USTADZ
42. The Past Bulek

"Honey, wake up, dawn.." Ustadz Amar kissed his wife's forehead to wake her up. Syahla just squirmed for a while while muttering.

"I'm having a period.."

"OK," Ustadz Amar finally got out of bed and went out to pray at dawn. Letting his wife sleep to heal her tired body.

At six o'clock in the morning, Syahla just really opened his eyes. He saw that the husband was no longer beside him, maybe running in the morning as usual during his time in Jakarta. He then rushed to grab the hijab and came out of the room.

"Huh, wedok clock just woke up this way!"

Syahla's eyes squinted at the familiar nagging sound in her ears. Bulek seemed to be in the kitchen while busy mengolek seasoning, while Mother beside him was frying tempe.

"For Nduk," In contrast to Bulek, I greeted Syahla kindly. "Wash your face first there, then help you cook."

Syahla. He did intend to go to the bathroom earlier, only the bathroom was at the end of the house, so it had to pass through the kitchen.

After washing his face, Syahla felt that his eyes were completely open. Before coming out of the bathroom, he first patted both cheeks.

"Come, the spirit of Shahla, the spirit!" his murmurs were encouraging themselves.

...----------------...

There was nothing special that morning other than Bulek who remained nagging with all of Shahla's actions. Whatever he did was never left out of the comments.

"If you rinse the shirt, do not wash it in the washing machine, but water it directly under the faucet!" bulek's nagging started from Syahla who wanted to help wash clothes. "More time to dry his clothes behind! If not, the color is broken!"

All right, it still makes sense. Although her words were deafening, at least Syahla knew where her mistake was.

"If it's the one that sat the set! The table is still dirty! Must clean!"

Shahla was almost cursed. Though he was struggling to crouch down to grab the dirt under the table, but Bulek already said so as if he did not understand at all.

"If you wash that plate, that's the doormat! The oil is everywhere!"

Astaghfirullah, not counting how many Shahla pronounce istighfar today. He could not stand it for long either. Perhaps, if they stayed in the house for a week, his ears could be completely deaf.

"Om Husband.." Shahla hugged the spoiled Ustadz Amar after her husband finished the maghrib prayer.

"Why baby? Hm?" Ustadz Amar stroking Shahla's hair.

"I can't stand being here for long,"

Ustadz Amar was silent for a moment. He did not know how Bulek treated his wife. It's just that he thinks Syahla can handle it well. But it is in retrospect Bulek remark outrageous, it is natural that until his wife complains so.

"Then we go straight to Al-Raudhah tomorrow?"

"Huh?" Syahla did not expect her husband would make the offer. Even though he said that, actually his intention was just to complain.

"It's okay?" Shahla felt bad. "Husband does not miss Papa and Mom?"

"Actually I have been living with Mama since long ago, before Mama to Australia I was also in the cottage. So, even though my relationship with Papa is fine, we're actually not that close either." Ustadz Amar rubbed his wife's head. "If my wife is not comfortable here, I'm fine if I go home ahead of schedule."

"But.." Syahla bit her lips in doubt. "Why do you say it's the same Mom?"

Syahla shook her head. "Stay, I have to tell you myself." Syahla then kissed the husband's cheek. "Thank you, baby."

"Sama-sama," Ustadz Amar had already stolen the opportunity to kiss his wife's lips. "Try if you don't menstruate anymore,"

"What the hell?" Shahla immediately distanced herself from her husband. "Udah ah! I'd like to tell Mom!"

Ustadz Amar chuckles. Stabbing his wife is still that much.

...----------------...

Shahla stands behind the wall that is the barrier between the middle room and the kitchen. There was Mama, Bulek, and Sumpah sitting there. Syahla's mouth tries to memorize the words he made the reason for his return tomorrow.

"Mbok ya don't be so hard to the same Syahla, pity he scolded continuously," Mother's voice stopped Syahla's intention to join them.

"I don't mean to be so mbak, it's a reflex I do every look at him. For some reason, I always felt like I was looking at myself every time I saw Nduk Syahla," Bulek's voice could be heard answering softly.

"Yes, but not so. That shahla doesn't know anything, when you vent your anger with Shahla?"

"Sorry Mom, I really never meant that. I'm just afraid that Syahla will be the same fate as me." Bulek's voice was heard holding back the cries. Shahla frowned because she had never heard Bulek's weak tone of voice.

"I was married when I was young. I couldn't do anything, and was always scolded by my in-laws. I used to think of it as a fuss, a riot that bothered me every day. I'm told that cooking a little can't, cleaning is not bad, so I always try to be the best so that my husband and his family like me."

"At first everything was fine, but over time my husband began to show strange signs. He often came home late, refused to eat at home, and always left for work early in the morning. I think that's a natural thing, maybe the office is busy. But it turns out that I found out that she's been in a relationship with another woman for a long time."

Syahla breathed heavily. Oh, my God, how heavy is Bulek's life?

"I'm angry Ma'am, obviously. Ma'am himself watched me hit the woman while crying and raging. You also remember, what my husband said at that time? He said I'm not a wife. He said my cooking wasn't as good as his cheating. He said I couldn't satisfy his desires,"

Syahla could hear Bulek's voice sounding broken holding back the cry.

"Since that incident. I tried harder to please my husband. I decided to take him back, who knew he would change. In fact, five years ago, he decided to go with her."

"I don't want Shahla to experience the same thing. Though only for a short while, I wanted to educate her as the perfect wife, so that she would not be left behind. Although I knew Amar was a good man, so I always wanted to match him with Karin. But, still, my past trauma made me too hard on Syahla."

"Yes Alloh Nduk, unfortunately your fate," Simbah was already sobbing. While Shahla who listened to their conversation behind the wall decided to step back into her room.

"Have you? Loh, why cry?" Ustadz Amar who saw the arrival of his wife with tears streaming down his cheeks immediately rose from his sleeping position. "Dear, what's wrong with you? Bulek's scold again?"

"No," Syahla shook her head still while crying. "My husband promised not to leave me, right?"

"Huh?" Ustadz Amar was puzzled because the question simply popped up. "Of course I won't leave you. Why ask that?"

"Really yes? Even though I can't cook, I can't clean, and I can't serve sampeyan perfectly, my husband still loves me, right?"

"Yes dear.. Ja.. I-i promise.. Why suddenly ask that? What did you hear from there?"

Syahla just shook her head while hugging her husband with haru. "We don't go home yet. I won't last another five days,"

Ustadz Amar returned his wife's embrace tightly. Although still confused, he nodded. Whatever it is, as long as it can make Syahla happy, she will obey it.