Sharing Love: Is My Husband Yours?
Maid

Today is Sunday, but Darwin has been busy in front of his laptop. In the meantime, I've been waiting for the right time to talk to him.

"Mas, where will we stay next?" I dare to ask.

Darwin frowned without looking at me.

"I mean... I work every day in Indralaya. We now live in Kayuagung. The distance from here to Indralaya is not close, not to mention often jammed every day. Shouldn't we just stay in Indralaya, Mas?" I tried to explain as best I could so as not to offend him.

"You're offended by mom's attitude this morning." Darwin said that to me as if he could read my mind.

"You have to stay here with mom" he said.

"It's not so, Mom."

Darwin looked at me as if waiting for the words from my lips.

"I'm afraid I can't be a good daughter-in-law to my mother" I said later.

"You're just not used to it yet." Darwin said so firmly. "You don't understand mom yet. We just got married yesterday. You are still in shock to face the attitude of mother. You will stay here long. Consider this your own home."

"Mom's words do not need to be too you put in the heart. Mother is so. His attitude is hard."

"But, it would be nice if we just stay in Indralaya, Mas. Closer to where you work. Kayuagung and Indralaya are different cities." I'm still trying to persuade Darwin.

"You stay here, Rania. I will stay at my official house in Indralaya as before marriage" said Darwin.

My eyes are breaking. I was surprised to hear Darwin's words.

"You'll stay here with mom. Saturday and Sunday I'll come back here, sleep in this house. But, on working days - Monday to Friday - I will stay in Indralaya because the distance from here is far."

I was stunned to hear Darwin's explanation. "The two of us don't live together" I said.

"Yes, there's one house. Saturday and Sunday I am here. Just an active day of work, I stayed in Indralaya" he said.

"Why don't I stay with you, Mom?" my many.

"Who will accompany my mother? My mother is old, weak. Someone has to take care of him. Pity me for being alone" replied Darwin.

"But, said Mas before marriage Mas live in Indralaya. That means mom used to live alone, right," I said.

"No, Rania. Yuk Selvi, her husband and children used to live here. Now that they have their own house they move. Mom is alone. Hence, mom asked me to get married immediately so she wouldn't be lonely."

I remember Yuk Selvi was Darwin's older sister. He lives not too far away from the house we currently live in.

"Yuk Selvi lives nearby, Mas. He can accompany mom" I said.

"He's already married. He has a life of his own. Can't accompany mom all day. He's been here once." Darwin kept trying to make me understand.

"I'm the only boy in the family, Rania."

I looked at Darwin with a look of sadness.

"Mother wants to stay with me, not with Yuk Selvi or with Yuk Nia."

I just fell silent.

"It's my duty as a boy to take care of and be devoted to the mother in her old age" added mas Darwin.

"So you have to get used to it. You will be familiar with my mother."

I shed tears. Word after word Darwin made my hopes of happiness after marriage wither in an instant.

"You have to learn to be close to your mother" said Darwin, encouraging me.

He then closed his laptop and tidied up the papers on his desk. "It's almost 3 o'clock" he said.

"I have to get ready to go home" he continued.

"Come home?" I don't understand what he's saying.

"It's still Sunday, Mommy. Why don't you leave here in the morning?" my many.

"Monday, early in the morning, I should have been on campus. Besides, I have a lot to prepare. It won't catch me if I leave tomorrow morning from here" he replied, taking the bag out of the closet and filling it with clothes.

'What is this wedding?' my thinking. 'Mas Darwin will just leave me here. That is, in every week I will only meet with Darwin mas less than 48 hours.'

"Until when will it be like this, Mom?" my many.

"Yes, let's go first. Later we will think again about the best choice," he said lightly.

What I dreamed about last night has now come true. Darwin just left me. I was trapped here, a corner of Kayuagung that was an hour's drive to the center of Kayuagung City. I'm a kara, there's nothing I know except my husband's family here.

I used to think, 'What kind of marriage am I having?' The situation makes me unworthy to be called a wife, I deserve to be called a mother's servant.

The days I lived with mother's abuse because in her eyes everything I did was wrong, not perfect. I don't know when I can hold on until. The only thing I hope for now is a meeting with Darwin. I waited for him for days, until Saturday finally came.

"Suami wants to go home, you're not cleaning the room. How does my husband feel?" Mom sneered at me this afternoon.

I took a long breath. I looked at our room, everything looked clean, neat.

"Dusty clothes, wipe the cloth! Use wood cleaning fluid so that it is snooty, the husband came home so happy." Mom was still babbling from outside the room.

I also took a cloth and cleaning fluid. I wiped the surface of the teak closet in our room. After that, I wiped Darwin's desk. I opened his desk drawer, tidied up the contents inside and I found a ring box.

I opened it. I saw the same ring with the ring on my finger right there in the box.

'Gosh, it turns out Darwin didn't wear our wedding rings, ' I said in my heart. 'Why?'

'Why is this ring still neatly stored in the box?'

"I forgot to wear it." Darwin's voice surprised me. It turns out he's home.

"You must be thinking why I didn't wear the ring" he said.

I immediately put the ring back in the box. "Yes" I said.

"I'll wear it later" he said briefly. Then he put his body on the bed.

It's the first time I've seen him roll his body on a bed. Looks like he's tired. The current clock is almost 2pm. Then I asked, "You want to have lunch, Mom?"

"Already. I've eaten." The answer disappointed me a little because I've cooked a lot for Darwin. But, yes, it's over lunch.

"Want to drink hot or cold? I'll make it." I was trying so hard to please her.

"Later. I'm going to sleep first." He just closed his eyes. I expected a lot at this meeting. I have a lot to talk to him about. But he looks so tired. I let him sleep until Ashar.

Adzan Ashar. Darwin immediately took ablution and prepared to pray. He then asked me, "You don't pray?"

"Oh, I'm on my period, Mas. It's the last day" I replied in embarrassment. My face turned red when I said that to men, I am not used to my own husband.

After Darwin prayed, I approached him and ventured to say, "Mas, sorry. But, tomorrow my period is clean, I can only...." I was so stammered saying it.

But, with ease, Darwin immediately said, "No problem."

I was astonished and inwardly said, 'Uuuuhhhh... How stupid of me. Embarrassing.'

Darwin didn't seem to expect anything to happen between the two of us. I was afraid to disappoint him. I've been thinking too far. I'm really embarrassed. I can't afford to look at him anymore.

I think Darwin, like most men, wanted a honeymoon and the service of a wife. Men who have just married are usually very eager to touch his wife, but not with Darwin. Up to this point he never touched my hand, except when shaking hands.

I'm so ashamed, so ashamed. Because, I've been thinking too far. Until nightfall, I was ashamed of my stupidity. Meanwhile, he had leisurely spent the night watching the ball. 'Is he not interested in me?' my thinking.

But, in the end I thought, 'Maybe he's too busy and too tired in the office. Maybe he wants to enjoy his day off with rest.'

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