What a Beautiful Divorce
91. Long and Sad

Lapen Oscario attaches her left palm to the tree. Taro and Lennon were behind him. Slowly Lapen peered behind the tree. He saw an old man sitting facing the river with a face that was difficult for Lapen to reveal. There was a sad impression and also a longing impression on the look on the old man's face.

From his white hair along his back, from his beard which was also long and white, Lapen could guess who the person who had played the harmonica was.

“Kakek Nirvana!” call Lapen.

Mr. Nirwana turned his head, then smiled. “Lapen. Since when are you here? You came alone? Where are your two best friends?”

From behind the tree, Taro and Lennon appear. “Kek Nirwana,” greet them, simultaneously. They then sat down with Lapen, both facing the river like Pak Nirwana.

“What song was that, Kek Nirwana? Sendu once,” ask Lennon. After asking, he turned back to look at the river ripples.

Mr. Nirwana took a cigarette out of his shirt bag, ignited it, and exhaled the smoke for quite a while. “Time in a Bottle, my late wife's favorite song. You guys know that song?”

Lapen and Taro shook their heads, only Lennon seemed to be thinking. Mr. Nirwana smiled to look at Lennon, because the look on the face of an eight-year-old child when thinking looked adorable.

Lennon's face was radiant. “Ah, I know, Cake. That's Jim Croce's song, isn't it, Cake? In addition to the Beatles song, Dad and I also played other rock songs, one of which is Time in a Bottle.” Lennon then looked at Mr. Nirwana with a caring attitude. “Kek Nirwana sad because miss the late Grandma, yes?”

Mr. Nirwana nodded gently with a smile. “Yes, Lennon, I miss, and I'm sad because I miss. But I do not grieve because of his death, because sad death is not good.”

“Why not to, Cake?” ask Lapen curiously.

“If we are saddened by the death of our loved ones, it means that we do not judge death wisely, Lapen. And I think, my wife will be sad too if I am sad because of her death,” said Mr. Nirwana.

Taro who has been thinking hard since finally asked, “Kek, indeed sad because longing is different from sad because of death?”

The wise Mr. Nirwana again smiled softly. “Different, Taro. Sad because I miss it means that even though my wife is dead, I still miss her, the sign is that I still love her even though she is gone.

“But, if I am sad because of his death, it means that I am afraid that I cannot keep loving him if he is no more, right? And if so, it is certainly not love of his name. Love is very high and also very deep, and will remain even though the loved ones are gone.”

Lapen, Taro, and also Lennon nodded. They looked at the twilight sky while thinking of Mr. Nirwana's words.

Mr. Nirwana keeps his harmonica shirt. Then he got up. “It's dusk, Son. Come, we go home,” take him.

Lapen and his two friends stood up. They followed Pak Nirwana who had stepped and walked to his right while continuing to invite Pak Nirwana to chat.

Lapen's house, Pak Nirwana, Lennon, and Taro were unidirectional, so they were still walking together when passing through the fence of the Prapto house. Lapen who walked the front one stopped. “Kek, how does it seem that there is something strange, yes, with Uncle Prapto and Aunt Pinaka?”

Mr. Nirwana, Taro, and Lennon both squinted their eyes watching Prapto and Pinaka sitting chatting on the terrace.

“I don't see anything strange with them, Lapen,” said Mr. Nirwana.

“It's dusk, Cake, but they're still sitting on the porch. If they chat while waiting for dusk to come down completely, why is the door of his house closed?” lapen.

Mr. Nirwana nodded while rubbing his long beard. “True too. Come on, we'll get to them!”

Seeing Pak Nirwana coming with Lapen and his two best friends, Pinaka and Prapto stood up.

Prapto and Pinaka smiled back at Pak Nirwana. “Iya, sir, our house keys are inside,” replied Prapto. He then told Mr. Nirwana about how they could be locked in their own homes.

Mr. Nirwana, as well as Lapen and his two friends laughed at Prapto's story. Prapto and Pinaka laughed.

“your motorbike lock has a circle for the key toy hanger, Nak Prapto?” asked Mr. Dwipangga after turning to the motorbike parked on the terrace.

“There, Sir.”

“Try me see,” said Mr. Nirwana.

Prapto separated the key from the key chain and gave it to Mr. Nirwana. Mr. Nirwana tugged the circle of key chains until the shape was almost straight, then put it in place of the door lock of the Prapto house.

“This skill I used to learn from his father Mr. Kades,” said Mr. Nirwana while trying to open the door of the Prapto house. “But often times these skills are misused to steal.” Shortly after saying so, the door of the house was opened.

“Great!” lapen and his two best friends simultaneously.

The faces of Prapto and Pinaka are radiant. They thanked Mr. Nirwana, and also Lapen, Taro, and Lennon.

“No need, Nak Prapto,” said Mr. Nirwana refused a coffee offer from Prapto. “Nearly night day. We'll go home first.

Mr. Nirwana and his three little friends also say goodbye and return to their respective homes.

***

Six days later, at the home of Mr. Oscar, Kejora villagers who learned to make natural fabrics have completed their lesson, which is to make fabrics and sew them with the designs they want. They smiled happily at the homemade cloth.

Mr. Purnomo and Ms. Rena smiled. There is a sense of happiness in their hearts seeing what they have taught the citizens will be useful to them and will also improve their economy.

“Succeed, Mas. The Kejora villagers learned it well. I do not need to worry anymore about the quality of the fabric that we will sell to the company Bu Irin,” said Bu Rena.

Mr. Purnomo nodded. “Ya, then we just keep an eye on the residents making natural fabrics that are for sale while also making them. I'm happy to make the fabric, I'll come make and see it later.”

Mum Rena looked at her husband. “Thank you, yes, Mas already helped me.”

Mr. Purnomo smiled and rubbed Bu Rena's hair lovingly. “Come, we're Oscar's house! I will report the lessons of the villagers of Kejora to him.”

Prapto and Nimo, who had come to pick up their wives, sat on Mr. Oscar's porch while chatting with the Kejora village chief. They say goodbye to Mr. Oscar when they see Pinaka and Arini have finished studying.

Prapto starts the engine after Pinaka goes up. “Already, Pinaka?”

“Already, Mas.”

Prapto runs the motor.

Along the way home, Pinaka several times opened his tote bag and looked inside with a smile. The cloth she wanted to present to her husband was finished, and she could not wait to give it to Prapto when they arrived home.