The Gema Shahadah Aisyah
Marriage Life

Umar's goal was to hear the sound of a crowing chicken coming from nowhere. Maybe a neighbor's pet chicken that's a short distance from the cottage. The alarm from nature is what always wakes Umar, there is no snooze button because the sound of other cock crows will follow. The sound is always heard long before dawn.

Umar stared at Aisyah's calm face while sleeping, he spontaneously smiled and then slowly peeked at her forehead, afraid to make her wake up. Umar went to the bathroom, cleaned himself up, worshiped and performed in the last third of the night.

"

Really, waking up that night is stronger (filling the soul); and (read at that time) more memorable."

(QS 73:6)

Umar deliberately did not wake Aisha because he knew that Aisha had trouble sleeping before. If you are accustomed to waking up at dawn, Umar will invite Aisyah to routinely perform tahajud prayers.

When the chanting of the Qur'an was heard from the musholla and Umar finished his evening service, he went out of the room, heated the water and put it in a flask.

The santri have also started their activities from 3 o'clock. All the lights were brightly lit, the sound of santri teaching filled the musholla.

Umar turned his head to hear the sound of the kitchen door being opened.

"Sorry Gus." Santri the princess who was about to enter the kitchen spontaneously lowered her head and retreated.

"I'm done with it." Umar.

"Okay Gus, I'd like to make some tea for Ummi." He stepped back into the kitchen. Maryam usually guides the santri murojaah of the Qur'an after establishing tahajjud prayer. And without being asked santri took turns to make warm tea for Maryam.

Santri-santri guessed that night there would be someone accompanying Maryam leading their routine murojaah because the cottage had just arrived the daughter-in-law of the cottage nanny. But a few days since Aisha's arrival, they rarely saw her. The news that Aisha could not do anything more sounding, could not read the Qur'an, did not memorize short letters let alone read the yellow book. Santri who said that if Gus they certainly could not carelessly choose a wife began to be pessimistic because the reality is that Aisyah is indeed less worthy of standing with Umar.

Upon returning to the room, Umar saw that Aisha was awake. Aisyah smiled to see Umar coming, she was confused because Umar was not there beside her when she woke up just now.

"Why bring a flask to the room, I can go to the kitchen if you want some tea."

Umar placed the hot water flask near the bathroom door and sat down next to Aisyah, on the edge of the bed.

"Where's your sleep?" Umar rubbed Aisyah's hair and kissed her forehead. "Your sleep is restless these few days, not used to the same narrow room?"

"I think of Ning Hilya, she asked to be brought by special souvenirs here before she came home at that time."

"If so later we buy souvenirs to be taken to Lumajang."

Aisyah nodded, she had promised to bring souvenirs typical of Banyuwangi. Although Hilya is no more but Aisyah must keep her promise.

"You take a shower, yeah, I'm hot with water."

"So that's water for me to take a shower?"

"Yes." Yeah."

"Geez I don't have to bother with hot water, I can take a cold shower anyway."

"But at home, you take a warm bath."

"Yes but I can adjust to the situation here, and a cold shower is healthier, right?"

"Yes, God willing."

"Thank you, I'll take a comfortable shower." Aisha hugged Umar before getting out of bed.

"I helped pour the water." Umar poured water into the bathtub and mixed it with cold water.

Aisha noticed the way Umar did it, and in the future it may be he who will do it for Umar. No more water heaters, must use a thermos. Isn't that more fun?

Another pleasant sight since Aisyah moved here is when the santri flocked to the musholla to perform congregational prayers and then teach together. They had just come out of the mosque after sunrise to prepare for their next activity. The cottage also has a formal education for students. Some students who have finished formal education will prepare breakfast for other students. There are no written rules, but they understand each other's duties.

The morning was an unusual sight witnessed by some santri who were in the kitchen of Dalem. They saw Aisha and Umar cooking. Umar had already said that they should not hesitate and just assume he did not exist.

Umar invited Aisyah to cook with the ingredients she got from the back garden. Some days Umar also taught Aisyah to wash clothes, dry until ironing. The work is considered trivial and everyone can do it but not for Aisyah. Umar could understand that fully, so he would teach his wife patiently. There is much that Aisha has to learn, she is always excited every day because now she is not alone, there is Umar with her.

"Are you sure this papaya flower can be cooked?" Aisha looked at Umar doubtfully.

"Of course, to get rid of the bitter taste we wash with salt." Umar added three spoons of salt to the papaya flower and Aisyah washed it. "You look doubtful but believe me, papaya flowers are delicious."

"Better than genjer?"

"Of course." Umar continued to boil papaya flowers with tamarind. He knew that way from Maryam. Umar is quite good at cooking because when in the cottage first, he often cooks himself rather than buying. Although of course the cuisine is not as good as made by Maryam but enough to teach Aisyah.

"Halucine's got this on." Umar put cobek and yelp.

"okay." Aisyah cuts red onion, garlic and chili to make it easier to mashed.

"Let me wash this, Mas take it to the table."

"Yes, I'll wait in the dining room."

Aisyah washed the cooking utensils they used while Umar went to the dining room first. If anyone says cooking is easy, then Aisyah will say if it's wrong. For Aisyah nothing is easy but she has to get used to it.

"Want me help, Ning?" A santri who had been in the kitchen approached Aisyah.

"No need, thank you." Reject Aisyah politely.

"Sorry to know, is Ning Aisyah really unable to cook?"

Aisyah nodded, in fact she was embarrassed to admit it but she could not lie, everyone knew that she could not cook.

"And washing dishes, washing clothes, ironing, did Gus Umar really have to teach Ning Aisyah to do the trivial things that a wife should do, not to be insolent but this is the first time we've seen anything like it."

"That's right, maybe for most people a job like cooking and washing is trivial but it's my first time."

From behind the door Umar heard all the conversation, he was trying to help Aisyah wash the cooking utensils. But after hearing that, Umar turned around and returned to the dining room.

Aisyah finished everything quickly then followed Umar into the dining room. The others had also been waiting for Aisyah to have breakfast together.

*******

Before opening the boutique, Aisyah went to visit her parents' house. Umar had gone to teach, they returned to their usual activities after a week of leave. Aisyah wants to take her mama to the gift shop, she has promised to bring souvenirs to Lumajang.

"Where's Bi?" Aisyah put her bag on the living room table and threw her body onto the sofa.

"Still change clothes over Ci."

"If I go upstairs first." Aisyah went up the stairs to her room.

The room did not change at all, only the bed linen had been replaced with another color. Aisyah could not help but lay herself on her spacious and soft mattress. Aisyah looked at the ceiling of her room, it had only been a week but she had already missed this place. It was not that Aisyah did not like Umar's room, she was just not used to adjusting to many things. His life changed completely after marriage. It was fortunate that Umar could understand the situation of Aisha as well as Maryam and other families. They all treated Aisha well.

"You here?"

Aisyah turned her head, looking as her mama was standing in the doorway. He immediately got up from his sleeping position.

"Will go?"

"Yes, come with me to find fabric materials too, Ma."

Renata hugged Aisyah and looked at the child from top to bottom.

"Mama misses you."

"I am too."

They walked down the stairs to the yard.

"You feel right to live there?" Renata gets into the car as well as Aisyah.

"Keep, many new things in the house of Mas Umar."

"For example?"

Aisyah stepped on the gas pedal and took her car out of the yard.

"If you want to take a warm bath, Mas Umar must heat the water first to continue to be mixed with cold water, no water heater, interesting yes Ma."

"Not all bathrooms have water heaters, you know?"

Aisyah knows if not all bathrooms have water heaters but she just knew if they have to heat the water with the stove first if you want to take a warm bath.

"Some people are shocked because I can't cook, holy, iron even a sponge, they say it's a trivial job that everyone should be able to."

"Who says it's a trivial job, many housewives have to do it every day without being paid even though all the work is draining, because many consider it trivial, the husband so underestimate the wife."

"Many things I don't know about Ma."

"What about Umar, did he force you to do all that?"

"Mas Umar never meant me Ma, we did it together."

"You don't have to think of other people's words."