Slander Fruits of Karma
Teach Me as Strong as You

Part 93's

One Year later ....

Adiba and Emir have entered the Kindergarten School, Novia's busyness is increasing by inviting her two children plus caring for her mother who is sickly.

This morning, Novia saw a watch on her arm, it was ten o'clock which meant she had to pick up Diba and Emir at school at once and also her mother's regular schedule of taking medicine so she had to go home.

Novia went into the teacher's room to say goodbye to Mr. Rizal, that he was going to pick up her children. After getting permission he rushed to school his son then went home.

Arriving home, Novia invites her two children in to change their uniforms.

When he was about to go into the room, Novia saw his mother was watching his favorite television show.

"Watch what Mah?" ask Novia

"Tausiah and morning dhikr" said Mr. Ratih without turning his eyes.

After she finished changing her child's clothes, Novia approached her mother and asked again, "where do you keep the medicine?"

"Above the nightstand, in the mama's room."

Ratih turned to Novia, the middle-aged woman looked at Novia's back which disappeared behind the door of her room.

Novia approached her mother with a bag containing her mother's medicines, she opened the bag and sorted out which drugs she would give her mother.

"Vi, Mama has taken her medicine, now you are back to school" said Mrs Ratih

"Yes, mah, I'll take a break for a while" Novia said, massaging her mother's legs.

Meanwhile, the two Novia children lay on the carpet, a few minutes later both of them were asleep.

Novia smiled at her son, since entering school more and more Adiba began to reduce fuss.

"Well, the kids are asleep I'm leaving ya." Novia says goodbye to her mother to return to school.

Mrs Ratih nodded, Novia left her parents' residence.

After work, Novia felt her body so tired she was about to lie on the bed but, suddenly Camillah went in in in a panic.

"Well, this is down!" yells

"Astaghfiullah!!" as fast as lightning Novia leapt from her bed and ran out.

"Millah, where is this?" tanya Novia panicked because she did not find her mother.

"That!" point Camillah to the living room.

Novia ran up to her mother, holding her mother's body with her hands shaking in surprise.

"Well, what's going on?" tanya Novia woke up her mother

Madam Ratih was silent, the middle-aged woman's face was deathly pale, her eyes were almost closed. Novia shook her mother's body so as not to lose consciousness.

"Mamaa! Listen to me" exclaimed Novia in her mother's ear.

A few seconds later, Madam Ratih blinked her eyes a few times.

"Mama's okay? Answer me!"

Madam Ratih nodded weakly, but could not make a sound just to signal Novia through her eyes.

With great difficulty, Novia swept her mother's body up onto the living room couch and laid her there.

"Millah, accompany this here, mama will take warm water first." Novia rushed to the kitchen to get a glass of warm water for her mother.

Novia was back near her mother, sitting on the floor holding a glass of water. Then he put the water into his mother's mouth.

"Millah, can you ask for help? get honey in the fridge."

The boy nodded and walked to the kitchen at his mother's command, until he opened the refrigerator and found the bottle of honey that his mother had asked for and returned to the living room.

"Well, drink this honey first so that mama is a little energetic," he persuaded.

Five minutes waiting with a sense of anxiety, Novia observed her mother's face that seemed to start flushing.

Novia said, "Alhamdulillah, O Allah."

He was a little relieved to see the change in his mother, who had been so pale now began to look a little fresher.

"Please mah, don't freak me out and freak out. For whatever reason I'm not ready."

Novia's trauma re-emerged, her entire body shaking in light of the last moment she lost her father.

Novia shifted her body away from her mother, the woman was trying hard to hold her sobs. The sense of loss ripped his heart back.

"Bah, I miss you. If papa were still there maybe I'm not as sad as seeing the state of mama," Novia murmured softly.

Novia wiped away her tears, coming back closer to her mother who was still lying down while closing her eyes.

The sun was already tilted to the west, Novia had not moved even a little from beside her mother because she did not want what happened to her father to befall her mother.

Shortly after, the roar of Irwan's car engine rang out outside, the Novia children running out to greet their father.

Irwan entered while holding the Emir, the man was surprised to see his Mother-in-law lying on the sofa weakly.

"Mom why Vi?" asked Irwan worriedly

"So afternoon my mother fell, fortunately Camillah told me," replied Novia

Irwan dropped the Emir from his carrier, "We better get you to the hospital."

"Come, Vi, don't think too late. Look at me so weak." Irwan pointed at his Mother-in-law with the corner of his eyes.

Novia finally obeyed her husband's words, the woman was packed filling a bag with some clothes and other necessities.

Irwan followed his wife inside, checking back on the luggage lest anyone be left behind.

"What about the kids?" ask Novia.

"Follow, time is left here," replied Irwan

"Alright, I prepared their clothes and needs" Novia said again

both are busy with their respective tasks, Irwan checks all the doors and windows while Novia fills the food container that will be taken to the hospital.

"Everything is fine, now you tell mama," said Irwan.

Slowly Novia approached her mother, touching the hand of the woman who had given birth to her gently.

"Well, are we going to the hospital?"

Bi Ratih shook his head slowly, rejecting Novia's invitation.

"Come on, mama don't refuse. If there mom can be treated intensively," persuaded Novia

"If you refuse, Riska and the others will blame me if something happens to you."

Hearing the words of his youngest daughter, Mrs Ratih became devastated and wanted to be taken to the hospital.

They arrived at the hospital, Mrs Ratih is still undergoing examinations in the room. An hour later Mrs Ratih was transferred to the treatment room at Novia's request.

Irwan and his three children temporarily stayed in the treatment room, the next day Irwan drove them to school.

The night is getting late, Novia is still awake her eyes can not be closed. He occasionally glanced at his mother who was sleeping quietly on the bed.

Like Dejavu, Novia again felt a deep yearning for her father while caring for her ailing mother.

Her tears dripped without excuse, although her mother never said her heart but, Novia knew very well the feelings of her mother lately who missed her father so much.

"I thought you were weak, I was wrong. Mama's so good at hiding feelings."