The Substitute Bride of my Best Friend
An Affirmation

Nizam approached Zahira with two cups of coffee. "I thought it would be nice to have coffee together in a place like this."

Zahira understood Nizam's intention to give him one of his coffees. However, Zavira immediately gulped down his packaged coffee drink. "Sorry, I have my own coffee, too, Doc."

Nizam was not offended by Zahira's attitude. An attitude that shows as if the girl is keeping her distance. However, the handsome male doctor gets closer to his co-workers after learning that the marriage between Zahira and Shaka happened just to avoid the disgrace caused by Ziva.

"Alright, it looks like this morning I'm going to have two cups of coffee. Caffeine is so addictive, yes." Nizam spoke with Zahira not wearing formal language, but inversely proportional to Zahira. The girl was always talking about formal language when with strangers.

Zavira could only stand still and watch Nizam's movements as he straightened the coffee pack in the man's grasp.

Did I just say that if I asked him not to keep following? But what if he's offended? zahira's mind is getting frustrated. I don't know what to do to avoid the man.

"Tomple seminar, right?" Zahira nodded slowly. He almost forgot that tomorrow there will be a seminar at the hospital where he works.

Nizam touched the guardrail of the hospital rooftop. The view looks straight ahead, to the row of skyscrapers ahead there. The clear sky with white clouds accompanied by a breeze in the afternoon adds calm for the tall man.

"May I ask you something?" asked Nizam without taking a look.

"Ahh, can I say no?" Zahira started to get carried away by the atmosphere of the conversation. He began speaking non-formally to Nizam.

Nizam chuckled softly. "It turns out you can joke too."

"Who's kidding?" spiteful Zavira. Unfortunately, Nizam could still hear it. Nizam's naughtiness makes Zavira turn to him. "Is there anything funny? Why is Doctor Nizam laughing?"

"You're funny!" sahut Nizam short.

"Huh?" Zahira's eyeballs turned perfectly to hear his co-worker's answer. Funny head!

Nizam faced Zahira while tilting his face. "You may not be aware, but I've known you for a long time. It may sound strange but that's the truth."

Zahira squinted her eyes at the man next to her. "really? Where do you know me from?"

Nizam let out a rough breath. Again and again Zahira wore the word 'me' every time they talked. "Can you use ordinary language? I'm like a complete stranger."

Zahira sighed, sipping the last gulp of her coffee drink. "I'm sorry, I just don't want anyone else to think we have a special relationship. Especially now that we are in a work environment so I have to maintain good manners when with colleagues," he replied firmly. "Oh yeah, you said we'd met before, but I'm sorry if I don't remember where we met."

"Ehm. It's been decades and you don't remember." Nizam again sipped his coffee packaging. "We forget about that first."

Nizam scratched his nape after throwing the coffee packaging trash into the trash. "Doctor Zahira, can I invite you to dinner together after the seminar is over?"

Zahira. "Sorry, I cannot accept Doctor Nizam's invitation. My status is married and impressed not good if we walk alone. I'm afraid that news will be spread that is not wearing for both of us" he said subtly.

Nizam was seen holding his breath. It was as if there was something else he wanted to say after being rejected outright.

"Is there anything else Doctor Nizam would like to say? If not, I'm going down now." Zahira felt it had been too long for the two of them and it was time for her to return to work.

But Nizam did not respond at all. "It seems that there is nothing more to say. Then, excuse me first."

As Zahira passed by Nizam, the man's hand intercepted the girl's arm. "What's wrong?" shaka's wife asked as she looked at the man next to her with a probing look.

"Are you happy to be married to your husband?"

Zahira releases Nizam's hand on his arm. "Of course I'm happy. Shaka is the first and only love of the man I love," replied the girl steadily. He is not at all ashamed to reveal the truth in front of others. That way, he hopes Nizam stops approaching him if he really intends to approach him.

"Even if you know he doesn't love you?" Nizam again asked Zahira a question.

Zavira smiled broadly. "Yes, even though Shaka doesn't love me, I will still love him with all my soul and body."

Feeling time wasted by talking insignificant things with Nizham. "I don't know what purpose Doctor Nizam said that. However, I want to emphasize that the relationship between the two of us is only limited to coworkers, no more. So like Doctor Nizam has other intentions, you better stop because in my heart and love already owned by others."

Zahira leaves the doctor Nizam who is still unmoved on the spot. The young doctor had no idea that Zahira was the first woman to attract his attention and actually loved Shaka. His hope is dashed after hearing that the girl's heart and love have been possessed by Shaka Abimana.

"Doctor Zahira!" the call made Zahira spontaneously turn her head. A young doctor approached him.

"Well, Doctor Hanna, what are you doing here?" asked Zahira to pay attention to the face of her colleague who looked bright.

Hanna scratched her head that was not itchy. "I was transferred to guard the Lotus ward and from now on will work with Doctor Zahira and also Doctor Nizham."

A smile was painted on the corner of Zahira's lips. "really? Well, I finally have a friend here too."

Hanna squinted a sharp eye towards Zahira. The words of the hospital owner's daughter sounded ambiguous. "Well, did Doctor Zahira not have any friends?" tanyanya.

Zahira embraces the shoulder of Hanna, her co-worker while still at the IGD. "We'd better get to the room now. I'll introduce you to the nurses and medical team on duty this afternoon."

***

Turning to the current state of Shaka is still being discussed with David and Ziva's presence becomes a hot topic for the next few days.

"Why are you like people who didn't know each other?" ask David.

"I just want to be professional. He's just an ex anyway."

David gave a lip when he saw Shaka's face look so upset when he met Ziva again.

"Does Mr. Shaka's wife know about this?" David suddenly turns into a paparazzi who is hunting the story.

Shaka turned his head with a sharp look that seemed to say not to interfere.

"Eh, sorry, sir. I'm just a little surprised because her ex-fiance is a model, so pretty." In a hurry David rectified his words because he did not want to be kicked out of the office.

"Zahira is no less beautiful than him. Even my wife's beauty is more natural without making up," Shaka said spontaneously. Aware of what he said, it felt like Shaka wanted to slap his own mouth. David again smelled a smile at Shaka's reply.

"Alright, then excuse me Mr. Shaka. It's time for lunch. Shaka sir wants to eat together?" bargain David after seeing the clock that has shown that now has entered the break for lunch and worship at once for the Muslims.

"No, I'll meet someone outside."

"Okay, I'm sorry then."

Shaka quickly got up too when David was out. The man reflected and fixed his clothes that he had messed up by himself.

Walk to a small shop not far from his office. A person who wanted to know what happened today ordered the lawyer to meet with him.

"Disha! In here!" someone shouted while waving their hands.

Shaka slit his eyes. This store was too crowded at the moment, it was difficult to ascertain the whereabouts of the person who promised to meet him.

"You're finally here too, son."

Shaka sat opposite Rio. The father asked Shaka to explain the case and all of you to have lunch together here.

"Papa knew what Ziva's case was like. David told everyone over the phone. He said you're nervous, aren't you?"

"David say that?"

Rio's thrusting a food order. "Message something, Papa so misses eating in a place like this when tired of being in the office environment continues."

"Sure Papa never had a case of handling an ex like me, right?" Rio's raising his shoulders. He himself did not want to discuss more about Ziva.

"It's enough, Papa just wants to know what you did earlier not offend the client or anything else, for example rejecting the Ziva case for you to handle."

"No, I kept taking it. Today too I have a team from Junioor that just got accepted."

"Good, then what about Zahira? Did you tell your wife about Ziva returning to Singapore and asking you to be her lawyer?"

Shaka scratched his nape. Too much work makes him and Zahira do not have free time to just tell each other what happens at work.

"Belgium ... Shakas. You seek your own disease. What if Zahira finds out before you tell her? Do you want to be a widower at your age who will only be twenty-five years old, heh?"

"Papa, don't cuss your own son dong!" shaka Whine.

Rio sipped the coffee he had ordered. "It's not nyubahin, but Papa only said the possibility of bad that will happen if your household relationship is minimal communication. The basis of the lasting household to the age of twilight one of them is communication. Anything should be discussed so that there is no misunderstanding between the two of you."

Shaka raised his eyebrows. "Did Papa ever make a fuss over misunderstanding?"

Rio laughed as soon as he heard Shaka's question. "Never again, but often. His name is also household there must be a fuss. However, Papa and Mama try to be mature and solve our problems without wanting to be known to others, especially children."

"When your late grandmother was alive, whenever Papa and Mama had a storm we hid it all from her because they did not want to involve others" Rio said at length.

Rio put the coffee cup back on the small plate. "Talk about this with Zahira because after all, she deserves to know what her husband is doing outside the house."

Shaka nodded. "Good, Pa!"