Under The Rain's
Chapter 40—Natural Phenomena

Year two of healing and therapy, Rafael can step slowly using a stick. Every morning, he was eager to set foot on a small road lined with natural stones to go to the garden behind his house. He said, walking on the gravel is good for blood circulation. Although, he still could not reach his legs without grimacing pain, and his steps were very slow. Triggering and often stopping to just take a breath. However, his spirit to recover was indeed worthy of a thumbs up.

The man had also begun to be able to say simple sentences despite stammering. Every night Vienna would sit with him, telling the stories of Rafael's childhood so that his son would not forget a single memory. Vienna is about family holidays. And also about the delinquency of his son's teenagers, about the humiliating punishments that the boy had received at school, about the gossip from his ex-girlfriend that sounded very silly. It is also about love and friendship.

Stories help Rafael train his memory, help him create connections between stories and emotions, and help him create visual images that can train empathy.

Actually, Rafael didn't have amnesia. He did not lose access to the memory storage in his brain. They're all still in the same place. Only, the concussion made him forgetful, and Vienna would always be there to help him remember.

Rafael does not always give a good response when he heard the story of his past read clearly by his own mother. Sometimes, if the nostalgia is too intense to attack him, he will rebel, like not strong enough to withstand excessive emotional overflows. Then, he would lock himself up until his turmoil calmed down. Usually, he will experience an acute headache when trying to open a memory sheet that is so painful. His chest will feel tight to make him nauseous. To his weakest point, he would cry. I don't know why the man became so much more emotional, and Coach Indra did mention post-traumatic depression.

As usual, every night before bed, Rafael will be in the gazebo in the back garden. He said, the night breeze and a cup of ginger tea can provide peace. Vienna to install foam padded with waterproof cloth in the gazebo made of teak wood, because Rafael so often spend time there. Heavy rain began to fall, and it made Rafael feel very peaceful, no matter if the splashes of water began to wet his shirt, because the place did not have a barrier wall.

“Kak, come, log in!” sheila shouted that she was already from the doorway, because she did not find her brother in her room. That door is access to the house from the back garden.

Rafael did not answer. And Sheila who was worried about her brother's health immediately grabbed the umbrella to herd him into the house.

“Kak, in, yuk?” pinta Sheila who was already standing before him, under the large umbrella was red in color. “Attempts, you know, later.”

Rafael who is lying down is not interested in following. He smiled at his sister who looked worried. “La, sit here,” take her while patting the empty space next to her.

Although reluctant because the pedestal was wet, Sheila still obeyed the request of the sister. He took off his sandals and immediately climbed onto the gazebo. “What do you want, sis? Here it is cold, and also wet,” the tirade.

“J-don't complain much, La ..” hiss Rafael. “You know .. The sound of rain can reduce stress.”

“Which I have more stress, Brother. Especially if up to a cold,” ketus Sheila while wagging her hair that is waving by the water.

“I-it's because ... you see it from the downside, La,” protests Rafael.

“What, anyway, good rain?”

“S-everything .. his feel, his vibe. Everything.”

“Yuk, we dance in the rain?”

“Now, La.”

“Why?”

“K-because, k-sometimes .. we can only be gagu .. in the presence of natural phenomena.”

“Why?”

“Antara drifting carried away the atmosphere .. or we feel small because nature is amazing.”

Seeing the glint of her brother's eyes so sparkling in the rain made Sheila so happy. It was like he was finding his life spirit again. That year, the night was indeed the first time the rain was seen falling back. The tenth month towards the end of the year, I finally poured water from the sky back to Bandung. Let if the rain can make Rafael's soul serene, even though the cold felt bone-piercing. Sheila would accompany him all night if necessary.

“Kaaak!” screeched Sheila when she realized something.

“What?”

“You're good at talking! I'm so happy!”

“But I'm also upset, because if it's the same Reva, surely you won't refuse!”

Sheila immediately smothered her own mouth as the name just slid from her mouth. He slipped and immediately felt guilty, and did not know how to behave when Rafael suddenly looked and looked at him closely.

Coach Indra once said that things that can spur depression in Rafael should be kept away first. For that reason, everything about Reva has never been mentioned by Vienna in his stories, although the middle-aged woman was very anxious to tell her son about the contents of the diary which was already on the nightstand next to her mattress. Vienna promised, if the time is right, Rafael will certainly be made to understand about all that has happened to his childhood friend.

“Kak ...”

“Where is he?”

“Already, Brother, please ...”

“Is she okay?”

Seeing the look on Rafael's face that suddenly became sad, Sheila immediately understood that at least the sister did not forget everything about the woman, no matter how hard the impact hit her head. Not knowing what he was thinking, his gaze became very empty, staring indistinctly at the wooden ceiling covering the gazebo. For years they desperately avoided the topic, and at that time everything just rained because of the rain at night.

Sheila doesn't know how to respond. His sister suddenly became silent speechless, and he was afraid of mispronouncing. Finally, he just sat down awkwardly accompanying the man, even though his entire body was shivering with coldness. Until finally, Vienna came to ask them to enter the house, because the night was already very late.

***

After nearly twenty hours of space splitting, the Qatari airline carrying Reva and Kris flew from Jakarta to Oslo finally arrived at Gardermoen International Airport, the main gate of one of the popular countries in Scandinavia. That would be the first time Reva has gone abroad. Unmitigated, Kris immediately took him to Norway to see the aurora borealis, something that has been on Reva's dream list for a long time.

For the past two years, Kris has worked mercilessly to grant his wife's wish to come to places they've never been. No. gabe. It wasn't Reva who asked. The woman never wanted to trouble anyone, including her own husband. However, Kris had known Reva for a long time. He knew everything that his wife dreamed of, like a house with a large field and also saw the Northern Lights with his own eyes. For this reason, Kris always makes unexpected surprises even without being asked.

The end of the year is a great time to watch the sky at the North Pole glow with greenish color. Nights are longer when winter arrives, and dry air makes sightings in space clearer. The first snow Reva would find there, and of course he was very excited.

From Oslo, Kris and Reva immediately proceeded to one of the cities located at the northern tip of Norway. Tromso, name. The city has gained popularity among international visitors who come to the northern hemisphere to enjoy the majesty of nature there. They spent an additional two hours on a local flight to the destination city, until the adventure in Norway officially began.

Goose fur coats and hats and wool shawls were not warm enough to be used at temperatures below zero degrees. Reva was still shivering even though at that time Kris who was sitting beside her continued to hug her tightly. Kris and Reva are waiting for a mini bus that will take them around enjoying the beauty of Tromso City in the afternoon, and the same bus will carry the passengers on board to hunt for sightings of the aurora at night.

Two experienced tour guides will take the tour participants to the best places to witness the amazing natural phenomenon, whether it is in the valleys or remote bays formed from melting glaciers. No matter if the best spot at the time was on a hilltop covered with thick ice, they would make sure that all participants got their best night on Tromso.

It was extremely cold, and footsteps on the snow rang out. A puff of smoke came out from the mouths of those who were talking. The temperature again slumped to the figure - 25°c. The clock's needle is ticking near midnight. Kris and Reva stand on a frozen lake in a remote valley north of Tromso City. They had been chasing after a glimmer of aurora sighting ever since it darkly enveloped the sky.

They were far away from the residential area, surrounded by complete darkness without a single highlight of the city lights, except for the small flickers of Kris's camera lights that he constantly aimed at the sky. It never felt like they were that close to nature, having sex only with the starry sky and wind in the winter.

“You're happy, Honey?” kris asked when he saw the twinkle of his lover's eyes also flickering among thousands of galaxies on it.

Reva did not immediately reply because she was so fascinated by the dance of light that unfolded before her eyes. Beautiful dance like curtains that sway in the strong wind. The gaping mouth was no longer even able to giggle in admiration. Only her beautiful round eyes were wide open without blinking.

“Sayang?” call Kris smooth while shaking her lover's shoulder. “You're really amazed, huh?”

“Kris ...”

“Ya?”

“Sesorang once said, sometimes we can only be gagu in the presence of natural phenomena. Chances are there are two, between us really drifting carried away the atmosphere, or we feel small because nature is so amazing.”