Shean & Jenny
Atelier
“This is a family photo album?” I pointed at the mound of photo albums located on the glass table at the bottom.
“Iya.” The answer.
I open one by one each page of the album, there are many photos neatly arranged and given a title with a detailed description of where the retrieval in the form of dates and events. One thick page I had finished opening, and continued to open another album. Starting from the wedding photos of her mother's father as well as the album Jenny and her brother when she was a baby.
Looks like Jenny's been putting together all the albums, like the album I opened the first time was photos of when her father wasn't married. And right now what I'm opening up is a picture of Jenny's cute babies and her two siblings.
Continue to open the album which in it is a photo when Jenny was in elementary school age (SD). Although the picture looks dull because it has been a long time but still looks clear and there are no stains, Jenny really takes care of all her family memories very well.
There is a photo that caught my attention, namely a photo of three children including Jenny was taking pictures with the Mother and it says ‘Mother took us to the city park – Jakarta, July 20, 1997’.
“Je.. Quick kemari” my orders to him who just came out of the toilet in his room.
“What a pity..” he asked astonished with my unusual expression.
“You remember the incident in this photo?” I showed 3 parts of the photo that make me curious because there are strange things that Jenny and her father might not realize.
“Iya recall.. Mamah took me and the others to the park because my sister was bored at home and Papah was out of town”.
“Try you take a good look, do you think there is something strange not?” It was a late-goal to observe the three photos, nothing unusual at all because this is just a normal photo of a family chatting in a park.
“Emm.. I don't understand you mean”. He was confused, because he did not know the strangeness of the photo.
“Try to notice the pendant your mother used” I pointed the pendant at her, a necklace with a lock-shaped pendant with a clover shape on the top.
“Ok.. Emmm I still don't understand, try to explain what exactly is” Jenny more confused not understand with everything I say.
“Do you still keep this pendant necklace that your mama wears?” My toot.
“I don't know Shean.. Maybe papah still keeps it”.
Something I did not tell Jenny about the locket, I was photographed with a smartphone and enlarged the image until a sequence of numbers were engraved on the pendant, although not too clearly visible, was taken, but the engraving of the number is the same as the number I found in the urn in the house that was destroyed by my pet cat.
Of course this is not a coincidence, the same number sequence is in two places, namely my house and Jenny's parents' house. He suggested to talk directly to his father, maybe his father still kept the object.
“To know, you rarely wear that necklace, I just realized now when you show this photo”. Thus explanation.
“The possibility is the key to open the box in your gallery space papah mu” is only that I can tell him.
We went back to the front room when the rain had begun to subside and wanted to take her father Jenny to the Atelier cafe where Mr. Sudirman was.
I better not talk about this more especially to Jenny's dad.
“Ayo leaves” Jenny takes my arm to her car park.
The three of us entered Jenny's sedan, of course she didn't want me to take the wheel of her car, so I sat down next to her and her father in the back.
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Even though the rain has not stopped. But it's been quieter than since the heavy rain this afternoon and now it's more comfortable to drive.
“Oh yes Pah, he said papah know Atelier?” ask his daughter, because his father once mentioned if he ever knew a place called Atelier cafe.
“The Dirman used to make a lesehan coffee place in a shop in the north, papah never came, papah never came, some time later the store is no” he explained the origin of a place called Atelier and he had given help at the beginning of Mr. Sudirman made the simple shop. But because Maria Jenny's mother died, her father was unfocused and forgot to tell Sudirman, it happened 15 years ago and forgotten until last night.
It took 40 minutes to get to the cafe, after parking the car, we walked to the cafe which was still empty no one was in the cafe.
“Welcome to Atelier sir and miss” Her speech was friendly when the three of us entered the room.
“Dirman.. God, how long have we not met”, Mr. Renaldy shook his best friend's hand and hugged his best friend.
“You're still gallant Naldy, How are you doing now?”.
“As you see now.. There's nothing better than this. Hahahha” said excitedly.
“Come, please sit.. Just relax first, I made something for you guys” He stepped away towards the back of the barista table, preparing for the banquet this afternoon.
“Tumben empty cafe” Jenny spoke up, she was surprised the condition of the cafe was not as usual.
“Stores deliberately close first nak Jenny”. Say sir Sudirman while operating his espresso machine.
“See that, accidentally closed the shop “ whiskey and pointed to the sign ‘Closed’ hanging on the door of the outside of the store.
“Ohhh... I didn't see him just”.
Outside the heavy rain again flushed, the streets were covered by the torrent of rain and several motor vehicles pulled over to the shophouses beside the highway that connects the central city to the south. Today's weather is uncertain, it could be that it will continue to rain until nightfall.
My thoughts were mixed at this time not focused on their conversation, I just kept quiet and occasionally smiled in response to some chatter of Jenny's father who was talking with Mr. Sudirman who was still preparing a banquet for all of us.
Did I ask Jenny directly, but I'm afraid this is not a good topic to talk about at this time and do not want to be a strain of my relationship with my future in-laws.
Mr. Sudirman came with a variety of cake dishes and also three cups of coffee.
“Please enjoy” he put on the round table that we now occupy.
“Sugarless black coffee for you Mr Renaldy” Yes Putting black coffee that is brewed manually like his father Jenny.
“Jokingly you are Dirman. Hahahaha”.
“Looks, it's getting bigger than you. Last time stopping by was still a rented shop in the north.” Renaldy recalled when he helped Sudirman who was pioneering to build his business into a coffee vendor.
It breathes deeply into the aroma of manually made brewed coffee with a very complex flavor. I know the taste of the manual steeping because often drink it too while being here after work.
There are many types of coffee that this cafe offers to visitors, from the robusta type to arabica, all obtained from various regions and there are also rare types of coffee that are not always available every time.
Perhaps what was served to his friend was a rare lavender-scented coffee that could only be obtained from Ethiopia. The soothing aroma smelled also by me was very aromatic with a sweet aftertaste on the tip of the tongue.
“You are indeed very good at concocting kopi” He said, several times he permeated the taste that only he felt from the steeping of his friend.
“That's the best coffee I prepared to entertain special guests, I only have a little from my acquaintances from other stores”.
We listen to those who are letting go of longing because almost 15 years did not meet and moments like this make them dissolve in old memories of old school days.
There was also laughter and happiness. The conversation made us all forget about a time that had been almost two hours. Not bad also occasionally gather like this time. And maybe we'll do more after I marry Jenny. Although it takes time, but I have established my heart to invite him to accompany until death separates us both.
“So when will you get married?” Ask Sudirman.
“Emhh.. There is no exact date yet, but Shean asked for 2 months to prepare everything” Jenny replied to Mr. Sudirman's question.
“Shean.. Your family how?” Ask him to me.
“No know. No response from uncle. It seems they don't care either.”.
“I want to ask you to be a Witness at my wedding later, if possible”. No one in the family who answered the phone call also returned the message. I'm a little worried about it. Right now, only Mr. Sudirman can I ask for help to be a Witness of marriage which should be my family's duty.
“Ya.. Let me represent l later”. The answer.
“Well it's been good that, so there's no need to linger anymore to wait for your family” added Mr Renaldy.
“From now on you take care of all the little things, let me take care of the wedding reception”. As before, Mr. Renaldy will help all the wedding needs until it is finished.
“Good Sir.” My words agree with his offer.
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