Under The Rain's
Chapter 33—Other Dimensions

A health worker was seen monitoring Rafael's progress that morning. The numbers and rhythms displayed on an electrocardiogram monitor are recorded. Clips connected to each tube are checked one by one to ensure they are securely attached. The oxygen and carbon dioxide cycles displayed on the ventilator screen were also carefully observed. For the second time, he also installed a nasogastric tube to empty the fluid in Rafael's stomach which ruptured due to a hard fist in the stomach.

It had been a week Rafael was lying there, in an ICU room with various small hoses going in and out of some parts of his body. He still doesn't respond to anything. Not on sound, not on touch, not on the presence of anyone around him. He shook as the expert doctors alternately flipped through his body for some medical action. Slicing every vital part to include life support tools to prevent it from coming home immediately.

Although Rafael is said to be entering a non-responsive vegetative phase, doctors still recommend that his family and close relatives speak to him. The reason, some research journals state the existence of a response wave created on a screen on a brain current stimulation device, which means, the possibility of coma patients can hear even though they are physically unreacted. The prefrontal cortex, which regulates consciousness, may not completely lose function, and Rafael may still be able to sense anything that is happening around him. Although, of course the distortion of space and time occurred massively in that severely swollen brain.

That day, Pram strengthened all his determination to visit his favorite son. His heart shattered into pieces when he heard the elder was on the thin line between life and death. Stroke and joint pain that made him unable to walk just ignored. He also did not care if at that time he could not even tread firmly more than ten steps. At each eleventh step, he will sit for a moment or hold on to the wall to adjust his breath so that his chest does not feel tight. He doesn't care. He still forced his way into the room, to see the scene that would instantly destroy his already fragile soul.

Rafael lay helpless with little life expectancy left.

There Pram sat, in a chair next to the bed where his son was drooping with no hue of life on his face. He took his son's left hand lying without a transverse hose, so that he could grasp it completely. For a moment, he just looked at the cute face, the face that was a picture of himself when he was young. Really, they are very similar. Anyone can definitely directly guess that they are bound by blood and flesh.

Not a single word came out at that time. Kala Pram was in the room for almost half an hour. But that doesn't mean he has nothing to say. His mind was very full of longing and regretful sentences. His heart was overcrowded by the prayers of the healer and the hope of the future. Some of his thoughts were condemning anyone who had harmed his son to such an extent, but others were trying to forgive and say peace. There was a tremendous outpouring of emotions bursting out in every Pram vein back then, but, for some reason it was very difficult to be expressed by a line of sweet words.

“Papa.” A subtle pat on Pram's shoulder immediately resuscitated him from the reverie that had mastered him since. Sheila and Thalia have come following their father inside. Actually, they had come three, but the two girls had to take care of some administrative needs.

“Strong papa, yes,” said Sheila as she stroked her father's shoulder. “Papa should be sure, if Sister can recover.”

“Papa can, you know, chat with Brother,” added Thalia. “Doctor says, Brother should keep listening to the people around him often, because it will help him to quickly respond.”

Although Pram himself has begun to have difficulty speaking, he still tries to communicate. He did not want his presence there to be in vain. He did not want Rafael to think that his father had never come. Let if at that time his voice was hoarse because he was crying, or his words sounded stammered because of the stroke he suffered.

“Kak, let's get up, son ..” said Pram lirih while wiggling slowly his son's arm. “Snack go home quickly, yes, Papa wait at home. We all miss Brother."

Of course there was no reply from before him.

“Mama and sisters, all of them always pray so that Brother will recover quickly,” continued Pram with hope. “Come, Brother ... I promise to fix Papa's broken camera. Honey, you know, if it's not fixed. There are still photos of us all going home to Yogyakarta, before he died.”

Meanwhile, Sheila and Thalia were just standing near Pram whose shoulders began to tremble. The two of them alternately hugged him from behind, while continuing to strengthen their father who looked very hit.

“Yesterday, Mama cook chicken soto, ndak run out, because usually Brother who broom clean up to the bottom of the pot. Mango on the front tree can also be harvested soon, sis.

“This year, the Silver again the F1 world champion for sure. The podium continues in every race, the Grand Prix wins mulu. si Red ble, ah! Ndak exciting! Papa lost again. But yo wes, ora opo-opo. What else would you like to treat? So you want to buy the mountain bike, right?

“Say Dream Theater want another concert in Indonesia. If Papa's healthy, are we leaving, brother? No need to be heard nagging mbokmu, she did not understand that her husband can still watch mosh pit. Watch doang but, ndak follow-up.”

At that time, Pram was comfortable talking to his son as they always communicate everyday. It was full of laughter and reproach, full of ridicule and humor. Vigorously flared up when discussing topics that are preferred. The difference, that time Pram only monologues without getting a single small authorization. It'sit's okay. The burden on his heart at that time was already too great, which would immediately explode and make him bleedless if not removed. He has to destroy everything.

Pram didn't know where Rafael was at the time. Either he was wandering in the dimension where his son's consciousness was, even though his physique was stuck in the room with him. But Pram doesn't care. He did not care how far his son traveled to other dimensions he did not understand, nor did he see. With all her confidence, she knew that her son would return.

***

That day, as usual, Reva had been struggling with a set of cooking utensils in the kitchen since dawn. He did everything from slicing onions, cleaning dishes and vegetables, to arranging them in a storefront located on the terrace of Bi Uma's house. The spacious courtyard turned Bi Uma into a simple rice stall, where she scavenged the fortune to survive for the past twenty years.

Since a week ago, Bi Uma was greatly helped by the presence of Reva in her house. Reva who was very diligent did not hesitate to take over most of Bi Uma's work so that the old woman could rest a lot. Usually, Bi Uma takes care of her cafe almost alone, ranging from shopping to the market before dawn, until the stall closes in the afternoon. His rest time was not much, and he often experienced health problems due to fatigue. Sometimes he gets help from an assistant.

Bi Uma—in his old age—still should be the backbone for his entire family. The six children who each had married were not much use. They did not hesitate to go back again and again to Bi Uma, asking for some money with various excuses. Whether it's the reason for school needs, or the need for treatment, every month there are those who come to drain all the widowed Bi Uma income.

As a mother, of course, Bi Uma could not refuse the request of her sons and daughters who claimed to be filthy. However, his mind was still slashed when he realized that his children would only come to take the savings he had worked so hard to collect. Every time Bi Uma refused, of course it would be a feud that would hurt her heart. Finally, she chose to always give in, resigned to the treatment of her children after her husband died.

Only Kris is the only person who cares about Bi Uma's health and happiness. Although Kris was only a niece entrusted, the man was extremely devoted, far surpassing his own biological children. Kris is actively working so that Bi Uma is comfortable staying at home while taking care of her stall. He bought a new TV and a refrigerator. New mattress and stove. He donated Bi Uma's old clothes, and then gave her a new one. He also paid someone to help Bi Uma, usually to wash and clean the house. Kris also did not hesitate to interfere with his cousins who sometimes have been very outrageous towards his aunt.

It had been a week that Kris sailed far east, forced to leave two women he loved dearly with a heavy heart. At that time, it seemed impossible to cancel the work contract that had been agreed. The impact will be very bad on his career in the future. Kris just hoped everything would be fine as long as he left.

Unexpectedly, Reva turned out to be very comfortable living with Bi Uma. The aunt was indeed a very gentle and friendly figure, and thanks to her, Reva became good at cooking. Reva is getting married soon. It was only a few months left until Chris returned to her. Of course, she was eager to become adept at processing the taste of cooking for her future husband.

That afternoon, visitors were crowded. Reva was forced to fry another pack of shrimp crackers in the kitchen, as the stock in a large jar on top of the storefront was running out. When Bi Uma was serving one plate of rames rice to one of her customers, two men and two women entered the yard.

“Who to find, Sir?” bi Uma asked the two big tall men before her.

“Can we come in, Bu?” answer one of the men. “We're from police.”