TWENTY
SIDE STORY ~ TIKA

Growing up without knowing who her parents were, every day bore the ridicule of her friends, making Tika grow into a strong person. Who would have thought that behind that annoying face that was always nosy like him stored a lot of sadness and bitter memories to tell.

But before growing up to be Tika as she is today, of course she had a difficult time first. It's all a time to process. It is still clearly reflected in his memory how his SD days were full of ridicule and condescending gazes directed at him. He just kept quiet, but retaliating was useless. He rewards them by continuing to learn and learn. Let his achievements silence their mouths.

Six years have passed and little Tika is impatient with his new world. Without her guessing, the period of Junior High that she thought would be beautiful turned out to be the same. It's even worse than before. If it used to be just words, then now it has reached the level of hurting him. Whether it was being hit by a book, pushed, or grabbed by her hair.

She's astonished. Is there no place in this world for an illegitimate child like him?!

Nope. He's not a bastard. What is illegal is the making of his irresponsible parents and choosing to leave him in an orphanage. Remembering that sometimes made Tika become envious. Understandably, he is still a small child who certainly expects the presence of his parents.

"Bad fuckin' bad shit? Just try me at school with you, I must have chopped up the kids!" Abdul who heard Tika's story couldn't help but be vexed.

"It used to be Dul. Just try it now, I posted them on social media and immediately went viral and they were arrested with the KPI. Let's know the taste!"

The plot!

"Aww!!" A spoiled tell landed smoothly on Tika's forehead.

"PPAI pinter! Not KPIs!" 

"Who? Since when did it change?"

"Hedehh! It used to be that. Dodol!"

"But baby, right?" Tika rolled her eyes mischievously.

"Yes dear."

It has been a week since Abdul stated the phrase want to make Tika happy, their relationship is now closer. There is no expression to be the owner of the heart, no inauguration about their status, essentially they let their relationship run its course. Seeking comfort, supporting each other, and looking for a match. In the end, they themselves will decide.

"Yes, go home yuk!" take Tika.

"Now? It's still two o'clock." Abdul pretended not to let go.

"When we go out in the morning, too. Tomorrow is Monday. Start the routine again. If now the road continues, tomorrow can be soybean tau!" clarify Tika.

"Ciee is considerate!"

"Ciiee, am I paying attention to myself." Tika's answer made Abdul immediately pursed his lips.

"Well, Mom jleb?"

"Don't manyun her lips. It's ugly, it's worse." enek Tika while stuffing Abdul's mouth with lettuce from the burger he set aside earlier.

"Haish! Uin-i mtu kwomde twu!"

"Telen just talked!"

"This is a code of tau!"

"What code is it trying?" tika tika sok did not understand.

"Seek kiss!"

"Yes. Kiss the sandals, don't you?"

"Yes, don't dong! Oh yeah! Canda doang Ma'am!"

"Yes you anyway! If you want to nyium the son of a tuh ya memorized first!"

"Code yet?" Now replace Abdul who squinted one eye. "Yes, get married!"

The plot!

"Aish!" And replace Tika who nudged Abdul's forehead.

"Marriage is rich enough to buy candy!"

"Aren't you going to?"

"Wani piro kowe?"

"Sheets of prayer tools. Wanna don't?"

"You!" exclaim Tika spirit. Abdul who heard that was already proud. But only for a moment, after Tika continued his sentence it felt like Abdul wanted to bang his own head on the table.

"But plusin same gold diamond one shop, continue to buyin also island in Bali. That's." That's the extra word from Tika.

"The Mahal is the dowry! Don't buy any islands in the Maldives too!"

"You can if it's capable of that."

"No. Step back alon-alon if this is the story." Draw Abdul's face he made as sad as possible.

"Yee! That's what it is!"

"Whatever, blush! If you want all that mending find om-om thick pockets there!"

Tika's face immediately sparkled. "Wow! Really? So I'm licensed to om-om?"

"Eh-uh! No! Can't!" Abdul suddenly stood up and flanked Tika's head on his arm.

"Udah! Come home! Not much snout!" And Abdul pulled him out of the restaurant and into the parking lot. Tika could only give up while laughing with satisfaction.

This time, Abdul did not bring a car. Except his favorite motorcycle. Intentions for wanting to enjoy the morning breeze of Malang city with loved ones. But not good at the moment. When the sun came home, it was still shining on the earth. Plus the traffic jams and other vehicle fumes that make their trip perfect.

In the middle of the journey on the deserted streets, the idea of ignorance flashed in Abdul's brain. His intentions he would speed up a little to scare Tika. But considering that it could harm Tika made her undo that intention. It's free to joke that the edges bring disaster. He did not want the people he loved to be hurt by his actions. But just now the thought was gone, suddenly the speed of the motor became slow. The more gas is even the motor faltered. He immediately pulled over.

"Newly also bad intentions, have immediately got the karma," murmured Abdul after the bike managed to pull over.

"Are you Dul, by the way?"

Abdul immediately shook his own when Tika asked him. Can add runyam his business if until Tika knows he had intended to justify it.

"E-don't! It doesn't matter either."

The risk of carrying an old motorbike that forgot to be serviced is like this. Suddenly broke down. In his heart he cursed his dereliction that did not take care of the moge properly.

"By strike, Dul? The bike was stuck that way."

"Ohh, earlier? Not going on strike! The motor was coughing again. This is now I want to go to the stall to buy cough medicine," kelakar Abdul who immediately responded to a cynical look from Tika.

"Seriously!"

"Becare you ask for a seriusin?"

"Abdul! Seriously nanya!"

Tika hunt and will do the no-no. Abdul immediately ended his teasing session. "Yes. Understand old motor. He forgot this month I haven't serviced to the workshop."

"What now?'

"Yes, no matter what. Now you sit here sweetly" said Abdul, sitting Tika on the sidewalk. "Keep me percent ojol, keep you going home. It's finished!"

"Keep you?" ask Tika again.

"Yes take the motor to the workshop first."

"alone?"

"No. I want to pick up Ariana Grande and have coffee at Warteg! Yes, it's Tika who is beautiful!" Abdul gets anxious himself with Tika's question.

"I don't want to go home!"

"What are you doing? He said he was tired?"

"Yes, tired. But where can I tell you to push your own motorbike. Where is the workshop still far away!" Tika then stood up, both hands holding the back of Abdul's motorbike. Ready to push. "Let's take it to the workshop!" added again.

"Know it?"

"Yeah." Yeah."

Be the two of them end the first date session by pushing Abdul's breaking motorbike into the workshop. Although hot, tired, and thirsty. When they do together eating won't feel it all. Especially interspersed with joking ria, the streets seem to belong to both.

*****

I don't feel like time is passing. The day came alternating. The moon kept coming and going until a year had passed. As time goes on, Tika and Abdul's relationship is in a serious stage. Both have expressed their feelings. Even so, Tika still refused Abdul's invitation to immediately formalize their relationship. He is still comfortable with the relationship at the moment. He was more than enough to get married.

"But, is the afternoon busy?" Abdul's voice was heard from across the street.

"Nothing. Wh why? You wanna take the road?"

"You are! There's a brand new grenade meatball stall open. Let's fight who can eat a lot of sambelnya. How's it?"

"No, no stomach pain. You are yes! If eating is guarded! Don't go in your mouth!" reject Tika while adding her lecture.

"Yes, sorry! Where to next?"

"Hmm." Tika seemed to think for a moment. "Main to Nala's house with Alif yuk? I haven't played with them for a long time."

"okay lah. I'll pick you up in an hour?"

"Well, in two hours? He said it's late afternoon?"

"If the afternoon will not be satisfied to their home. Just late afternoon, you are satisfied to talk to Nala." Tika took a moment to Abdul's proposal. It is also true what he said. Women who have been chatting often forget time, especially like Tika and Nala who have not met for a long time.

"OK deh. Then I hang up the phone! Get ready first."

"Yes. Don't forget the beautiful dress!"

"No want! Intar if the beautiful dandan immediately brought people again. Are you willing?"

"Eh! No-no! Yes, if so, then you're a bad dancer."

"You have a heart, huh? Want to embarrass me in front of people?"

"Yes already. It's up to you. It's important to wear the same shirt with pants, already."

Tika keeps the phone away from her mouth. Then laughed satisfied but half detained so as not to be found out Abdul. His new hobby is to irritate Abdul. He thinks it's his own entertainment.

"Hmmm. Yeah, I'm hanging up now. As-a,"

"Why?"

"You're now at home what mom in the hostel?"

"At mom's house." Indeed, since work and have their own income Tika chose to rent a boarding house. Not because it is not willing to help mothers take care of the children of the orphanage, but because it is the location of the parlour with the office quite far. Be him renting a boarding house close to where he works so as to save time and effort.

"Oh, that's it. Assalamualaikum!"

"Glamma!"

Leaving her phone on the nightstand, Tika got out of her bed and walked to the wardrobe. Choose from a variety of clothes in the closet. After a long time of matching and weighing, finally he chose skinny jeans with a large hoodie of milk chocolate. Then she went to the bathroom to clean herself up. Understandably, Sunday if there is no event out then Tika will not take a shower in the morning.

Ten minutes later Tika had already come out of the bathroom and felt her body fresher. Then sit in front of the dressing table to just wear baby powder, eyeliner, and apply a little lip tint. After feeling ready, he went out of the room and took the bag he hung beside the door.

These days, the kids are sleeping. Understand it's only at one. But Tika heard the voice of people talking in the living room. When he got to the front, he realized that his mother had a guest. Not forgetting the manners as a custom of the eastern people, Tika also crucified the middle-aged woman who looks still beautiful despite her age is no longer young. Come to think of it, where could it be his mother's friend? Her mother is much older than her aunt.

Ah, maybe it's a distant brother's mother. Inner Tika.

"Where are you going nduk? How is the tumben so neat?" ask Tika. 

"You're out, ma'am. Tika say yes!" When he was about to grab his mother's hand, his body was pulled and placed on the sofa.

"Wait a moment! There's something I want to talk to you about."

Judging from the look on his mother's serious face, there was something important to be discussed. He listened carefully to what his mother would say.

"Mother. I know, this mother's name is Mrs Ratih. She is..." Mom seemed to stop her sentence. Like saying something that's hard to say. Between tightness and unwillingness to make his words choked in the throat.

"Who's Ma'am?"

"She is your biological mother" the mother said in one breath.

Tika who heard that was of course shocked. The biological mother who had no news for twenty-five years of her life suddenly came before him. Makes Tika confused herself with her feelings. Between him should be happy, or should feel sad.

"Why do you want to see me now?" Not greetings, not pleasantries, but direct questions to the point that Tika said.

"I'm sorry, son!" Ratih who incidentally is the biological mother of Tika directly approached her first daughter and sat next to her. Tika's hand to feel her sincerity. "One more time I'm sorry! At that time I could not think clearly and instead left you here. Sorry Mother!" he nodded while sobbing. In contrast to Tika who still held her tightness in the chest.

"What do you mean by Mom coming here?"

"Mom wants to make up for the mistakes of the old mother. I want to take you home. We start from the beginning, we arrange from the beginning."

Ms. Sri who has loved Tika very much and has considered her as her own child has no power to hold back her tears. She was happy that Tika could now meet her mother. But he's scared too. Afraid that Tika will leave her forever. In silence and dissolved in his own sobs, Bu Sri could only observe the mother-daughter who had just met it.

"Where are you going to take me home?"

"To Surabaya. There all our families live. You want to?".

"The heavens? The family that never even expected my presence meant Mother?" Though Tika was desperately holding her mouth so as not to say cynical, but could not. As if the pain that he had long been scrambling to get rid of all.

"It's not. You must have been accepted. Trust mom! You're coming, huh?"

"No. I don't want to leave Bu Sri here as well."

"You can't say that, dear dong! This mother is your birth mother!"

Hearing the words that came out of Ratih's mouth, Tika then stood up. Anger has filled his ears. "What kind of biological mother has not seen her child for decades?! I hate Mom!"

A second later Tika ran out of the house. He no longer thought that his own mother would be hurt by his words earlier. Arriving in front of the house and was about to run across the road, he almost got hit by a car if the driver did not immediately brake his car. So surprised to make Tika's body stiffen instantly. The shouting of people from the direction of the house seemed to be his background song.

The rider immediately got out of the car and approached Tika whose body had collapsed into the road. Threw both hands of Tika so that the woman immediately realized. "Sir! Tika's! You're okay, aren't you? Why did you suddenly cross that rich road?"

"Abdu?"

"Yes, it's me. Thank goodness you survived! Next time, don't do it!"

Almost got into an accident is not his focus at the moment. All Tika wants is to immediately go away from home and avoid someone she still has not accepted as a mother. With both hands Abdul headed into the car and told him to run his car immediately. Abdul who still does not understand the situation can only obey Tika without asking much. In her heart she was sure that something had happened to her lover. It was the tears on his face that would not stop flowing.

In the car Tika still did not want to stop crying, and Abdul also did not stop the speed of his car. Still traveling around the city of Malang until Tika's crying subsided and expressed where her destination was.

"Where are you going?" abdul asked after half an hour waiting for Tika to stop crying.

"I don't know. Anyway don't go back to the parlor or the hostel first." Because mom must have been looking for me there, Tika continued in her heart.

"What about my apartment?" Tika just shot straight up. "Quiet down! I'm not going to macem!"

"Hm."

The car they were driving immediately went to Abdul's apartment. After arriving, Abdul immediately invited Tika in and sat in the living room. Then she painstakingly made a glass of warm milk Tika requested.

"It's drunk!"

"Thank you!"

Abdul looked at Tika. Still waiting for the right time to ask. Seeing Tika who had calmed down could even watch TV, made Abdul ventured to ask. "Why are you Tik? Don't want to tell a story, too?"

"My biological mother came," replied Tika casually with eyes still focused on watching.

"Alhamdulillah. Isn't that what you expected?"

"First. When I was a kid. Now that it's gone, my wish is dead a long time ago. And now, when I'm happy with my life. Suddenly he came and was about to mess things up."

"You mean?" abdul asked for another explanation.

"She asked me to move and join her in Surabaya. It can't be that easy!" Tika is now starting to show her emotions again.

Seeing that, Abdul immediately grabbed Tika's hand and rubbed it slowly. Means to give tranquility. "I think this matter can still be discussed carefully. And anyway, it's your mother. After all your paradise is on the soles of Tik's feet. I hope you forgive her soon."

"Yes, I know that. But I still can't make it to meet. Seeing it still makes me imagine my sadness first."

Abdul smiled sincerely, then one hand stroked Tika's hair gently. "Hmm, if that means waiting for yourself to be ready. My advice, don't you take long? It's not good to prolong the problem."

"Yes." Yeah."

*****

It's been a week, and Tika is still living in Abdul's apartment. But take it easy, they're not one roof at night. Abdul will go home by himself. Even so, Tika did not forget to tell Bu Sri that she was fine. Apparently, it took him a short time to prepare his heart. Until finally today he decided to meet with Ratih, his birth mother.

Abdul who seemed to give space for the mother and child to talk freely chose not to visit Tika this morning. He will be going to the apartment when his girlfriend can solve his problems.

Early in the morning Ratih had come to the apartment, he could not wait to meet Tika. While Tika herself can only smile clumsy because she is still not getting ready and still shows the face of her pillow. Not his fault, Ratih did not tell him that it would come sooner.

"Have you had breakfast yet?"

"No, ma'am, it's usually only eight o'clock that I go out for breakfast." Tika this time has been more accepting of the presence of Ratih, he has forgiven and reconciled with his past.

"Yes, now Masakin's mom?"

"Not to Mom! I'll be tired again." Tika ran after her mother who had gone to the kitchen.

"Sweaking what the hell? It's mom's job every day to cook." And finally Tika agreed and waited for her mother to finish cooking because she was not allowed to help.

The menu is simple, only fried rice with omelette. But the feeling when eating them is amazing. Even Tika shed tears. "So it's breakfast with mom's own cooking?" ask the Inner Tika.

"Darling? Why are you crying?" Ratih who was still washing the cookware immediately approached Tika who suddenly sobbed.

Without wasting any time, Tika immediately pulled Ratih's body and hugged her tightly. Inhaling deeply the aroma of his mother, completed the longing that he had been yearning for.

"When I miss my mom. Hicks! Why mom, hiks! Just getting Tika now?" Countless times how many tears Tika fell, as well as Ratih.

Ratih also let go of his embrace in order to see his son's face. A few minutes later, he told me. When she was nineteen, her boyfriend had usurped her crown. Promised responsibility, but her boyfriend instead went out of the area. The frightened and frustrated Ratih acted foolishly as he tried to abort his womb. The fetus that was still able to survive made Ratih more confused. He went out of town lying to his parents for work. For decades he went through the guilt of putting his son into an orphanage. She wanted to see him, but the shadow of guilt kept her afraid to meet her son. Until finally a week ago he ventured to meet the daughter he had abandoned.

"You want to excuse me, don't you, son?" pinta Ratih sobbing. Not answering, Tika could only nod her head and scatter herself again into her mother's embrace.

*****

Dul, to the apartment! I want to know my mother.

Reading the message from Tika made Abdul smile with relief. Finally Tika can fully reconcile with the past and ready to write a new story.

Ten minutes to go:)

Without further ado Abdul headed straight for the garage and drove his car to the apartment. There was no need to prepare himself because he was ready to wait for this from the morning. Arriving at the apartment his heart suddenly beat faster. This was the first time he met Tika's mother who incidentally wanted him to make the candidate-in-law. Let's hope his image is good in Tika's mother's eyes.

"Assynnya!" greet Abdul when he is inside. A woman looks at him and talks to Tika.

"Glamma!" Right after that Ratih turned around and met face to face with Abdul.

"Well?!" Both were surprised. Makes Tika wonder herself.

"It turns out Tika's mother's mother?" said Abdul.

"Yes, you're Tika's boyfriend?" ask me to train back.

Tika's brain suddenly got hot. His mind was busy tying the red thread. Know each other? Mother? And he had never met Abdul's parents because he wasn't ready. So his own mother was the mother of Abdul?

Bruk!

Tika's body suddenly fell unconscious. Making Abdul and Ratih panic instantly. Abdul immediately carried Tika's body towards the sofa. And Ratih's been busy looking for the P3K box. Ratih had repeatedly applied eucalyptus oil to Tika's nose, and Abdul was also still massaging Tika's legs so that his blood circulation was smooth. But still Tika was not aware.

Just when Ratih had panicked himself and ngeyel was about to call the doctor, suddenly Tika was already awake. Makes both of them breathe. Hurriedly Ratih handed over the warm tea for Tika to drink.

"Why did you faint, honey?" asked Ratih with a worried tone.

"Abdul, is it true that my mother is your mother?" Tika asked Abdul.

"Yes. He was my private tutor in Elementary. And she's already I think of as my own mother, so I call you mother."

"Huh?" Tika was again surprised to hear Abdul's statement. "I was really surprised. I thought that my mother was also your mother, and we finally couldn't get married" Tika's great-grandson was ashamed of herself who had been mistaken.

"What's? You think that's it? Do you want to marry me?" abdul asked with eyes full of hope.

"Yes it depends on my mother agreeing what not," replied Tika while blushing embarrassed.

And Ratih, as if waiting for his response by Abdul immediately replied. "Yes, if you agree. What matters is that your child is happy."

"THANK GOD!!! I'M FINALLY GETTING MARRIED!!!" exclaim Abdul who makes Tika and Ratih compact laugh at him.