The Grief of the Two Red Lines
The Real Rinnada

'Tone..why is it going so fast?'

The girl's voice sounded very fearful.

'You're Nada, right?'

Tone ran fast. Her breath feels tight. He kept running and hoped the voice would disappear.

'Tone, I want to rest. Don't run.'

The voice sounded again. Running tone. Sweat on his face. He doesn't know where to run. The voice kept following him.

Then a female shadow resembling her appeared right in front of him. He's aghast. There was a faint smile on the woman's face but her sorrow was still visible.

The face disappeared.

'Tone, are you following me?'

The voice reappeared.

'Follow what? I'm not following you. You're the one who bit me' Inwardly then. His tongue is frozen. He can't speak a word. Then suddenly a shadow stuck, like a tick of his neck. He felt his breathing stop. She's claustrophobic. He wants to breathe..

"Aaaahhh". Rinnada awakened. Breathing gasps. Her hair was soaked with sweat all over her body.

He took the water on a small table beside the bed. Drink it up without rest.

Rinnada glanced at the clock. It's still 3 in the morning. He's not sleepy anymore. Tossed her body. He's getting restless. The dream came again and again.

******

Papa Brian, Zaymusi, has been released by his doctor. Zaira helps with her in-laws. So did Brian who helped change his Papa's clothes.

"Mazan.." Zaymusi. He sat on his bed staring at the daughter-in-law who had been on his shirt since.

Zaira approaching. He sat down on the chair next to his in-laws bed.

"Please promise me one thing". Zaymusi held his hand.

"What is that, Pah?" Gently Zaira stroked the back of the hand of this dearly beloved in-law.

"Never leave Ian". Zaymusi said it suddenly. No chat theme. Suddenly said that. Then he was silent for a moment, breathing slowly.

"Please promise to forgive him if Ian makes a small mistake." Zaymusi was silent again. Looking at the tiny hand of Zaira who was holding her hand.

Brian held his breath as he heard the sentence coming out of his Papa's mouth. Like knowing something about their current relationship.

"Maybe my request sounds selfish. But Zaira, I know you'll grant my request. Because you look like my wife. He understands the little mistakes I always make". His voice sounded raucous. He decided not to marry again since his first love died.

"However, if he makes a grave mistake, and your heart hates it. Leave her. You deserve to be happy. The man who really loves you, won't do that".

Zaira was silent. He just bowed. His head was rubbed gently by Zaymusi.

"If the first love is lost, there will be another love that is more beautiful. First love does not always end well. He can make you lost. Right, ian?"

Brian was silent. He prefers to listen. Because his father was a wise man in solving problems. And as for his problem this time, let his papa help him find a dead end in his mind.

"I don't want any regrets in your life. You understand what I mean, don't you, Ian?"

His eyes turned to look at Brian's face. He could read the scar of fear on the face of that only child.

"I love your mother more than anything in the world. I would not even marry again to meet her in nature." The man then continued.

"Don't imitate me. Because our path is different. You should know that". Zaymusi sighed. He looked at the face of his daughter-in-law who was starting to shed tears. Seeing that he then looked at Brian again. "I never made your mother cry. You too, don't make my son-in-law cry".

No one knows, a few days ago, Zaymusi came upon a beautiful woman. He calls himself Rinnada. By simply dropping off a beautiful flower, she introduces herself as her son's old friend.

But Zaymusi knew that this girl named Rinnada was her son's first love. Gave beauty to Brian's old days. However, it was he who gave a deep wound to his son's heart.

He told the woman to stop seeing Brian. Then the woman easily said it was Brian who wanted the meeting to happen.

Hearing that, Zaymusi kept quiet. She knew something was wrong with her son's household.

******

Rinnada sat on Brian's couch. His face was endlessly staring at Brian who was busy with his laptop. This alone made his heart happy.

"Is Brother Andre around?" Rinnada broke the silence between them.

"No. He's got a job outside." Brian answered without looking. There are so many jobs today.

"Am I bothering you?" Rinnada asked as she saw Brian not looking at her.

"No. But I'm doing a lot of work, Rin".

Rinnada stood up from his seat, towards Brian's chair. He sat in the hand of the chair Brian was sitting on.

"Did your wife not allow me to carry your child?" He spoke softly in Brian's ear.

Brian shut down his laptop. Lean in his chair.

"No". Brian took a long breath. Because he's going to put out a sentence that Rinnada would hate.

"Rin.." Brian clasped the girl's hand gently. "Let's stop".

Rinnada pulled his hand from Brian's grasp. He stands. Furrowing his brows in annoyance with Brian's statement just now.

Brian stood up. He approached Rinnada. "I'm married. I can't go back, Rin".

Rinnada threw away his face. He held back the tears that almost came out.

"What a deal". He muttered softly while wiping away the tears that he could not hold.

"Rin.." Brian hugged the woman. There was a little bit of sadness in his heart. He doesn't know what's going on. All he knew why his feelings were a little different in this woman was because he already had Zaira.

"I'm married. I love my wife" 

"No!" Rinnada let go of her embrace. "I can see in your eyes. You still love me. You promised me you'd marry me. Don't you?" His voice echoed. He screamed because Brian was going to let him go again.

Brian sighed, then took out a yellow ribbon from inside his pants pocket. Last night he had a dream, Rinnada cried while holding the yellow ribbon. I don't know what that means. For a long time he had not dreamed of Rinnada. But when he woke up, his feelings were even more uncertain.

Brian handed me that thing. "Take it. I have promised. If he won't let me, then I can't be with you."

Rinnada. He never thought this would happen. In the past, Brian's promise touched his feelings. There was no way he would play with his feelings.

"You betrayed me, Brian. You left me." Rinanda was crying a hiccup. "You said you wouldn't get married if I died. In fact you were married even when I wasn't dead."

Hearing that, Brian fell silent. He remembered his promise while on the beach with the real Rinnada. He looked at the sickly girl.

Andre saying that Rinnada is dead is wrong. He had considered Andre's remarks because Rinnada's attitude was indeed different from the Rinnada he knew first. But as the remark came out of Rinnada's mouth, he became convinced that this was the real Rinnada.

Rinnada. He walked towards the door. But his steps stopped. Brian clasped his hand. Hugged her like she did not want to part. Brian felt, this Rinnada is the real Rinnada, Rinnada whom he loved so much.

Seriate....

(source of illustration picture above: digital.*D)