The Lives of Five Hundred Thousand
Andre's Defense

For a moment, Andre and I were glued to where we stood to hear Ms. Rida's cynical insinuation. But a few seconds later Andre begged him, "Ck, his clothes were tightly closed but his mouth was wide open and stinky."

A second later, Bu Rida's face flushed reddening her frustration at Andre's scathing speech. I immediately pulled Andre's arm so as not to cause a commotion in a public place.

On exiting and walking towards the car park, I found two old men and a girl standing across the chest next to their car looking cynically at us, especially women. Coincidentally Andre car side by side with their car and leave a distance of only three meters.

Andre walked towards the trunk to store the groceries while I walked towards the car door where Risa and Ustad Amir were standing. While walking towards the door, I gave a faint smile to them and when I was about to open the car door, Risa heard insinuating me.

"Based on cheap women, already have a man still walk with another man. Poor guy in the side I'm the same wife who doesn't know herself."

I turned around and was about to make up for it but Andre had already fulfilled it. As he walked towards me he said, "who do you mean cheap women and cheating?"his eyes were on the two people standing in front of me. Andre stood beside me and rested his hands on his chest and stared intently at them.

"Originally you know, brother, do not want to be the same pe la cur, there are many men who are victims, it could be the next victim." Risa is getting bolder, dare to call me in front of Andre and his silent father likes me. Ustad Amir looks to wiggle Risa's arm maybe she's not feeling good to me. I held back my emotions from exploding because I didn't want to make a fuss in a public place.

"Oh, is that it?" asked Andre casually and glanced at me.

Risa nodded."Yes brother, he was ja la ng in my residence, often seducing rich men for money. Understand that he is the poorest person in my village sister," said Risa with a cynical smile on her red lips.

Again he insulted me and even worse accused me of seducing rich men. Who is the rich man I am trying to seduce? what father? it was Ustad Amir himself who seduced me. Does she think I seduced Raihan? Doesn't he know that Raihan is the one who always comes near me. If only I didn't know there was maybe I had torn his wide mouth.

"Do you think I believe in that shit and your rotten mouth that's a little ja la ng?" said Andre scathingly. Andre looks relaxed but his tongue can issue words that are able to make his interlocutor silence instantly. Within seconds, Risa's countenance changed from a cynical smile to an upset and angry face.

"I know who and how little Nuri is, do you think you can instigate me with your bullshit?"continued again.

With a smile on my lips, I am glad that Andre defended me and was not affected by Risa's words. No need to suck I argue with Risa, there is already Andre who defends me.

After a while, Ms. Rida came and approached the ustad of Amir and Risa while carrying two bags of groceries and then turned to look at me with her haughty face.

"Oh, so you're a family? the fruit did not fall far from the tree. And you old man," pointed Andre at Ustad Amir and made him flinch in shock.

"If I look at the skullcap you use, it looks like you're a religious parent. You should educate your wife and children to be kind and not to say dirty words, defame and insult others. Do not just be taught how to dress his Islamic course but his tongue must be taught to adjust to the clothes they wear, embarrassing once." continued Andre later at length.

Ustad Amir looks wrong behavior visible from the body gestures that move a lot. While Bu Rida was staring nyalang at Andre it seemed like she did not accept then snapped, "heh, who are you to be so smart about us, like you are a righteous person. Look at yourself already know it's not having a man but you're dating."

"Oh, don't just talk to you old lady who's pretentious. Do you have any evidence that we're in a relationship that you're accusing of?" snapped Andre with his baritone voice.

Andre's impact made Bu Rida's guts shriek, he was silent no longer disputing Andre's words. But the look on her face showed her hatred as well as Risa. Ustad Amir was silent and misbehaved.

"Once again I hear you all insult and slander my friend, I will not hesitate to bring you into the law. I don't play with my words" threatened Andre later. Bu Rida and Ustad Amir looked shocked but Risa's face was getting red withholding deep hatred especially her hatred for me.

Then Andre opened the car door for me and I got into the car without looking back at them. After that, Andre drove his car to my village.

"Thank you for standing up for me, Dre!" Andre did not answer it but simply smiled faintly and his gaze focused forward.

Silent....

"Since when have they treated you like that?" andre's question arrived, starting the conversation.

I glanced at Andre."Long enough." answered me, then straightened my eyes again.

"What's the reason they don't like you, Nuri?" asked again, Andre was like a reporter just giving consecutive questions.

I sighed, then glanced again at him." Don't know." I answered him briefly because there was no way I could tell Andre why they hated me because Raihan liked me more than the woman who had insulted me earlier.

Andre dropped off the groceries after we got home. I waited for him while sitting on the terrace floor of the house while holding Zain.

"Nuri, where are the groceries going to be kept?" andre asked, carrying four plastic bags.

I did not immediately answer but frowned.I wonder why Andre brought all his shopping bags when I only had one bag.

"Why did you bring out all of Dre's groceries? I have only one bag." I asked back at once protesting.

"Who said this was all Zain's, he chose himself."

"No way, Zain knows Andre...!"

Andre scratched his nape while smiling grin.

"Yes, I bought it myself for Zain."

I let out a rough sigh, not that I am not grateful to be given many snacks by Andre but the snacks he bought were not snacks for Zain's age children while snacks for adults. Why didn't he ask first if he wanted to buy Zain some food so as not to take it wrong. But I have accepted it with pleasure, although it can not be eaten by Zain but at least there is still me who will eat it, good enough for a stock snack one month. Then I smiled at him and thanked him.

I entered my house and in Andre's tail from behind with four plastic bags out of his hands. After that, I took Zain down from my sling and took over the plastic bag in Andre's hand.

"Ehm, I'm so thirsty" Andre said, holding his throat.

I smiled and asked, "want to drink hot water, warm water, cold water?" bargain with him with a little joke.

"Mom's milk, uh no, cold water I mean," she replied with a smile. Andre looks like he's misbehaving.

I shook my head with a faint smile looking at her behavior, then continued my steps towards the kitchen.

I poured the water I had taken from the refrigerator into an empty glass. After I finished I turned around to take it for Andre but I hit the body of someone standing behind me and caused the glass in my hand to fall and break apart.

"Astaghfiruallah the azim thing!"

It was enough to shock me and I looked at Andre's face who looked guilty.

"Sorry, I didn't mean it!" regrettably, Andre had just come following to the kitchen without making a sound so that I did not even know of his presence behind my back.

"It's okay Dre!" I immediately crouched down to pick up the broken glass because if not immediately in the back of fear of being stepped on Zain's feet.

Andre crouched down and said, "let me pick him up, Ri, because I dropped him."

"It's okay, Dre, it's not a hard thing to relax," I refused as my hands were busy taking one by one glass.

"Awww," I screamed in shock and pain as I was picking up broken glass by accident one of my fingers was hit by the shards and caused wounds and fresh blood to come out.

Andre was surprised to hear my screeches then looked at my injured finger as well as blood splattered. She swiftly pulled my hand and slowly pulled her hi sap. I myself gasped in shock at what Andre was doing suddenly arrived. As I swiped my finger, Andre stared fixedly at my face because of our very close distance. I also looked back at his face but then I looked down to turn my face, because it felt unable to look at Andre like that.

Then he took his mouth off my finger and asked, "do you have wound medicine?"

I nodded then walked towards a TV coaster inlaid closet and picked it up there. After that, I gave it to Andre." It's Dre!" Andre took it from my hand and then took my hand back and treated it.

After I finished the treatment I opened the refrigerator again to get drinking water but Andre forbade it and I complied.

"I'm sorry Nuri, because of me you're getting hurt." For the second time Andre apologized.

"It's okay, im fine. Just a small wound is not to be thought of.

"Really's? since when do you speak Nuri English?"Andre Goda.

"Since befriending people who often travel abroad," I replied with a smile. Andre laughed loudly at my voice.

It did not feel late in the afternoon and Andre said goodbye to go home.

"Are you going back to Jakarta directly Dre? ask Andre who justifies his shoelaces.

Andre looked up high because I was standing right in front of him and asked, "why?don't you want me to get away from you?"Andre teased me.

I snorted dejectedly and befell him," so confident are you Dre!" with my face slightly bent.

Andre laughed and said, "yes I went straight back to Jakarta. But if next time I play here again you'll still open your door for me, right?"

I nodded." Of course Dre, my door is wide open, you can come at any time."

"But what about the door of your heart? will it be wide open for me?"ask her with a serious face. And Andre teased me again.

"Don't keep teasing me, Dre, aren't you ashamed of Zain?"I spoke a little upset that Andre was still teasing me.

Andre's gaze led to Zain who was in my arms and asked, "Zain would not if he became Zain's successor?"

"Dree...!"I jolted as my eyes grew. Andre laughed at my response and then his face closed to my ear and whispered.

"I'm serious Nuri, I want to be Zain's replacement papa."

After that he kissed Zain's cheek and slightly pinched the squash then moved towards his parked car. While I was just silently pecking after hearing Andre's wish, even I didn't realize that Andre was already in his car and drove away.

"Mama!" zain's call broke my daydream. Then my gaze turned in all directions looking for andre, but soon I realized that Andre had left my house.

At night, I looked at Zain who was sleeping soundly with a mind to see where he was. I thought of Andre saying this afternoon that he wanted to be Zain's replacement. His words also reminded me of the figure of Raihan who once said that Raihan wants to be a substitute father for Zain.

"Why do they both want me to divorce Surya?"