The Substitute Bride of my Best Friend
After the Honeymoon

The holidays are over. Early Monday, Zahira had to return to work as a general practitioner at the hospital left by her late grandmother on her father's side. One plastic bag filled with souvenirs is in the right hand, while three more bags are carried by a janitor who is specifically asked by Shaka to help his beloved wife.

“Hua ... Doctor Zahira is coming back!” exclaimed one of the nurses guarding the Lotus Ward. Reacted some doctors and nurses who had just changed shifts immediately turned their heads back shortly after hearing Zahira's name called.

Seeing the daughter's face of the hospital leader seem so radiant as the rays of the sun in the morning gave rise to an idea to tease the beautiful woman ahead. Even if it's only been a few weeks together, though, but the familial relationship between them was well established because Zahira never felt himself superior or had higher power than others even though he was one of the children of the hospital director. Because that attitude makes them feel comfortable near Zahira.

“Cie .. someone just returned home for their honeymoon. How about, Doc, the first experience of a vacation with a beloved husband? Excited?” ask Zahira's colleague, named Eva. Eva's actually on the night shift and the job was done five minutes ago. However, the woman did not want to go home yet and preferred to hold on for a while before finally returning home.

Novi—female doctor in hijab nudges Eva's arm. “No need to ask, times! Must have been you, time did not! Doctor Eva was like never honeymoon with husband, asked something that actually already knew the answer,” giggled amusedly while staring at the face of Zahira who was increasingly confused.

A woman in a nurse's uniform chimes in. “Saking rangunya until had to shampoo many times,” godanya while staring at the long hair of a boat Zahira who looked still a little wet due to struggle last night.

The pink hue increasingly adorns the beautiful face of Zahira. It seems that everyone in the room conspired to make him like a defendant sitting in the courtroom awaiting the verdict. It really made the woman unable to pucker up in the slightest.

Eva glanced at Novi and the two nurses who were still sitting sweetly on the chair, then turned her attention to the figure of a beautiful woman who was carrying a large plastic bag.

Not wanting to get a reprimand from the head of the ward for making a rowdy atmosphere in the morning, Eva took the initiative to change the topic. "Udahan ah, the time from earlier tegodain Doctor Zahira continues," he said in between the laughter of his colleagues. Then, he got up and walked closer to Zahira. "That's a gift for all of us?"

With a clumsy gesture and a pink hue still faithfully adorning his face, Zahira replied, "Right. It's a gift to Doctor Eva and the rest of my friends, I bring a lot of souvenirs for you." Zahira gave the hospital janitor the code to deliver the three plastic bags. "It just so happens that there's a lot of medical personnel in this ward, so I'm asking for help to be divided equally. There are three plastic bags, each shift to one bag. While this pouch will be distributed to the head of the Lotus Ward and the head of the IGD."

Two nurses sitting in a chair rushed to help Eva, carrying the remaining two plastic bags.

"Doctor Zahira is calm, everything must be part of it. Thank you, Doc."

"May the blessings and the honeymoon event yesterday be fruitful, Doctor Zahira and her husband immediately given a baby" said one of the nurses in white uniform. When he said the last sentence, he really prayed to God, hopefully one day will grow a little angel in the womb of Zahira.

"Aamiin," everyone's reply almost simultaneously.

As Zahira and other medics were chatting, a 2cm-tall pace of heels echoed along the hospital hallway. The longer the sound is heard.

"Good morning, Doctor Hanna." One of the nurses sitting next to Zahira said hello, then he got up as if he wanted to give Hanna a place to sit down and join them.

Eva breathed so long. She did not understand why Hanna's attitude changed in just a matter of seconds. Her jovial and easy-to-smile demeanor had disappeared, replaced by a gray cloud that continued to adorn her beautiful face.

Zahira stared at Hanna's departure with eyes full of question marks. Then, he turned his attention to his co-worker sitting next door. "Doctor Hanna, why? Doesn't he usually behave like that? Did something happen when I wasn't here?"

"We don't know what's really going on, Doc. Suddenly Doctor Hanna's attitude changed," said Novi who is still loyal struggling with a pile of medical records belonging to the patient. Occasionally glanced at Zahira who looked puzzled.

"What Doctor Novi said is true. Actually we want to ask the concerned, but not good ah because the times are not too close," Eva chimed in on the words of her colleagues.

Zahira looked mangosteen. "Yes, if so I go to the room first want to put this plastic bag. Later we continue again," he said as he got up from the chair and walked after Hanna who had first entered a special room for doctors.

Zahira's hand stretched forward, then turned the door handle wide open. Since the room was his too, Shaka's beloved wife did not need to knock on the door first, she could just walk right in.

"Doctor Hanna?"

Zahira's call distracts Hanna from the pile of work that is in sight. The woman placed a plastic bag over her desk, then pulled the chair up to the position they were facing each other.

"Why does your face look moody? Do you have a problem?" asked Zahira to vent. He couldn't help but figure out the cause of Hanna's change in attitude.

Hanna looked at Zahira with a sad look. Instead of answering the beloved wife's question, the woman sobbed and soon tears melted between the cheeks.

Worried about her close friend's condition, Zahira approached Hanna and carried her body in a fistful. "If you want a story, I'm ready to listen to your grievances. However, if you want to keep it to yourself, please. I will not force you to tell a story" he said wisely. Zahira's hands gently rubbed Hanna's back, letting her colleagues cry, pouring out her deepest heart.

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