SURREPTITIOUS
The Part 33

Amadhea saw her mother hugging the boy.

"Mama, Papa," call Amadhea.

It seemed that Sudarman and Ayuni could not see Amadhea. Even when Amadhea touched her parents, her hands pierced through their bodies.

Ayuni poured rice and side dishes for the boy. Amadhea felt jealous seeing that, but there was nothing she could do but look at them.

The boy laughed happily.

The deg!

The laughter of the little boy was very familiar. It was the same voice that was often heard when the ghost of the little boy waiting for the hidden room near the stairs appeared.

Amadhea swallows saliva. "So, that kid... Mama and Papa's son? Then... Then who am I?"

"Nino, eat a lot, yeah. Let you be strong and can protect Mama someday" said Ayuni gently.

The boy who had the name Nino nodded his head in excitement. He also eats.

Amadhea watched the boy. He looks like Papa. It's even very similar. Come to think of it, I don't look like my parents at all. But, if I'm a foster child, why is the DNA test so suitable?

Sudarman put down his fork and spoon rather roughly making a clanging sound as it clashed with the plate. Ayuni and Nino were shocked. They both looked at Sudarman, not least Amadhea.

"My appetite is gone." After saying that, Sudarman got up from his chair then passed.

Amadhea stared at her father's missing back behind the door. He didn't think his father would behave like that. Amadhea turned to Ayuni and Nino.

Nino's crying. The sound of her crying also reminded Amadhea of the ghostly cry of the little boy in the room.

Ayuni rubbed Nino's hair. "Nino continue eating, yes. Mama should talk to Papa."

Nino just nodded. He bowed after Ayuni who passed out of the kitchen.

Amadhea was still standing watching the dreamy Nino and did not continue eating her. The girl followed her mother. He saw Ayuni and Sudarman fighting. All her life, only this time Amadhea saw the quarrel of her parents.

"Mas, if you keep this up, Nino gets scared of you. No matter how Nino is our biological child," said Ayuni.

Amadhea listen.

"I really don't like that kid. Every time I look at it, I'm I'm really upset" Sudarman grumbled.

"Buck...."

"Why, Ayuni? Why did you give birth to such a disabled child?!" sudarman shouted cutting Ayuni's speech.

Amadhea shut her mouth. He had not expected his father to speak so rudely. Amadhea saw Nino peeking in the kitchen doorway. Amadhea who was initially upset and jealous became pity on Nino.

"Mas, don't be hard, Nino will hear," said Ayuni.

Sudarman rubbed his face rough. "I told you, just throw the kid in the orphanage. Merlin was right, Nino shouldn't have been born into this world."

Amadhea knitted her brows. Aunt Merlin always interfered in the affairs of my parents' household. So, did Aunt Merlin know about Nino? That's why he thinks I'm not Papa and Mama's real son.

Ayuni could not help her tears that were now flowing down her cheeks. "Mas blame me?"

"If it's not your fault, whose fault is it?! You forced me to defend that child!" bentak Sudarman's.

"Father! Don't be mad at Mama!" amadhea. He could not bear to see his mother being cornered by his father.

"I'm sorry I married you, Ayuni!"

"Father!" Amadhea prevented Ayuni from Sudarman, though she knew it was futile, because neither her father nor her mother could see her existence.

The sound of a bell ringing. The three people's gazes were fixed at the main door.

Ayuni wiped her tears and then passed to open the door. Amadhea followed and wanted to know who was coming.

A woman who was about 60 years old came. Ayuni invited him in. Amadhea watched the woman. For a moment he remembered someone, the woman in the painting in his dream was very similar to the woman's face.

Even though he was old, his face still looked the same.

"What is that woman...what is she... The black-eyed ghost? Was this when he was alive?" amadhea.

"Is the house comfortable?" ask the woman.

So, this house Mama bought from the old woman? This house belongs to that black-eyed ghost? Inner Amadhea.

"Maybe the house does look a bit old, understand the age of this house is two hundred years," said the woman.

"What?! Two... two hundred years?" Amadhea shut her mouth. "I used to think this house was a hundred years old."

"My husband really likes the design that is like a European-style building, Bu Karnilah," said Ayuni.

The woman named Karnilah smiled. "Thank God you're comfortable in this house."

"Where does Bu Karnilah live now?" ask Ayuni.

"I live outside the province, on a beautiful beach surrounded by mangrove forests" said Karnilah.

Amadhea digested the words of Carnilah. Amadhea's view immediately turned to the painting of the Dead Beach which happened to be on display in the living room.

"What's possible...." Amadhea walked towards the painting. Without a second thought, he dropped the painting.

Ayuni and Karnilah's gaze was fixed on the painting which suddenly fell. Amadhea did not think his efforts would succeed.

"The painting is falling" Ayuni said as she got off the couch and confirmed the painting.

"I live on the beach in the painting, Dead Beach" Karnalah said.

The deg!

It was as if a godam had struck his heart when Amadhea heard the words of Karnilah.

"Dead Beach? The name is a bit creepy" Ayuni said as she looked at the painting.

Ma'am Carnilah smiled making her wrinkles more real. "Yes, that place is notoriously creepy, but for someone like me, I'm used to it and comfortable."

Is he a psychic? Inner Amadhea.

Ayuni nodded in understanding.

"You are young and you can have a lot of children to fill your days in a house this big" Karnalah said.

Ayuni smiled softly. "Hopefully this year we are given offspring."

Amadhea. Did Papa and Mama not acknowledge Nino? Did they hide Nino from the public? That's why Nino occupies a narrow room near the stairs?

For a moment Amadhea was lost in her own thoughts. There were a lot of questions that popped into his head.

Also true! Maybe that's why people know, I'm an only child, because Papa and Mama just acknowledge me as their child. Only Aunt Merlin knows about Nino. Why won't Papa admit Nino? Papa said, Nino's handicapped? But he looks normal. He's even very handsome and funny.

"Then I go home, yeah." Karnilah.

Amadhea followed Karnilah out of the house. There is a classic car parked in the courtyard. Just open the car door. Amadhea come in first. Then Carnilah entered the car.

The car drove too.

After a long drive, the car stopped. Get out of the car. And so did Amadhea. Take a walk through the path. Amadhea followed.

A few minutes later, they arrived in the mangrove forest. Amadhea looked exhausted. He continues to follow the Carnation.

"Where are we going, anyway?" amadhea.

They arrived in the middle of a lush mangrove forest. There was a large house there, but it looked much more terrifying than the current state of Amadhea's house.

"Very creepy."

...👻👻👻...

^^^22.17 | 1 September 2021^^^

^^^By Ucu Irna Marhamah^^^