The Love I Don't Miss
Part 23 (Unexpected )

That day has passed. Calina is 70% in the ICU lounge waiting chair while playing on a mobile phone. The rest he used to eat in the cafeteria or sit - sitting outside the ICU Room.

There were no new developments she could see from her mother-in-law. Everything still remains the same. Two nurses in the ICU.

Calina sat staring at Mama Reni's face, who looked beautiful at her age of half a century.

With the genes of a handsome and smart father, also from a beautiful mother, Zio was born very handsome and also smart. For Calina, so perfect Zio's physique was created. Although his heart was like a solid rock and cold for him.

When looking into Mama Reni's closed eyes, Calina once thought, what would she say about Papa Raihan if Mama Reni's eyes opened later?

What if I say it wrong? Or even a wrong explanation.

Every human being will be sad if his life partner is gone. Especially without knowing when their funeral took place.

' You are real true love.. Like Mom and Dad... '

Calina in the Heart.

The twilight has shown itself. The afternoon sky was barely visible. Replacing with a dimmer that will soon be dark.

The lights in the whole hospital area were on. From room room lights, to hallway lights, as well as lights in parking lots and parks.

Calina was still calmly sitting by herself. Bored maybe, but this is his choice. Keeping the mother-in-law until her death is over.

Calina's slender stomach started to ring. Ask to be filled immediately so that energy is maintained.

It feels bad to go to the cafeteria. But who else would feed him, if not buy himself in the cafeteria.

Calina stood up, approaching the bed of the mother-in-law's patient.

"Ma, Calina buy you a meal, okay?" pampered. "Calina hope, when Calina returns Mama there is a new development" he said again, gently rubbing the arm of Mama-in-law. "Now Mama's in the care of the nurse first."

Calina turned her body towards the door. Go out for dinner in the cafeteria. But when he turned to the door, his heart almost jumped.

How not, Zio who he expected would not come and seek calm with Naura, instead stood frozen in the doorway. Stare straight at him, with one hand coming into his pants pocket.

Calina froze for a while. Staring at Zio who was still wearing work clothes, even still wearing work shoes and a messy tie. Just leave his suit alone that's out of nowhere. Obviously, if the husband had just returned from work and immediately slid to the Hospital outside the Capital.

"Why are you here, Mum?" tanya Calina broke Zio's daydream.

Zio blinked his eyes a few times, while looking left right, relieving the nervousness that came out of nowhere.

Calina approached when Zio did not answer. It came out past Zio's body still standing in the doorway. Realize, if in the ICU room can not talk much with others.

Zio reflex follows Calina to escape the ICU. He unconsciously followed behind Calina who was walking in the hallway to the cafeteria.

Glancing back, "I thought you were going home to Naura!" calina looked straight ahead again.

Taking a deep breath, holding him down heavily, "Now I only have Mama. Papa has left us. How could I possibly leave Mama alone." Zio replied sounding quite weak in Calina's ears.

That sounds unusual to Calina. All this time what he got from Zio was nothing more than a flat sentence, ketus even snapped.

"I know, you never thought I existed, Mom! That's why you consider Mama alone here." Calina replied disappointedly.

"That's not so, Cal.." - Oo Zio balanced Calina's steps. Looked at his second wife. "I just don't want to miss my mom's progress. Zhika's not with me, how can I be without Mama anyway?"

Calina just smiled smirk. In his heart he hoped Zio's answer was to want to accompany him to look after Mama Reni. But he got a reasonable answer from a child. There was not a single special word for him.

"Bak, raw rice one, warm tea one!" calina said to the canteen guard.

"Yes, Ma'am." replied the middle-aged woman guarding the canteen.

"I'm the same, Ma'am!" sahut Zio who apparently still tailed behind Calina.

"Yes, Mom!" answer the seller again.

Calina sat on the seat of one of the empty tables. It was unexpected that Zio would continue to follow Calina. Sitting right in front of Calina. Facing Calina who was increasingly confused with her husband.

"You haven't eaten yet?" ask Calina flat.

Zio shook his head slowly.

"Naura didn't bring you provisions?"

"Why?"

"I don't feel calm if I eat, while Mama is lying there with no children nearby."

Again - again Zio's answer made Calina feel crisp.

"Then eat!" calina said a little sniffy. Along with their orders that come.

"Hemm.." replied Zio flatly. As if insensitive to Calina's thin tone.

During the meal, there was nothing else that Calina was talking about. He is now bored. Eating one table, the two with Zio without coercion was his dream all along.

But when it became real, he was bored. Doesn't look happy or happy. She was even impressed by the existence of her husband.

"If you are tired, near the Hospital there is lodging. You can sleep there, let me take care of Mama" Zio told Calina.

"No need, I can sleep here as usual."

"But it's the third day you sleep here" Zio said. "Go! Don't make yourself tired from taking care of Mama."

"I don't mind" Calina replied. "I was just happy to be able to take care of Mama Reni when she was sick."

"Aren't you afraid of getting sick, of being too tired in here?"

"Are I ever sick?" ask Calina back.

Zio looked away, he had no idea about Calina all this time. The girl is sick or healthy, which she knows is always nice. Every day still offers the results of his cooking.

With a sigh, Zio raised both of his shoulders. Answering did not know on Calina's question that was difficult to answer.

Calina smiled smirk. It never hurts. Which person never gets sick? Calina never complained. Especially for Zio. Where possible.

"I have to go back to see Mama" said Calina. "Tomorrow you have to work, don't you, Mas? You better take a break."

"I want to be here!"

"You can go home to Naura. Let me take care of Mama!" calina moved from her seat.

Zio did not reply, but instead he continued to follow Calina's steps after paying for their food.

***

Sitting alone in a waiting chair outside the ICU room, making them look very awkward and even look like they are not husband and wife. How not, it was the first moment the two of them sat together without anyone between them. Added to the darkening sky, a cold that is increasingly bone-chilling.

Calina pretends to be busy with her phone. Sometimes he saw a glass window, where the in-laws were lying helplessly inside.

While Zio also reflexes to follow the way Calina eliminates nervousness. Playing on his cell phone, and repeatedly looking at his mother. Sometimes he goes in to see his mother closer. Then back out and sit next to Calina.

The night was getting late, passed by the two without any chatter. Just silence, or sometimes lyrics and then throw a look at each other when accidentally the eyes meet.

"Aren't you sleepy?" ask Zio to Calina.

"I'll sleep there!" Calina moved up and approached the long chair across the street. Then lie down and make his jacket a pillow.

Without saying anything more, Calina closed her eyes. Eliminating awkwardness due to instincts said, Zio often stared at him.

Zio himself did occasionally stare at Calina. Seeing Calina's tired face falling asleep.

' Why is he willing to take a sabbatical to take care of Mama? Isn't this my mom? '

Zio's mind began to clash with questions he could not answer.

' Even if it was Mama Shinta, not necessarily I would take care of her! '

Zio continued to daydream. His mind started to get random.

' I used to think of you as a disaster. Who came without me wanting.. But why are you so sincere to my Papa and Mama? Even to Zhika! '

Zio continued to look into Calina's sleeping eyes with a glare. Sleep in a chair at night, with only a long-sleeved t-shirt. Without a jacket, because of his jacket he used for pillows.

...🪴 Happy Reading 🪴...