The Choice of Old Man
Childhood Friends?

A swirling wind blew the dry foliage on the ground surface. By Friday afternoon, Alexa and Keenan were back at the mass funeral. This time not only praying for both his parents and his grandmother, but also for Alexander who had just died five days ago, about eleven o'clock at night past 34 minutes.

Alex died of blood loss on the way to the hospital. Keenan helped with the funeral procession with two of his colleagues and residents. Before that, he had told the grave of his late mother and father-in-law to the digger, showing photos of Sofyan and Athifa. Eventually Alex's body will be buried near his family's grave.

Alexa frenzied afterwards, went on hunger strikes, went on strike, and often looked at her childhood photo albums. He still could not believe that his father, mother, grandmother, and twin brother had left him so soon. However, Alexa managed to get out of her grief. Because if you think about it, mourning for too long is not good.

"Surely they are happy to see me." Alexa poked her lips, looking at Keenan with a long sigh.

Keenan grabbed Alexa's shoulder, rubbing the girl's upper arm. "Yes, I'm sure. Try shadowing, if for example your parents are not our soul mate, maybe now you are alone."

"Lo really, Brother. I should be grateful, they chose the right husband for me."

"The reason our parents married is not just a matchmaking like in other novels. They do this, because they have prepared themselves. The will, the house letter, even the cafe is now on your behalf."

Alexa smiled, displaying a row of her teeth. He was moved to hear Keenan's explanation. Alexa always thinks negatively about her parents, they are selfish, do not free her child to choose a life partner. Now he dismissed that thought.

"Thank you, yeah, Mom, Dad, I've done what's best for me. Sorry, if you can't be a filial child with your parents."

Later, Alexa and Keenan take turns watering the grave grounds of her parents, grandmother and Alex, with a bottle of water already prayed for. Do not forget to put four buckets of roses near their tombstones.

"Lex, I'm the same Keenan back, huh? I will come here often. I will always give good news for you." said Alexa while patting a tombstone bearing the name Alexander Wijaya.

"We're saying goodbye, Lex." Keenan smiled as he looked at the young man's tomb.

*****

They abandoned their intention to leave, but Ratna was standing behind them. For some reason every time Alexa saw the woman, the emotions inside her instantly overflowed. However, because it's a funeral, Alexa tries to stay calm.

"Tante if you want a pilgrimage, please. We're not nagging." said Keenan.

"Thank you, you're still being kind to Auntie. Aunty's bad with you." Droplets of water flowed down Ratna's cheeks.

"It's okay, Tan. Anyway, if the evil Auntie is with me, it will immediately get a reply. In a way, I'm an orphan now." as far as Alexa.

Ratna crouched down, lowered her head while holding Alexa's leg. "Maafin Aunt. Aunt really apologizes."

Soon, Alexa pulled Ratna's upper arm, helping the woman stand up. He did not know whether Ratna was sincere in saying that or just an image. Despite this, Alexa still feels sorry to hear the apology of her stepmother.

Without answering the woman, Alexa and Keenan stepped out of the mass cemetery cautiously, fearing stepping on the graveyard ground around.

To relax his mind, Keenan takes Alexa to a shopping mall. Inviting his wife to play ice skating together, Keenan leads Alexa on a slippery white floor. Instead of just playing ice skating, they take pictures in photo booths with several styles.

"Try this style." Alexa puts a lip on her husband. Keenan chuckled amusedly at the girl's behavior, then he kissed Alexa's lips. Their photos have also been taken.

Some of their portrait photos have been printed. Keenan took it, then took Alexa's hand, took her somewhere else.

They came out of the photo booth, seen in the distance a beautiful girl wearing a fur coat and white sepaha dress, running towards Keenan. Seeing that, Alexa immediately shifted her standing position in front of her husband, facing towards the girl.

The girl almost hit Alexa, if only she hadn't stopped her steps. Later, the girl pushes Alexa away from Keenan.

"Keenan, I miss you. You must be missing too, right, same me?" ask the girl to put her hand on Keenan's shoulder.

"I'm Clara Adelin. Temen your childhood, the time you forgot, anyway?" Clara knits Keenan's arm, tangled in spoilt. "I used to hold your hand like this."

Alexa immediately released Clara's hand which held her husband's hand. Now, it's his turn that's pinching Keenan's arm. No matter what, whether the girl was Keenan's childhood friend, or his best friend, Alexa would never let any woman approach her husband.

"I'm sorry, yes, Ma'am, if the gatel is not the same husband of people." Alexa quipped.

Clara Adelin, childhood friend of Keenan and Kenzo. He was very familiar with both men. Unfortunately, their familiarity is not short, Clara had to go follow her parents who work in Singapore as well as continue her school there. Today, he returned to Indonesia and will settle in his home country.

At first, Clara just enjoyed her time shopping at the mall. Upon seeing Keenan who happened to be there too, he approached the man, giving a surprise for his return in Indonesia.

Clara leaned in, her eyes perfectly rounded. "No way! Keenan, promise to marry me later."

Keenan frowned, then folded both hands on the chest. "When did I say that? Oh, you must have mistaken people. That said Kenzo wasn't me."

Alexa looked at Keenan. "Kenzo? Wrong with people?"

"Later I'll clear."

Without waiting for any more response, Alexa and Keenan immediately stepped away, penetrating the throng of passers-by. Clara blocked their path. Keenan warned his childhood friend not to approach him again, he did not want any misunderstandings between him and Alexa.

Alexa turned her gaze to Clara, then smiled grinning broadly at the girl's annoyed face. Almost, he thought Clara was Keenan's mistress. Without Alexa knowing, Clara's teeth fluttered so furious ignored by Keenan.

Before exiting the shopping center, Alexa stopped by the clothing store, looking for the exact same jeans as Regan's. They circled a row of jackets lined up on clothes hangers.

"This, right? Just as much as Regan." Keenan grabbed one of the hanging black jeans jackets.

Alexa nodded. "Yes, this is real. Look at the price."

They flinched when they saw the price bandrol on the jacket. The original price was not five hundred thousand but eight hundred thousand. It means that Regan lied to Ilona, while they understood the man's lie.

"Maybe Regan doesn't want to bother Ilona. Hence, he said it cost 500 grand."

"It could be, anyway. Moreover, Ilona must buy this jacket with money from her hard work."

Finished discussing about the meeting, they paid for the jacket they took. The two lovebirds who bought it used Ilona's salary, because the girl did not have time to go to the shopping center. The reason, Lexa's Coffee Shop is being visited by many buyers.

Alexa thinks Clara is gone, in fact her husband's childhood friend is still wandering around the shopping center. Clara was about to approach Alexa and Keenan, but someone pulled the girl's wrist.

"That's who? Don't you bad guys anymore?" think Alexa.

"No, it's Kenzo. Yesterday." replied Keenan.

"Kenzo Kenzo who's that, anyway?"

"My twin brother."

TBC.