The Passion of the Actor
Chapter 47's

Raya almost to the foot of the table when he rose from before Darma and towards his chair when he heard Dipa's words.

What did the man think to say to his father. Raya's face stiffened, so did Darma. He had just given heart to the Royal family, entrusting Raya to be taken by them, but instead Dipa proposed to Raya to marry him.

Not only Raya and her father were surprised, Nani also experienced it. It was like he was floating the tip of his stick towards Dipa's head, saying such a serious thing without first consulting with her.

"Sorry, young man. I just put my trust in you, and now you want to propose to my daughter? what kind of humiliation is this?"

"I'm sorry..."

"I don't mean to insult, Om. I sincerely want to marry Raya," Dipa said snatching Nani's words. Nani's eye was no longer heeded by Dipa.

"Now I ask, why do you want to marry Raya?"

"Because I like it, Om. Straight from the heart."

"Marriage is not enough because of love. You rely on liking, it will soon become extinct over time, so you may get bored. That is human nature" replied Darma, now quieter in his voice.

"But I also love Raya, Om." Dipa did not want to give a pause for Darma to reject. Raya even raised her face which had been looking down on Dipa for a moment, then looked down again. He felt annoyed, not considered to exist, as if they were discussing him when he was there too.

Can't he himself give the answer to his own future and personal life?

"Love?" ask Darma afterwards. Dipa nodded quickly. "Yes, Om."

"How long have you known Raya?"

Dipa's silent. Remembering and counting, and then confidently answering, "About three months, Om."

"It's too early to say you love her. Dipa, the household is not a joke, not a day or two, but a lifetime. What you feel today is not yet called true love, because you have not known the Kingdom for long, do not know how the character, nature and everything related to him. Right now you're just feeling sorry for what you just heard about her life story" Darma said.

"Om wrong. I really seriously want to be with Raya."

"Raya's just been widowed, Om reckons she can't possibly be that quick to accept another man in her life either."

"But I mean it, Om. Please accept my proposal, I love Raya.

"Om grateful that what you feel is love. But all decisions are in the hands of the Kingdom. How, Son?"

"Sorry, Dip. I can't accept your good intentions. I still don't want to be in a relationship with any man right now. I still want to be alone, to fix my life, to organize the way I now have to live" said Raya energetically.

Darma's face, which had been tense since the beginning, was now slacking off. His breathing had been sounding regular since he had held his breath since earlier. She was so grateful, Raya could make the right decision in her life at this moment.

"But, Ray. When we had breakfast at a stall near here, Oma asked about your address, and without us asking to be explained, they excitedly told her something bad about you. I don't want people to look one eye at you. They say things that don't know the truth at all. I want your name clean, so that anyone in this village, can respect you" Dipa said earnestly. He himself was furious, when he heard the words of some women who also ate rice sitting there.

And after hearing the true explanation from Darma, the desire to recover the good name of Raya grew even greater. The girl does not deserve to be insulted, scorned even in slander.

"I don't care what they think of me. Enough dad to believe me. For the rest, let Allah repay their evil deeds." Raya smiled softly, quietly and so stunningly. In a way, Raya can be more mature in responding to all things after going through difficult times full of tears and also inner pressure.

"How about the fiancee first, Oma, Om?" tanya Dipa tried her luck once again.

"Later. After all, if you are indeed a match, Om it does not matter if you are engaged first or soon married it does not matter, for now you two just understand each other first. Raya has never failed to marry, you should not rush to make a decision, so as not to repeat itself like this."

***

At night they arrived in Jakarta. Raya begged to go down in the laundry only, but Oma insisted Raya sleep in their house, and she complied.

The journey was quite tiring to make Oma who had climbed into bed half an hour ago sleep soundly. It should be, Raya is also like that, but maybe because he drank a lot of coffee at the airport, so he was not sleepy, even though it was 11 pm.

His throat felt choked, so decided to go down to the kitchen just take warm water with honey droplets.

The first floor was already very quiet with the lights already extinguished. Dipa must have been sleeping, because tired and the night air is very cold. Out there drizzle is even down. Not wanting to wake the other residents of the house, Raya walked slowly, as much as possible not making a sound. Arriving in the kitchen directly to the dispenser. Take a glass of warm water, and drip a few drops of honey.

Comfort begins to be felt in the throat and also the stomach. Raya wants to enjoy it first, to decide to sit at the dining table, even without lighting. Fun struggling with his thoughts and series of plans for the development of his laundry business, unconsciously one's step was getting closer to him and now he was standing right in front of him.

"Aaaackh..," cried Raya in surprise after realizing there was a tall large figure standing in front of her. Reflexes, the big hand smothered his mouth until the sound was stuck inside.

"Sssst. It's me!"

Feeling the recognition of the voice, Raya stopped struggling. Then the mouth was released and before long, the man pressed the light switch that brightly lit the bulb was very small.

Raya blinked her eyes, adjusting the light that entered her sense of sight. "What are you doing here?" ask the man's baritone voice.

"I can't sleep. So I made warm water mixed with honey."

"Mas, what do you want to drink?"

"Drink. When are you back?"

"So, eight o'clock."

Quiescent. Silent... Raya sometimes do not think, if the two with Elrick, always an atmosphere like this happens between them. Awkward and a little horror. Confused what to say and behave. Very different when with Dipa, they can talk comfortably, joke and also connect for hours.

But one that Raya didn't realize, every one near Elrick, her heart was pounding so fast, there was a feeling that was hard to explain, that was hard to understand, that was hard to understand, which he never felt when near Dipa or Dika.

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Morning, thank you to everyone who has given me words and prayers. The best prayer for you all. Thanks for the gift, I love you.