TIME (For A Taste )
THE CHAPTER 99

Happy reading....

***

“Rei.”

Reiji paused his steps again, when he heard Malia calling him.

When Reiji was about to step out of his room and Malia, after they performed Isha worship together.

“Ya?.” says Reiji.

“It looks like we have to delay our time to talk tonight.” Malia said after she read a chat message that went into her phone just now.

“Why?.”

Reiji asked.

“There's Avi below.... Want to meet the guy to you he said.”

Malia replied while slightly moving her hand which was holding her mobile phone.

“This is WA I.”

“Ohh.”

Reiji moved his chin.

‘Si Avi why if nongol often at the wrong time anyway tuh child?!’

Reiji grumbled in his heart.

“Ya already so let me contact the receptionist below to tell them to go straight up here.”

Reiji said to Malia later.

Malia nodded and said yes.

***

REIJI

My poor relationship with Lia creates a sense of unease for me every second.

I was thinking of letting it go until Lia calmed down by herself.

Because indeed I realized Lia was upset and seemed disturbed by my friendship and Irly, ever since she knew that I had once harbored a taste in my female friend.

And since then, there have been occasional insinuations that Lia tucked in for me or for Irly - indirectly through Lia's words to me. But I'm not gubris, because I don't want to ignite Malia's emotions even more – even though I feel if I've never been the first to ignite a fight between us. But yes already, sometimes men have to accept the expression, ‘Women are always right.’

I hate the truth, with Lia's accusation saying that I still have a taste for Irly.

That's why I took the initiative to bring Lia and Irly together.

For Lia to see for herself and get to know Irly better, and that I want Lia to hear straight from Irly's mouth if me and her are, indeed, purely friendly.

Just like my other three best friends.

Four should be, but one of my friends already has to face the Power.

So right now it's just me, Abbas, Irly, Aldo and Irfan with our friendship like from the time of High School.

Okay, back to my problem and Lia's. I don't know who was wrong at first.

Which at the end, maybe – does not want to scapegoat Irly over the strain of my relationship and Lia, but it all starts from me who once drove Irly to the house of his relatives.

Then Lia found out that I had a taste for Irly, and then accused me of being my escape.

I don't know where that thought could get to Lia's brain?....

Well, I stretched out my chest and gave Lia an explanation, my confession that I loved her with earnestness.

Only, in reality what was said from the lips of Lia – who he said believed and accepted with my explanation was different from what was in his heart.

That's what I read from Lia's book. Of his attitude towards me. So I took the initiative to get her together with Irly.

But Lia refused, then began to be preoccupied with making a deal with her friend, who until this moment I do not know which friend, as well as her form.

A fight was inevitable between me and Lia, as I discussed about her attitude. I'm bored, and also a little cocky on my wife.

I know Lia is labile, but isn't she not too late in her stability?.

I have asked him to speak well, but his attitude and speech increasingly trigger my emotions.

Plus, the attitude of the ace who seemed to not appreciate me, by playing origin just go make a deal with his friend without asking for my approval, or at least say first.

Nor will I resist even banning Lia from socializing with anyone.

Only, should Lia be able to sort out when the time is right for it. Not when we should discuss our relationship which began to be colored by debate in recent times.

And in the end, Lia's retort and unpleasant speech in my ear made my tone rise to her.

Where I realized that, I immediately apologized to Lia, but unfortunately Lia seemed to not care, because she just left me.

Since then, slowly my relationship with Lia began to feel tenuous and bland. No dispute indeed, but instead of being husband and wife, my relationship and Lia for the past few days are like exchange students who share an apartment.

Just greeting each other without any small talk, let alone jokes. It makes me feel very uncomfortable.

Until I finally got a job to fly a plane to Paris, and I quickly thought that after returning from Paris I would invite Lia to talk from heart to heart. Because I can't stand my relationship and Lia's like this.

So, I told Lia my wish.

I'm telling you more precisely.

Because until the time I leave, Lia hasn't returned to the apartment.

And my intention as well as my request to Lia that I convey via message chat only.

Until the day I get back from Paris and I just have to wait for Lia to come home from work and then we will talk from heart to heart.

Somehow I started the conversation, it was important that Lia and I had to talk tonight. But the plan stayed the plan, because my heart-to-heart – talk with Lia had to be delayed due to the arrival of Avi and her boyfriend, who wanted my sister to introduce me directly.

I'm okay-okay.

Avi is big and knows what is best for him.

And I'm glad that Avi always values me as her brother, and wants to introduce her to me, for I judge her based on my sister's request even though the blessing of our parents is already Avi cantongi.

But even though my only brother came so suddenly at a bad time?.

But even so, there was a sense of pleasure that slipped into my heart, when I saw Lia who was smiling widely and looking happy when Avi had arrived at our apartment unit.

A smile and expression that I no longer saw and received from Lia to me, for the past few days.

“I miss you, Abangkuh!” said Avi who immediately rushed to me.

“Yes, yes, miss you too, Brother!”

I replied to Avi's greeting in a lazy tone.

But I pulled the corner of my lips by also returning Avi's hug for a moment to me.

Because the next second Avi immediately rushed to Lia, and I was shaking with my sister's boyfriend who was behind her while introducing each other, then allowed her to enter so that I could close the apartment door.

Lia looked delighted with Avi's arrival.

It didn't escape my sight.

“Miss you, Bestih!” avi said to Lia who he hugged and also hugged my sister back.

And I'm glad to see Lia and Avi's interactions are always familiar, just like they've been since they were kids.

“Miss you too, Vi..” reply Lia on Avi.

I smile.

There were happy but there was also a line of questions that came to my mind.

Did Lia ever miss me?.

-----

It was almost eleven o'clock at night when Avi and Marco – my sister's boyfriend, saying goodbye to coming home from my apartment and Lia.

“Go home, don't stop by again.”

I said by tucking in a piece of advice in my sentence, which I said while also looking at Marco.

And I think Marco understood what I meant to keep my trust in me and my parents and Avi, of course.

A healthy relationship.

And my feeling is that Marco is the type of man who can keep trust and take responsibility.

So I was relieved, because Avi might have found the right guy.

And yes, Marco is the same. He's exactly found Avi.

They might get married, following in my and Lia's footsteps.

But the difference is, Avi and Marco love each other.

While me and Lia?...

Only matchmaking victims.

Successful marriage ended in my marriage and Lia in which there is already love indeed, but love from the side only.

I'm.

Who knew when I could feel my love being welcomed by Lia, and she gave her heart, completely to me.

What I had to put off again was to convince Lia of this feeling of love, in this heart-to-heart talk I had planned.

Which I feel will be done tonight, because I see Lia already looks sleepy after I and Lia want to return from taking Avi and Marco to the lobby of my apartment building and Lia.

“We speak tomorrow only to Rei?..” said Lia while we were in the elevator after she yawned, then looked at me with eyes that looked so sweet.

“Iya ..”

And I can't possibly refuse Lia's request that her eyes look five watts.

“Ga anything right? ...”

I smiled at Lia, after she asked just now.

“Yes, ga nothing. Tomorrow I'm free.” Reply then.

“Ya already ...”

Lia also agreed while nodding.

I rubbed the top of Lia's head with another smile.

“Tomorrow no similar agreement event, right?” I asked, when Lia and I had entered our apartment unit.

“....”

“Although there is, I ask you to cancel. Because I want us to immediately eliminate the – discomfort between us. And I want your time as my wife, for me, your husband..”.

I'm saying. Firm, but my voice is soft.

“And whatever is my decision, solely for the good of our relationship in the future --“.

I again gave an affirmation to Lia, mixed with pleas.

“So please don't dodge anymore..”.

****

Seriate...