Virally
32. You've Loved me Always

Never make someone's spicy words a snare that shackles you to move forward

Make him a bow that makes you retreat for a moment and then soar high towards the target you want to achieve

Orchid Caption today in black and white photos on social media feeds. A motivation that is easy to write but not easy to implement.

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Life is a choice if from the past I was fixated on harsh words, bodyshamming, betrayal Adi and Cahya then it will be entangled somewhere, powerless to step even just shifted.

I am lucky to be in a loving family. They were the light that illuminated when the dark shadows embraced themselves.

Grateful for the grace that exists makes heavy steps feel a little light.

Today in a cloudy morning I have arrived in Miepa. Together Andi opened the rolling door shop. Prepare to pick up the windfall.

People who spit out harsh words obviously do not bear the cost of your life so trying to forget or make peace on every word that is thrown does not reduce pain in an instant but helps to step up to enjoy the day.

"Which one, Ndi?." I asked Andi who was preparing a handsoap in front of the shophouse.

"There's a back, Mom."

"You're done? if I come back, yes." Deftly Andi tidied a large bucket of cranes and handsoap to wash hands and then followed my steps.

My eyes suddenly glared as if looking at a giant highlighter. Rika uses a top that is identical to the color of the highlighter. His skirt was yellow, fortunately he wore clean white shoes and the same colored mask. Rika has not used a typical Miepa apron as her employee uniform.

"Morning, Brother Orchid." She always greeted me 'sister' while the other officers called 'Mother'. I don't bother with this because either my sister or mother all show that they appreciate me.

"Pagi juga Rika, Andi. Aku mau menyampaikan ke kalian jika ada temanku bernama 'Bian' yang kalian sudah tahu kan orangnya. Beritahu saja kalau aku gak ditempat. Tolong sampaikan juga ke anak-anak lain yang belum tiba."

"Baik Bu, Siap laksanakan." Andi memberi gaya hormat. Dipikirnya aku tiang bendera disambut tawa Rika. Aku tidak mengambil pusing dengan tingkah mereka karena manut tidak bertanya alasannya sudah cukup membuat aku senang.

"Kalau Kak Adiwarna?" Rika menanyakan sambil menggoyangkan kepalanya. Cepol duanya mengingatkan ku pada sailormoon. Dia memang memiliki tampilan unik sehingga menonjol dibandingkan pegawai lainnya.

"Adiwarna jarang mencari ku. Bisa diatasi." Aku berkata santai walau tidak dalam hati. Desiran itu masih ada ketika bibir menyebutkan namanya.

"Seharusnya Adiwarna juga karena dia berbahaya." Bang Ipul dari pojokan tiba-tiba nimbrung. Aku tidak heran kalo Bang Ipul tahu Adiwarna pasti tiap hari nongkrong di dapur sama ibu-ibu bagian dapur Miepa jadi dapat bahan ghibah.

"Ih Bang Ipul sok tau." Rika berjalan ke arah jejeran apron sedangkan Bang Ipul melangkah kembali ke dapur. Andi mengikuti langkah Rika menuju apron.

Awal berdiri Miepa aku memberikan seragam pada pegawai tapi karena cara mencuci tiap orang beda jadi ada seragam pegawai yang masih cerah dan ada yang lecek. Akhirnya ku putuskan menyamakan apron polyster sebagai seragamnya.

Beberapa kali gawai ku berbunyi, notifikasi pesan hijau dari Bian juga panggilan telpon yang ku abaikan. Aku mencoba untuk tidak menjawab walau suara hati ku gatal menyuruh membuka pesan hijau tersebut

Seharian aku mondar mandir dari Miepa dan dua cabang lainnya. Ada keluhan konsumen mengenai rasa dari cabang satu lagi padahal bumbu yang ada masih menggunakan resep Bang Ipul. Itulah sense of taste yang membedakan orang yang meraciknya walaupun memiliki bumbu yang sama.

Aku harus bolak balik menjadi 'kang icip'. Cabang yang dekat dengan rumah Adiwarna ini lah yang pegawainya masih belum bisa menyamakan rasa khas Miepa. Berkali-kali harus diajarkan dan hari ini rasa yang ku inginkan mulai pas.

Ketika kembali lagi ke cabang utama Miepa. Aku melihat mobil Doni terparkir di parkiran. Aku masuk ke dalam Miepa mencari Doni, Netra ku menangkap Doni dan wanita separuh baya yang masih cantik di usianya. Mamanya Doni ternyata dia beneran berkunjung bersama Mamanya.

Aku menyalami Mama Doni. Mereka masih menunggu pesanan yang datang.

"Tante sudah lama tidak bersua dengan Anggrek. Terakhir sebelum Doni pindah ke Bandung ya? kelas tiga SMP kalau enggak salah." Berhubung kami angkatan lama jadi kelas tiga SMP sama dengan kelas 9 sekarang.

"Yes, our aunt and other friends took an angkot to the airport to take Doni. She was once an idol of Junior High."

Doni nodded at hearing my words. I speak honestly as a karate athlete who often brings victory to the school and also a member of a popular band group in our past. Doni kept a low profile. He was always friendly to every child.

"It's just that his geden's less than lucky." There is a weak voice Mama Doni seems to refer to a young marriage Doni that does not last long. I chose silence just smiling to respond.

"Anggrek now has a business huh. Smart you are. This aunt bought frozen pentol the same as the condiment but your cashier said it was taken later so it didn't melt long."

"Oh yes Aunt is an additional variant of the sale of Orchids as well as spicy chips, lemon juice is also there if other branches we add mixed ice but in the main branch there is no mixed ice."

My mouth was promoting as if it were a natural reflex when someone asked me a little bit about Miepa products. 'Sales kang' reflex tancap promotion.

"Wah many also yes if Auntie likes his frozen pentol which is often brought Doni and he tells the story of Orchid school friends who sell. Frozen food gini makes it easier for mothers like this Aunt."

"Create nuggets in limited-scale orchids, introducing them first to consumers. Doni can help provide fresh chicken. He now runs a chicken farm." I glanced at Doni.

"Iya Orchid, my uncle who lives near your grandfather will have a chicken farm and slaughterhouse business. He had no children who could continue his business so when I was in the village he offered to manage it."

"This bangs from college while working also Orchids. Once he's done he's accepted into the company but because of the divorce and moving here so there's no job other than taking care of the gym." Mama Doni chimed.

Our conversation continued into the cooperation between me and Doni. He's the chicken supplier for my home-made nugget.

A week after the meeting with Doni and Mama. I started to recruit two employees to make nuggets because the number of nuggets I sold was not much so it did not require many employees.

Homemade nuggets I sell sweet seems to be a lot of mothers who need cooking ingredients that are easy to process but I have not been able to add nugget stock.

Doni will just move home after delivering an order of cut chicken at home. He had already entered the pickup car when I gave him a pack of fruit soes.

"Would you like to try a market test? Sell fruit soes." I laughed when I felt shunned by anything to be a sale.

"Yes not today most look at cooking tutorials suddenly want to try one of the recipes."

"Thank you Orchids. I think it's good."

"Yes say hi to auntie ya."

"OK Orchid later I say."

"Be careful Doni." I waved and looked at the pickup until it disappeared at the intersection. Doni who was once a popular student now routinely delivers chicken orders to all his customers. Life determines its own direction. He was a capable young man and seemed to be a good father.

Doni is insistent on driving himself to 'introduce' himself to customers. The chicken business had indeed fallen to him. Uncle and Aunt Doni have complete trust in Doni.

I just turned around to step inside when my body hit someone. My eyes traced my chest, neck and then cold face with tightly clenched lips.

"Have not seen an orchid in a long time."

"Dian."

"Yes I'm Bian not Doni. Your number has been changed until you don't return messages and answer my phone calls? Tumben is also now rare in Miepa." He insinuated me.

The voice was so coldly spoken one by one slowly but Bian's gaze said otherwise. Did I judge him wrong? Like there's a longing in it.

The afternoon breeze that blew combined with the cloud hanging on top of it made my body tremble a little if only my eyes did not see the antique old car in front of the house. Maybe I thought the man in front of me a ghost just suddenly appeared.

Now I goosebumps with Bian's voice and aura. My brain thought it had to prepare itself to compose words. Isn't there a saying that women include talking creatures. Does that saying apply to facing this man.

Let's prove...

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Yesterday at the minimarket author listening to the old song Dewa 19 seemed suitable for Bian. 😂.

You're like a ghost

Keep haunting me

Wherever my body goes

You keep shadowing me

It's my fault I let you

Playing with my heart

I can't exterminate

You're from my mind

How readers fit 😉😉