The Destiny
Act Your Age

The morning changed day, the afternoon changed afternoon, the afternoon went and the night replaced it.

Time continued to advance, the clock showed at nine o'clock at night past forty. But Ana still hasn't come home.

Ray breathed his heavy breath again. He felt annoyed because Ana still did not come home too, but soon almost midnight. This— made Ray feel worried for the girl.

A few minutes later, Alex's car is heard entering Ray's yard.

Soon from that— heard the sound of chatter and laughter from outside the house that was getting closer to the living room, where Ray was sitting waiting for Ana to come home.

Ana and Alex enter the house, both of whom seem unaware of Ray sitting on the sofa staring at them with angry faces.

"You guys seem to be having a lot of fun. Together stab me in the back." Said Ray.

He threw the newspaper he had held onto the living room table. Then stand up from his seat and walk up to the two men.

"You really have the intention to cheat behind my back, huh?!" Said Ray who had been standing in front of Ana.

"Sister, I can explain. We just— "

Not yet had Alex finish his words, Ray had already given his fist to the face of his other sister's mother.

Ana screeches to see Alex staggering and then falls to the floor.

The girl immediately approached Alex, the corner of the man's lips looking bloody, making Ana even more worried.

"You okay?" Ask Ana.

Alex smiled at him and shook his head, as if saying 'it's okay, I'm fine.'

"I'll help you stand up." Ana says as she puts Alex's arm around her neck, helping Alex to stand up.

"Stop that!" Ray orders Ana to stay away from Alex. Then, the man clutches the collar of his mother's other sister's shirt, intending to hit her again, but Ana tries to stop him.

"How could you do that to your sick sister?"

"You defended him?! You two— how dare you play me!" Shouted Ray. The man then pushes Alex's body, pushing Alex a few steps back.

After which, Ray turned his head towards Ana, looking at the girl with a slanted smile that was currently adorning her face.

"You— you are a cheap woman who dares to cheat with your own husband's sister, disgusting!"

Ana clenched her hands, she was furious when she heard that unrighteous humiliation. His hand reflexively slapped the face of the man in front of him.

Ray smiled wryly getting a hard slap from Ana. As for the girl, she looked at her hands in disbelief, why did she slap the man's face?

Ana hid her trembling right hand in fear behind her body, she retreated backwards as Ray stepped forward to approach her.

"After slapping me, have you lost your nerve? Why do you look so scared?" Ray asked as he looked at Ana with a look that intimidated the girl, making Ana's guts grow shrunk again.

Ray grabs Ana's right hand, the hand that Ana used to slap her earlier. The man clutched firmly in Ana's right hand, making Ana grimace in pain.

"Sister, stop that! You're making him sick." Alex wants to help Ana.

"Stop meddling in other people's household affairs! I warned you before! Don't let me get mad at you and then something bad happens to your mother." Ray.

"I thought I was so sorry I slapped you in the face. But, seeing you re-threatening others, even making your parents a threat, my mind changed. Now— I think you deserve it." Said Ana.

Ana, who had been frightened, this time returned to the voice and resolutely returned the sharp gaze of the man.

"What did you say?"

"You— You are not at all mature, even if you are older than us. But, among all the people who live in this house, only you are childish. Aren't you ashamed of yourself?"

"How dare you!"

Ray clutched Ana's hand. But, the girl was able to endure the pain.

"You're so pathetic." Ana.

"I? I have money, women and power, everyone is also submissive and obedient to me, then— how can you say me so pitifully? It's so stupid."

"That's why you like to threaten other people. You keep thinking that money and power can make you happy? Nah! You're forever just gonna be the one who's never satisfied and so pathetic in loneliness." Said Ana.

"What did you say? Really, it doesn't make sense. You should know, money and power, I'm happy with all that."

"Money and power? It's not happiness, what you feel is your own satisfaction. You feel satisfied but you are not happy. When you're alone, those two things don't mean anything to you, so you're lonely."

Ray was silent at Ana's words. The girl was right, she always felt lonely when alone. Everything the girl said was like the truth of her.

Ana releases Ray's hand from his arm, then he steps up the stairs to his room.

Alex also left Ray still frozen in place, he did not seem to intend to move even a little, his brain was still busy digesting the sentence Ana said, thinking of every syllable that was thrown out of the girl's mouth.

•••

Ray's stepmother placed the vegetables on the man's plate.

"Eat, you must eat a balanced diet to keep yourself healthy."

Ray just shut up, usually he would get angry and hit the table and leave. But, now he was silent and even ate the vegetable. Ray's stepdaughter smiled happy to see him.

"Ana, you eat this too."

"Yes thank you."

"Mother, how am I? Why don't you give me some vegetables, too." Whining Alex.

"Bas with you, all right, this— eat your vegetables." Alex smiled happily, then started eating his breakfast again.

All back eating in silence, Ray occasionally ate while glancing towards Ana. As for Ana, the girl only focused on her food.

Soon, Ana puts down her spoon, she finishes eating her breakfast and prepares to leave for the restaurant.

"Are you going to your restaurant, Ana?" Ask stepmother Ray.

"Yes." Yeah." Answer Ana.

"Next time take your mother-in-law to your restaurant yes, I really want to eat there." Said Ray's stepmother.

"You should try the food at Ana Bu's restaurant, because everything is so good, I often go there for lunch." Said Alex.

"Then why don't you take your mother?" Ask Alex's birth mother while gently hitting Alex's shoulder.

"Yes yes— next time I'll take mom there, I promise." Said Alex.

"good. You must keep your promise." Ana said with a warm smile.

"You take it easy, I'll keep it." Answer Alex.

"Then Ana goes first, see you, mother-in-law, see you Alex." Pamit Ana's.

"Yes, be careful on the road."

Ana smiled warmly, then walked away from the dining table. He stepped towards the exit of the house.

Ana's feet continued to step towards the exit gate of the house, she had to get out of the yard of the house to the highway to get a taxi.

"Ana— there's something I want to talk to you about." Said someone from behind Ana.

Ana stopped walking but did not want to look. From his voice alone— Ana already knew that it was Ray.

"I've been thinking about it for a few days. You're right, I'm lonely and I'm not happy either." Said Ray.

But, Ana still seemed silent, she did not turn her head or walk forward. The girl was silent in her place with a silence that was enveloping her.

"Tell me, what makes people happy?"

A few seconds had passed into minutes. But Ana still remained silent not answering. But then, it was seen that the girl turned her body, facing towards Ray whom she had previously been behind.

"Family and friends." Answer Ana briefly.

"Family and friends? How come?" Ask Ray who doesn't understand.

"Because they are the ones who give you affection, attention, support, and love. While with them we will still laugh happily, even though there are many problems that afflict us. They're like god-ordered moodboosters."

"Lalu— what about me?! I don't have a family. My mom and dad— they're my family, but they're gone."

Ana sighed, furious that Ray still couldn't catch her explanation.

"The family does not have to be your father, mother, or siblings. Family is your closest person, they are very close to you, always there for you, always supporting you, hard or sad they are still by your side, even if there is no blood ties, they are family."

Ray stared at Ana in silence, Ana's words again able to disturb his heart and mind.

"You've always been selfish and never given yourself the opportunity to think more openly. You always think that if you're the one who's hurt the most, that's what makes you feel like you've been programmed to shut yourself down and make you a selfish human being."

Ana looked at Ray for a moment, she saw the look in her husband's eyes, sad.

Before, he had never seen Ray have such pitiful-looking eyes, usually they always looked cruel and powerful.

Ana sighed again, leaving Ray still frozen.

Ana again stepped out of the yard of the house towards the highway to stop a passing taxi.

As for Ray, he was still silently staring at Ana from a distance.

*agel. T*ersometimes I think she looks like Angel. All the words he said were almost exactly the same as what Angel had told me before. About the family that does not have to be blood, in the past— Angel also told me. But, there's no way Angel is Ana. God must be punishing me. He deliberately brought me with women who have the same nature and behavior as Angel, so that the sadness of longing in my heart is getting bigger. Perhaps this is a worthy reply to all the crimes I have committed. — Inner Ray.