THE RELIGIOUS SHORT STORY GROUP
MARRIAGE ANNULMENT

Dara smiled to herself looking at the mirror, while smoothing the powder on the cheeks that are less evenly distributed. Nimble fingers danced brush, down the curves of her white and beautiful face. Then take a moment, pay attention to the colorful details of the makeup that adorns, beautiful.

Fragrant bushes filled the room space, passing every breath filling the lungs. Adding to the aura of beauty as Dara was feeling. 

Today, Jaka the lover of hearts, will come to propose. After a long relationship without certainty. Struggling in promises that are difficult to fulfill. Until finally the man was steady deigned to tie the finger, with the jewelry ring that will be tucked in a moment longer.

"Become .... "

My mother's voice called from outside the room.  

"Yes, Ma" said the girl rushing to hunt down the door.

For a moment Mama was stunned to see Dara who looked beautiful with makeup combined kebaya clothes she wore. "It's so beautiful Mama's child," Mama murmured as she gently pinched Dara's chin.

"Mama can do it," Dara blushed. "What's up, Ma?"

"Jaka's here with his family, son. You're fucking meeting them. Mama wants to prepare a drink for them first," said Mama while smiling sweetly again.

"Let Dara work, Ma."

"Really?"

"Yes, Ma. If it's just water, anyway, Dara can do it, too."

Mom seemed to think until then finally nodded slowly."Yeah, already. Mama's waiting in the front room, yeah, son."

After Mama's death, Dara immediately rushed to the kitchen to prepare a drink for the family of her future husband.

"Where to, Auntie?" Jaka took a look at the state of the house as soon as Mama Dara emerged from the living room and sat joined, next to Papa Dara.

"There was. Again drinking water," replied Mama Dara while watching Jaka and her parents. "Why? Jaka's son misses Dara, huh?"

Papa Dara slowly elbowed his wife's arm while winking. Gesturing in order to refrain from teasing the future daughter-in-law. While Jaka bowed shyly, with a slightly blushing face. 

Not long after, Dara came into their midst, carrying a few glasses of drink. The girl's sweet smile rippled among the beautiful padan padan fashion worn.

"Please drink, Om-Tante," friendly Dara offers drinks to both parents Jaka. 

"Thank you, Nak Dara," they said they could not be separated to look in admiration for the beauty of Dara's face that day. 

Dara sat next to Mama. Sometimes the ends of his eyes collide with Jaka. The young man was apparently doing the same.

The conversation between the two families begins. The parents of Jaka and Dara seriously discussed the plan to continue their child's relationship. Happy laughter occasionally intersperses the chatter. Until then ....

"But, I'm sorry, Mr. Erwin," Papa Dara said in the middle of the conversation. "There's something I want to say."

Mr. Erwin, Papa Jaka, frowned. "About what, huh, Mr Galih? I thought it had been all delivered."

Mr. Galih glanced at his wife for a moment with a heavy look. The Papa Dara swallowed his saliva before continuing his speech.  "We'd better talk about it together. Mr. Erwin and me."

Dara and Jaka looked at each other, confused.

"What's up, Pa?" Dara touched his Papa's arm.

"You just calm down, Dara. Let your Papa talk to Papa Jaka," Mama Dara calmed down.

Mr. Galih gestured for Mr. Erwin to follow into another room. Apparently not only Jaka and Dara were hit by tanya, Mama Jaka was like that.

"What the hell, Ma?" dara asked Mama, shortly after Erwin and her father left the room.

"Later we'll know for ourselves, son," Mama replied without answering Dara's question. "Here you go, don't think about it. Better, you have a chat with Nak Jaka in front of the house, yes, son."

Dara snorted annoyed. However, the girl finally followed the advice of Mama. With Jaka, he moved out of the house. 

"What, yeah, is our Papa talking about?" Dara opened the conversation.

Jaka shrugged both of his shoulders. "Take a parent's chat. Especially?"

"But I feel something serious. Like there's something we can't know."

Jaka touched Dara's arm, "Can't be so parent-like. We trust them all, yeah, honey."

Dara looked down still with her head filled with various questions.

Not yet Dara said, suddenly Mr. Erwin appeared with a grim face. His wife was confused.

"So, we're going home right now!" Flat voice Mr. Erwin while rushing left the host who could only be speechless.

"What's up, Pa? How, rush?" Jaka hesitated to follow in his father's footsteps.

"Let's talk at home!" Erwin answered loudly. "Come, go home!"

Dara looked at Jaka's face full of confusion.

"I go home first, yeah, Dara. Later I will tell you by cellphone," finally Jaka followed in Mr. Erwin's footsteps and immediately entered the vehicle parked in front of the house.

Not a word came out of Mr. Erwin's lips as soon as the vehicle he was carrying left the yard. A face that had seemed friendly, suddenly cold and sour.

"What's this, Pa? What's going on?" Dara squandered her Papa's embrace. 

Mr. Galih leads Dara and his wife into the house. "There are things you should know, Dara," softly Papa's voice held back the sadness behind his chest. "This, about you, son."

"What's up with Dara, Pa?" The girl was getting curious. 

Mom and Dad, for a moment, looked at each other. It was as if something heavy was being revealed.

"I'm sorry, yeah, kid. Papa and Mama pleaded, lest you hate us both" Papa Dara bowed her head deeply.

"Why do Mom and Dad have to apologize? Why should Dara hate? This, what's the matter?" 

Papa Dara took a deep breath for a moment, then ....

"We both used to make mistakes .... " Papa Dara begins the story. "To be exact when Papa and Mama are still in courtship. We committed a major sin, causing Mama to become pregnant. But Papa is responsible. Papa married your Mama."

Dara tried hard and understood that she was a child born from adultery. "Where's the problem?"

Papa looked at her daughter's face with a twist, "That means, legally speaking, you are not Papa's son, Dara. Papa has no right to be a guardian in your marriage."

"That's all?" Dara still doesn't understand. "That's what Papa said to Papa Jaka, right?"

Papa nodded slowly. "Sir Erwin objected to having a daughter-in-law and mother-in-law from her granddaughter, who was born out of a relationship outside of marriage." Papa started to sob sadly. 

Mom hugged Papa tightly. I regret the incident first but can only resign.

"Simple is that why?" tanya Dara held back the tightness that began to feel in the chest. "So bad is the value of a child born from adultery? While the mistake was made by both parents, why should his son also be a victim of that evil?"

"No, Dara. You're not wrong. It's all Mama-Papa's fault and we've repented for the wrongdoing that was done before," said Mama instead of hugging Dara while crying. "You are still our son! Our flesh and blood! Our descendants! It's just, you lost some rights to your Papa. That's all!"

Dara smiled bitterly.

"I understand, Ma. And strangely enough, Dara also has to lose self-esteem for some people who feel more holy just because they were born from a sacred marriage bond. So it is right to judge a creature of God from the mistakes of its ancestors," murmured Dara.

"Become .... "

"Become alone first, Ma, Pa. Sorry Dara!" The girl ran to her room. Then shed a cry on the bed.

Suddenly Dara's phone rang. There is an incoming message notification on the screen. From Jaka, the lover. 

[Dearly, should we also say that you are also now two-bodied because of me? I'm confused and scared, honey. I love you, Dara.]

[We'd better be honest, ma'am. Before Dara's stomach grew.]

[I don't know what to do, Dara. After you read this, maybe my body is already down there. I .... ]

[Mas!]

Unanswered. Suddenly a message marked tick one.

[Mas Jaka!]

It's the same, and so on. The crying broke out. "Yes Jakaaaaa .... "

EXPIRE