TWENTY
SEASON TWO ~ Separate Bed

After the supermarket, I started working in the kitchen. The phone was deliberately turned off. Mas Alif from earlier kept calling me, making me careless myself. I know that it is not good to silence my husband. But what a force, I'm just an ordinary woman who would obviously be hurt if she saw her husband with another woman. Moreover, my brain is now playing the memory of Iren saying about his office some time ago.

*Flashback*

I was still sick at the time. Can't be active one bit. Just told to lie down and eat food made by mama and Mas Alif. Bored, I wanted to call one of my friends. Whether this was a coincidence or indeed fateful fate, but Iren suddenly called out to me. I just picked up because I also happened to be confused about who to call.

"Hello Ren!"

"Hello Na!" Iren's voice, or so the screams made me keep the phone away from my ear because of the sudden windfall.

"No need to scream Ren's time!"

"Hhehe. sorry Na! Pass this seneng."

"Seneng why? Got a payday bonus?" Remember that now is a young date.

"No! That's not. Know no? The company I work for said there was a change of leadership. And that new leader came today."

"Certainly? Wh why? Handsome leader? You want to move from that manager?" my guess.

"Ish is no longer! Which makes me like that because the leader is your husband Nala!"

"He?"

"Yes! Your husband, Alif." Indeed, for one year Iren worked I never asked where he worked at the company.

"Oohh, that. So you're the one who's so cool why?"

"Yes, Alif is the leader. We're going to cement Na, I'm going to be easy to get up in that position. Kan-a,"

Iren hasn't been able to continue with his words, I've cut them off first. "Gee! Oh yes, you can't! That's nepotism. Temen yes temen, work yes work. It can't be mixed."

"Yes, yeah. Madam's a real bad boss!"

"Wildamah! Important beautiful!" I said confidently.

"Let's just be cool." The conversation went everywhere. But more about the pencuro manager Iren's heart, anyway.

About fifteen minutes later I'll hang up. But the question from Iren made me undo the intention to end this conversation.

"Alif has a sister doesn't he Na?"

"Eh? A sister?"

"Yes." Yeah."

"There's no one. In only two brothers, his brother one. What's up?"

"Ooh that's it." Iren who I was waiting for the next speech was silent for quite a while.

"What the hell is Ren?"

"Emmm, how are you?" He was like muttering to himself.

"Gee! What the hell is it? By the way it's nothing. Make people curious about sins!" I said get tired myself.

"Diddeliver! Since when is there such a rich law."

"Since then, I made it! Let's talk spout!"

"Yes, yes! Patience to Mom! So gini, actually Alif came it also brought a new secretary. Chick. Young, beautiful again. And they seem close too. So I asked if Alif had a sister? Fear if you're prejudiced, eh! It's just a brother."

"What are you, Ren?!"

"hey are. Why would you lie too? Very little work."

This statement from Iren honestly disturbed my heart a little. But maybe their closeness is limited to coworkers. I choose to believe in Mas Alif.

*Flashback End*

That day I wanted to ask Mas Alif. Forgotten until now. If today's word I didn't find it with a woman, surely my brain wouldn't keep thinking about Iren's words.

"Akhs! It's yaudah!"

I finally switched on the phone again. Sure enough, dozens of missed calls came from Mas Alif's contacts. Instead of answering her, I chose to ignore her and look for Iren's contact and call her. My eyes glanced at the wall clock. At four o'clock in the afternoon. Means I'll be home from work soon, so Iren's definitely not busy.

Sure enough, not long after that the call was connected. "Hello, what's the matter Na?"

"How are you Ren?"

"Okay" he answered briefly.

"What is "work today? Not too heavy, right?" ask me to talk.

"What the hell is Na? Go straight to the point!"

"Yeah, Iren! That's what it is."

"Huh! Don't be so sad. You called me there's a need for sure."

"Hehehe, you know Ren! Gini actually I want to ask you about Mas Alif."

"Oh, Alif? Why?"

"That's..he's what about lunch?"

"He ate with a spoon and a fork, rich normal people."

"Gee! That's not what I meant. Where does he mean he's having lunch? Or who's the same? It's."

"No sure thing. Sometimes in the office cafeteria, sometimes also jeluar with the Nita."

"Nita? Who's she?"

"Yes. Thanks Ren!" Not wanting to continue, I decided on the call.

My mood that was originally eager to cook instantly froze for a moment. The Eve around my body is probably currently very dark, in tune with my mood. Dingy.

"The next! Sebal! Sebal! Sebal! Hey!"

I vent my anger into the ingredients I cooked. Chili, onion, garlic and others Iliced with extra kinkiness. Kugeprek galleys with extra energy. Maybe if people from outside heard my noise in this kitchen thought it was war. But let it be. The sound of a knife colliding with a wooden cutting board that was loud is my form of impingement. Until finally on the coconut that I have to grate myself. Maybe because it was not careful and too fast too, my hand got too shredded too. I hurriedly removed the grater and turned to the sink to wash my hands that had been bleeding a lot.

"Ouch! Barely, poignantly!" The more exposed the water even more painful. "Hadehh. It's heart pain, now it's even added the same finger pain."

In total there are three fingers scratched. That is pinky, finger manir, also middle finger. I immediately searched the P3K box and picked up the plaster there. It's funny I thought, the first time I had a cut on three fingers at once. When I finished with my wound, I went back to the kitchen. Resuming my cooking activities. But my face immediately pias when I saw the coconut milk that I grated earlier was now mixed with blood red stains.

Wow! The worry!

I want to slam whatever is in front of me. But since my rational brain could still think, I paled that intention. Instead of slamming the items that later even make me buy again, mending buy again new materials. This time I'm going to go buy some coconut milk. No longer want to deal with scarring. I took my instant hijab and went to the nearest stall to buy it.

About an hour later, my cooking was ready. There are chicken dishes that are still steaming the smoke, lalapan long beans and also spinach, tempeh and fried tofu, and warm rice that should not be missed. If only today went according to plan, I would have served it with a cheerful face and with a joyful heart. Not with a gloomy face and with a heart of sorrow like this. I don't know, how the opor made with anger will be. Most importantly I have fulfilled my promise to make Mas Alif his favorite dish.

The sound of the house bell was heard, Pastu Mas Alif had arrived. I immediately opened the door with a sour face that had adorned my face.

"Assalamualaikum Darling!"

"Wa'alaikumsalam," I answered briefly while taking over the briefcase that was in his hands. My principle is that anger may be, but duty also should not be forgotten.

So yes, just like my day. Bring her bag, prepare warm water and towels for her bath, and also prepare a change of clothes. But the difference this time was no smile. Mas Alif who had tried to invite me to talk also I responded with a potluck.

Until it's time for dinner. As usual, I'm spooning rice and side dishes for her. Then I prepared food for myself. If I usually sit next to him, then this time I choose to sit on his sidebar.

"Wahh! You cooked my favorite chicken opor, huh?" said Mas Alif spirit then spooned the chicken meat into his mouth.

"Hm." I was also a little curious about what comments he would make.

"Who did you learn the same? This is really good! Not to lose to my mom."

"Learn for yourself." Can I not be proud now? With anger only my cooking tastes good, especially if the sincere intention of cooking with love.

The night tomb went silent. Only the clangs of spoons and forks clashing against the plates were heard. Each one of us is struggling with our own thoughts. I don't know what Mas Alif was thinking, while my brain was busy thinking about who the woman I saw was with Mas Alif. After dinner, I cleaned up the dirty dishes and took them to the sink. When I was about to wash it, immediately Mas Alif's hand took hold of the dirty dishes I brought.

"Let me wash the dishes."

"No need." I took back the dirty dishes.

"No Honey. Let me just." Why is this Alif?

"You go straight to my room!"

"No. I'm staying here to wash the dirty dishes."

Oh. Okay. That's what he wants. "Now!" I put the plate in her hand and immediately washed my hands and went to the back of the house to refresh my mind in the flower garden I once had. Let him do the washing, that's his own request.

I also sat on the park bench. My sunflowers are now fresh. The petals are blooming beautifully. There are even some that have been newly branched. It turns out that when the night is also no less beautiful than the morning. When I came home from Australia, I asked Mas Alif to wake up the flower garden behind the house. Be now a more beautiful flower garden. With many lights that will light up beautifully at night. As for the fish pond is still in the development stage, there are still less than thirty percent of the workmanship.

"Why are you, honey?" I felt a pair of burly arms hugging me from behind.

"What a hell." I let go of his hand.

And Mas Alif finally sat next to me. He put my hands together tightly, not allowing me to take them off. "Honey. You're angry, aren't you?"

"looks?" I asked back.

"Yes already. Then I'm sorry if I got it wrong." Lt's it? He doesn't really know if he's wrong or not.

"Know where's wrong?"

"Jealous with Radit, maybe?"

"Haish!" I immediately jerked roughly his hand until he let go of his grasp. Although it was one of his mistakes, but that's not what made me like this.

IT WAS YOUR FAULT FOR GOING WITH ANOTHER WOMAN WITHOUT MY PERMISSION! I want to scream like this. But I withhold. Let him think where his fault lies.

I immediately left the park. But when my step was about to enter the kitchen, my hand was blocked again by Mas Alif. "I was wrong where the hell, honey?"

"Mas Alif find out for yourself!"

"How do you want to know that you didn't say. Why do women like to use codes like this? Why not just be honest?"

"That's where it is!" ketusku and immediately went upstairs to rest.

Arriving at the room I immediately lay down on the bed. Rest the body, mind, and heart that is tired. Then I heard footsteps approaching the room. Immediately I changed my sleeping position which was originally stretched to turn my back to Mas Alif's bed. And the blanket I pulled to cover almost my entire body.

I felt the mattress sway a little and was followed by the lights being extinguished. His hand hugged me from behind and was about to pull my body into his arms. But I immediately shook off his hand and I moved my body away from him. I can't believe he's also advancing his body so that our bodies are back in a tug. Not wanting to lose, I moved my body back to the edge. But Mas Alif also took part in advancing his body.

Out of annoyance, I immediately pulled up the blanket that covered my body and sat down. "Aren't you there, could you? I almost fell down!"

"Who's sleeping on the edge?" Your fault! It is wrong of you not to feel guilty.

"Oh. Yes it is." I immediately grabbed a pillow and pulled a blanket to sleep on the floor.

"Eh, uh! Why are you on the floor, honey?"

"You're sleeping!"

"Why sleep there? Climb on! The floor is cold."

"No bed with Mas Alif!"

I heard him take a long breath. Then I saw him coming down from the bed with his pillow. "If so, let me sleep on the floor. You get on the bed quickly."

I soon got back in bed. Actually a little heartless also see Mas Alif sleeping on the floor. But what can I do? Rice is already porridge. Prestigious too if you want to tell him to go up again to the mattress. Finally to ease my guilt, I threw the blanket at Mas Alif. At least the blanket could reduce the coldness of the floor, so let him not be so cold.