RUSTING BOAT
Chapters. 84

I smiled to myself reading Mr. Haris' message. Abaghfirullah, self-conscious Saniah. He was so because he wanted to be polite to you. rebuke my heart that felt baper.

Sani.... Sani...

" Assalamu'alaikum, Niah." back a chat in . This time from Asthma. Besides Asthma only Syafrie knows my new number.

Saniah typed a reply to Asma, his friend, "walaikum salam. How are you, Asthma? "

" Good news, what are you, Niah? " back Asma replied to a chat from Saniah.

" I'm good, just a little cape. How are you doing in the village, Asma? "

" It's still the same as before. Oh yeah, your ex-husband came to Syafrie yesterday."

My forehead wrinkled as I read the reply from Asthma. Why did Jubair come to Syafrie. What does that sissy want? Various questions were spinning - swirling in my head. " Why would he come to your husband, Asma? " The curiosity in my heart made the question finally pop out of my lips.

" I don't know.. I can't steal their talk because Vikar is so fussy." Asma replied. Vikar was Asma's third son with Syafrie. After giving birth to Fika, shortly afterwards Asma became pregnant again and a few months later Vikar was born. The age of the Vicar is almost one year.

" What does Jubair want? "

" I don't know, but it looks like they're talking about a very serious matter. I looked at Jubair's face until it was so tense." replied Asma.

My mind suddenly wandered far back into the past. Less than two years ago.

Two years ago.

After my departure from the village almost two years ago, I had indeed replaced my WhatsApp number with a new one and discarded my old number. So I lost all contact with the people in the village. I tried to throw away everything related to my past including my family's phone number.

I know, maybe in the eyes of some people I am a child who is not devoted to parents or husbands. But I also have a reason why I do that. I just walked away from them, with no words spoken.

Honestly, people may think I'm weak. But I can no longer swallow the bitterness of reality that lies before my eyes.

It feels bitter when you know if it turns out you are grounded by your family just for the sake of property and position in the eyes of the community. In order to raise the standard of living their families are willing to give myself up to a man who even touched me he did not want to, let alone act as a full husband.

It was clearly in my memory two years ago. After returning home from taking Syafrie to the house of Jubair's second wife. My father scolded me completely in front of the 'sissy' man.

Apparently Jubair complained to Father. Until with a red face extinguished anger, my father even willingly awaits our arrival night after night from the house of Meli.

I cried in front of the Father and said that Asma did all this to defend myself who was cheated by Jubair.

You are not defending the real me - actually hurt by Jubair's betrayal. In fact, my father slapped me because he said he had embarrassed my husband in front of others and expressed the disgrace of my family and also the disgrace of my husband's family.

" Why if Jubair is married again. Isn't it natural for a man to have more than one wife if he is capable. It is fortunate that you were not divorced by him. All of us can do this, because of your husband's kindness. Take that, Niah..! " said Father in fire.

Oh, my God, the first time in my life I realized how stupid I was all along. I think my father's residence was all this time because he didn't know Jubair's betrayal, in fact, the man I respected from birth until now knew well about my husband's affair and it seems that he was silent in order to keep our family's economic life safe and stable.

I admit, how great Jubair's service is to my family. But it is appropriate that they ignore my happiness. My father, who knew all this, seemed to close his eyes and did not care about the fate of my marriage, his daughter. For him it is natural for a man like Jubair to be financially able to marry more than one. My heart feels pinched. My face turned red, not because of my father's slap but because of the anger that erupted. My pride felt slapped and trampled - stepped on by two men who were standing in front of me right now.

Even though I was hit and felt so angry. But I know myself enough and it really doesn't matter to me with all that if only my husband could be fair to both of us. But the truth is, since marriage there has never been a fair treatment for me.

It felt like a big stone was thrown. My head suddenly aches and dizzy. The pain in my heart is even worse. The pain was not comparable to the slap of my father that was still rubbing red on my cheek.

I could not stand it anymore, I ran into my room and cried inside there spilling all my wounds and sorrows. I don't mind my father's nagging that continues. I also don't know when my father came home from my house.

" I'm sorry, Niah. I had to do all this to protect Meli. If only my family knew about my marriage to Meli, then they would be furious. For them you are their only son-in-law. I beg you to understand. I told Meli not to bother you anymore."

The man touched my shoulder which was still shaken by crying. I'm quiet not shaking. It hurt too much to say - so I let the man there until I heard his footsteps away from my bed. I was getting drowning in my sadness.

That night passed between us with my silence all night until the morning.

Fajr after the dawn prayer and satisfied with tears to complain my fate to God the owner of all destiny, I set out for my work which is about two kilometers from the village where I live. I work in the village office as one of the administrative staff in the social welfare section of the Society or Kesra. And that too again - again because of the help of connections from Jubair.

Since that night, I never spoke to the man who had my husband's status again. I prefer to avoid working late into the night. Sometimes I do not go home and choose to stay at the house of Mardiyah, my coworker who is also my cousin. Mardiyah's father was my father's sister. Incidentally in the house Mardiyah available one empty room that is provided for guest rooms.

From that day on I stopped taking care of all Jubair's needs. There is also a Meli that can replace my duties. If usually the man is used to wake up with a change of clothes and breakfast that is already available. So from now on, he had to get used to no one else preparing all that.

Three months ago, such a situation took place. It's been more than a month that I've never set foot in that house again. The house Jubair built for me. I now choose to rent a house located not far from my workplace. I'm not good with Ammak Beddu, my father's brother. Some time ago the man who was three years younger than my father asked if I had a problem with my husband. I couldn't dwell on that question, but I couldn't honestly answer that Ammakku question either, because it was about my household matters with my husband.

One day.

" Niah, called the Village Chief in his room." said Ridha, my colleague.

I paused for a moment, thinking inwardly whether I had done anything wrong. Reassessing my performance who knows what I'm missing. But I shook my head, I felt like I had never done anything wrong.

" Niah, hurry. You have been waiting for me from now on. "

Quickly I stepped towards the Village Chief's room. Upon arrival in the Village Chief's room, I gawked in disbelief.. In the guest room Mr. Village Chief who is our leader has all sat quietly Jubair and also of course our own Village Chief.

I grieved in my heart, only to realize, I forgot one thing. The head of the village where I work today is Jubair's best friend. Of course Jubair could easily come here and see me whenever he wanted.

" Nah, that's Saniah already coming. Please take your wife out. Not in here. Shame, many eyes see. Just finish the business of you two out there. If it is finished, Saniah can come back here again " said Mr. Village Chief to Jubair.

After saying Thank you to his friend, Jubair then pulled my hand out of the village office towards the car.

I wanted to cry in embarrassment because some pairs of eyes looked at me with pity and some looked like they were mocking me. Like I'm a woman who was caught wet by her husband for having an affair.

Jubair took me back home. There was my father and mother sitting next to each other. There were also both Jubair's parents. I was surprised to see them in my house. But there was something else that made my blood suddenly boil. There was also the actor. Meli came to my house with her two children.

My eyes glared perfectly when I looked at my husband's face .

" What do you mean you brought that woman of your affair here, brother? " my challenge is fiery. I lost all respect and fear for the man who was my husband and my parents and my in-laws.

" I'm sorry, deck. I can't hide this from my parents anymore. They also know about my son and Meli. At first they were angry. But then they could finally accept Meli's presence especially since we already have children."

It was like being struck by lightning when I heard the answer from Brother Jubair. So because they already have children, then they are easily willing to forgive the mistakes of Jubair. Again, I lost badly.

There is pain in the chest. My face feels slapped. I'm self-conscious. During our nearly nine-year marriage, not a single child was born from my womb as the successor of the Jubair family. Naturally, even though they were furious with Jubair and Meli, but still they could not just throw away their flesh and blood.

My tears spilled without me noticing. I felt defeated and hopeless. Feeling yourself means nothing. So it is natural that my father and mother have not demanded much from the man because until now I have not given offspring to the Jubair family. They let the man have an affair even though they found out, thinking that I could not give any offspring to the Jubair family.

" You're sneaky, brother. For the nine years I was your wife, you never gave me my rights as a wife and then how can I get pregnant and give offspring to your family? "

Everyone present in the living room was shocked in disbelief at my words. I don't care anymore about my shame or my pride. It's wet they hurt me.

Plaque....

Suddenly the man-in-law stood up and slapped Jubair in the face with a crimson face. My daughter-in-law immediately stood holding her husband's arm.

" Patience, sir. Remember your blood pressure" he said, stroking the hand of the man-in-law.

" suckers...! I never taught you to be a sissy or a coward. You've put the family to shame."

" I'm sorry, sir. But I don't love Saniah. I already love Meli." replied Jubair as if without burden he said that

I can't speak anymore . Shame and hate mixed with anger into one in my heart. I hate that guy for never being so firm in his decisions. If only he had told her first, then there was no need for me to hope for her. If only he had turned me in first, then nothing like this would be our household.

It's been clear all along that the reason Jubair never touched me was because that man never loved me. I too naively expect miracles from the old adage that love grows because it meets so often. In fact, having met and been together for almost nine years, there was no growing feeling of love in Jubair's heart for me. I was so stupid to expect love from a man who was blinded by the feeling of love for another woman. Now, I feel so humiliated and so humbled in front of my husband.

While Meli, the woman's face smiled broadly triumphantly.

I stared woundfully at the man who had been my husband for nine years.

" Punish me now, brother...! " desisku.