PAULA WE LOVE YOU
CHAPTER 21

At the residence of Mr. Thomas.

"I thought you'd forget to go home!? I think you will forget that you have a wife," said mama Citra with ketus. Mr. Thomas chuckled at the scolding and insinuations of his wife. But again, Mr. Thomas let his wife speak out of annoyance. Mr. Thomas now walks into the kitchen and tells one of his house assistants to make his favorite coffee.

"Sir, please make me coffee with a little sugar" master Thomas ordered his housekeeper.

"Good, master!" sahut was one of the maids in Mr. Thomas' house who looked very young.

Mama Citra looks even more upset because Mr. Thomas usually told himself to make the coffee.

Mr. Thomas now sits casually on the front porch while waiting for his maid-made coffee to be made. Mama Citra followed Mr. Thomas who was sitting on the porch seat of his home. The two remained silent and did not speak to each other. Mr. Thomas does not want to fuss and row with his wife. So the nagging and babbling mama Citra since then was not endorsed by Mr. Thomas. Only occasionally smiled to hear the nagging of his young wife.

Until the coffee was delivered to Mr. Thomas, Mr. Thomas then began to sip the coffee while starting to light his cigarette.

"Today Palupi is a final repeat at her school. You don't know, do you, mas? You are just busy with your favorite daughter, Paula," mama Citra's nagging again.

"I know the image! Not that they are a school. Even a class, right? I love both of them, Citra. The proof is that I always pay attention to Paula and Palupi. Even I was willing to hand Paula over to papa so that you only take care of Palupi. I know that Paula is not your daughter, right? Maybe you will lean more towards your own daughter, Palupi," said Mr. Thomas.

"Eh?! Where I like to distinguish between Paula and Palupi, mas! I pay more attention to Paula than Palupi. Because what? Paula needs a mom. Paula needs me, mas!?" mama Citra said. Mr. Thomas smiled cynically.

"Already, Image! Don't you think I didn't know all this time what you did to Paula. Don't you think, I don't know, you're treating Paula very unfairly. Even you deliberately take and rob Paula's car for school and you tell Paula to go alone by public transport. While Palupi, your daughter to school, with a car owned by Paula and sometimes escorted by a private driver," said Mr. Thomas at length.

"Eh??" mama Citra widened her eyes to hear Mr. Thomas say.

"That's why Paula's late for school and always getting punished, right? Besides, you told Paula to do the housework instead of Palupi, your daughter did not. You let your daughter be like the princess in this house. And you made and treated Paula like a maid. You are really great!!" said Mr. Thomas. Back mama Citra nervously could not speak.

"Eh? Mas's?! I can't be like that, mom!?" sahut mama Citra's. Mr. Thomas snorted annoyedly at his young wife.

"You can do anything in this house, Citra! But never hurt my daughter! Even insulting my daughter, Paula! Because before you and your daughter came to this house, Paula was the princess of this house. Now, try to introspect all your mistakes. Lf it doesn't? I will drive you and your daughter out of this house" said Mr. Thomas.

"Mass? Uh gosh mas?! I swear, you misunderstood. Who did you get information from? Everything you say is not true mas," said mama Citra. Mr. Thomas smiled cynically.

"It seems, I won't be able to retain you, Citra. How's Citra!? Are you ready to give it back to your parents? I think, with your attitude and behavior, you are no longer able and able to be a mama continued for Paula," said Mr. Thomas.

"Mas Thomas!? I swear to God, I love Paula. Really, mas!? Should have believed me! Don't you fire me for being your wife, mas!?" said mama Citra.

"Really! Looks like I'll divorce you, Citra!?" said Mr. Thomas. Mama Citra immediately rested at the feet of Mr. Thomas. He begged while crying for his mistake.

"Mas Thomas! Didn't Thomas love me so much? Don't do this to me! I'm gonna change, mom!? I won't repeat my mistake, mom!? I'll be a good connecting mama for Paula, mas!? As long as Thomas, do not divorce me mas," said mama Citra while sobbing.

"Partner, Image!? Who did you forget who I was? I can have my men watch over you and your daughter in this house. Even if I was far away and out of town, I would still know. Because what? I installed a lot of his CCTVs in this house besides that the servants in this house are all very loyal to me. They certainly give a report, about all the situations in this house," said Mr Thomas at length.

Mama Citra is getting her guts. He can't lie anymore with Mr. Thomas. Mama Citra can no longer find excuses for Mr. Thomas.

"I know it too, all my possessions that you have hidden. And that really surprised me. Really greedy of you, Citra!?" said Mr. Thomas.

"Mas?!" mama Citra was really surprised that Mr. Thomas already knew that he had bought many valuable assets with Mr. Thomas' money. It was mama Citra bought it without permission and knowledge from Thomas. When Mr. Thomas asked about the large expenditure every month, mama Citra gave the reason for his money to give donations to orphans and nursing homes.

"Here you go, I've been disgusted for a long time by your actions, Citra!?" said Mr. Thomas who rushed to leave his seat and stepped into his room leaving mama Citra who was still crying sobbing.

*****

When he came home from school, Palupi and his friends were hanging out in a cafe.

"How's this? We are twice caught cheating and our answer sheet gets confiscated. One field of mathematical studies and another area of religious studies" Palupi said.

"Say papa you can take care and solve this little problem Palupi. How the hell, you?!" said Diana.

"Several weeks, it seems that between my mom and my dad, the relationship is not good. Papa Thomas is not my biological father. I'm his stepson. The real princess is Paula" said Palupi, who surprised Diana and Ita perfectly.

"What?? So Paula was actually the daughter of Mr. Thomas, the successful and wealthy businessman? Jesus!?" sahut Diana's.

"So because of your and your mama's unfavorable attitude towards Paula, finally caught by Mr Thomas? Wow like the story in soap opera," said Ita.

"You two don't insult me dong!?" palupi.

"Hem, I get it! So the one who actually became a princess was Paula. But you got rid of the princess from the palace, didn't you?" said Diana.

"I really didn't expect it" Ita said.

"Ah it is Ita, I have to fight for my own fate. I'll ask my parents for help too. Because my parents were also influential people in this school," Diana said.

"What about me, Diana? Don't you want to help me?" sahut Palupi's.

"Huh, help you?! Is that important?! Ita, let's better we no longer need to be friends with bad guys like Palupi. I think it's because of Palupi that we become evil and cheat in doing tasks and exams" said Diana.

"Yes, it's really Diana!. Come on then!!" ita.

*****

The rapot reception day has arrived. All students are waiting for the report card distribution by each of their homeroom class guardians. Just like Paula and friends.

Palupi was really agitated when he received the result of his value. Of course Palupi is afraid and worried if some fields of study get bad grades.

"It's my history! Surely I won't go to class" Palupi muttered as he lowered his head.