The Destiny of a Substitute Mother
Chapters. 4 Consider you Dead.

"Mothers... Mother..," cried Dee from outside the room

When Dee reached the hospital room, the nurse had just closed the white cloth to the head of Mother Panti.

"No.." he exclaimed with all his might. Her crying broke instantly.

Dee's body drifted backwards, fortunately Anna quickly held onto her body. They then hugged.

"Mothers... Mother...," pointed Dee at Mother Panti could not say anything more than calling her name.

With heavy steps Dee walked closer to Mother Panti, unscrewing her face and seeing the person she loved the most go away for good.

His chest felt tight when he saw a pale face with lips that had turned blue and some burns that were still wet. Dee shook her head.

Dee kissed Mother Panti's face and roared loudly. "Mother why you left Dee, didn't Dee tell you to hang on. Dee needs Mom. Dee wants Mom to come to Dee's wedding. Why did I miss that to Dee," she said sadly.

Everyone was silent to see what happened. Among the children Panti is indeed Dee who is closest to the Mother Panti and cares about her the most. Until when the others decided to leave after getting a job Dee chose to stay in Panti. Helping Mother take care of the children and finances of Mother Panti by leaving merchandise to shops around the area.

"Anna, I must be joking, right?" ask Dee. Anna hugged Dee's shoulder.

"Please Miss, your mother has calmed down up there and is no longer in pain. We are sure that he will be well received by God because during his life he always helped orphans. Miss look, your mother looks smiling when she closes her eyes" said one of the Doctors.

Dee looked at Mother Panti and rubbed her face. Breathe deeply and try to accept the reality. The doctor then brought the body of Mother Panti to be treated.

"We from the hospital are deeply saddened by the death of Ms. Panti Mentari. May his spirit be received on the side of God well. For the ladies, may you be given fortitude in living this all. You must be strong because there are sisters of the Panti that you must take care of their fate in the future."

Dee simply nodded silently as she wiped her tears.

***

Many were present at the funeral this time, there were still fifteen children who watched their foster mother enter the burrow. Dee tried to remain steadfast so that the other sisters of the Panti could strongly accept this reality. For them Mother Panti is the real Mother because she who takes care of them from childhood and gives excessive affection. From him they know the world and understand that life must fight without forgetting God and the noble values of adab.

The plan is that the government will take over the children of the Panti who are underage to live in another place. Dee and Anna are looking for a new place to live.

Now in the tomb only Dee and Anna left. Dee still hugged the ground in front of her like she was not willing to leave Mother Panti alone there.

"Here you go home and find a new place to stay."

Dee then rose to remember if the Panti house they lived in was no longer able to use them. She wiped her tears trying to smile at Anna.

Suddenly a middle-aged woman with glamorous makeup came closer. He was stunned to see Dee.

"Is that the tomb of the recently deceased Mother Panti Mentari?"

"Yes... Whose mother?" anna asked as she glanced at Dee.

"I.. i.e.," said the mother looking fixedly at Dee. "My name is Linda and I'm here to find my daughter who eighteen years ago I left here."

Dee's eyes turned red. His lips were getting closer and closer. His chest rumbled loudly waiting for what the woman said next.

"Maybe he's been adopted by people, ma'am," Dee said. "Mother arrived late, Ibu Panti was no longer there and there was no information on who the mother's child was. Come on Anna, we need to get out of here."

Dee's heart is dead. If right in front of her was her real mother she wouldn't admit it. He was very disappointed.

"Wait a minute, I seem to know who Mom's son is. He's got a mole on his finger and it's the same as yours. Are you eighteen years old?" mother asked in a loud and trembling voice.

"Yes, I am eighteen years old. This birthmark can be owned by anyone."

"But you were so much like me when I was young" said the mother.

"Listen, Mother, although Mother is my real mother I don't want to know you, why to me you have been dead so long. I don't want to hear your explanation for why I was dumped by you myself instead of someone else. That means from the beginning I was born I was already unwanted by you. If Mother Panti didn't take care of me I would have been lifeless so my mother was Mother Panti and you're just a stranger I don't want to know and know. Assume I don't exist and I'll assume you don't exist either. Why are you looking for me now when I can stand on my own without needing your help."

Linda's mother froze at Dee's words. He saw the boy walking past him.

"Honey Dee is that your name?" ask Linda's mother to make Dee stop.

"Yes, that's my name but I beg you to assume I'm dead together with Mother Panti because I don't want to be with anyone who doesn't want my presence in this world even if she's my real mother." Dee went to leave Linda's own mother there in regret. For a moment he wiped away the tears dripping down his cheek. Anna hugs the orphanage's brother while rubbing Dee's arm.

"Do you really not want to hug your mother?"

"My mom is my Mom, she just happens to be the woman who gave birth to me. Fifteen years I look forward to her coming and finally I'm tired and have come to believe that my mother is gone because she never once looked at me or cared about my circumstances."

Anna took a long breath. Dee had just shaken her heart and maybe this was not the right time for the woman to come. Not to mention what happened with Dee and the foreign man who had paid for her, it added to Dee's deepening grief.

"We're going to do this together." Anna clasped Dee's hand tightly.

Dee nodded in agreement and let out a long sigh. He wished he could forget all the bad things that had happened.

The phone in Anna's hand rang. By Rizky. Dee's heart suddenly did not care.