Tama And Ratna
43. News From Away

The sun had yet to reveal itself when Tama slowly woke Ratna who was still asleep in her sleep. She lovingly stroked Ratna's hair and called her name to invite her bhayangkari to pray dawn together. Ratna immediately woke up, she then first stepped into the bathroom for ablution while Tama chose to wudhu in the tap near the washing machine. In the second prayer this morning the duration is longer than usual. There are many prayers and hopes that they say today.

How else, whenever her husband would leave, only prayer could accompany him. Ratna would not be able to follow him as much as she wanted. Even if he is capable he will not be able to. Ratna could only imagine how far her husband would go, how long he would be on duty and how much trust he would have.

If Ratna was asked she would honestly answer that she could not imagine what kind of work Tama would do when she became an elite unit of the Police. In addition to the burden of her heart that must look at her husband's back every time he carries out heavy tasks, Ratna is also burdened with possibilities that make her life threatened. This is not the way of life he had hoped for when he was young. It is not like this expectations of his marriage but he believes whatever the decision is, as long as the decision is good he will always get protection from God.

"Sir, are you crying?" ask Tama.

"No, I thought that's why her eyes were watery" Ratna said.

Tama then brought herself closer to Ratna, for a long time also he did not hug his wife. For a long time also he did not feel calm when holding his wife. Lately Tama was too late in her own thoughts, she was too carried away. She was afraid, Ratna would meet Bagas and Zahra which was her nightmare all along. He was afraid that what he feared would happen. Especially with Cece's words last night. His words kept spinning in Tama's ears forcing her to remember unpleasant events in the past.

"Mas..., what day did you come home?" ask Ratna.

"5 days from now. Because it's Thursday, which means I'm going home Tuesday. Why Deck?" ask Tama back.

"No papa" Ratna said, focusing on her breakfast.

"Mas..," called Ratna after being silent for a while.

"Sir, what makes you nervous? Say the same Mas," said Tama who began to understand Ratna's intentions.

"I'm afraid," Ratna said this time she could only duck. She dared not look her husband in the eyes.

"Not to be afraid Ratna, believe the same Mas."

Ratna nodded. It was also not good for her to let go of her husband with such a cry. As an apology, she took the initiative to take Tama to the office so she asked her husband to wait for a while so she could prepare to go to the hospital. Ratna escorted Tama to the gate of the headquarters, greeted Yudha and Arya who were on duty then returned to focus on Tama.

"Be careful, don't make it. If you can't yaudah" Ratna said.

"The magic spell was dong" said Tama.

"If it hurts to say, if tired of rest. Don't mean it" Ratna said along with Tama.

"That's there. Congratulations to my guard," Ratna said, encouraging Tama to go inside immediately.

Ratna kisses Tama's hand, then Tama replies with a kiss on the forehead. Tama first paid tribute to Ratna so that she could leave first. Ratna got back in the car and left first because she knew that if she didn't leave soon Tama wouldn't get in either.

Just as Tama walked up to the lobby, she met Bagas who was silent at the picket table while raising an intimidating look. Tama clearly knew why Bagas could be so dislikeful of Tama's smile this morning. For the reason Tama smiled was Ratna. Bagas doesn't like it because he likes Ratna, he just knows it doesn't. All this has to do with a girl named Zahra. The girl who finally separated Tama with her best friend Bagas. Tama did not want to leave with the burden, that was why she finally walked after Bagas and intended to ask what he wanted. What Tama had to do to make Bagas want to forgive him.

"That girl's your wife, right? You don't have to do anything. Just look at how I ruined her life. Let you know as sick as it feels to see someone you love slumped down" said Bagas.

Just with that sentence Tama immediately panicked. While he could not be next to Ratna, he was threatened. Good thing Tama remembered if Nesya said she wanted to stay at Tama's house. Tama immediately seeks Nesya to ask him for help, helping him look after Ratna as long as she is not in the court. Tama did not specify exactly how, she only asked Nesya to accompany Ratna.

...***...

Ratna was letting go of her tiredness after finishing her work. He just got out of the operating room 15 minutes ago. After gulping down the water that only left a little in the bottle of drinking, he, he grabbed 3 thick books from the drawer under his desk and folded the jacket he had on this morning and placed them on top of the book. After finishing with her sleep preparation, Ratna put her phone right in front of her face and closed her eyes. He was sleepy, tired, and no one encouraged him today so he was lackluster.

Approaching dinnertime, Ratna orders a set of dinners through an inter-delivery messaging service. Ratna tightened her hair again and she refocused on her work. When his hands started dancing on the keyboard, again the phone rang. For this one Ratna fell silent. Why Jay's friend called him. Of his 3 best friends, only this man never contacted him after he moved to Kalimantan. Though Ratna most often hangout with him during college first.

"Hello Jay, what's wrong with your tumben....,"

"Radea passed away Rat" Jay said before he even finished his sentence.

"uh? Radea's? How can?"

"Accident this afternoon. He died on the spot" Jay said in an increasingly soft voice.

"Theo? Theo how is it now?" ask Ratna.

"Theo can't be remembered that's why I called you. Only you can calm him down again. I'm the same Dipta couldn't do it" he said.

"Where is Theo now?" Ratna asked again while holding back her cries as she clearly heard Theo's screams from across.

Atheo and Radea, they were both famous in the medical school. Who does not know Atheo the chairman of BEM Faculty? He was quite famous even outside the faculty because Theo was vocal once discussing social issues that occurred. And Radea is the figure of his mother country. Radea did not join any organization. Ratna used to say Dea was weird. He's a medical kid but he's part of his writing community a literary boy. But it is not denied, Ratna was once made to cry for days because of the novel by Dea. He was quite talented in literature but also prestigious in his studies.

From year to year Radea, Dipta, Ratna, Theo and Jay are well known as the top 5 in the medical faculty thanks to their outstanding values. Not perfect, but many fail to shift the 5 names from the highest ranking ranks. When she graduated, only Ratna separated but Ratna never forgot her friends. Dea and Ela are married to the god created. Ratna even took the time to come to the wedding of Dea and Theo 4 years ago.

"Theo..," called Ratna who was unable to hold back her tears.

"Atheo Erlambang you don't hear my voice?" ratna asked again because Theo did not respond.

"Ratna...?"

"Ratna.., created the same Jay is so mean to me. They lied to me. They say my wife doesn't have a rat. You have to anger them now, only you can make them both diem. There's no way Dea could've left me Ratna. He loves me, I love him too. We promised to take care of Tio until he got big. Just last week she gave the testpack results to her line two to me. Dea's pregnant with our second child Ratna, we're so happy. When he left me, Rat, it was impossible" racau Theo.

"Theo please, don't get rich gini dong. I'm far from there. Do not make me sad dong," said Ratna who was crying.

Some time Ratna tried to calm Theo, Jay said he was calmer than before. Ratna who had just turned off the phone line stared blankly at her call log. Her husband's name is there. Ratna actually wanted to fly straight away right now. She wanted to ask Tama for permission to leave but her husband did not return a single message. His phone was not picked up either.

Ratna seemed to lose hope right now. She was not that determined to go straight away without getting permission from her husband but at a time like this Tama did not even return the phone. Not even the messages Ratna sent were any she read. The last time Tama told him was only this afternoon. A short message asking Ratna to be careful. Although Ratna did not know what the real meaning behind the message was. It doesn't feel like usual.

As she was walking home, the half-dreaming Ratna accidentally bumped into someone. He hit Rangga. He still remembers this man. She is Zahra's husband. Ratna remembered, today was Zahra's schedule of therapy so it was only natural that her husband was there.

"Pardon me, I didn't intentionally, sorry," Ratna said without being able to hold her head up. It feels heavy on his head.

"Adiratna. You're Pratama Aji's wife, right?" ask Rangga.

"Yes right. I am Pak Aji's wife. Do you know my husband?"

"of course. How could I not know that jerk," he said, making Ratna surprised instead of playing.