THE FORMER SHADOW
45. Boiled Crab

Today Badrina is going home, she has been granted permission from the doctor. After going through several tests to find out his eligibility to be released by the hospital, Badrina was visited by the doctor in charge, telling him that his condition deserved to go home.

Last night Arshaka contacted Badrina saying that she and Cantara would be picking up at the hospital.

There was a rejection from Badrina, because Arshaka and Cantara will skip their daily tasks, namely work and school, when they pick him up.

"No problem, Lina. I still have time off. If Canta, after this event, he can be directed to get more school spirit. Instead of us breaking his happiness for the sake of one school day, it is better to accept his wishes that moments like this are also not often, right," explained Arshaka at the time adamant to pick up his ex-wife.

Arshaka also avoids anyone else who offers to pick up his ex-wife from the hospital. Thank God Cantara is on his side, Arsahaka has more opportunities to be responded positively by Badrina.

Badrina nodded and accepted Arshaka's explanation. Usually Badrina will argue once her opinion is different from her ex-husband. Their conversation will end with either the tantrums or the anger of Badrina. Only, this time it was not so.

Badrina had finished packing, not much of her luggage. The bag and map containing the results of his health care has been arranged neatly. Now he is waiting for the invitation of Arshaka and his little daughter.

Being alone in the hospital is not a pleasant experience. Having no other family on the mother's side, not being noticed by the father's family, his biological son was still a toddler, and currently his marital status has been divorced making Badrina not want to sue anyone to accompany her loneliness. While in the hospital, Badrina did not tell her employees about her illness. The mother of one child was struggling to heal herself, she was increasingly aware that health was expensive.

Badrina's cell phone rang, a call from Arshaka broke her brief daydream.

"Hello," said.

"Rina, are you ready? Canta and I were in the hospital lobby. Only, Canta is not allowed to enter the hospital area," said Arshaka, "do you want me to pick him up or come here alone?" tanyakanya. There was a cheerful voice from across the street, Cantara calling her mother.

Old Badrina did not take in the joy like this moment in her heart. Once it blooms and flowers, whether it's because of Arshaka's attention or will meet her child, I don't know.

"Hello, Rina." Arshaka calls out Badrina who is again trapped in her personal daydream.

"Ah. yes, I just walk there," he said as soon as Badrina returned to her consciousness.

While in the care, Arshaka provides and delivers a suitcase filled with clothes, so it is not heavy for Badrina to scoop up the suitcase.

Badrina walked through the hospital hallway, the clothes she wore did not show Badrina as the patient she had been treated for.

Badrina instead looks like a local tourist who just came home from a tourist trip. The clothes worn and the rest are Arshaka's choice. Arshaka himself was decisive when he learned Badrina had to be treated for several days.

Badrina turned her head left and right when she arrived at the hospital lobby, she did not see Arshaka and Cantara. Badrina again reached into the small bag to pick up the phone, calling Arshaka.

Suddenly the bag was like something was pulling down. Badrina glanced quickly, afraid that there was a prankster.

"Mama..," said Cantara raised his hand high. Badrina likened her height to Cantara, the embrace of the two fused tightly together.

Not feeling Badrina's tears shed, she closed her eyes feeling the warmth of the princess' embrace that missed her so much. "Mama is healthy?" ask Cantara in her arms.

Badrina unraveled their embrace, nodding enthusiastically. "Already, Honey. Very healthy," he replied, commenting on the smile with his right hand clenched.

Badrina wiped away her tears immediately. "No. These are the tears of his name, son. Mama was very happy to meet Canta," said Badrina with a tone made so fiery.

Not far from them, stood Arshaka who saw the closeness of the two. There is envy, but not hate, in the man of one child.

Throughout the marriage good communication is not so intertwined between Arshaka and Badrina.

Arshaka did not make any movements and or conversations, he silently monitored with a flat face.

"Papa... here.. 'cock quiet?" tanya Cantara looked back. The atmosphere of the hospital was empty, occasionally one or two passersby glanced at them while smiling meaningfully.

Arshaka budged, himself like a teenager who was first introduced to a girl his target. Arshaka is confused to be so, really!

Then, Cantara stepped towards Arshaka. The little boy pulled out his father's fingers, leading Arshaka closer to Badrina. The man was like a cat who thought so saw a fish.

"Papa..," call Cantara looking up at Arshaka. The boy tugged down his index finger which was only dumbfounded with a strange condition that appeared in his heart.

Once they had confronted Badrina. "Father, give the flowers to your mama."

Cantara pulled hard her index finger which was silent earlier.

"Eh. ah. ah. e. this is a flower for you from Cantara," said Arshaka smiled, thrusting a bouquet of flowers Badrina's favorite type. Eight years of marriage, Arshaka has never done anything as ridiculous as he is today, even though he knows Badrina loves flowers.

"Thank you" said Badrina, receiving flowers from Arshaka's hand.

"Mama.., don't believe it. The flowers were Papa who bought them from the store. Canta where there is money," chimpal Cantara so innocently without shady aling-aling.

The two immediately turned their heads down to hear Cantara's honest words. There was a sense of awkwardness between the two ex-husbands and the wife. They tried to throw one smile at another.

"Em. yes, we passed the flower shop" said Arshaka.

"It wasn't like that, Pa. Papa says 'we're going to the flower shop in the morning, back home and get ready to pick up mom'. That was said papa. Canta still remembered," rebutted Cantara with other honesty while pointing at the temple.

Arshaka's awkwardness increased, he scratched his head, rubbed his nape, and threw a clumsy smile at Badrina. Cantara plainly dismantle the scenario that has been neatly arranged.

Arshaka forgets that her daughter is no longer an early toddler, but a late toddler. His memory slowly began to strengthen, especially when the event concerned the thing favored by Cantara.

Badrina smiled trying to remove the shame Arshaka implied in her handsome look.

"Canta's father is good, yes," praised Badrina, but looked down at Cantara instead of Arshaka.

Cantara nodded in agreement as they walked out of the hospital lobby. "Also handsome, Mama. Don't forget," said Cantara make Arshaka this time flushed like a boiled crab behind the mother and child while groping Badrina's suitcase towards the vehicle parking location.