The Pesona Duda Perjaka
Papa Must Be Back

Sebastian has just opened the car for Kirana and helped his wife down while holding Ronald's firstborn. While in the rear passenger seat, their baby sitter helped each other open the door for his friend who was holding Roland.

Before entering, Sebastian and Kirana's second child had already changed hands into Sebastian's sling. Roland was more active while Ronald was a little more calm.

Mommy Amelia who was impatient for the arrival of her two grandchildren immediately approached her son and daughter-in-law as soon as the two set foot on the porch of the house of uncle Raymond and auntie Rosa.  Today the family invited his sister's family and his besi for dinner.

“Actually in what order uncle Raymond invited us tonight. Bee ?” whispered Kirana while holding the arm of her husband who was still carrying Roland in his carrier.

Mommy Amelia had entered first while bringing Ronald who she wanted to show off to her sister-in-law's family. Wanting her to hold Roland too at once, but considering the two babies were gaining more weight, Sebastian only allowed mommy Amelia to bring one of his grandchildren.

“Steven is leaving for Papua next week, carrying out a humanitarian mission there. Uncle Raymond had a story when he came to the office to see Daddy and I happened to be there. Apparently Steven has really established his heart to go far and forget you who turned out to be more tempting.”

“Bee, don't say that. You are willing if your wife is flirting with another man?” cibir Kirana with a bitter face.

“Not just not willing, I will make the men disappear without a trace,” Sebastian said with a serious face to make Kirana laugh softly.

“Feeled to fly to the seventh sky with my dear husband,” Kirana said as she blinked one eye.

“Jaga your attitude ! Don't be so nice to Steven. Remember, he already has a wife and you also have a super possessive husband.”

“Sweetie, I didn't forget. How can I forget that the handsome and established man was standing near me and his love light made me instantly intoxicated to love.”

“Start smart dreadlocks too,” sneer Sebastian. Kirana just laughed softly.

Arriving in the middle room, Roland finally moved into the sling of Richard's daddy. Kirana smiled and gave thanks in her heart for giving happiness to her husband and in-laws.

It is clear that mommy Amelia and daddy Richard are very happy to be able to change their status to opa and oma from two very handsome grandchildren, similar to Sebastian.

Before long, the whole family had gathered at a long dining table that could accommodate twelve people with the position of both ends of the table occupied by uncle Raymond and om Herman.

Kirana frowned when she saw an empty seat between Raven and Auntie Rosa. A little worried when he saw Shera had not been sitting there while his parents had come since.

“Bee, did Shera not come tonight ?” kirana whispered as they had just entered the dining room after leaving their two heroes to the babysitter.

“Don't know either, Honey. Looks like it's just too late.”

Kirana nodded and let Sebastian pull up a chair for her that was opposite the empty seat.

“Mama Nana,” greet Raven in a pretty loud voice with her trademark smile.

“Hai Raven's. How are you ?” kirana politely returned the greeting of the little boy with her trademark smile.

One hand Kirana clasped Sebastian's fingers tightly under the table. She knew that her possessive husband would not like to hear Raven call her mama.

“Good, Ma. Raven wanted to sit near mom,” whined her with a pleading gaze to look at Kirana to bring her closer.

“It's better to sit face to face if Raven wants to chat with auntie,” Kirana said and began to familiarize herself with the nickname auntie for Raven. “Again mama Raven will be here soon.”

Raven immediately pouted and folded her hands together. The three-year-old boy threw his body onto the back of the chair still with his mouth soaked.

“Raven sits near Papa alone,” persuade Steven to caress his son's head. “If later Raven sits next to Mama Nana, no one accompanies Papa here.”

Kirana just smiled without commenting. His heart was a little relieved when he heard Steven already referred to himself as a papa to Raven.

The family dinner had just started when Shera appeared a little hastily. The woman appeared elegant in a slightly loose black dress with a knee length.

“Sorry I'm late. There are problems in the office that must be resolved today as well,” Shera said after sitting next to Raven and auntie Rosa.

Kirana smiled wryly at the sight of Shera's husband and two in-laws only turning a glance and continuing their evening meal without responding to Shera's remarks. Even Raven was busy eating peeled shrimp that had been prepared on his dinner plate.

“What's the road jammed, Sher ?” finally Kirana tries to reduce Shera's awkwardness. There was a disappointed look from the expression of the woman sitting opposite him.

Kirana had glanced at the two Shera parents who were on her left side and they also behaved normally without showing any intention to invite their biological children to talk.

“Slightly as usual, Nana,” Shera smiled in response to Kirana's good intentions trying to neutralize her awkwardness.

“Do not call Kirana by that name !” steven's stern voice made Shera, Kirana and Sebastian instantly dumbfounded and stared at Steven.

“Only I can call him that,” firmly Steven again staring into Shera.

“Sorry, Steve,” shriek Shera while smiling bitterly.

“You can call me anything as long as there are letters in the line of my name, Sher,” Kirana said with a soft laugh. “I won't mind it.”

Kirana again lowered one hand under the table looking for her husband's hand which was also under the table. As expected, Sebastian must have clenched his hand withholding emotion.

Kirana rubbed Sebastian's fingers that clenched until she finally managed to hold it. Shamelessly Kirana brought her mouth closer to Sebastian's ear to whisper.

“Remember the proverbial dog barking caravan passed, Bee. And later tonight you can break the fast,” whispered Kirana in a friendly voice.

Kirana accidentally put her face so close to Sebastian that the one who saw her must have thought that she was kissing her husband. After whispering Kirana back away and looked at Sebastian who immediately turned to her with a sparkling look.

Kirana nodded with a smile as if answering the gaze of Sebastian who slowly joined in smiling as well. Then without a sound Kirana just moved her mouth saying I LOVE YOU.

Steven looked at the two with a look of annoyance and saw the young doctor sighing deeply. His heart was already quite upset to hear Shera calling Kirana by her beloved name plus had to see the affection of a couple sitting right opposite her.

“Are they not drinking anymore, Kiran ?” mommy asked Amelia when she saw the twins carrying bottles of milk.

“Still Mom, but Kirana's asian production does not meet the needs of the two of them,” said Kirana with a slightly unpleasant face.

“Important Kirana still prioritizes breast feeding first before adding formula milk, Mom,” Sebastian said while rubbing his wife's back to calm Kirana.

“It looks like these two grandchildren are indeed strong boys suckling, like the papi,” led mommy Amelia while glancing at Sebastian.

There was no angry tone in the words of mommy Amelia, making Kirana breathe a sigh of relief.

“Of course it will decline, Mom. Their faces alone are so similar to mine and will definitely have the papi-like nature,” Sebastian said proudly. His hand was no longer awkward holding a milk bottle for Ronald's firstborn.

“Originally don't you share your breast for this spoiled adult man,” little mommy Amelia still glances at her son.

“Slightly okay, Mom,” said Sebastian laughed but then grimaced because Kirana pinched his arm.

“Bee, shy,” Kirana said in a soft voice.

“Let your ex-boyfriend hear and get envious,” Sebastian whispered as he glanced at Steven who was indeed watching them.

“Bee !” Kirana glared with a stifled voice. “Steven is not my ex-boyfriend ! You're really happy to say Steven's my ex-boyfriend.” Kirana's lips immediately pouted at her husband's words while Sebastian himself just laughed.

“So when will Steven leave ?” daddy Richard's voice stopped Sebastian and Kirana's jokes.

Everyone stared at Steven who was enjoying a plate of fruit. The man was a little flirted with not being ready with daddy Richard's question.

“Are we not all invited here because you want to partake in the task in Papua ?” ask daddy Richard back.

“Iya Uncle,” Steven put his plate on a table nearby. “The plan is next week I will leave with a group from Jakarta and stop in Surabaya to get a briefing and join other medical teams from the island of Java.”

Auntie Rosa herself did not talk much since then, just chatting normally and listening more to mommy Amelia and daddy Richard who always boast of their two grandchildren.

“How long is the task there, Steve ?” ask mommy Amelia.

“His agreement is currently a year, Auntie. But if it is needed, I can extend it to an indefinite time limit.”

Daddy Richard and mommy Amelia just nodded and did not mention the least about Shera and Raven that Steven would leave behind.

“Papa want to go ?” Raven who slightly caught the conversation of the adults around her moved to sit on Steven's lap.

“Raven wanted to come,” whine that boy who immediately embraced Steven and laid his head on his papa chest.

“Raven here used to be the same Mama, oma and opa. Papa has to work first, papa will definitely go home again accompany Raven.”

“Away ? Raven can't play with papa ?” the boy looked up and blinked his eyes at the smiling Steven.

“Iya remote. Raven is going to school soon and definitely has a lot of friends. Raven can invite friends to play.”

Slowly Raven's shoulders shook even though her face was against Steven's chest. The man himself was shocked when he heard his son's slow-sounding sobs.

“Hei hotshot, don't cry,” Steven tried to stretch Raven's embrace and wanted to look at her son's face, but the boy tightened his arms and hid his face in Steven's chest.

“Papa is only a short task and will come back to accompany Raven to play here. Papa won't stay in Raven.”

Steven patted his son's back. His heart felt pinched.  Although Raven is present due to a mistake that Steven never wanted, the bond between father and son cannot be erased.

Seven months past Raven made Steven start loving this boy as part of him. Steven began to feel the meaning of longing for his son while busy practicing in the hospital and met many children who became his patients.

“Raven wants to play with Papa,” said the boy in between his sobs.

His face was no longer hidden in Steven's arms. This time Raven looked up again and looked at Steven with tears.

Steven smiled, picked up the tissue on the table and began to wipe away the tears on his son's face.

“Papa is only a temporary task instead of leaving Raven. As long as Papa is not around, Raven must be a champion who takes care of mama, opa, oma all.”

Shera threw her face the other way. His heart rippled to hear Steven call him mama in front of Raven, but it seemed too late to start over.

“Papa's promise is sure to come home again and won't stay Raven ?” Raven reached out her little finger making Steven laugh but backlashed her pinky on the tiny finger.

“Raven dear Papa,” Raven immediately embraced Steven's neck and re-inserted his face in the arms of the man he could finally call the papa.

Shera did not say a word. His feelings are mixed. His heart ached when he realized that his presence was not important to Raven until the boy never cried when left by Shera and never whined to ask Shera to accompany him.

On the other hand, Shera is happy because the relationship between Raven and Steven has begun to close even though they have only been together for seven months. At least Raven still feels she has parents even though the boy does not consider Shera to have an important role in his life.