The Skewers House
Retno's Mother's Husband

Saturday, 31 December 2016.

Three days after the burning of the Skeleton House. Mas Adi sat down to relax at the guard post. His right leg is still wrapped in bandages. There was a slight swelling in his wrist. Mas Adi noticed the watch he was wearing.

When the time shows at 2 pm, there is a sound of a motorbike stopping right in front of the guard post. Mas Adi looked up to see who was coming. It turned out that a well-dressed woman, wearing a cream-colored canal suit with a brown leather jacket that looked suitable. When the helmet is removed, short shoulder-length hair looks shiny.

She is Sinta, the woman Mas Adi saved from the skewer house is now trying to live her life better. He has moved house, also started to open a small cake business. Today he had an appointment with Mas Adi.

"Newly haircut?," Mas Adi asked, noticing Sinta who was smiling smile before him.

"Any huh?" Sinta asked back.

"No. Beautiful," replied Mas Adi short. Sinta blushed to hear it.

"What's? Repeat again dong," Sinta smiled spoiled.

"Coming off," Mas Adi bellowedly switched the conversation. He walked ahead of Sinta. Then sit in the back seat of the motor matic Sinta.

"Ayooo," Mas Adi called out to Sinta who was still dumbstruck where she stood. Sinta sighed, then obeyed Mas Adi's invitation.

"It should be that guy in front, not even asking for a screwdriver," Sinta put on a helmet while grumbling.

"Lha how, his leg wong again hurts," Mas Adi replied indifferently.

Sinta just kept quiet and did not respond. He turned on his motor then pulled the gas slowly. He had seen the rearview mirror, seen Mas Adi laughing satisfied.

"Stenny yes, diojekin pretty girl," Sinta mocked.

"Free anyway," Sahut Mas Adi while laughing.

Mas Adi and Sinta have made an agreement today to come to the hospital to visit Tarji. Mas Adi's co-worker apparently got a serious wound on the back of his head.

* * *

"Where's bro? How comfortable to be treated here?," Mas Adi smiled at Tarji who was still lying on the bed. His head was bandaged, his hair draped.

"Father dong, the nurse is beautiful beautiful," Tarji blinked one eye.

"Ehh, the syringe," Mas Adi hit his best friend's arm a little hard.

"Hallo Ma'am Sinta, how are you?," Tarji turned, asking the stale remarks of the woman standing next to Mas Adi.

"Good news. How is Tarji?," Sinta smiled, looking beautiful and graceful.

"This injury is not pa pa Mbak. I'm stronger than Adi lhoo" Tarji raised his thumb.

"Here, prett," Mas Adi sneered. Sinta laughed softly at the hilarious behavior of the two people in front of her.

"In, by the way what's the case? It's done, doesn't it mean? Prambudi as the main suspect has been killed," Tarji looks serious with his question this time.

"Well, that is," Mas Adi sighed.

"The followers of the sect have been thrown into prison. However, they all do not want to give any information. They chose silence, so we never know who exactly is the mastermind and leader of this sect," Mas Adi walked open the room window. The warm air and sunlight immediately hit his face.

There is guilt in Mas Adi's heart to this day. He felt that failing could not save someone he considered to be his younger brother. Recalling the incident that night, Mas Adi fell silent to point his gun at Prambudi. He didn't really want to shoot him. But who would have thought Prambudi instead took the gun and then pointed it at his own body. Mas Adi could only be stunned, looking at Prambudi's body drenched in blood.

"By the way, have you found out where Amanda Prambudi's son and Mbak Citra are?," Tarji again asked. Mas Adi shook his head slowly.

"The girl is gone. No bodies of children were found in the burning house. I was surprised, where did that little boy go?" Mas Adi sighed softly. His head feels throbbing.

* * *

At 4 pm Sinta hugged Mas Adi down the cement road in the district of K. They stopped at a rubble house at the end of a fork. The house that only leaves part of the wall that looks charred in some parts.

Mas Adi and Sinta walked towards the back garden. A beautiful bunch of fresh red flowers brought by Mas Adi. He was crouched on a mound of soil among the dense trees.

"Mbak Retno, I'm sorry. I'm late to find you. I failed to look after our family. Forgive me," Mas Adi placed a flower on the mound of earth before him. From the corner of his eyes was a clear liquid that dripped slowly. Sinta rubbed Mas Adi's shoulder gently.

Just as Sinta and Mas Adi were about to leave the rubble of the skewer house, came a man with a sharp look in his eyes. He looked at Sinta and Mas Adi with question marks.

"Who are you?" the man asked.

"I'm Adi, and this is Sinta. I was a cop who happened to be in charge of investigating a case in this house yesterday. Who are you?" Mas Adi asked.

"I am Mbah Kadir's son" the man replied briefly.

"Suami Mbak Retno?," Mas Adi asked enthusiastically.

"Yes, that's it. You. .I know my wife?" The man asked.

"I'm Retno's sister in the parlour first," Mas Adi shook hands and kissed the back of the man's hand. Although the man's expression looked puzzled Mas Adi did not care about it.

"Thank you for giving a happy life to Ms. Retno. Thank you for bringing love to Mbak Retno," Mas Adi bowed. He really sincerely said his words.

"I, I didn't manage to take care of him," the man looked sad.

"I, after his departure, really became a loser. I forgot her, forgot her face, forgot the real incident, forgot how much I loved her," The man rubbed his reddened-looking eyes.

"You are under the influence of a spell, right" Cut Mas Adi.

"Well, whatever it is, I feel weak as a man and as a husband" the man stared at the house, leaving only the rubble.

"I slipped from the spell after Father died. I can now recall how beautiful my wife looked, "The man mumbled softly.

"Oh yeah, want to stop by the house? The former house where you live I mean," The man smiled kindly this time.

"Maybe next time sir . .?," Mas Adi fell silent, he did not know the name of the man before him.

"Diran," quickly the man named Diran shook Mas Adi's hand. This time it felt tighter.

When shaking hands for the second time, Mas Adi saw on the wrist of the man named Diran there was a new bruise that turned blue.

Connect . . .

Lhooo, how are you still connected? He said 1 chapter? upss sorry, one more yes 😀