The Bitter Three's
Seminar on Dark Life, Narsum: David

David and Susan arrived at the house at about 21:00, when it happened that Galuh was in front of the fence and chatting with some security.

David frowned at Galuh's sight. Saturday at this hour last night, what do you want in his house?

David's heart was filled with frustration because the man in front of him had violated the boundaries of his territory.

Susan stops David when he gets out of the car and hits Galuh.

"Galuh and the kids have been home since the afternoon. She cooks with Hanifah for the kids. If reprimanding, do not let Vini and Vici sound,"

"Kids? What else is your plan?" David squinted his eyes. He's totally inexhaustible this time about how Susan ruffled her territory.

"You know since the afternoon? And not tell me?! Susan's! You know they're in my house now! Can't you mess with my privacy!" exclaim David.

"Your privacy is my privacy, because I'm your wife" Susan said.

"This is not the way, you will be angry if I tell Hanifah to ruffle your expensive bag in the closet without your permission" said David.

Susan quiet.

This time David was right.

Well, maybe Susan's a little out of bounds this time. But they don't even know what happened until Galuh was home when David wasn't home.

"I also do not know why the children arrived at home, but Hanifah had asked permission when you prayed Ashar earlier. I just forgot to tell you," Susan said.

David took a breath.

"I ... "David bit his lip in disgust. "I don't like this. I don't mean the match plan, but indirectly you've demeaned me in front of other people. Maybe you mean well, want to help me,"

"I see, keeping your honor as a husband is my duty as a wife. Okay, I admit I was wrong this time. I'm sorry, okay?!" Susan raised her hand.

David looked at Galuh who was now aware of his presence. The man looked at David from the outside as if he was waiting for him.

"I'll talk to Galuh. Don't worry, it's a man-to-man conversation,"

"No commotion" murmured Susan.

"I'm not you" David replied as he entered the gate and parked his car.

-----***-----

Susan opened Hanifa's room carefully. Vini and Vici fell asleep on the bed. Hanifah was teaching next to them.

Hanifah stopped her reading when she realized Susan's presence. Then he breathed.

"Home home, Mother? They're waiting for Susan from earlier" said Hanifah.

"Yes I know, so we didn't stay at the hotel" Susan lied. He just wanted to know the reaction of Hanifa. Though there is no intention to stay because Susan is menstruating.

Hanifah's face immediately tensed up.

Susan smiled ignorantly, "Why? It was natural that we would stay at a hotel. We're husband and wife,"

"This is not Susan's schedule,"

"Well, if you don't like it, just say it to David, ask for your own rations,"

"I ... " Hanifah swallowed his saliva and puffed out his sentence. Then he threw away his face.

"Your presence here is like a parasite. Who exactly are you? Wife or actor? When in doubt, shouldn't you be looking for a companion who can accept you sincerely without any particular intention like David?" hiss Susan while coming out of Hanifa's room.

Again, again,

Again Susan incised wounds all over Hanifah.

The attacks were relentless, as if the two of them were fighting on the battlefield. Hanifah gets a sequential attack. Susan always beat him back.

Susan wants Hanifa to let David go.

Then, what did that woman mean to want Hanifah to learn business? Hanifah thought Susan really wanted to help her balance with David. But why is it that there is a hidden plan now?!

Susam went into his room with a chaotic feeling.

Susan who from childhood had the persistence and freedom to determine her own future feels uncomfortable.

If Hanifah and Alwa are not independent, David will release them forever.

If the plan doesn't work, Susan will back off. And he doesn't like that.

It's not that he's starting to like David.

But this is more in the direction of defeat. Susan doesn't like to lose.

Back off is the last option on his dictionary.

-----***-----

"Night, sir," Galuh said.

"Hm," grimly David sat on the porch of his house. I sit in the chair next to me. There was a coffee table that separated them.

"I'm sorry I interrupted Mr. David's house when he wasn't around. Ms. Hanifah and I accidentally met at the supermarket after taking the kids on vacation. After finding out that Ms. Hanifah is home to Ms. Susan, the children insist on meeting Ms. Susan. So we waited for him to come home,"

"Yes, Susan told me Hanifa asked permission" said David.

But he forgot to say, David's mind was upset.

"Then, where are the kids?" ask David.

"After eating they are sleepy, then Ms. Hanifah invites them to her room. I'm-because it's been the night I finally got here,"

"Thank you for knowing the manners of meeting in the house of a woman who is not a muhrim," there is a tone of satire in David's sentence.

"I'm sorry, we don't think Miss Susan will be home long" Galuh said.

David watches the security and some intel surrounding his house.

How stifling!

How long will this situation continue?

"You," David said as he looked forward, "How far do you know about Suleyman?"

There was a sound of Galuh breathing.

"When news of Mr. David and Ms. Susan's marriage will take place, Raka and I will make a small discourse on your family background" Galuh said.

"What kind of info do you get?"

"We have a partner who is in charge of the investigation of the black world. Just a precautionary measure to protect Miss Susan," Galuh leaned more casually into her seat, but she made sure that her conversation with David this time was not heard by anyone else.

"We know that Suleyman was killed for tampering with the capitalists" Galuh added.

David nodded, "I won't be investigating the killer, it's just going anywhere. At the end of his life, Suleyman also forbade me to do so. Those people cannot be resisted by individuals, let alone I am plunging into their world, the capitalist business. He's just-" David's kind of stuck.

"He was only worried about the safety of Alwa and Hanifa who were feared to be carried away by accident,"

Galuh nodded in understanding.

David stroked his chin thinking, "That's why I married them both, despite the weight of it. Because the status of 'wife David Yudha' will make them protected from the same attack. Suleyman and I were on opposite sides. Suleyman was comfortable in the caliphate by trying to implement the Islamic economy according to his rules, whereas I was in the global economic stronghold with all the scheming intrigue of taking down opponents. Anyone would think that I was taking hostages from the enemy to be a concubine. But no one knew that I loved my brother so much" David said.

"What's your next plan, sir? Can we help?" ask Galuh

David looked at Galuh with sadness, his gaze probing but pleading.

"I love Susan. I trust you only because Susan trusts you" he said.

Galuh nodded slowly.

"So" David continued, "What can you do to help Hanifa be independent without depending on me?"

-----***-----