The Gema Shahadah Aisyah
Gravels

Adz-Zaidan boarding school is always crowded by santri and Kyai guests but this time it is more crowded than usual because of the arrival of Ayra, Zaid's youngest sister. The courtyard of Zaid's sprawling residence looks full of cars. Lucky Umar chose to bring a motorcycle from home so he could still slip his vehicle near the gate.

"Ummi Ayra and Abah Haidar were also caregivers of boarding schools in Pasuruan." Umar told a little about Ayra and her husband to Aisyah so that when chatting later not too awkward.

"I want to." Aisha had been holding Umar's clothes since they got out of the car.

"When have you ever met, you're still ashamed?" Umar tidied up Aisyah's headscarf, put the child's hair out in the wind while riding the motor just now.

"It was just a minute." Aisyah recalled that she only shook hands with the Umar family without having a chance to chat because after the reception they went straight to Aisyah's house.

Umar chuckled pinched Aisyah's cheek in a fit of anxiety.

"Why are you ashamed, they are also your family and before that Ayesha was not a shy person." Umar knew exactly that Aisha was brave enough to talk to him when others felt awkward.

"I'm actually shy."

"But you like to tease me first, if not you who else would dare to flirt with an Ustadz after the study."

"That's why I could be your wife."

"Then I'm ready to be seduced for life by you."

They both laughed but did not last long because Maryam first knew the arrival of Umar and Aisha and immediately invited the two in.

The whole family gathered in the living room. Apparently they were preparing for dinner after Isha's prayer'. Because the dining table is not enough for everyone, the food is transported to the middle room on a pedestal that has been held.

"Had his daughter-in-law just arrived." Ayra rebuked Aisha first.

"Ummi Ayra, how are you?" Aisyah greeted Ayra, she could immediately recognize Ayra because at a glance her face was similar to Zaid.

Ayra came with her husband and four children and three daughters-in-law and five grandchildren. If Zaid's three sons are sons, Ayra's four daughters are.

"Aisyah waited for me to come home from the study and go here together." Umar Sahut.

"Can't go alone?"

"Can Ummi, but Gus Umar asks me to wait." Answer Aisha politely. It helps to organize food and pour water on the glasses on the tray.

"Teach your wife to go alone, don't stick to you."

"Wife should be attached to the husband is Ummi." Umar responded with a joke while Aisyah pretended not to hear their conversation.

"Let's pray." Zaid raised his hand leading the prayer before eating.

Cooked cassava leaf dish coconut milk looks appetizing with side dishes of fried chicken, salted fish, tofu, tempeh and sambal terasi.

They enjoyed the courtier's cooking while chatting. Talking about Ali who left for the cottage last month. Talking about Ayra's first grandchild who had memorized 10 juz at the age of 8 years.

Aisyah was about to take cassava leaves but she could not reach it. He saw Umar sitting with the men, there was no way he would call Umar just to get some vegetables. Plus Umar seemed to focus on chatting with the palanquins Ayra. Aisha felt a stranger in their midst.

"It's your favorite thigh." Maryam put the upper thigh piece on Aisyah's plate. Maryam could not have seen Aisyah eating only with tempeh and sambal.

Aisyah smiled in gratitude to Maryam, among all the people who were busy chatting there was still Maryam who noticed Aisha.

"What about Aisha?" Ayra looked at Aisyah who had just been quiet. He wanted at least Aisyah to chat with them.

"I?"

"How much juz have you memorized?"

"I memorized juz 30."

The sound of laughter was heard throughout the room, they thought Aisyah was joking. The little children who heard Aisyah's reply also laughed.

Aisyah bit her lips, why are they laughing? what's so funny about that answer? Aisyah did not understand why she was often laughed at. In the mosque Aisyah was in a position like this. But now he really did not understand why his answer made people laugh.

Aisyah's appetite was lost instantly when she had just got her favorite chicken part from Maryam but seeing Umar laughing, Aisyah was like swallowing a thorn when she ended her meal and sipped a glass of water.

Aisyah was bowed in, she wanted to leave here immediately but if so then she would look like a child. But staying here is painful.

After eating Aisyah and Khawla assisted by several courtiers brought the container of food container to the back and immediately washed it.

"Let's just do Ning's dishes." Speak to one of the courtiers in Aisyah and Khawla.

"Sir Khawla, let me wash." Aisyah took over the dirty dishes in Khawla's hands. Aisyah's free there, she won't understand their conversation. Aisyah felt better here with the santri who did not talk much.

Khawla did not refuse when Aisyah replaced him washing dishes but that does not mean he went straight ahead. Khawla had to cut the watermelon and wash the wine before putting it on a plate.

After washing all the used containers, Aisyah co-ordinated the fruit onto the plate, moving the onion cake to a smaller jar. It was the cake that Aisyah brought from her mama's house.

Aisyah leaned against the kitchen wall heaving a heavy sigh, slightly looking up so that no tears would melt. Maybe if Hilya were in Aisyah's position now, she wouldn't be in the kitchen alone. Hilya could join the brother of Umar discussing memorization, cottage programs and so forth. Hilya will not feel alienated like Aisyah. Now Aisha understood why man should marry the same. Maybe that sounds painful to some people because basically all humans are the same. Aisha and Umar came from different worlds, both on earth but their environments were not the same. Aisyah could not laugh with them instead she was laughed at.

"Aisha, why are you here alone?"

Aisyah blinked to hear someone reprimanding her, she then put on a smile to see Ayra approaching her.

"Not joining the others in front?"

"Ummi Ayra needs something?"

Before replying, Ayra sat on a chair not far from where Aisyah was standing.

"I want to drink ginger, Banyuwangi very cold, understand long not here."

"I made it a minute." Aisyah opens the cabinet on the stove looking for ginger in a special container storing spices in the form of rhizomes. Not to forget Aisyah also heats the water on the stove.

After washing, the ginger is crushed and then put into a glass.

"It's so loud." Groused Aisyah, probably because too long stored ginger was harder than usual.

"It's not very sweet Ummi, so stay comfortable in the throat." Aisyah put a glass of ginger wedang near Ayra.

"Thank you." Ayra then invited Aisyah to sit nearby. Ayra inhaled the scent of ginger, her forehead frowning. "It's not Ayesha's ginger."

Ayesha's eyes widened, then what she put into the glass. The color is white like ginger although the texture is harder.

"This is galangal, you can not distinguish ginger and galangal even though from the smell alone is different."

"Sorry Ummi at a glance they are similar, I will make a new one."

"No need to be Ayesha." Ayra held back Aisyah's hand inviting her to sit down. "We'll just talk."

Finally Aisha sat beside Ayra, and she was ashamed to look at Ayra. Distinguishing ginger and galangal alone Aisyah can not.

"Aisha, you are now Gus Umar's wife, you are part of us."

It seemed like Aisyah could guess where their conversation was headed.

"You must learn more, Gus Umar's wife's time reading the Qur'an is still stammering and just memorized juz 30."

Aisyah nanar's view, apparently discussing the matter of memorization again. Believe me Aisha has tried hard to add memorization but Umar said it is better to maintain the memorization first.

"You also have to be able to distinguish the spices, it's important and don't be alone, you have to blend in with the others."

Aisyah swallowed the salivary with great difficulty, it hurt so much.

"Ummi Maryam pampered you too much, I'm sure she also wanted to say the same thing but she wanted to appreciate you so she held it back."

Aisyah bit her lower lip as the pain further pierced her. Like a dagger slowly slicing through the chest, stifling and slicing Aisyah could do nothing but answer she was unable to.

"Gus Umar failed to educate his wife."

"No Ummi, Gus Umar has done his best, I am the one who is not diligent in learning."

Ayra moved when she heard the voice of the child calling her. He left Aisha after giving advice, and he needed to do so so that Aisha would be more worthy to be with Umar.

"Lho Umar." Ayra passed Umar in front of the dining room. "Your wife is in the kitchen, somehow she doesn't want to blend in with the others."

"Ummi, I accidentally heard the conversation of Ummi and Aisyah."

"Oh so, Ummi just give her advice."

"Ummi, pity Aisyah, let her learn slowly, her life before marriage is much different from now, let her study, she was always served and versatile so with Aisyah willing to stay with me alone she had sacrificed a lot of things, I am grateful for that."

"All right." Ayra patted Umar's shoulder once and then sauntered away.

Umar was about to approach Aisha in the kitchen but she was first called by Khalid. Umar finally rejoined the living room.

Wedang ginger which turned out to be galangal still puffed smoke on the table. Aisyah took the glass and poured the contents over the sink. Putting together a thesis is nothing compared to distinguishing rhizomes.

"Don't let Gus Umar know about my chat with Ummi Ayra just now." Said Aisyah to some of the santri who were there. Aisha did not want Umar to blame himself for not reading the Qur'an. When compared with Umar, it is far different.

"Good Ning." Answer them in unison.