Teach Me (Naina)
Chapter 42

The chanting of the holy Quran echoed inside the mosque, a young man sitting cross-legged with the little girl lying beside him. Listening solemnly to the father's sweet voice.

In his mind he was expecting a mother, just like Alfin. Even though her status is only foster mother. He saw the face of the young man, a handsome young man who was willing to spend his youth taking care of poor children like them.

"Shadaqallaahul-'adhiim." Alfin closed his holy book, kissed it and placed it in its original place with great reverence.

He rubbed his face before glancing at his youngest daughter. Alfin's forehead frowned when he saw the child was closed while smiling to himself.

"Halva? Why smile for yourself?" reprimand Alfin while poking his slightly pinched cheeks.

The little girl opened her eyes, smiling wider. He sat down and looked at Alfin with sparkling eyes.

"Dad, when did you bring me to Halwa?" ask the little girl while showing her row of milk teeth.

Alfin snorted, the smile he was holding made his lips twitch.

"Mother? Halwa wants mom?" alfin asked, turning his seat closer.

The little girl nodded her head confidently, her eyes filled with honesty. His smile gave hope. He misses a man named Mother.

"Halwa's friends every day are delivered and awaited by their mother." He did not look sad, but smiling was probably imagining a hijab-wearing woman waiting for him at school.

Alfin smiled, rubbing his covered head with a hijab.

"Halwa want to see mom?" alfin asked with a glowing face of the little girl.

"You!" pekiknya happy.

"But Halwa's mother now can't take Halwa to school because she has to work. It's okay?" tell Alfin.

He did not want to lose the hope that grew in his heart.

"It's okay. The important thing is that Halwa has a mother" he said confidently.

Alfin chuckled, then moved while inviting Halwa to leave. Hand in hand crossed the road to the shop where Naina worked.

"Welcome ...." Always has.

Every Alfin opened the door, always making Naina's tongue confused and unable to welcome her.

"Well, it's Mom. You see, right, Mom's working. So, can't get you to school" said Alfin pointing at Naina who was standing behind the cashier's desk.

"Mother!" call Halwa with a smile. Both of her cheeks were blushing, happy to know that she also had a mother just like the other children.

Naina opened her mouth wide, looking at Alfin questioningly, confused as to what to do? Alfin nodded his head, asking Naina to welcome his call.

The girl extended her neck, checking the state of the customers in the store. Feeling that there were no customers, he came out of the cashier's desk to Halwa.

"Hi, sweet boy? What's your name?" tanya Naina crouched down in front of Halwa.

"Halwa, Mommy. Call aja Halwa. That's the Father who gave you the name" replied Halwa adorable.

Naina glanced at Alfin, the man turned away with a face blushed in embarrassment. His gaze returned to the little girl, rubbing both Halwa's shoulders and pulling her into a hug.

"Come, I buy snacks," Naina asked while carrying Halwa on a shelf containing various snacks.

The little girl turned to her father, her eyes blinking happily. Alfin turned around carrying his flowery heart. Sitting in the front seat of the store, waiting for Halwa to finish shopping.

"Mom, Halwa wants milk" said the little girl pointed to a shelf containing a row of milk of various brands.

"Which one do you want?" Naina chooses for him, buys him according to Halwa's wishes.

"Come, we'll pay first." They return to the cashier, paying the bills using Naina's own money.

"Where ...?" Naina dings in search of Alfin.

"Dad?"

Doubtfully her head nodded, Naina blushed because indirectly they were like a happy little family.

He smiled, his heart was filled with flowers even it felt like there were many butterflies tickling his stomach making him want to prance.

"Come, let's go to your father," he asked while holding Halwa's hand out of the store.

"Dad!" Halwa dropped into Alfin's lap. They look like father and son.

"Udah finished?" Alfin rubbed the boy's head.

"Udah. I bought it for all the sisters too" he said pointing to the large plastic bag Naina was holding.

The girl lowered her head, her blood rustling every time Halwa called her mother. He approached, and placed the groceries on an empty seat beside Alfin.

"So, I went to work again" Naina pointed to the shop.

"Yes, Mommy. Be careful!" the little girl said, waving her hands.

Naina smiled, turning around with a long sigh unraveling the tightness she had been holding since.

"Well, I met you, didn't I?" alfin asked as he rubbed the boy's head again.

"Udah, beautiful mother, yes. I also want to like Mom later if it's big," he chirped expectantly.

"Yes, now we go home. In a moment the brothers also come home from school," asked Alfin who was greeted by a nod of the head by the little girl.

The two got up, standing on the side of the road waiting for vehicles to cross. Alfin's eyebrows are linked when he sees the father's car entering the mosque area.

Smiling her lips, it was their first visit to the Alfin mosque after five more years of standing.

"There's a grandpa with grandma coming. Come, let's meet them" Alfin said, bringing Halwa's small body into the sling. They crossed over, under Naina's smiling gaze.

The girl shook her head, increasingly admiring the figure of Alfin who loved her children very much. He is a good man, worth fighting for.

In Naina's ignorance, a pair of peeping eyes were displeased. He hit the wall and overflowed jealousy.

"Bad! I'm chasing after Naina, but that young man got caught. Damnit damnit! My son needs a mother, too, and I want Naina to be his mother," growled Anton stared intently at the girl behind the counter.

He turned around and went back into the room, spilling annoyance at the array of objects displayed on the table. Naina and the others gasped as the sound of falling objects jolted their ears.

Naina rubbed her chest, it was no longer foreign to their ears. Lately Anton is more often angry, even trivial things he can not accept.

At the mosque, Ahmad and Aminah stood in the courtyard. Stare in amazement at the huge building that their youngest son erected themselves. Intermittent, a man wearing a green turban on his left shoulder came out to greet them.

"Assalamu'alaikum, Mr. Ustadz!" greet Alfin's father while greeting Ustadz Hasan.

"Wa'alaikumussalaam's chat. Thank God, find who?" asked Ustadz Hasan kindly.

"We're Alfin's parents, Ustadz. Want to visit the kids here. Sorry for just coming" said Ahmad reluctantly.

Although he was older than Ustadz Hasan, he still respected him as the babysitter. The spiritual master who guided Alfin to become what he is today.

"Oh, my God! Come on, come on, it's okay. Alfin again on the other side, take his youngest child to snack," said the ustadz while leading the two middle-aged to a pendopo.

He also prepared a drink for them, which was always available there. Sitting face to face waiting for Alfin to come.

"Assalamu'alaikum!"

Ahmad and Aminah looked behind their bodies when they heard their son's voice.

"Wa'alaikumussalaam!" Aminah smiled welcoming her son's hand.

"Come, Umi. Thank God that finally came here, too," said Alfin while riding a pendopo with Halwa.

"Well, Halwa. This is Grandpa's Grandma. Go, salim!" alfin's word was immediately carried out by the little girl.

Aminah kissed Alfin's two youngest cheeks, Alfin's foster children were his grandchildren as well. Likewise with Ahmad, do not hesitate to pebun-tubun Halwa. He sat back on his lap and gave him the milk box he wanted to drink.

Seeing how Alfin treated his foster children, Aminah's heart was so proud.