What a Beautiful Divorce
5. Kejora Village

That time .. When your sweet, unkempt smile was still soft, I always saw your portrait before going to bed 

Even the morning sun I always welcome with a song that you say shahdu, a song that I sing when we see the sunset from the edge of the dock

Back then, you were the flower in my heart, blooming and scented in every breath of mine

You may not know how happy and peaceful my heart is, really

But, your love for me is not as beautiful as in the movies and novels that you often read

I don't want to fall in love anymore. Not because of you, but because the world has lost a real woman

Arfiz Y

Nimo found on the car shelf a piece of paper penned by Prapto. He shook his head after reading the poem. 'The sad verse, ' Nimo said inwardly. Nimo quickly put the paper down after he saw Prapto coming out of an ATM machine at a refueling station. They also continued their journey.

It was already noon when Prapto and Nimo stopped at a diner to dine. They sit at a table close to the window. Visitors to the diner can be counted in numbers with fingers. Maybe because it is still working hours, so, not many visitors have come to fill their stomachs.

Prapto looked at the tables around him. At a table in the middle, a father appears with his son. The boy was eating well.

"Dad, why don't you just cook for us at home? I prefer to eat at home" asked the child. According to Prapto's estimate, the boy was about four years old.

Prapto wondered what kind of answer the boy's father would give. The father who looked puzzled to answer intentionally slowed his sip of coffee.

"Mom should go to work, son. You will also be going to the office. After the meal, take you to Mr. Inu's house, yes. I'll take you home from work."

The look on the boy's face turned gloomy instantly. He put back the spoon filled with fried rice that he was about to bribe. The boy was eating. "Until when do I have to keep waiting for Mom and Dad at the daycare?"

It was clearly seen by Prapto that the boy's father pretended not to hear, instead he switched the conversation. Prapto hated to see it. He turned to Nimo who had finished eating. "What's your village like, Nimo?"

Prapto lit his cigarette. They had just finished eating roasted chicken and emping crackers watered with yam leaf gulai soup, which according to Nimo, the aroma could make a sleeping person stand up immediately.

"My design is the most beautiful village in the world, Boss. Boss, look at it for yourself! It's hard to explain, Boss, because my village is too beautiful" Nimo replied. He also lit his cigarette.

Prapto. "About you, Nimo ... Nimo. Just say the name of your village you don't want to. What time are we gonna get there?"

Nimo looked at his watch. "About four o'clock we've arrived, boss."

"You got a boyfriend, Nimo?" prapto asked after he had gulped some lemon tea.

"No, Boss. But, shortly after living in the village later, the plan was to propose to one of my villagers." Nimo breathed out his cigarette smoke while imagining the smile of the heart.

Prapto looked at Nimo's face seriously. "You sure? Marriage today is impossible to be happy, Nimo," he said.

Nimo nodded steadily. "Of course I'm sure, boss. The boss will understand why I can be this sure."

"Why did your words become all the later bosses continue since this morning, Nimo? I put you down on the road, too" said Prapto.

Nimo laughs. "That's driving me, boss. By the way, let's go now, Boss!" bring Nimo.

They then continued to travel to the village of Nimo who did not want him to mention his name.

***

The Prapto sedan has come out completely from the city area. Prapto and Nimo open the windshield. "No need to use AC, boss. The air here is very fresh, unlike in Jakarta," Nimo said.

They arrived at a crossroad. Nimo then turned the car to the right. Prapto noticed the atmosphere in the area they went through. To the left of the car is a vast expanse of rice fields that have turned yellow.

The expanse of rice fields is like a natural tapestry that is very refreshing to the eye. On the small roads that border the paddies, Prapto saw a speeding cart carried by cows.

Prapto also saw a farmer and a peasant bu who was taking care of their rice fields. There are also lodges in the fields, where the five-year-old tallest boys sit playing flutes and harmonica. Prapto surmised that the boys must have been the children of a farmer and a peasant.

At an intersection Nimo turns the car to the left. "We'll be there soon, boss," he said.

Prapto straightened his seat. He returned to smoking. Prapto's car entered a village whose kitchen was made of bamboo. However, even though it was made of bamboo, the village arch looked beautiful. "We've arrived, boss," Nimo said.

Prapto. He did not turn his head, because Prapto was paying attention to the writing on the gate.

"The name of your village is good too, Nimo," Prapto said.

Along the road to the house of Nimo, Prapto saw several pairs of married men and their children walking. Presumably they have just returned to work, because there are those who shouldered hoes, some brought fruits and vegetables with baskets, and some herded livestock.

The homes of the villagers looked cool and beautiful. There were always protective trees in their yards and flowering fences. There is also a yard of the house whose yard is small, but still looks cool to be seen by the eyes of Prapto.

Prapto arrived in front of Nimo's house. Nimo's house wasn't big but it wasn't small. When they just got out of the car, Prapto immediately asked Nimo, "Nimo, why is it that in this village there are no mothers I see wearing office uniforms? You said there'd be a town close to this village."

Nimo smiled meaningfully. "The boss will get the answer later. Now let me introduce the Boss to Mom and Dad, then we'll go to the village chief's house to report the Boss's arrival." Prapto again shook his head to hear the answer later on Nimo.

Prapto was introduced by Nimo to both of his parents. Nimo is an only child. Nimo's father and mother were undoubtedly good people, Prapto could see clearly from their cheerful and serene faces.

Prapto scrunched his forehead. He was amazed to see how Nimo's mother, whose long hair was in the strands, whenever she spoke to her husband, always gave the impression that his mother had great respect for him. Moreover, Nimo's mother's gaze on her father, clearly looked loving.

"Drink the coffee, Nak Prapto! We want to go back and finish the onion harvest" said Nimo's father, breaking Prapto's contemplation.

"Yes, sir, please!" prapto replied respectfully.

"Why daydream, Boss?" ask Nimo.

Prapto was lazy to tell Nimo what he was thinking, because it was certain that Nimo would answer like that. "What's wrong, Nimo," he replied. "Your garden is far from here?"

"No, Boss. Behind the house is a garden. Drink the coffee, boss! After that we will go to the house of the village chief.

***

On the porch of a house whose fence was a pink-flowered living plant, a fifty-five-year-old man was smoking a hornbill. The old man stood looking at his five chickens playing in the yard. The old man's head turned his head when he saw Nimo walking with Prapto entering the gate.

"Mom, please make me three coffees, yeah! Nimo and her friend who she told you about have come. Coffee for you don't have to use sugar, Mom!" the man said to his wife.

The middle-aged woman whose hair was bunched up from her seat. She looked at her husband in wonder. "Why don't you use sugar, sir?" tanyakanya.

"You're sweet, Mom. Especially if you smile, the angel loses. So, I don't need any more sugar" replied the man. Then he laughed.

The woman pinched her husband's shoulder. "Truly don't I give you sugar coffee you just know the taste!" before going into the house to make coffee.

Nimo hugged the old man. "introduce, sir, this is Prapto, my best friend who I told you about yesterday." Nimo then turned to Prapto. "Boss, this is Mr. Oscar. He is the village head of Kejora."

Prapto salutes Mr. Oscar. They sat on the porch.

Mr. Oscar re-ignited his shell that was extinguished. "So, Nak Prapto, Nimo has told me that Nak Prapto is looking for land and wants to look around this village. Nimo also said that Nak Prapto had just divorced."

"Don't get me wrong, Nak Prapto! Nimo just wants to help you. He was concerned for Nak Prapto who did not believe there was a real woman in this world" the village chief said. He then sucks his shell.

Prapto looked at Nimo full of question marks. Nimo who owed Prapto an explanation immediately spoke up.

"Look, Boss. I'm very concerned for the Boss who always looks disheveled. Especially after the boss divorced, so the boss argues that the marriage will not be happy. That's why I invited the Boss to visit Kejora village, so that the boss could see that the happy marriage was still there" said Nimo.

Nimo continued, "The boss saw for himself there are no office mothers or mothers with company uniforms in this village, right? In this village of Kejora, the wives only work to help their husbands in the garden, in the fields, or trade at home.

"In this village there has never been a divorce, Boss, because the households in this village are running happily. Mr. Oscar will explain it to the boss."

Nimo sipped his coffee. Prapto was moved by the care of his men and his best friend. He smiles. "Thank you, Nimo" said Prapto.

Mr. Oscar's wife came to bring him three cups of coffee. "This is my wife, Nak Prapto. Name's Inari. No sugar, are you, Mom?" asked Mr. Oscar to his wife, which Bu Inari answered with widening his eyes with a smile.

After the cups and pot of coffee are served, Prapto salutes Bu Inari. As she saw Nimo's father and mother, Bu Inari looked at her husband with respect and love. Even though Mr. Oscar and Bu Inari were old, they still looked very friendly.

Ms. Inari went back inside the house to watch TV. Mr. Oscar looked at Prapto while nodding wisely.

"Listen, Nak Prapto! I'll explain to you something that most people in the city don't know. Not only in the city, not even the people in the other villages knew much about this. Know it? When viewed from the statistical data on divorce in our country, many villagers are also divorced."

Prapto and Nimo lit their cigarettes quickly so that they could focus fully on listening to Mr. Oscar's thoughtful advice.