THE FORMER SHADOW
42. Weekend

Badrina is still receiving treatment at the hospital. It's the third day the mother-of-one is in intensive care. He could not spend the weekend with his daughter.

"Mama...when do you come home?" ask Cantara via video call. The longing rails look obvious on the plain face of Cantara. The clothes worn with the joy of hello kitty dolls are contrary to the current condition of his heart.

"The doctor said, Mama's probably coming home tomorrow, baby," Badrina said, smiling. "Today still can not, said the doctor Mama still need treatment," he explained.

Badrina did not tell her about her illnesses, she only told her daughter the reason for being hospitalized due to being too exhausted so she needed to be checked by a doctor to recover quickly.

"Why not accompany Canta video call?" badrina asked, she saw her daughter alone in the room. "Well, you give Canta permission to hold Papa's phone?" ask again.

"Where did Santa want to answer, Mama?" sahut Cantara's. He scratched his head, Badrina's question became confusing when asked simultaneously.

Badrina chuckles. "I'm sorry, son. Papa didn't accompany Canta on the video call?" reiterate Badrina understood Cantara's intent.

"Ngga, Mom. Papa's talking to Om Danish in the living room. If it was Oma, I came home yesterday. Aunt again in the kitchen," explained Cantara detailed the information.

Badrina mangosteen heard her daughter's words. There is no interest in Badrina to trace any encounter between Arshaka and Danish.

Badrina played guess if their meeting was inseparable from the affairs of the two men's office.

"Here you hear from Papa, Canta didn't go to school?" tanyanya, digging up the reason the princess two days not willing to enter school.

The expression of Cantara stiffened. He did not expect that Badrina knew.

Cantara's head bowed. "I'm sorry Mama. Don't get mad at Canta and Papa," she said.

"Canta didn't want to go to school because he remembered that Mama was sick. Canta told Papa 'don't want to go to school'." Tears flooded the round cheeks of Cantara. He's afraid of getting angry.

The girl wiped away the tears with the back of her hand that was on her cheek. "Papa agrees to let Canta skip. Mama don't get mad at Papa." Canta is back.

Badrina was stunned to see the princess with a timid expression on her.

Indeed Badrina often reminded that Cantara was diligent in school, especially since moving. The cost of a new school is more expensive than the old one.

So, no wonder if the current Cantara is worried about telling the truth to Badrina.

"It's okay, honey. Canta didn't go to school for obvious reasons" she said, trying to calm her daughter down. If only they were not far apart, Badrina was eager to hug Cantara to calm her heart. Deep in the recesses of Badrina, he harbors guilt for the princess.

Badrina's sentence managed to make Cantara's mood change. The boy looked mangosteen and smiled with relief. "Mommy's son has lunch, hasn't he?" tanya Badrina switched the conversation.

"Had Mama. Earlier, Om Danish when he had not come, Canta ate with Papa," he said, no more stuffing out of his lips. Only Cantara's nose is still running.

Badrina returned to smile. He was moved by the innocence of his only puppet princess. An honest little soul told me his thoughts.

Badrina feels grateful that Cantara still has her, a place to uncover all the children's version of her. Badrina is motivated to live a healthy life in order to nurture her daughter until adulthood.

Because the meeting with Danish is very important, Arshaka was willing to give his cellphone to Cantara to contact Badrina so that mother and child can talk together.

The man did not take the time to talk directly to his ex-wife. When the communication was connected, he left Cantara's room. He needs to finish something with Danish.

"What!" Danish boughtak hear Arshaka's narration related to past events, even to stand up from where he sat.

Arshaka decides to tell her how she was in the past.

"Ck. My son could be distracted," protested Arshaka, looking towards Cantara's closed room.

Danish shook his head. He rubbed his chest after hearing the shocking truth from Arshaka.

"I don't think, you're that rotten Arshaka!" indignant Danish while pointing at Arshaka's face. "I want to punch that handsome lo face" Danish added with clenched hands.

"Yes, that was eight years ago Danish. Now I've changed" kelit Arshaka.

"Changed? What parts have changed? You kept another woman in the apartment five or six years ago, until now, Shaka. You said change?" Danish did not accept Arshaka's words. Danish voice tone began to climb. "My goosebumps heard your rottenness so neat," said Danish. He rubbed his palms against his fist and then showed it to Arshaka.

"Ck. That's another problem. But, about my deal with Poppy Si Lampir it's been over a long time. I also realized, we people near Badrina are very evil. I didn't continue it in the third year of marriage" Arshaka said at length.

"I really want to berate you, Shaka. Until the third year you realize that your plan to make Badrina mentally damaged is very evil" he said.

His throat was choked, he needed something to make his voice. Danish gulped down the mineral water that Muryati had provided.

Danish didn't care if the assistant knew the vices of her former employer at this time.

"Gue regrets Danish. I no longer care about the high-paying lure of Poppy. Furthermore, I live a household life like most other people" said Arshaka.

"Gue doesn't believe. Badrina said that after Canta was born, you remained as cold as he was. Not paying proper attention to a wife," some Danish did not accept Arshaka's confession.

Arshaka rubbed his neck, feeling heavy now. It's been honest, it's impossible to make up a story on Danish.

"It was a camouflage gesture. Let Poppy not suspect me, although later the Vampire realized also I changed," he explained. "But what I regret, my cold attitude to Badrina continued until finally we fought every day and ended up looking at Badrina" Arshaka recalled with regret.

"It should be Badrina who asked for a divorce from you, not the other way around," bursting Danish stare dislike at the handsome man who was sitting across the living room table.

"ah! Lo instead of judging my positive self-change," upset Arshaka while drinking a glass of water.

"Yes, now it's turning positive. But I want you to be reviled first because you have done something unfortunate in the past," Lontar Danish looked at the growl of his interlocutor.

Arshaka grimaced at the serious response from Danish. Thank goodness the man did not like Badrina as a grown man.

When that happens, it is possible that Badrina will choose a caring Danish man and not Arshaka who once defected Badrina.