The End of Two Semesters
Chapter 39 - Delivery

Despite having undergone sufficient and adequate preparation, Santi daunted also faced her delivery day. It was like he had forgotten everything he had ever done. Forgot the doctor's advice. All the techniques he learned while following pregnant gymnastics were like wasted evaporating out of nowhere.

Santi was tense, nervous, and panicked. He had never experienced such an important event in his life. Struggling to save lives, giving birth to children in the womb.

When pushed over the gurney towards the delivery room that night, Santi looked up at Arya who was walking along the side of the gurney. He gripped Arya's hand tightly. “Don't leave me, Ar,” his sigh is terrified. “Please promise to accompany me through the historic moments of my life.”

“You can definitely do it, San,” Arya said comfortingly. He rubbed the back of Santi's hand to channel strength, then he kissed the back of Santi's hand and Santi's forehead.

“Who am I to be a mother, Ar?” santi said depressed. “I do not want to repeat the fate I experienced in my son,” his sigh by holding pain in his stomach.

“Take marriage from the circumstances you experienced with your papa.” Arya said to encourage Santi. “Now is the chance for you to prove that loving your child is not by setting it up and curbing it,”.

“But, to give your best, sometimes parents slip by imposing their will right, Ar?” santi asked sadly. “It takes strength to be able to remind ourselves not to be authoritarian parents, but to be wise parents. Guiding, not forbidding exactly,” sighed Santi.

“When you ran away from your house first, you had the strength of the base from within you, Santi.” Arya said with a sincere smile. “And now I believe, you also have the extraordinary power to be a mother, who is able to give birth and love your child. Let grow into whatever he wants.”

Santi nodded in understanding what Arya was talking about. Santi still had to wait for the opening of the birth canal. Arya faithfully accompanied him, accompanied him, not one bit left him. “Promise yes, must be strong. You are a strong woman, San,” whispered Arya.

“Yes, accompany me yes, Ar. Until my son was born,” replied Santi.

“Iya, I'm here,” Arya replied.

Santi still holds Arya's hand. Sometimes Santi grimaced with pain, and her tears kept dripping. “Ar, if there's anything with me, you take care of my son huh, Ar? Love him and love him like your own son,” said Santi who sounded out in Arya's ear.

“Don't say anything. You must be fine, Santi,” said Arya by encouraging Santi.

“Ar can I say the same to you?”

“You said what, Santi?” ask Arya.

“Maybe I was too brave to say this, I knew our marriage until my son was born, and now I am going to give birth to my son. Maybe soon we will also ...”

“Don't continue, San. I don't wanna hear that. Why do you always say that anyway? I've said many times with you, I won't continue that agreement, you will forever be my wife, Santi!” Arya cuts off Santi's words.

“Ar I haven't finished talking, play cut it?” santi said annoyed.

“What do you want to say? You want to talk about the agreement, right?”

“No, I want to say I love you, Arya. I love you, I don't know when these feelings arise, but I know you still love Naira so much,” said Santi.

Arya could not believe Santi expressed her feelings like that. She had during her one-room stay, never daring to express her feelings to Santi, she was afraid that Santi would reject her. And now, while waiting for the seconds Santi was about to give birth, Santi expressed her feelings for Arya.

“So what did you say, San? I didn't hear it,” said Arya.

“I love you, Ar. Don't leave me, Ar?” the answer.

Arya doesn't care in the delivery room there's a nurse and a doctor, she kisses Santi's lip flash, “I love you too, San. I won't leave you,” she replied softly, but it may still sound like a nurse and a doctor are in the room.

“No, I'm already in love with you, San. I'm the one who always didn't dare to reveal it,” replied Arya.

“Thank you, Ar, you have returned my love,” said Santi.

“Sama-sama, Darling. You're strong, aren't you? For the sake of our baby,” said Arya and then again kissed Santi's forehead and lips.

^^^

Hearing that Santi was about to give birth, Halimah rushed to the hospital. But, she dared to go to her husband's house, to tell him that Santi was going to give birth.

“You don't want to see Santi giving birth, Her?” ask Halimah.

“For what to watch an illegitimate child born into this world? You know what it's gonna be like? As it is now, Halimah!” erang Hermawan's.

“You're really mean, Her!” hiss Halimah was sad. Then he left Hermawan. He went straight to the hospital Arya told him about.

Hermawan breathed heavily, his eyes slightly condensed, he rubbed slowly. For a moment she recalled the time when Halimah was about to give birth to Santi at that time. And at that time he had to lose his younger brother, an event that Hermawan never felt.

Hermawan took his car, he immediately plugged the gas go somewhere. It wasn't raining outside, but Hermawan felt his car's glass condense. He drove his car to the maternity hospital. Penetrating the darkness of the night that was as deep as a wound in his heart.  Crossing the desolate path that was as silent as his long-inflamed feelings.

Nope. Not to the hospital where Santi was going to give birth, but he went to another maternity clinic.

Hermawan came down like a lost man and lost his way. It goes down the hallways of its own maternity clinic, in shaky steps, and heads towards the delivery room. There was the noise of labor preparation. Husband who went back and forth in the maternity room, and with a look of panic look forward to the birth of the baby.

Hermawan saw a man who was coming out of the delivery room, walking towards the baby room, following the nurse who was holding the baby. Hermawan saw a row of tiny babies in the baby room through the glass. He saw a baby that might be a girl. He touched the glass, imagining the baby as Santi, his granddaughter.

And at that time, Santi was giving birth to a baby girl smoothly and safely. The nurse held out a cute little baby, placed it over Santi's chest.  With impatience and haru, he watched his baby with the longing of a mother. It was as if he had waited for his presence for thousands of years.

Scribbled tears from Santi's eye pelupuk. Grateful and happy. Unsatisfied he looked at the baby in his arms, witnessing the miracle of the Grace of God before his eyes. It is like seeing yourself in a mini-form.

The baby glittered, because his skin was as white as pearls. His eyebrows are thick, his eyelashes are pliable, his nose is sharp, beautiful like his mother. Arya sat beside Sani, rubbing the baby's cheeks affectionately.

“Beautiful once papa child,” said Arya by continuing to observe the baby who is still on Santi's chest.

“You so give the name Anindya right, Ar?” ask Santi.

“So, Anindya Putri Dirgantara,” replied Arya.

“You sure you want to give your last name to my son?” ask Santi to doubt.

“Yes, why not be sure? He's my son too?” arya replied straightforwardly.

At that time, Halimah entered, she had just arrived, but her steps came to a halt when she saw her daughter's happiness with Arya. “Mommy should come with you too, son. Accompanying you through the hardest but happiest moments of your life,” murmured Halimah.