THE FORMER SHADOW
46. Eat Together

Elsewhere, a female figure sat pensively while waiting for her beautiful daughter to come out of the classroom. His mind floated on a man who for the past five years had been paying attention to his needs and the baby.

Last afternoon he called to ask the whereabouts of the man who had not been to the apartment he occupied for several weeks.

Of course he was agitated, knowing there was nothing with the good man, so he tried to contact him. However, the one who answered his call was the voice of someone else.

There was a bad suspicion left in his mind. Is it time for her and the princess to stay away?

"Maulidya, Arshaka is detoxing himself. At the moment it cannot be disturbed" said the man who picked up Arshaka's phone frontally.

What does that guy mean by self-detox? Who her? Why does he lift the call and for what benefit?

Maulidya was confused to find an answer, until the connected phone turned off by itself. That is how Maulidya has felt to this day. He had trouble sleeping because Arshaka did not call for an explanation.

"Mama....," called her daughter, Ameera Narasya touched her shoulder. "why dumb? Meera called from earlier, mama did not reply," her protest was confused.

Ameera's school hours have ended, the boy is always awaited by Maulidya under the shady trees of the area to the left of the school.

Maulidya touched her son's arm, "I'm sorry son, I didn't hear Ameera calling. School hours, yes. Yuk, let's go home," he asked to stand up.

Maulidya immediately ordered a taxi online. They walked out of the school with the other children.

"Ma...., Papa Shaka why never come again?" ask Ameera as they walk. Ameera saw from a distance some of her friends were taken by their papa. "Meera kangen papa, Ma," he said as his lips cut down on a sad sign.

Maulidya responded to her daughter's question. Why should it be in this condition Ameera asked him? It is not time to explain why Arshaka did not visit them, for he did not know why.

"Honey," he said as he stroked his daughter's head. Maulidya took a kneeling position to align her height with Ameera, "papa was on duty out of town. So, we have not yet to meet papa," continued Maulidya hope the condition of his daughter back cheerful.

Ameera. "Masa Meera was not contacted by papa. Mama also didn't allow Meera to call papa," he poked while bowing sadly.

Maulidya also pityed to see the tears that fell on her daughter's chubby cheeks, rubbed lovingly.

"We go home first, Meera. Later at home we talk about. We'll try to call papa later, "he promised Ameera.

Ameera throws a joyful smile, believing her mother will contact Arshaka upon arriving home. The boy wiped away the remaining tears and followed Maulidya who was holding him to a taxi.

Badrina's housekeeper, Muryati, had prepared a three-course lunch. Before leaving earlier, Arshaka had sent a message to cook from fresh and healthy ingredients to welcome Badrina's return.

At the dining table were three people, they looked like another normal family who were happy and getting along. Flowers from Arshaka had put Badrina in a vase where she used to put flowers to decorate her house.

At once Arshaka gave him flowers, so he did not have to pay anymore to buy. Badrina smiled with a frugal thought stored in her brain.

"Rina, we're eating at home, it doesn't matter. Next time, I invite you to eat outside" Arshaka said after chewing and swallowing a spoonful of rice and side dishes.

Badrina's spoon, which almost touched her mouth, went back down to her plate.

"Every day I do eat at home, eat outside together you can count fingers" Badrina said. Arshaka looked at him. "If you forget," said the woman without feeling guilty.

Arshaka is diskak mat because of the pleasantries he throws. During their marriage, they rarely eat out together, except for the interests of the office and family relations.

Badrina did not feel good about herself with what she said to Arshaka. Although he does not know what the motive of Arshaka's change of attitude is, it should be enough to appreciate it.

Plus the insinuations expressed in front of Cantara, it feels less good. It's just, Badrina is the prestige to apologize to Arshaka.

The three of them returned to bribe food in a quiet atmosphere, better to be silent than to mislead. Usually the wrong words can cause the stomach full with lightning, appetite becomes lost, so it is not good for them.

Arshaka has devised a plan quite thoroughly, himself supported by Danish. Not only that, Arshaka is also ready for any possible answer from Badrina.

Today is the right time for Arshaka to convey his thoughts.

Given this, Arshaka's heartbeat tightens.

After eating together, Arshaka saw Badrina who was busy fixing the dining table, along with a sense of regret squeezing her chest.

How Arshaka in the past hurt Badrina, unbeknownst to the woman, in a long time and often ignored her. Arshaka even felt a part in worsening the emotions of his ex-wife.

Once remembering the events, Arshaka immediately rubbed his face and unconsciously sounded his breath.

"Papa, why?" ask Cantara from across the table facing Arshaka. The boy was enjoying his favorite piece of apples.

Arshaka is wrong. "No. Papa's okay, son," he was caught off guard.

Suddenly Arshaka has an idea that his plan runs smoothly.

"Canta," she said, Arshaka brought her body closer to the middle of the table, "you took a nap, yes. Somewhat old." said Arshaka in a whispering tone.

"What's the matter, Pa?" ask Cantara.

"Papa mama want to talk for a while," Arshaka responded while grinning.

"Ooh. okay, Papa," said Cantara gave a thumb. After eating pieces of fruit, Cantara came down from the dining bench. The boy obeyed the words of his father.

Cantara brought the empty plate where the pieces of fruit towards the sink where Badrina stood. Cantara handed the plate to Badrina, then turned around and stepped out of the dining room.

"Oh yes!" jolt Cantara to herself while patting her forehead. He flipped his body then voiced out in a loud tone.

"Mama, Papa said 'want to have Mama talk'. Canta wants to go to the room first yes the aunt," said Cantara then out looking for Muryati's whereabouts in the back room.

Instantly Arshaka coughed, the effect of having just tasted sour citrus fruits along with the Cantara speech which added to the wry taste.

Hearing the sound of coughing not stopping, Badrina flipped her body vigorously walking towards the dining table, poured water into the cup then handed it to Arshaka.

"Drink," he said with a grimacing look of worry.

Whether Badrina heard the words of Cantara or was even fixated with her cough, Arshaka did not know. He drank Badrina's pouring water from the cup with a foreign-flavored gel on his chest. Badrina who was standing next to him felt so close like she was almost squeezing.

The drink seemed to be present as a source of freshness, across the throat that was like a dusty road. Lama Arshaka did not experience the sensation of being noticed as it is today.