The Marriage With D
The Part 15
From : D
“Meet me in parking”
Ara read the short message through the pop-up message, too nervous to open the message. Ara sighed, the first message from Dean since she knew the man.
A little surprised, because Ara was trying to avoid Dean, last night's events are still very clear in Ara's memory, and meeting Dean now does not feel like a good idea.
For a moment Ara ignored the message, until her eyes caught Bima's figure, Dean's secretary came to him. The room was still quiet, lunchtime was still fifteen minutes away.
“Pak Dean asked me to pick up Mbak Ara. All of you bring stuff mbak Ara,” said Bima without making small talk.
Without making Bima wait for a long time, Ara immediately cleaned up her luggage. And immediately followed Bima who turned out to deliver him to the parking lot.
“Pak Dean is waiting in the car.” Ara nodded, then thanked Bima.
Ara knocked on the windshield to make sure she didn't misrecognize Dean's car, and sure enough the man pulled down the windshield for a bit and then turned it back up.
Ara immediately entered, wearing a seat belt and sitting quietly.
Dean started running the car, a moment of silence still ruling both of them. Dean looks very serious about driving. Ara actually wanted to ask where they were headed at the moment but, he paused.
“we go to the hospital, look at your Papa.” Finally Dean opened his voice, Ara did intend to visit the hospital when he came home from work later. It was unexpected that Dean had his own initiative to take her away together.
“I hope you don't embarrass me in front of your family,” Dean said
Ara turned to look at Dean, about to ask.
"the problem between us should not be known to others, what else is your family," explained Dean briefly.
"you mean, we're pretending our relationship is okay?" ask Ara
Dean looked over, "you can take it that way." The man refocused on driving.
Ara just nodded, without Dean even though she would have done that.
On the way they stopped by to buy fruit, it was not nice to come to visit empty-handed.
***
In the hospital there was already Rio and Mama Ara. Since they came, both of Ara's parents looked better than usual, the way they welcomed Ara was much warmer than when Ara visited yesterday. Of course Ara knew it was done to keep the family's good name in front of Dean exactly as he and Dean are doing right now.
Dean's hand that had been clutching his hand felt extremely exaggerated.
Ara and Dean were sitting on the sofa together with Rio who was sitting on the single sofa to the right of Ara, while Mama Ara was sitting on the chair beside the Bed accompanying her husband.
“i didn't expect someone like Dean to agree to an arranged marriage,” exclaimed Rio a little showing his dislike of Dean.
“maybe because I was too busy to be able to find a wife, so I accepted anyone my parents chose. I prefer to obey the parents, yes dear.” reply Dean while staring Ara at the end of his sentence.
"i accept whoever the old man chooses" Ara repeated the sentence inside her head
Ara returned Dean's gaze then looked towards Rio, ever since he and Dean came she felt the dislike gaze from Rio for Dean, not even Rio tried to hide his dislike. It's not usual for Rio to behave like that.
“Ara seems lucky to get a submissive husband like you, don't you think?” Rio is back.
“as you see,” replies Dean while embracing Ara's shoulder. Ara did not know what to behave like now, maybe for others this kind of chatter looks ordinary, but, for Ara who knows enough as these men feel something that is stuck.
“oh yes, I hear you will lead the company after this,” continued Dean
“just like you I'm trying to be a submissive child” reply Rio.
Rio seems to dislike Dean.
Dean just nodded his head, then the man smiled slanted towards Rio, Ara would not be wrong to think that something is wrong between Dean and Rio, she said, it was clearly visible from Rio's fist that had not loosened since.
Feeling the increasingly awkward atmosphere Ara chose to propose to go home to Dean who asserted the man, they then say goodbye to both parents Ara also Rio.
“Basic family licker,” Dean said shortly after leaving the room.
Ara knew the meaning of Dean's words, she understood the direction of the man's words, but she was silent, not responding. Dean walked at a brisk pace regardless of Ara behind him who had difficulty adjusting his walking speed to Dean's wide steps.
Sure enough the man left Ara in the hospital without saying anything, the man drove away before Ara managed to reach the car door.
Ara did not expect good treatment from Dean, he should have prepared himself for every dean including this one.