Tarnished Before Accident
Chapter 43. Counseling

That night, Rey returned to my house after disappearing for a week. I don't ask much how it relates to Kak Rena now. I also did not ask anything related that actually made me curious.

The man was silent in the room, not as usual who always invited me to talk on the balcony of the room. I saw that the room was not closed as if it was deliberately left wide open. There, he was sitting while watching the computer screen light up.

What he said was true. He seemed to be busy with a number of jobs that might have been neglected these few days for looking for me and accompanying me in the hospital. Sometimes I feel guilty. Because of my actions, many parties were harmed.

Choosing to leave, I rushed to the kitchen to just make him a drink. To my knowledge, Rey liked tea over coffee so much that I brewed the golden-colored water for her.

I finished making a cup of tea, I immediately climbed the stairs to go to Sister Rey's room. I breathed once before finally knocking on that twisted wooden door slowly.

He glanced at it, then said, "Come in!" His face was focused again on the string of writing on the bluish glowing screen.

"Drink, Brother!"

"Put it down there, I'll drink it."

"Hem" I said as I placed the teacup in front of the computer. I looked at him again. It seems like he's really busy. The string of letters and numbers on the computer screen looks complicated and confusing, very in tune with Kak Rey's face that looks serious and tense. However, it only makes him more handsome and authoritative.

I turned my head slowly. Why am I so happy to see that man's face? I even lingered at him without blinking. As if, he had a powerful magnetic force to draw all my attention to him.

However, even though he had said that this marriage was not a game, but a real marriage, but as long as he never told me his feelings, I would still consider him someone else.

I was able to hold on by holding back my feelings for him because up until this moment I didn't want to expect too much.

I hurried away later, leaving Sister Rey drowned to her work. I don't want to disturb that guy. After all, he worked to support me and my son.

***

That afternoon, as the sun rose at its highest peak, where the heat was so intense as to burn the skin, I was taking shelter in a nearby minimarket after making a cash withdrawal. Rey gave me a credit card, but I don't like using it so I prefer to use cash in transactions every day.

When I picked up a bottle of cold drink in the fridge, suddenly a familiar voice called out to me.

"Alea!"

My gaze immediately moved looking at the figure that was already standing beside me.

"Keys."

The woman who was almost the same age as me seemed to nod and smile.

A long chair located in front of the minimarket became the seat of both of us. Keysha, my alma mater friend from college. She looks like a successful career woman. Very different from me who everywhere always wore a hoodie and sports pants with hair ponytailed, he actually wore formal clothes that looked neat and graceful. When we see our difference as the earth and the sky.

"So, you're married? Who's the lucky guy?" he asked by sipping a cold tea bottle that was in his grasp.

"Hem, maybe more precisely that guy who was unlucky. Aye, right?" I chuckled lightly.

"Come, Alea! You're not that bad. You're beautiful, well, not everyone has kindness like you."

I lowered my face, staring blankly down where a group of ants formed a neatly lined colony to raise a piece of bread. "Well that's stupidity" I replied.

"Who said?"

"Alea, are you unhappy with your marriage? Bad husband? Not responsible?" Keysha's successive questions made me shake my head immediately.

"No, my husband is good. He's a responsible man. It's just, our relationship can't be as normal as other married couples."

The taut fingers shove red business cards in gold ink at me. "What's this?"

He smiled to the point that his tiny eyes looked increasingly narrow. "I work here. You should consult your problem to the experts. There are so many married couples who have problems like you. I'm sure you'll get the right solution for it."

He then stood up after putting the remaining tea bottle slightly at its base. "I'll wait there. I hope your problems will be solved soon."

I smiled in response, looked at the thin glossy business card, then thanked him.

***

Keysha's words have a point. I tried to go to a place where counseling services were available for married couples according to Keysha's recommendation.

A three-story building with a predominance of white color stood looming before me. I hesitated a little, because I was suddenly confused about what to say. However, having already come, I made up my resolve to go inside.

After registering, I waited for a call by sitting on a soft velvet sofa chair that leaned against the edge of the wall. I turned my eyesight across the room. Everything looks neat and comfortable. There is a sense of optimism when looking at the place, making me sure if the psychologist who handles is a professional person in his field. Maybe, I can find a solution here how to deal with my problems with Kak Rey and Kak Rena.

Not too long to wait, it was finally my turn to arrive too. I exhaled a rough breath before finally getting off the sofa to step inside the consultation room.

There, a slightly thick bespectacled woman with neatly carried hair smiled kindly at me. I responded with a nod, not forgetting to also return her smile, then sat right in front of the woman's desk.

He greeted me kindly. Take light approaches until I forget that the woman who was talking to me was a stranger.

"How do you communicate with your husband?" ask the woman while confirming the location of her slightly sagging glasses.

Kuremas my hand, diverting the nervousness that suddenly struck. "Mixing is just as necessary. Not too intense."

"Is there anything that makes your relationship more distant? Lies, mutual distrust, or perhaps***^?"

"What?"

He smiled strangely at me. "How many times have you had a marital relationship with your husband? Once every two days?" the question made me frown.

"Three days?" I'm shaking.

"Four?"

"Five?"

"At least once a week?"

"About once a month?" And again I answered with a head. He let out a long sigh, then said, "Try you started it. Maybe your husband needs variety in order to be more passionate about you offering yourself up first."

I still grimace in response to his words. Then, I was struck by something vulgarly thrust right in front of me. "Watching this could be the solution. You can start later tonight. Happy trying!"

I grabbed a rectangular-shaped object with a picture that made me cry in horror. "What the fuck? Why would he suggest I watch a movie like this?