The Story of Aira
16
If previously who visited the stalls of Aira's father were two lovebirds Aditya and Putri. Or just Ryan. They often came together. Including Ninik and Hendri. Gio and Tiara also sometimes join. Like at the moment.
"Who's the hot tea?" ask Aira.
"Me!" Ninik raised his hand like a student responding to his teacher's call.
"Please, please.." Aira's mother serves fried rice that has been served on the plate.
"Let me help you, Bude" said the princess.
Once all is ready, they eat together. Including Aira. He refused, but all his friends insisted. He finally gave up, and ate together.
Aira's father and mother are very grateful, because Aira has friends like them. Polite, kind, and friendly. Although there is no denying, there is still anxiety in a father's heart about his daughter's future.
"What happens when they really fall in love? Am I ready to take off my water here? Ah, naw. Even I was so afraid to imagine it." so was Aira's father's anxiety.
It seemed like Aira could catch her father's anxiety. The radiance that was implied from the eyes of his first love made Aira's heart palpable. There is happiness, but also sadness.
Arrived home, after cleaning and tidying up all their combat equipment. They chatted casually while enjoying a warm tea and fried foods given by Aa' shop next door. As it became a mandatory tradition every night, their fellow merchants would barter merchandise to be enjoyed together. Whether it is eaten there or taken home enjoyed with family at home.
"Dad.., I noticed you know..." Aira opened her voice.
"Daddy's daughter is always that." replied the father, then sipped his tea.
"Dad, me and Ryan are just friends. Don't worry about our relationship" Aira said.
Dad rubbed the top of Aira's head. Then the father smiled.
"Dad thought about that a lot, son. Very often. Sometimes I get scared. What if God's destiny ties you here? While mom and dad have to come back." said dad.
"Dad..." Aira hugged her father.
"Because after girls meet their soul mate. She will be the responsibility of her husband. She'll follow wherever her husband takes her." said the father again.
"Like mom." said the mother who just returned from the kitchen to get water.
"That's always with your father." Mom smiled.
"Then before I meet a mate, I will always follow father and mother." Aira replied.
"And before that day comes, you have to get out of here" thought Aira's father.
"How are you, Dad?" mom suddenly switched topics.
"Yesterday, dad from there. Thank goodness good grandfather. He missed the dam guard." father glanced at Aira while slightly chuckling.
"Dad, iiih...!!!" reply Aira.
Grandpa Mail did call Aira a guard, because every there Aira always felt at home silent on the edge of the big dam.
"Holiday to see grandfather, yes." said the father.
"Yes, dad. It's only been two weeks since I missed the impression" Aira said.
"For you two weeks is just a minute. But for a grandfather who was alone, it must have been a long time, son." said the mother.
"True mother." I agree with you.
......................
As promised to his father. When Aira took off from work, she went to Mail's grandfather's house. Aira was excited when she saw the mango fruit that could be picked, although not yet ripe. The last one there was very small.
"Here I'm going to see grandpa, what's the mango?" that's what Grandpa said when Aira did not reach her stage house.
"Hahahaaa.., Grandpa likes it." said Aira.
Aira walked towards the place where the grandfather was enjoying a vegetable ketupat shipment from his son. Aira kissed the back of Grandpa's hand. Then put the parcel he brought next to the vegetable bowl.
"Grandfather healthy?" ask Aira.
"If this food still tastes good on the tongue, it means healthy grandfather" he replied.
"Alhamdulillah..." Aira smile.
"Why not come? Overtime continues to work?" ask grandpa after finishing the last mouthful.
"If last week I hadn't taken off, cake. Because replace my friend who suddenly has to be permission" said Aira.
"When it was last week, I was tired. After attending a friend's wedding" he said again.
"When did you get married?" ask grandpa.
"Hahahaa.., still a little cake, tomorrow-tomorrow just discuss marriage." Aira chuckles.
"If people are here, the little ones are already married. If you're in different areas."
"Hmmm. Yes, cake." Aira nodded. "But here also not all young married cake. Only partly. Because my friends are still many who are alone, you know.." Aira indirectly expressed his disapproval of the Mail grandfather's opinion.
"Yes, it all depends on the person. If the grandfather's son graduated Junior High is married." Grandpa told about his son.
"Grandfather anyway, wear all sorts of soul mates. Let's go find it for yourself." Aira origin nyeplos.
"Rather than her marrying someone that grandpa doesn't like. The important thing is that he's happy now." Grandpa seemed to be smiling.
"What are you getting married here?" now Grandpa turned to look at Aira.
"Let's guess grandpa." said Aira.
"Definitely in your area" said grandfather.
"Your father told Grandpa he would finish his business here. And soon it will return."
Grandfather's words suddenly made Aira surprised. Both his father and mother never mentioned it.
"Grandpa's sure you said that?" Aira still couldn't believe it.
"Yes, your father once said that to grandfather. Grandfather is old, but grandfather's hearing is still very clear." replied Mail grandfather.
"Why be sad? Not going home yet? Stay here?" continued grandpa.
"Yes cake. I haven't even played far, just near here. Still want to explore many beautiful places here." Bual Aira.
......................
Aira seemed less excited about eating her lunch. His eyes were empty too. That caught Ryan's attention.
"Why? Not feeling well?" ask Ryan.
"No." replied Aira while shaking her head.
"The food is not good, right? Want me to buy you something?" bargain Ryan.
Aira raised her head. He looked at Ryan.
"I just don't have appetite, why is your expression so once." Aira chuckled a little.
"I'm worried and you're laughing at me?" reply Ryan.
"You're funny, anyway." said Aira.
"What's the funny part, huh?!" sahut Ryan's.
"none. Let's eat." Aira took her spoon back.
Aira saw Ryan's food. Chicken with young jackfruit.
"Feel mom?" ask Aira.
"Ep. Wanna?" Ryan handed me his lunch box.
"By tueran?" aira said a little doubtfully.
"Take it" said Ryan.
"Thank you..." Aira was very excited.
Ryan was happy because Aira looks greedy eating provisions from his mother. Ryan also did not want to lose, he also ate up supplies belonging to Aira.
By late afternoon Ryan was taking Aira home. This time Ryan did not come in. He just drove up to the fence.
"Seriously?!" Ryan was a little surprised. This was the first time Aira had taken her away.
"Em, yeah." Aira nodded. "I want to see the sea."
"OK ready! Let me know when you're off, I'll adjust my schedule" he said.
"okay!"
"Yes already, get in!" tell Ryan. "The eyes of the basket have not yet come." Ryan lowered his voice.
"Yes, be careful. Oh...!!" Aira waved her hand.
Ryan was still sitting on his bike. He saw Aira into the house.
"I'm ready to take you wherever you want to go, Ra. When else would an Aira take the road. You can enter the wonders of this world."
Ryan smiled to himself. It was fortunate to wear a binocular helmet, so no one would suspect or laugh at him.
Ryan's happy smile did not fade even until he arrived at his house. Ryan who hummed cheerfully as he entered his house, made the mother moved to rebuke him. Because his son did not say hello.
"Waalaikumsalam." That's how I reminded Ryan.
"Eh, assalamu'alaikum." said Ryan later, while yapping his mother.
"Be happy, but don't forget the important things. Including greetings." reprimanded his mother.
"Yes sorry, mom. I'm khilaf." he said.
"Yes." his mother replied.
Ryan then sat down next to his mother who was sewing his proud negligee.
"Mom knows not?" ryan said.
"Yes no. You haven't told me." he said.
"Mom usually has a sixth sense" Ryan said. It made her mother look hard.
"I'll go with Aira ma'am" she said later.
Ryan's mother smiled. He could see the radiance of happiness from the eyes of the child.
"So this is what makes you forget the greetings." said the mother.
"Sorry, mom..." Ryan was ashamed of his mother.
"Are you secretly planning on getting married?" suddenly the mother's brain went far.
"Mother.., not so." said Ryan. "We're just going for a walk, he wants to see the sea" Ryan said.
"That's all?" mom's a little unsure.
"You must be planning something?" and again the mother's glare seemed to corner Ryan.
"Your mother...!!!" Ryan started to shake. "Ah ah, I want to take a shower first." Ryan walked out of the living room.
"Ryan, you haven't answered mom!!" exclaimed mother.
"No ma'am...!!!" sahut Ryan's.
"Don't fuck around!!" his mother warned Ryan.
"Things are more creative, ma'am...!!" suddenly Ryan's head emerged from behind a mosquito net that covered the middle door.
"Bengal boy...!!!" mom threw her negligee at Ryan.
Inevitably Ryan ran away as fast as lightning after prancing his mother. He did not want to get any extra bonuses from his mother.
"Kan, where else the run is a button." mother grumbled after knowing the negligent button came off because she threw it earlier.
......................
Another Ryan, another Aira. In her mind, Aira just wanted to enjoy a moment of togetherness with her friends, before she returned to her place of origin with her family. Because he was sure after that it would be difficult to come back again.
Ddrr... Drrtt...
A message came in from Aditya. Apparently Aditya responded very quickly.
Aditya :
Tumben asked, where are you going?
Aira smiled faintly as she read it. He realized all this time that he had never had the initiative to take his friend away. He often refused when invited to leave.
Aira :
Beach. You know as long as I've been here, I've never stepped on the beach sand and touched the sea water here. Just through doang.
Aditya :
Aduuuh, this love is a child...!!!🤣🤣
Aira :
Look out...!!😤👊
Aditya :
🤣🤣🤣
Just don't play too much in the middle. Remember, you can't swim. What if the incident in the river repeats itself??!!!
Aira :
I knew
Aditya :
Why not just go to the mountains, Ra?
Aira :
Already often.
Aditya :
Okay then. I told you, too, and he wants to.
Aira :
Ciieeh.
Btw, you guys have no marriage plans any time soon what?!😁🤭
Aditya :
We're the ones dating why are you confused😆
Aira :
Will be able to attend the wedding again🤭
Aditya :
Eat free yaa🤣
Aira :
🤫🤫🤫
They really enjoyed the chat through that chat. Until Aira felt very sleepy and ended it.
......................
"I can't stay here forever. I can't take you with me either. But at least I have a lot of precious moments with you. And that's what I'm gonna bring. Before I actually leave, I'll make good use of my time with you."