The Retaliation of a Wife Considered a Household Parasite
23: Arum in the Eyes of His Family
Tonight, in the guest room of Nur's mother's residence, Arum spent it pondering. About what happened to Supri after everything the man did. For Arum, what happened was like proof that the torment did exist. God really exists and God never sleeps.
Arum believes that everything is based on good intentions, and Arum also does his best tirelessly, whatever Arum gets, is the best even though sometimes disappointed it is still Arum feels. But when Arum ponders, the woman will realize then lose her disappointment and be replaced with gratitude. Truly no result betrays the effort—Arum believes it.
The proof, Arum can still live well even though he had to lose his stall. In addition, Arum also still get attention and help, although his family is anti on Arum only because they consider Arum as a household parasite.
The Arum family is. They are too afraid, the pain that Arum gave suddenly withdrawn, asked back until they no longer have anything. Like now, Arum who on the next morning deliberately visited the mamak, immediately created a tremendous unrest in the half-permanent gedong house he visited.
As told earlier, in the house that Arum renovated heavily using the results of his hard work into TKW in Hong Kong was not only inhabited by mamak and Widy, Arum's sister. Because since Widy married, Arum's sister who was far from honoring Arum was bringing in-laws and also his two younger siblings live there. Even a moment ago, Widy who happened to open the door was willing, that there was no room or just a room that Arum could occupy. Arum immediately did not dare to enter the house and chose to sit on the terrace. Arum is afraid to make a fuss though of course, Arum has the right to do it because the one who built the house is only him. In addition, the first to finance Widy's school is also still Arum.
Both Widy and Rusmini's mother know that Arum is divorced from Angga. Both also already know all the cases that befell Arum including Arum who lost his stall due to the actions of Angga. Because, such news will indeed be very quickly spread especially since they are members of the village WA group that will report the latest news around them. Like, this village WA group is no less updated than top gossip accounts.
The house that Arum visited did not look as solid as when Arum left it, about five years ago, to coincide with his wedding day and Angga which was held very simply there. In the past, Arum and Angga only underwent kabul ijab witnessed by neighbors, then continued with a kind of kenduri Thanksgiving event.
“Mamak already know how I am?” Arum was just pretending. Some kind of pleasantries. In front of him, the mamak who looked fresh but did suffer from asthma, sighed slowly and deeply then nodded.
They sit on the front porch of the house. Aidan was also there, in Arum's lap and sleeping. The wind that blows strong considering the house of Arum's parents surrounded by rice fields, making Arum enveloped the body of Aidan tightly including the head. There is no serving even one glass of water. There is only one backpack that belongs to Arum, in addition to one bag of souvenirs that Arum deliberately prepared specifically because Arum does not want to come empty-handed.
Arum looked down deeply while sighing softly. It is like that, and it always is. Not yet had time to complain, the mother will do it first. Discussing all the complaints from his childhood until now he is old. It was as if he was the one suffering the most. In addition, Rusmini's mother is also typical of the elderly who are biased. Of all his children, Rusmini's mother was very hard on Arum only because while pregnant Arum, Arum's father was serong or it was cheating. Arum married again when Rusmini's mother became pregnant with Arum. And even though after that the two re-reflect until Widy was present, the wounds in the past were still Rusmini's mother vent to Arum until this moment.
“Mamak don't want to carry Aidan?” ask Arum. No matter how much his family even the mother to him, he still responded patiently and courteously. Actually, he and Angga are pretty much the same. They are not the first children but the backbone of the family. It's just that, since marriage, Arum deliberately did not give all his income as when he was not married. Arum only gave a little and asked his sister and brother to be more independent especially they were both married. And maybe because of that too, because Arum did not give as much before marriage, Widy and Arum's sister including Rusmini's mother became upset with Arum.
“How you carrying, anyway? His son is sleeping. You know, Widy has three children and every day Mamak is tired of taking care of them. You know, Widy's a teacher and every day. Mostly on Sundays or holidays, he's new to the kayaking house now. It was sure he was tired because the teacher was busy,” reply Rusmini mother nagged.
Arum nodded in understanding. He again swallowed the bitter pill because the calamity he experienced did not make his family even his own mother care. Arum even chose to leave because he realized, there longer will make him more miserable.
“This is a little money for Mamak. Don't give Widy, just in case Mamak gets sick.”
“Oh yes, kesuwun, Rum.”
Rusmini's mother will only thank her when given money by Arum. Without asking the circumstances or at least the feelings of Arum, even the residence of Arum. Such attention and is the most natural thing, Arum did not get at all. Even Widy's classmate who until Arum graduated to become a teacher is also musty, choosing to hide inside the house after previously until closed the door so that Arum does not enter. In fact, Arum's warm attention gets from the neighbors there. They didn't just ask Arum or Aidan. Because they invited Arum to stop by, treat Arum to eat even with a simple side dish.
After almost half a day back to his village, Arum who returned to the residence of Nur's mother using the services of an ojek, was faced with the existence of Anggun and Sumini's mother. They had not only come together because the Graceful children had also come in a complete formation. On the porch of Nur's mother's house which was also guarded by Nur's mother, Anggun and the mamah looked angrily at Arum. The two seemed to want to finish off Arum alive, that very second.