The Nick's Life
Old Love Hasn't Been

“I stay first, uncle.”

The typhoon came out of the room leaving the two people still glued to their respective places. Bryan had no idea he could meet Diah in person. Twenty years passed still could not erase the love in his heart for the woman.

Bryan turned his face in the other direction while saying Istighfar. The man realized that he had been staring at the face of a woman who was not his muhrim for too long. He then invited Diah to sit down. Diah walked to the sofa and sat there. He is still trying to erode the agonizing nervousness.

“How are you?” Bryan opened the conversation.

“Good.”

“Nick?”

“He's good too. Nick is married and now his wife is pregnant.”

“Really? Alhamdulillahot. I pray for you too Nick. I am grateful my prayers were granted.”

Diah smiled thinly. The silent atmosphere again struck the two. She opened her bag and took her phone from inside. His finger rubbed the phone screen and opened the gallery folder. He taps a picture of Nick with Iza and shows it to Bryan.

“This is Nick with his wife. Her name is Iza.”

“Beauty. Nick smart choose wife.”

“Iya. Besides being beautiful, she is also a beautiful woman. Hence Nick can turn into a better person.”

“Really? Can you tell us more about our son?”

Bryan rubbed Nick's face on the phone screen. Diah's heart trembled as Bryan called out our son's words. Bryan's eyes kept looking at Nick's photo. Such a deep longing was evident from both of his eyes.

“I beg Diah, tell me about Nick. How did she finally get married to Iza?”

There was no response from Diah. Women seem to take a deep breath. It wasn't easy for him to tell Nick about his life journey. Behind the happiness felt by the child, there is sadness that still stands. And it is the lunge that hinders the happiness of the child.

Bryan carefully heard the story from Diah's mouth. How Nick's life, which was not necessarily direction, gradually changed in a better direction after meeting Iza. Nick went back to studying religion in order to be with the idol of the heart. The woman also explained how Rahardi's rejection of the child finally made the two lovebirds decide to marry sirri.

Bryan's eyes glazed over hearing the story of the boy. He shrank the puddle of water in the corner of his eye. If only he had granted Diah's wish to stay with the woman, maybe Nick would not have to tread the steep path to be with his lover.

“All my fault. I can't be a good mother to her. I am not a mother to be proud of. My existence is actually a barrier for him to achieve happiness.”

“Do not talk like that. You've done your best as his mother,” Bryan thrust a tissue at Diah.

“Best? Being a mistress and making my son ashamed because you said it was the best?” Diah shrunk her tears.

“It was not a good deed. But you repented, didn't you? You've left behind a dark past for your son. I'm sure Nick is proud of it. Thank you for taking good care of Nick. Things I can't do for her.”

“He's my son, I should have done that. Nick is not your responsibility, but mine.”

“Since we got married, I've considered Nick as my own son. Even after we split up, Nick remains my son, until whenever.”

Diah grew sobbing to hear the words of the man before her. If time could be turned, he would not let a man this good out of his life. Although not bequeath a drop of blood to Nick, but Bryan really sincerely love his son.

“What about you? Why did you come back to Indonesia? What about Angela?”

“I thought after returning to Chicago I would be fine, but I didn't. Every day I miss you. My life is empty without your presence. My relationship with Angela has become more bland as time goes on. Two years passed, I just found out that as long as we were apart, Angela was also in a relationship with another man. I can't blame her for doing the same. Finally for the sake of happiness together, we decided to divorce.”

Diah lowered her head. All the regrets attacked him. The word if it keeps turning in his head. If only he had followed Bryan back then. If only he would wait. If only he hadn't chosen the wrong way to survive. Diah's daydream came to a halt when she heard Bryan's next words.

“After the divorce, I decided to return to Indonesia. I sold all my assets and applied for a working visa again in Indonesia. My hope is so great to be with you again. But when I came back, it turned out that you were married to an ustadz. Not wanting to disturb your happiness, I decided to retreat. I then joined my friend to go to Kalimantan to help him take care of oil palm plantations.

Three years later I stayed there and decided to return to Jakarta. I was shocked to hear your husband died. I really wanted to see you too Nick, but I didn't dare because my circumstances weren't possible at the time. My friend had a disaster, his crops failed, he cheated his friend and had to pay a debt to the bank. For my friend's sake, I gave some of the money I had to help him. Almost a year I live moving places from one contract to another.”

“But you always send money for school fees Nick.”

“The money I sent to Nick is the rest of the money I have from working on the estate. I didn't dare wear it for fear of not being able to send money to you, too Nick. Especially when you are a widow. I don't want Nick to drop out of school just because it costs.”

“Bryan..”.

Diah could not continue her words, her cries breaking just like hearing the man's story. He was willing to live hard to be able to continue to finance Nick. Bryan looked at Diah who was still crying. If he could, he wanted to hold the woman in his arms. But unfortunately, now Diah is not his wife anymore and he has no right to touch her anymore.

🍂🍂🍂

It's been almost an hour of Typhoon waiting for Diah. The man had just returned home after touring the garden, looking at the workers who were harvesting vegetables. Knowing that Diah and Bryan had not finished talking, Typhoon chose to wait on the terrace while enjoying the breeze. He was about to close his eyes when a call came into his phone.

Bryan and Diah left the office as soon as Typhoon finished talking to his cell phone. He looked for a moment at Diah. The woman's eyes looked red and slightly swollen. Typhoon approaching Diah.

“Mom.. The business is done?”

“Why Pan?”

“Suddenly I have mom's business. But if mommy's not done yet, I can wait.”

“You just go. Later let me take Diah home,” said Bryan.

“Truly mom?”

“Yes, you go home. Solved payment later mommy transfer.”

“Ok mom's. Uncle.. I go home first.”

Bryan nodded his head. The cyclone rushed to his car. He should return to Jakarta soon. One of his men reported that the bar where he worked as a security team had just caught fire. Typhoon honks before driving forward.

“You want to go around the garden? I want to check out some things there.”

“Bby.”

Diah followed Bryan down a paving block-mounted path. The two soon arrive at Bryan's estate. Diah's eyes looked at some workers who were harvesting garden produce. There are cucumbers, carrots, potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes and red chili and red cayenne pepper.

Bryan squatted checking the freshly harvested carrots collected in a bamboo basket. Then he also checked the harvest of other crops. Diah continued to follow where Bryan had gone. Diah hopes to be back with Bryan. But immediately put aside his grandiose wishful thinking. He who was drenched in mud did not deserve to be with Bryan.

“Now where are you going?” bryan asked Diah's daydream.

“Your work is done?”

“Already. Later the rest let Mr. Tatang take care of it. Where are you going?”

“Ngga know.”

“How about going to my place? The distance is not too far. Come.”

He followed the man's wishes. He also did not want his friendship with Bryan to end quickly. Bryan opened the car door for Diah, then he climbed behind the wheel.

As he said earlier, the distance of the intended place was indeed not too far away. Within ten minutes, they had arrived. Diah got down from the car, her eyes constantly staring at the whitewashed building in front of her.

“This is your home?”

“Vila to be more exact. I actually have a house in Bandung. But I spend more time here. How about tonight you stay here.it seems like there are still many things we have to talk about.”

“Let's just relax, I don't live alone. I live with a husband and wife who are in charge of guarding and taking care of vyak.”

Diah smiled in relief, she nodded her head in agreement. But then his steps came to a halt before his feet entered the interior of the villa. Bryan stopped his steps.

"Why?"

“I don't bring a change of clothes.”

“It's easy. Later I can ask Ms. Ratna to buy your needs at a market near here. If the clothes for you actually I exist, still new because there is no way I wear them,” Bryan chuckled.

The man then invited Diah in. Ratna and her husband, Aep. Before long a husband and wife who was still in their thirties came facing. Ratna was quite surprised to see Diah. As the housekeeper, he was in charge of cleaning all the rooms in this villa including Bryan's room. There is a photo of Diah quite large.

“Aep, Ratna. introduce this from Diah.”

Aep and Ratna greeted Diah in turn. Diah was quite uneasy because Ratna kept looking at her face. He felt his face afraid that something was wrong with him.

“Are you cooked?” bryan asked Ratna.

“Not yet pack.”

“Then please cook for my guests yes.”

“Hmm. briefly. What if I cook? You don't mind, do you?”

“Of course. Ratna please help Diah ma'am huh. Later finished cooking, please go to the market to buy some personal needs bu Diah.”

“Good sir. Let's bu.”

Ratna takes Diah to the kitchen. Bryan continued to look at the woman he still loved until she disappeared behind the wall. Then he moved his foot into the room. The man was trying to clean himself up. For some reason, he wanted to look neat and fragrant in front of the woman.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Diah immediately struggled with ingredients and cooking tools. Ratna was astonished to see how to cook Diah who was like a professional chef. There was not much he could do, for almost all the work was done by Diah.

“Mother is chef huh?”

“Me? Hahaha, can you. I am just a normal housewife.”

“Mother must be her close friend ya.”

“Kok you nebaknya that.”

“Soalya there is a photo of the mother on display in the father's room.”

“Masa?”

“Iya ma'am. This big.”

Ratna moved her hand into a box to describe the size of the figura in question. Diah silently gave a smile, could there still be love for her in Bryan's heart.

“This is just cooking. Let me do it. If I may ask please buy some items for me.”

“Bby bu. What would you buy?”

Diah took a paper and pen from his bag and then recorded the items he wanted to buy. Not much just a toothbrush some underwear and of course his great clothes, negligee. He forgot to write down the size. Diah gave the paper and took the wallet.

“This is the money.”

“Ngga to bu. Every month, Mr. Bryan always gives money to buy all the villa needs. Coincidentally the money is still a lot left over. Let me just use that money. I'm sorry bu.”

Ratna rushes off to buy her employer's friend's order. He put the money back in his wallet. Then he started cooking all the ingredients he had prepared.

Diah looked at the satisfied cuisine he had made. All the food was placed on the table. Bryan came to Diah with a paper bag in his hand. His smile expands to see the food presented at the table is his favorite.

“You remember my favorite food?”

“Hmm.. I hope you still like it.”

“Of course. Especially if you made it.”

“I want to shower first yes.”

“Ratna has bought your needs?”

“Already.”

“This is your clothes. Hopefully you like.”

Bryan thrust the paper bag in his hand.Diah took the paper bag from Bryan's hand and then entered the guest room that Ratna had prepared. The woman placed the paper bag on the bed while she headed straight for the bathroom.

After bathing Diah took a package containing her order. Three pairs of underwear and two long-handed negligee bought Ratna for him. Diah quickly put on her clothes. Then his eyes were fixed on the paper bag lying on the mattress. The paper bag then took out its contents.

Diah was amazed to see a Muslim dress with a bright blue caftan model complete with an instant hijab with matching colors. For a moment she was flipping through the clothes. Nick has also bought some Muslim clothes for her, but the woman's heart has not been moved to close her aura.

Diah's daydream was broken when she heard a knock on the door, followed by Ratna's voice calling her for dinner. After making sure her appearance was tidy enough, Diah came out of the room. In the dining room Bryan was waiting for him. For a moment Bryan was glued to see Diah who still looks beautiful even in a simple negligee.

No talks during dinner. The two of them were calmly enjoying dinner. More precisely awkwardness and nervousness cover both. They seem to be thrown into the past when both of them build household noses.

After dinner, Bryan took Diah to the terrace. There were things that the man wanted to talk about, as well as Diah. They sat themselves in a chair made of rattan. For a moment the silence still covered the two until finally the voice of Diah broke the silence.

“You want to meet Nick?”

“What can?”

“Of course. For Nick, then or now you are his daddy. He would be happy to meet you. She always asks you, but I always dodge.”

“Why? Do you hate me?”

“Not..not that. I'm just afraid to talk about you. I'm afraid I can't forget you.”

“Do you still love me?”

Bryan's question was like an arrow hitting his heart. Diah's tongue immediately felt funny. His heart was also beating faster. Especially when Bryan looked at her inside.

“I.. still love you, Diah. Every day I don't just pray for you and Nick. But I also pray that we can be together someday. Will you marry me again?”

🍂🍂🍂

**Buh daddy Bryan to the point..

Come kira² mommy answer what???

The appearance of Bryan's daddy ogut**