Waiting For Life's
CHAPTRE 16
Arriving at home, Ray just sat quietly on the sofa while staring at the ceiling of his house with a heart that again felt empty.
“Assalamu’alaikum”ucap mas Fad while opening the door and passing into the house Ray.
“Wa’alaikumsalam mas”replied Ray by limp.
“I know how you feel Ray, it is difficult, but believe that if you are the same Meli fool you will definitely unite”ujar mas Fad cheers Ray while patting slowly Ray's dashing shoulders.
Ray smiled thinly, “Iya mas, but the taste, so different I became not excited and lonely”.
“Yaudah I moved here aja, later on the wedding has just moved again to my house, how?”
Ray laughed softly at the suggestion of Fad, “Ga mau mas, I mending myself aja”.
“Loh, said you were lonely”
“Iya, but from the same house mas mending own mas”Ray passed to the kitchen to take a drink.
Ray's step stopped when he saw the kitchen and the wetafel, usually Meli was busy preparing delicious food in the kitchen but now the kitchen will be very rarely to touch. Ray took two cans of the drink from the refrigerator and returned to the tv room.
“Semangaat”ucap mas Fad with enthusiasm.
“Yes the spirit” Ray's speech is different from his limp body response.
“Eyy, you young officer Loh Ray, must spirit”
“Emergency also keep human mas”ucap Ray while drinking his drink.
“Yes too anyway, I'm also human”
“Loh, human until mas”
Hearing Ray's words, Fad stared intently at Ray, “I mean?”.
“Yaa, no matter you are,”
“Opo?”
“Ga so”Ray laughs softly at the expression that was issued mas Fad on his face.
*****
“Assalamu’alaikum”ucap Rani enters Meli's nursery with a happy smile, and,
“Wa’alaikumsalam, wiiih High School boy has come home, afternoon also yes home his”sahut Meli smiled welcome Rani home.
“Mba again why?”Rani puts her bag on the sofa then turns to Meli's bed to see what Meli is doing.
“Ga ngapa-ngapain just play hp, abis quiet here”ansi Meli glance at Rani who peeled one orange.
“So there are guests huh?”tanya Rani observed many fruits and cakes on the front desk of the sofa and the nightstand next to Meli's bed.
Meli nodded slowly, “Iya was her fiance mba Sarah, mas Fad and her friends dateng”.
“Uhuk uhuk”Rani who was eating oranges coughed in shock to hear Meli's answer.
Meli patted slowly Rani's shoulder, “Why can be sprained sih”Meli take Rani water that is next to her beja.
“Ga papa mba, let me aja ga ati-ati”sahut Rani after her cough subsides.
“Other times be careful dong, danger tau”
Rani just nodded in response to the words of Meli, Rani looked at Meli speechless, “What did Fad say about mba Meli will lose memory while conscious right?”batin Rani is confused and curious, but she does not ask Meli if she knows Ray or not.
“De, Ran, Rani”Meli called Rani who was speechless staring at her mattress with an orange that she still held in her right hand.
“E.eh yes mba”Rani who realized from her daydream immediately smiled awkwardly looking at Meli who was confused by Rani's behavior.
“You why the hell, don't daydream dong”
“I..iya mba I just thought about the task that was given by the teacher aja ko”Rani answered with a lie.
“Oh, if difficult later mba help,”Meli's speech stopped when he saw two friends enter his nursery with a happy face while carrying fruits and snacks Meli's favorite light.
“Yes Mel, the cave is very cool you already realized”Gia directly hugged Meli after putting fruits on the front desk of the sofa.
“Iya cave is also very grateful to be back again sober”ansi Meli who returned the embrace of Gia with a happy smile.
“Woii, nih cave bawain favorite snack lo all”Dony put plastic containing snack next to Meli's body.
Meli wafted when she saw the plastic that Dony brought, “Makasih yan Don”ucap Meli with a smile.
“Iya equally, cave very grateful you can turn conscious and healthy rich gini”Dony smile to see Meli's condition is getting better. “Ciee Rani, already a high school boy nih”Dony turned to Rani who had been watching them with pleasure.
“Iya dong, when you want SMP keep”ansi Rani laughs softly followed by Meli and Gia who also laugh slowly.
Meli and Rani also chatted with Dony and Gia who had not visited for a long time because of the busy college assignments that were increasingly piling up. And Meli understands all of that.
*****
December, 2021
On December 12, 2021, Mas Fad and Sarah held a marriage contract and a reception that will be held in a hall in a building. In the process of marriage contract is only attended by the immediate family of the two brides.
Meli wears a pastel brocade kebaya that is the same color as all Sarah's family including Rani, with brown and black batik cloth subordinates. Meli shouldered her hair low and then decorated with some mutaiara and clasps to add beauty to her hair.
“Hai Meli”sapa Dion Meli's friend during High School, Dion was also the first person to express his love for Meli, but at that time Meli just wanted to be friends with Dion. Actually, Meli also liked Dion because of the intelligence and kindness of Dion's attitude but Meli still remained on her stance not to be in a relationship for some time.
“Oh, Dion”pekik Meli was shocked to find Dion who was behind her wearing a batik shirt
“How are you Mel?”ask Dion.
Meli returned a smile to Dion that she had not seen for a long time.
“Alhamdulillah good Dion, you yourself?”
Dion smiled, “Gue is also thank God well, I denger you ran out of accidents huh?”.
“Yes, but now it's been healed totally ko”
“Alhamdulillah, I'm also listening to Mel, ohya college right?”
Meli nodded, “Iya, lo too right?”
Dion nodded then smiled, “Iya I also lecture”
“Cuman seped kejeda lecture cave because cave accident so yes, many tasks that must be done anyway but fortunately there is Dony same Gia who is ready to help”.
“Mas. Mas Ray”Rafli elbowed Ray's arm a little hard.
“E...eh i..iya, what?, why?”ray asked as he regained his arms in his arms by Rafli.
“Mas why, bengong gitu”
“Oh me?, do not I just see the guests aja”elak Ray who is actually looking at Meli and Dion talking ria in her sebrang.
“Oh, it was toh”ucap Rafli when he saw Meli and Dion talking.
“”What?”
Rafli shook his head, “I was there mas, do not most daydream is not good, later kesambet”Rafli patted Ray's shoulder then went to approach Rani who was sitting playing her mobile phone.
“Wiih seriously very play hp nya”sapa Rafli who sits on the bench next to Rani.
“Eh, ka Rafli”sahut Rani staring at Rafli. “Ka Rafli turns handsome too yes use batik gini”batin Rani staring Rafli
fascinated by the good looks of Rafli wrapped in batik shirt with dark brown color.
“Udah don't be fascinated so lah”ujar Rafli glanced at Rani with a smile.
“Asaan sih ngga ko, people I saw there tuh”Rani evaded by pointing to the side of Rafli.
“Eyyy, do not lie ah, I know if I am handsome let alone wear gini”ucap Rafli batik shirt with pride, Rani who heard that just shook her fist and smiled then returned to play her cellphone.
*****
After the marriage contract was completed, now Fad and Sarah have boarded the guarantee after passing several Javanese traditional ceremonies. Meli chose to sit for a while in a chair that was prepared for guests even if only a few rows.
“Means now I call you mas ya Ray?”asked Karin who was beside Meli. Karin uses a pink kebaya shirt with a brown batik cloth skirt and a colorful hijab in line with her kebaya.
Meli glanced to her right side and saw Ray who was also sitting next to Karin. “Ka Ray?, ko added handsome and charismatic so the hell wear batik”batin Meli clothes that pay attention to Ray.
“Yes, you call me mas, besides that I am still old and I will” replied Ray who was the focus of his vision going forward to see Fad and Sarah who greeted the invited guests.
“Iya anyway but you are only four months old from I”Karin put his drink under the chair.
“Iya still first I was born”Ray looked at Karin while smiling.
Meli who saw Ray glancing towards Karin directly turned her body towards her left side, she was afraid if Ray found out he was fascinated by Ray.
Ray put his drink marks under the chair while glancing at Meli who was still staring to his left side. Ray smiles at Meli's back, he wants to look at Meli like before, he wants to talk to Meli, he wants to go back to eating Meli's cooking and there are still many things that Ray wants to do with Meli.
“Mas Ray”pangil Karin while patting Ray's shoulder long enough to lower his body to put
“Eh, i..iya Rin”Ray re-enforced her body and looked at Karin.
“Ngga, you long time ago naro used his drink”
“Oh yes there was an insect under”elak Ray with a clumsy smile.
Meli touched his chest, he felt a tight heartbeat in his heart when Karin called Ray with the designation ‘mas’, he said, Meli felt like dejavu he was like ever grinding Ray with the name ‘mas’ but he was not sure what he was thinking.
“Mba Mel”call Rani who brought two fresh drinks.
“Iya Ran”sahut Meli who again smiled looking at Rani then took one fresh drink for herself.
“Still ya”ucap Meli.
“Oke”sahut Rani who took a quick glance beside Meli. “Doctor Karin?”pekik Rani when she saw Karin sitting on the
next Meli.
Meli who heard Rani's screeches was confused, how could Rani know Karin. “Doctor?”muttered Meli slowly then looked at Karin while smiling awkwardly.
“Rani, you are also here?”Karin stands up to Rani and sits next to Rani leaving Ray who is still sitting while staring at Karin and Rani.
“Iya doc, her bride is a cousin I” replied Rani cheerfully.
“Oh so, if Ray's cousin the groom”Karin turned to Ray who was still staring at them calmly.
“Oh yes I already know the doc kalo ka Ray is his cousin mas Fad”andabutRani smiled. “Oya doc, it's me, mba Meli”Rani introduced Meli sitting next to her.
“Oh yes you are Meli, thank God you have fully recovered now, seneng it feels negliat you are healthy again”ucap Karin smiles happily to see Meli who has recovered from her coma.
Meli smiled then looked at Karin, “iya doc, thank God I have healed completely and can do again rich usually” replied Meli still with her sweet smile.
“Alhamdulillah”batin Ray looked at Meli who was smiling at Karin, without realizing Ray was smiling looking at Meli.
“Thankful thank goodness Meli, may you be healthy always yes”tur Karin sincerely told Meli.
Meli nodded slowly and smiled, “Aamiin, thanks dok”.
Karin sits next to Rani and talks to Rani about several things including bone cancer. Karin and Rani talk slowly so as not to be heard by others
including Meli.
Meli turned to her right side then she and Ray looked at her eyes long enough, there was a strange sense that enveloped Meli's heart, Meli felt anxious to touch Ray's stocky body somehow there was such a feeling when looking into Ray's eyes that felt familiar to him.
“Alright, the audience is expected to gather for a moment, because the two brides will throw flowers”cap the host who spread a glance between Meli and Ray.
Rani took Meli's hand to invite her to the front row to get a bouquet of flowers that will be thrown by Fad and Sarah from the stage. Meli and Rani stand by to watch the bouquet held by the bride and groom.
After it was felt to have gathered all the guests, then Fad and Sarah had begun to take a swing to throw her bouquet of flowers to the guests who gathered in front of the stage.
“One, two, three”mas Fad and Sarah directly throw a bouquet of flowers with the body turned back to the guests.
Meli managed to catch a bouquet of flowers but there was a big hand that also caught her, more precisely caught the hand of Meli who was already holding a bouquet of flowers a second earlier than that hand.
“Ka Ray”gumam Meli slowly when knowing who is the owner of the big hand that holds his hand.
Ray looked at Meli with a thump in his heart that was tight, not only did Ray feel that, Meli also felt the same thing his heart was beating fast as when he looked at Ray in the same way
that chair.
Shortly after, Ray releases his hand from Meli's hand, “Maaf”Ray passes away to reduce the speed of his increasingly becoming-so heart.
Karin just stared at Ray without following him, she wanted to enjoy this event, actually Karin did not feel
whatever when Ray's hand holds the hand and looks at Meli. Meli still holds a bouquet of flowers in her hand with a smile towards Mas Fad and Sarah who look at Meli with a difficult gaze to interpret. Meli waved her hand holding the bouquet of flowers.
Mas Fad who saw it immediately smiled and gave his thumbs up to Meli as well as Sarah who smiled happy to know Meli who can catch the bouquet of flowers added earlier with Ray, Ray, that makes Fad and Sarah happy.
*****
A week has passed from the events at the wedding reception of Fad and Sarah, Ray has started as usual, doing activities as usual. He went to the company to attend an event held by his dormitory.
Ray returned to normal as usual. “Mas, we are next week assigned to help a colleague in Papua”ucap Ray on a mas Fad who was drinking his coffee.
“Iya Ray, newly married has a long task"
“Yaa, it's a risk mas, we as knights of the country should be ready anywhere and anytime”
“Iya anyway, but kasian my beloved wife”
“Start dah”
“Ray, you will malem will want fiance, not his ready”mas Fad standing from his sitting walking towards Ray who sits at a table on the tennis court
.
“Later mas, still later ko” malemanswer Ray relaxed. Later that night he and Karin will be engaged, Ray has agreed to an engagement event that has been planned by both their parents.
“Ray, are you not the same fiancee problem Karin?, why don't you pursue Meli”papan mas Fad Makes Ray speechless again considering Meli who he missed so much.
“Entah mas, but I will try to open my heart to Karin”jawb Ray smiled thinly.
“Ray, whose name is heart it can not be imposed if it is imposed later that there is even soek, the same rich clothes or pants, if forced on the body that does not fit is definitely soek anyway?”
Ray nodded, “Iya anyway mas, but I know myself Mother wants me also mappet nikah”ray bowed her head.
Mas Fad touched Ray's shoulder with a palan trying to encourage Ray. mas Fad knew very well how Ray felt to Meli, since there was no Meli beside Ray, but Ray, Ray is like returning to himself just like when he lost Vina, Ray's lover who died.
Ray became quiet, cold, no expression from his face sometimes only a thin smile was etched. Ray becomes often sick, especially pain in digestion because of his irregular eating and also the wrong diet.
Mas Fad felt sorry for Ray but there was nothing for Fad to do but support and pray for the best for the happiness of his cousin's sister.
*****
Ray calms his nervous heart because of his engagement with Karin. Karin who was dressed in red kebaya with a matching hijab came to Ray.
“Mas Ray”Sarin sits on the bench right next to Ray. “You didn't have to be engaged to me?”
Ray stared at Karin flatly, “InsyaAllah nga Karin, I am also sure I can definitely open my heart to you”
Karin smilingly looked at Ray who was so confident in his ability to open his heart. “I'm not sure mas”batin Karin stares at Ray sadly.
“Ray, Karin let's close the event already want to start nih”ajak Dito cousin Karin.
“Iya sebenta”sahut Karin then gets up from her seat as well as Ray gets up from his seat and walks into the park for the engagement event.
“Mas, you said Ray was love and love Meli, ko now want to bed Karin?”sarah whispered to Fad.
Mas Fad shook his head, “I also do not know, yes, Allah has arranged all of them, we can only pray the best for Ray and Meli”ansi Fad still continues to pay attention to Ray who speaks.
“Iya mas, whose name is the soul mate of death and fortune is set, we as humans can only pray and hope to Allah”
Mas Fad pinched Sarah's nose slowly, “Pinter really siiin, whose wife?”.
“Her wife is rese”
“I dong, why did I rese?”
“Banget mas, have rese absurd also hahah”Sarah laughs softly melted mas Fad. Mas Fad just smiled looking at Sarah.
“Ray, I hope you can be a good priest and be a role model for Karin and your children later”ucap Farah, mother of Karin.
“Iya ma, insyaAllah Ray will strive to be a good household priest” replied Ray smiling.
“Papa will also continue to support you Ray, you already think of as your own papa son”ucap Rudi, father of Karin.
“Iya pa, thank you for your support and have been treating Ray all this time like a papa”ucap son Ray sincerely looked at Rudi.
Rudi is the best friend of his father Ray, as well as Farah who is friendly with his mother Ray. Since Ray's father died, Rudi has often given support and treatment like a father to Ray.
Ray and Rudi often travel on motorcycles, he and his father also often travel
use the motorbike, camping, mountain climbing if Ray is off. Rudi always supports whatever decision Ray makes, even Rudi will still support Ray even though he did not become married to Karin.
“Mas, thank you for today, you rest at home do not stay up”ucap Karin with her smile.
Ray looked at Karin speechless, Ray was not looking at Karin who was in front of him he saw Meli who stood in front of him while smiling. Ray smilingly looked at Meli who was actually Karin.
“Mas”Karin touched the upper arm of Ray's hand and then Ray realized, his smile faded after seeing Karin who was in front of him.
“Karin, I say back home ya”pamit Ray on Karin who is still confused by Ray's slightly strange attitude according to Karin.
Karin nodded and smiled, “Iya mas, immediately rest yes, carefully walk” replied Karin who was embraced by Ray with her thin smile.
After all the events were over, Ray and his family returned home to rest. Ray takes his mother to Riska's house. “Bu, I say back home ya”pamit Ray kissed his mother's hand then passed away using the motor that Ray left at Riska's house.
ray stops his motorbike and stares at the mansion on the block next to the block where Riska lives. Ray gazed at every architecture of his building, he imagined what kind of life was run by Meli in the diamond house. “Meli”gumam Ray slowly still staring at the mansion belonging to the Sastrawirdjoyo family. Soon Ray returned to running his bike and returned to the dorm.
*****