TWENTY
SEASON TWO ~ Roasted Chicken by Nopal

It was a bright afternoon, as bright as my heart was teaching English. Since my pregnancy, the kids have been good. It no longer makes me angry, nor many thoughts. She said they didn't want to make the baby. Emmm. It's so sweet!

In the hours of lessons that are almost over, I will submit the results of yesterday's repetition. Seeing me pull out the papers from the bag and then get up from the chair made Doni, the student who made me the most anxious suddenly stood up. Then he approached me.

“You shared the results of the repetition huh Bu?” tanyakanya.

“Iya. What's up Don?”

“Let me share Bu,” he said then take over the papers that were originally in my grasp.

“Waah! Thank you yes!” sincerely said. Right, they are getting more attention now. The proof is that Doni, a student who always does troublemaking, has become a little good child. At least now, I don't know if my pregnancy is over.

“All have got their respective answer sheets right?” I asked after Doni sat back on his stool.

“Already Bu!” answer them compactly.

They can see their different faces. Some are satisfied with its value, some feel less, some are ordinary, and some are surprised to see its own value.

“Bu!” exclaim Doni from his stool.

“Iya. Why Doni?”

“This is actually I got a value of sixty?!” he said with a funny surprised face. His hand was airing, revealing his paper back towards me.

“Iya Doni's. That is indeed your value,” I replied.

“Wuhuuuuu!!!” He immediately cheered the crowd on his bench. Making his friends can only laugh at his silly behavior. Understandably he can be as happy as that after getting sixty. A nice advance from the previous values that only got thirty down.

Along with that the sound of the bell went home. Makes me want to not have to end the learning session. As usual, I will not be bored to remind my students to be diligent in learning. Then I said my greetings and ran away from the class.

I am currently at the front of the school, my shop. As if I had memorized what I was going to order, the mother had prepared young coconut ice for me. She said, this young coconut is also good for my pregnancy.

“Content Yes Bu!” I said after finding a glass of young coconut ice in front of me.

“Sama-sama Neng! Waiting for an invitation?” ask the mother.

“Iya Ma'am, as usual.”

“Lucky yes Neng Nala has a rich husband Den Alif. Udah handsome, considerate, romantic anyway.” The mother continued to praise Mas Alif.

“Ah! I can aja.” Haduh. This mother makes me feel ashamed.

“Yes, really Neng. Try it if Mom is twenty years older, definitely.” The mother hung up her sentence.

“What's the Bu?”

“Ya must have lost to Neng Nala,” said the mother then laughed. It makes me laugh with his jokes too.

After drinking a few gulps, I immediately opened the phone to contact Mas Alif. My personal driver the last few months. As a requirement for me to continue teaching, for the business of leaving and returning always Mas Alif who delivers. At first, I refused. The reason is as usual, the distance is also opposite. Poor Mas Alif if you have to go back and forth. But thanks to his understanding, I realized that it was better to obey him.

“Assalamu’alaikum Mas!” I said after the connection was connected.

“Wa’alaikumsalam! How's it? Already home?” Very precise question.

“Iya. I've been home.”

“Yes already, wait a minute! Here I am on the road, about ten minutes to.”

“Iya Mas. I wait in the usual place.” Yes, ordinary. Because almost every day I wait here. It is not uncommon for the two of us to order food before going home.

“OK. Then I hang up the phone, huh?”

“Iya Mas. assalamu’alaikum!”

“Wa’alaikumsalam.” And the connection was cut.

True said Mas Alif, not ten minutes his car was in front of the stall. Soon I finished my drink which stayed a little. Then he went to the mother and walked over to Mas Alif who was standing waiting for me next to the car.

“You go home directly?” tanyakanya.

“Iya Mas, want to directly rest at home.” Mas Alif nodded then opened the door for me. Soon I came in and sat in the passenger seat next to the driver.

Mas Alif's car immediately penetrated the streets of Malang City. Like the problems that car users always face, here we patiently wait for traffic to break down immediately. Do not expect to be able to travel on time if driving a car. While waiting I play the radio in the car. It features music typical of the nineties. Maybe I was too washed away in the beautiful melody of these memories, making me close my eyes and dissolve in the cradle of dreamland.

“Honey! Let's wake!”

“Hmmm.”’

“Honey... wake up!” I faintly heard Mas Alif's voice.

Slowly my consciousness began to return. I open and close my eyes periodically to adjust the incoming light. My body was suddenly on top of the bed. It seems I fell asleep and Mas Alif moved me here.

“Alhamdulillah is awake too,” he said then pinched my cheek that is getting more and more filled days.

“Hoammm!” I closed my mouth when I suddenly yawned. “Why Mas?”

“Now it's Ashar. I want to go to the mosque first to pray, you do not forget to be ready to pray as well,” he said.

“Eh? Already Ashar? How much cepet?” my wonder. It feels like I just slept for a while.

“He's cepet. Your people really sleep. overslept two hours did not feel,” his satirical that directly jleb in the heart.

“Iya, yes. Yes, you are leaving there!” expirku.

“Hmm.. I'm leaving, Assalamu’alaikum!”

“Wassalamu’alaikum!”

After the passing of Mas Alif I immediately got out of bed to go to the toilet, took ablution and then performed asar prayers. After that I also lay down again in bed. I want to be lazy. It was past the passing in the kitchen there was no spirit to cook. Looking at the ingredients and seasonings of the kitchen now no longer interests me. Let's eat the food my mama brought me this morning. Just being warmed up is fine.

The night has come. As I thought earlier this afternoon, I am now warming up my mother's cooking, which is a balado egg. Mas Alif can also understand me. When I told her I wasn't cooking, she just smiled as usual and said it was okay.

“This is Mas,” I said while putting a plate that was already full of warm rice and egg balado in front of him.

“Thank you yes!”

“Hmm,” answer me as is.

From earlier I just played the spoon and plate, not tasteful to eat. Not madzir or something. But it's true that I'm no longer interested in mama's cooking. I really want to eat other food. But I know my wish is hard to come true. That is also not necessarily Mas Alif allow.

“Honey!” I immediately gasped when I heard Mas Alif calling me with a rather high tone of speech.

“Eh! What Mas?” it seems Mas Alif was talking to me. But I was busy with my thoughts.

“You daydreamed huh? From earlier I called nyahut-nyahut.”

“Emm. What do you want to say?” my many.

“Why don't you eat? Even made toys with food.”

“Again no appetite for food.” This time I was honest.

“Why? Want to eat something else?” Like I had memorized it, Mas Alif immediately guessed that I was craving.

“Udah be honest! I'll find what you want,” he said. Very confident of you, sir! I don't know what I want yet.

“Totally nih?” ask me to make sure again.

“Iya right!”

“Ya. You said you wanted to nyenggupin ya Mas?” my repeat.

“Iya. What do you want to eat anyway?”

“Feeding roasted chicken,” my great-grandson.

“Yes God Dear! It's just roast chicken but you're scared to talk about it. Yes, you wait at home! I'll find it first.” Mas Alif began to move from his seat, but I had not finished talking.

“But I want it made by Nopal,”.

“WHAT??!” I knew he would react like this. Surprised by the bulging eyes and the body that was instantly sculpted after hearing the continuation of my request.

“Tuh right! I already know that you will not agree.” My face right now must be very sad.

“Bentertime! This is what you mean Nopal who?” ask him again, perhaps to ascertain his sense of hearing.

“Nopal is our Mas!”

“Naufal you mean?”

“IYAA.” Get anxious! From that day on nanya mulu.

“Yes Allah Dear!” Mas Alif's body immediately sat down again in the chair. As if I could not accept my request.

Yes, I know that my request doesn't make sense. Moreover, Nopal is now in Kediri, his home. No more costing here. Not necessarily she will obey me. But this is a cravings!!! Something suddenly appeared and I didn't plan.

Finally after persuading Mas Alif in various ways, he wanted to obey me. Taken his phone and looked for Nopal's contact to make a video call. It didn't take long for Nopal to pick up the phone.

“What’s up bro!!! What's the sudden video call gini?” greet Nopal across there.

“Assalamu’alaikum!” said Mas Alif all of you to insinuate Nopal.

“Oh yes, forgot. Hehe. Wa’alaikumsalam!”

“Hai Nopal!” I immediately snatched the phone from Mas Alif's hand, wanting to directly talk to him without much ado.

“Wahh Nala! Hi too.”

“What's busy now Pal?” ask me to start.

“Not busy at all. Just another coffee on the terrace of the house.” Then he pointed at the cup of coffee he meant and drank it.

“Pal! I now crave masakin you!”

Pfftt!!!

I could see that he was spouting coffee in his mouth. The camera is blurry because of the splashing of the coffee water. Then the screen turned black, but there was still sound. He seems to be wiping his phone.

“So what did you say Na?” ask her after she finished with her wet phone.

“I again crave to eat your cooking Pal!” my repeat.

“WHOSE REAL YOU NA?!” Hadeh! Still surprised by people.

“Iya. Bener. Not this lie! Please do Pal! Can ya?” Finally I relied on the latter, asking with a clear face that would make anyone melt.

“Hmmm, I thought about it first.”

“Kok still thinking about it anyway? These are the babies I asked for, not me. But you'll be born see my son likes to rub?”

“Haiish! Yeah-yes. Yes, now I want to talk to Alif.”

“OK!”

I gave the phone to Mas Alif. As if he wanted to talk about something important, Mas Alif used to stay away from everything. Talk in the living room. But nothing, Nopal said yes. So I don't have to follow Mas Alif. While waiting I cleaned the dishes at the dinner table, then washed them. On the sidelines of my washing activities, Mas Alif suddenly came.

“Sayang.”

“Hmm, why Mas? Nopal can, right?”

“Iya can. Now again get ready to come here.” Hearing Mas Alif's words made me very happy. If only I could not remember the two lives I had, I would now have jumped into joy.

“Yeeeyyy!! Thanks to you Mas!” I said while hugging Mas Alif's body.

“Iya. Now we wait for Naufal to come while watching TV,” invite him who immediately I call with spirit. But before that I finish my laundry first, then turn off the faucet and walk towards the living room.

Waiting for Nopal's arrival certainly requires extra patience. Moreover, considering he had to pass through the city traffic which was definitely very crowded. Moreover, the distance Kediri to Malang was not close. Makes me wait until it's cursed. Mas Alif repeatedly told me to sleep first I immediately rejected it raw. I want to wait for Nopal. About three hours later, exactly at half-elevenpm, the bell was heard from outside the house. Me and Mas Alif opened the door immediately.

“Assalamu’alaikum!” sapana.

“Wa’alaikumsalam!” I answered and Mas Alif at the same time.

“Nopal!!” seruku spirit.

“Iya-iya, it's me. Very excited to meet your own friends, already rich to meet artists aja,” his satirical that I reply with a mere whimper.

“Where was the trip?” ask Mas Alif when we are in the living room and let us sit down.

“Big! Really long! Mana tired again,” complained Nopal.

I see it looks like they're going to have a typical conversation with an old friend who just met. Not heeding the courtesy towards the guests, I also offered a drink to Nopal.

“You made in tea or coffee Pal?” my many.

“Air white only. Thirsty from earlier not drinking.” Soon I'll get her some mineral water in the kitchen.

We were late in the conversation for about fifteen minutes. Only then did I remind you of the original purpose of Nopal's arrival. Yes, if you talk for a long time, when will you cook it??? Nopal let out a tired sigh, then stood up and left the house to get to his car. Upon his return, his hands had already held a bag of crackles full of chicken meat. Makes me even more happy. I immediately took Nopal to the kitchen, followed by Mas Alif in the back.

“Try this is not the request of your babies, I really bother like this Na! Where if cravings don't see time again. Try it from noon yesterday.” lamented when chopping up spices for chicken sauce grill.

“Hhehe... Thanks to Nopal, want to cure me!”

“Iya.”

I watch Nopal's actions while cooking. Perhaps seeing Nopal who was a bit in distress made Mas Alif moved to help, but just as he was walking closer to Nopal, I was already glaring at him. I only want to eat dishes made by Nopal's hands, not mixed with the other hands.

“Tadaaa!!! Roasted chicken by Nopal is ready!” nopal said proudly showing the results of his cooking. Makes me have to gulp rough, can't wait to eat it.

“Waaahh! Looks so good!” I said while spooning rice to my plate.

“Dong sure! Nopal. Yes, you eat there quickly! Later cold hunt.”

“Siapp!”

Not until half an hour later I've finished all the chickens. It tastes so good. I feel relieved now of my heart. Seeing that I had finished eating and the day was getting night, Mas Alif told me to go to bed. After lying down carefully, he turned off the room lights and walked out. Probably gonna stay up with Nopal tonight.