What a Beautiful Divorce
57. Love, Missing, and Bamboo Caping

"So, Boss, Mas Timo will be monitoring it until he can get a photo of Rini's closeness with another man?"

Prapto laughs. "Yes, Nimo. That's why even though Timo sucks sometimes, but I always help him, because he always wants to help me.”

“Bos sure Mas Timo will get it?”

Prapto. “A feminist will usually go or eat with a man other than her husband after their work, Nimo. The husband must not like it, but he is weak and afraid of being left behind. Even so, if we are good at igniting the fire, her husband will definitely be angry and upset at Rini.

"So, we threatened Rini. We'll send what photos Timo can to her husband, and we'll tell him what kind of incitement we'll tell her husband if he doesn't want to be honest with Pinaka.”

“If he's not afraid how, Boss?" ask Timo.

Prapto. "His husband used to be a medium-income employee in his company Pak Gumiro, Nimo. Rini's salary was bigger than her. But, ever since he moved to a new company, his career has gone up and his salary is now well above Rini's.

"I used to eavesdrop on Rini's conversation with Silvi when she came to my house, Nimo. Rini was indeed more powerful in the household than her husband, and she wanted to continue like that. But, she said, now she had to be careful because she needed her husband's money to build a house on her behalf in Surabaya. Home it's a gift from her husband.”

Nimo nodded. "I get it, Boss. Even though the odds of succeeding are the same as the odds of failing, this is the only way we can."

Prapto grinning. "Not only got there, Nimo. I will continue to ignite the fire on her husband Rini's side. I don't care if he gets a divorce or not, which I obviously hate him because he's been messing with my life."

"That sounds cruel, Boss. You're scary sometimes. But I agree,” said Nimo.

***

Timo smiled from one of the cafe tables taking photos in a row with his cellphone camera, when Rini who was walking outside the cafe slipped and was greeted by a man who walked beside her. The man pulled Rini up while looking into her eyes.

"Campus you, Rini! You in this photo are staring and holding hands. So tidy. Soy sauce will taste bitter bago Subakti," said Timo, teerawa. He then got up and headed to the cashier.

Arriving at home, Timo chose the photos he took at the cafe and sent two photos to Prapto. In the first photo, Rini and Silvi laugh with two men in the cafe. In the second photo, Rini holds hands with the same man while looking at him.

***

Nimo's staying at Prapto's house tonight. They sent Rini two photos obtained from Timo and a piece of the word threat in the form of a short message.

It's Prapto. I could have sent it to your husband, but that certainly doesn't scare a Rini. But what if I add spice? I would tell Subakti that his wife met him very often. If his wife reasoned, it was only because his wife was afraid that the construction of a house on his behalf in Surabaya be cancelled. Tell Pinaka your lies if you don't want that to happen, Rini. I'll send Pinaka's number to you. I'll give it till the afternoon, or Subakti will dump you.

"How, Nimo? Is it fit yet?" ask Prapto.

Nimo nodded. "Bag, Boss. I think that witch would be scared."

***

Pinaka stood on the terrace looking at the library door he had just closed. He did not talk about his return to anyone. To the village mothers of Kejora, Pinaka just said he came home a day. Only Prapto knows about his return. And Prapto is what Pinaka hopes to prevent his return.

In his heart, Pinaka is actually convinced that Prapto is not what Rini and Silvi say, but his feelings of disappointment in Prapto make him decide to leave the village Kejora. And until now, Prapto never came to convince him or explain something. But he was very hopeful.

Pinaka took a deep breath and went to his motorbike. A drop of Pinaka's tears fell and was blown by the wind, becoming scattered by the afternoon light that penetrated through the cloudy public.

***

"It's late afternoon, boss. There were no messages or phone calls from the witch yet" Nimo said.

Prapto is currently sitting on the terrace of Nimo's house.

"Boss, there's a notification" Nimo said.

Prapto took his phone. The notification contained screenshots and text messages from Rini.

I told Pinaka. Here's proof. Don't disturb my household, Prapto.

Prapto laughs. "Look, Nimo. She's scared.”

Nimo laughs. "Basic. It's feminist, matre anyway."

Prapto took a screenshot of Rini's message and sent it along with a photo of Rini holding hands and face-to-face with the man at the cafe in Subakti, as well as the words of the sparkler about the gift of a house in Surabaya.

“Mampuslah. Let's just hope he gets a divorce, and it will be a divorce that Subakti is grateful for,” Prapto said.

"You gotta promise me, boss." Nimo looked at Prapto.

"What promise, Nimo?"

"If you manage to keep Pinaka from leaving the village of Kejora, you must declare your love for him."

Prapto. "Of course I promise. I don't want to lose him."

“Bos!” nimo exclaimed in shock.

Prpato. “Huh?”

“It's library hours closed, isn't it? Pinaka!”

“Gosh! Where's your bike key, Nimo!” Prapto immediately ran towards Nimo's motorbike in his yard.

From the terrace, Nimo throws his motorcycle keys at Prapto. “Be careful, Boss!”

Prapto.

***

Prapto had just arrived at the library and was stunned to find the library door locked with a padlock. He called Pinaka, but there was no answer. He then sat on the wall of the library terrace and lit a cigarette.

“Pinaka said goodbye to me to go home for a day, Nak Prapto. Maybe Pinaka's sick. Since last afternoon he was a lot silent and looked uninspired.”

Prapto turned to the voices of the mothers he had just heard. In the courtyard perpuastasan looks Bu Intan and his son. “How long has Pinaka been away, Ms Intan?”

Miss Intan saw her watch. “About an hour ago, Nak Prapto.”

“Thank you, Ms. Intan. I go first.”

Prapto jumped on his bike. Without a second thought, he pulled the motor gas towards the Kejora village door to continue to Jakarta, still wearing the bamboo caping he used to use when gardening.

Under the dark overcast and blanketed by the winter cold, the man clad in the weather drove away carrying love, longing, and also anxiety in his heart.