part of the house, a different direction from where we left just now, in silence. The head of the family also did not try to mince words, so I'm taking notes from him and do the same.

Anyway, me and Om Arif have the same view on this. Pleasantry, let alone done solely to eliminate awkwardness, is a waste of time. It is better that time be used to think about the things that are important. And the important thing right now for me is the arrangement of sentences that I will say to Om Arif later.

Yep, you guess it. I will again pitch in front of Om Arif. And this is the most important pitching in the history of my life.

When we arrived, Om Arif opened the big door and it looked heavy. The cover of the room is made of red mahogany wood and filled with carvings of circular motifs in the form of leaves and flowers. Something commonly used in homes in Minangkabau.

Why am I talking about this?

God fucking. Skip this unprecedented fun fact fest.

He then went inside, let me in and closed the door again. When I faced forward after closing the door that was quite heavy, I saw Om Arif was standing next to the chair behind his desk which was also made of the same wood, he said, but without carving. "Sit down, Ngga." In Kalakian he sat on a large chair matching couples for a table that is also large in size.

I didn't heed Om Arif's advice. "Hm, sorry, Om. But, I think, it would be better if I stood still," I refused as polite as possible with both hands behind the body, the same pose as Om Arif pose out there earlier. The reason is because; one, if I sit down, this conversation seems too professional, whereas I am not here for business, and the second is, is, I don't know what will happen to me if I keep pushing back on our discussion. I could have lost my guts and shrunk again as happened to me at the beginning.

Nope. I'm not going to be that mess again. Not right now.

I don't want to explain while sitting down. That's it, period.

"okay, then. Suit yourself." Om Arif then put both his arms on the table. His fingers are interlocked. "Om ready to listen to what you're going to talk about, ngga. When ever you're ready."

I took a deep breath once before launching out the vomit of words that were already inside my head. "Om, I'm sure Om already knew that I loved Olavia very much. I've loved him for almost half my age now, Om. And, after going through about ten years without him in my days, I am sure that I will not be able to survive if it happens again in the future.

"I mean, I can't and won't live without Olavia anymore, Om. I want to spend the rest of my time on top of the world with him, living the day by trying to make him happy as much as I can and the sources I have. Therefore, now I stand here to ask for the blessing of Om. Because someday, when the time is right, I'd like to ask Olavia to be my life companion, Om."

That's. I did not intend to talk much and risk looking so grandiose. My goal is to ask for my blessing and that's what I'm going to get. The blessing that I will carry in my grasp when I go out of this room. Without the impression a lot of nonsense will be left in the head of my prospective in-laws.

Om Arif nodded small. After that, he changed his sitting position. Both elbows are now lying on the table, the fingers that are linked were supporting the chin lightly. He did it all without saying a word first.

Meanwhile, I remained steadfastly waiting in the typical position of the same fathers.

Who could have guessed that my prospective in-laws in Kalakian even changed their sitting position again. This time he opened the fingers, leaned the body onto the back of the chair made of high-quality leather. The elbows that had been on the table now moved to the arms of the chair. The ends of his fingers met again in the middle, on his slightly sticking stomach. He still does it without any comment.

I also have patience waiting.

Eventually my patience bore fruit, though not as I had hoped. "You sure, Ngga? For when we speak of Olavia, we are not in fact speaking of him alone. There was another figure that could not be separated from him. Which depends entirely on Om's daughter."

Yes, yes, yes. I understand where Om Arif's question is going. "I'm sure, Om. I have my own plans for Oleander. When Olavia has received my proposal, I will begin the process of officially adopting Oleander. He's already I consider like my own son and that process will complete it all."

Om Arif again looks to weigh my answer by changing the sitting position returned to the original position. A number of times passed with such a position.

Later, Om Arif maneuvered again. This time by sliding his chair back, stand up, and walk towards the front of the table. Lastly, he stacks the body on the edge of that table. His front straightened legs crossed at the wrist. His hands crossed in front of his chest. He went back to silence.

Shxt. Turns out I'm still not strong enough to win the waiting game that seems so overpowered by Om Arif. I have made a big mistake because I have considered myself super and underestimated this middle-aged man.

Yeah, God. I'm sorry. Dude, deh, penance. I don't feel big head anymore.

But I have to survive. I can't give up. Although it feels like I want to ask for mercy on Om Arif and kneel at his feet begging to be immediately released from the sharp observation of the bead, I still have to pretend strong. In order for the struggle that I have done to arrive in this room, saying the things that I have said before, does not become in vain.

Now I really understand what Oliver's words mean.

I admit, Om Arif is the best. No wonder he got the nickname The Criminal Conqueror in his work environment.

Fxck me, why did I forget the info I should have remembered that? Why do I even remember things that are useless at an important time like this?

You crazy Angga!

My legs are starting to tingle. Either that's exactly what happened or that sensation came about just because of the ruse of my brain that went back into groggy mode. My arm muscles are also getting tense. His tension ran to his shoulder.

God fucking.

I started to feel the hairs on my skin that felt very, very, very tight.

Sialaaan.

Arif is still silent.

Yeah, God.

My future father-in-law was still directing his gaze at me.

Yes, Tuhaaan.

When will this end?

I try to distract myself, distract myself with a thud. Calm the fxck down's. Calm the fxck down's. Calm the fxck down's.

Calm the fxck down is my new motto right now.

Just before I actually exploded, Om Arif uttered one word that to me meant more than the world and its content. One word I hope to be the first step for me to tie my destiny and Olavia forever. One word that will one day be the determinant of our way of life.

"Okay." Om Arif releases the cross of the arm yes. "Okay. You got the blessing of Om and Auntie."

Hell to the fxcking yeah!