When Hamzah Met Alifa
Sleep deprivation

Hamzah always sets the alarm so he can wake up in a third of the night. When the alarm on his phone rang, Hamzah wriggled inside his blanket.

He blinked and rubbed his eyes. Then one of his hands stuck out onto the table to turn off the ear-splitting alarm sound.

He was afraid that the sound of the alarm made Alifa noisy and eventually led to the woman's anger.

Remembering Alfah, Hamzah turned to the side and was surprised to find Alifa asleep with both arms tightly hugging her stomach.

"Alifa?"

Slowly, Hamzah let go of Alifa's hand so as not to disturb the woman's sleep. However, Alifa's hand was very strong clutching her.

"Alifa," call Hamzah again.

However, the woman who has the status of his wife did not show any signs of waking up. At that very moment, Hamzah could clearly see the plain face of Alifa.

The face that usually scrunches angry or mocking lines, now the face looks calm and what it is.

Their very close position made Hamzah fixated on looking at Alifa. His white skin contrasts sharply with his black eyebrows and hair.

And out of nowhere, Hamzah raised his head to get closer to Alifa. As their lips were about to meet, Hamzah suddenly regained his senses.

"Astagfirullahaladzim, what the fuck am I."

Hamzah shook his head while looking away. He tried to once again remove Alifa's hand from her stomach.

Then Hamzah got out of bed and rushed to the bathroom. He decided to take a shower so that after dawn he could continue other activities.

Hamzah decided to sleep again after performing tahajud prayers. He still sits on his alphabet and recites the Quran waiting for the dawn prayer time to arrive.

However, Hamzah soon heard Alifa delirious and screaming. The worried Hamzah immediately ran over.

He found Alifa's two eyelids still closed but, her lips continued to rumble indistinctly. So Hamzah shook Alifa's body to wake up.

"Alifa, what's wrong?"

"Hamzah" said Alifa as soon as her eyes opened and she woke up. "I. I had a nightmare."

Hamzah sat beside Alfah. Attentively, Hamzah combed Alifa's hair dangling everywhere using his fingers.

"Azhdlgar. The nightmares usually come from the devil. Therefore the Prophet advised us to read the prayer before going to bed."

Alifa let out a lethargic breath. "I've read the prayer. Just like you did."

"You read the three letters of Qul?"

Alifa nodded.

"Read also the seat?"

"Well, that's what I haven't memorized."

Sontak Hamzah laughed at Alifa's speech. Moreover, Alifa said it by showing a look that seemed annoyed at himself.

According to Hamzah, Alifa's expression was really funny. But Alifa who saw Hamzah laughing concluded another.

Alifa glared sharply at her husband. Then he asked, "Why are you laughing? What's so funny?"

Hamzah tried his hardest to stop his laughter so that Alifa would not be offended. Then Hamzah shook his head.

"No, really" said Hamzah with a perfect smile. "Yes already. Then, because you have already woke up, mending praying tahajud gih."

Alifa was silent for a moment. His gaze blankly stared at the blanket, then he turned to Hamzah and asked with a face without any sense of sin.

"Indeed to pray tahajud how the hell?"

Not wanting Alifa to be angry and finally the woman to cancel the tahajud prayer, Hamzah also tried to stop her laughter. 

He looked at Alifa with a gentle look. Then Hamzah's hand stretched out rubbing Alifa's hair with tenderness as well.

"You take ablution first. I'll teach you later."

Alifa according to. This time he did not protest much. During his life, Alifa never performed the tahajud prayer which now makes him curious.

Alifa was curious, what kind of tahajud prayer and its virtues were. Moreover, he would be taught directly from a man who understood religion.

*

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The morning sunlight welcomes humanity as if it is forcing them to wake up from a beautiful dream and realize the dream.

The same thing happened inside Haida's mansion. All residents of the house wake up and do their own routine activities.

Then at seven o'clock in the morning, Haida, Yusuf, Alifa and Hamzah had gathered at the dinner table. One waiter walked back and forth serving some breakfast dishes.

Just then, Alifa yawned wide unable to resist the drowsiness. Yusuf who saw Alifa looked sleep-deprived was also thinking negative things.

Joseph smiled, then said, "Sir Alifa, what was last night? How is sleep deprivation? Don't-don't run out…"

Yusuf cleared his throat. Still with a smile on her lips, she glanced at Hamzah.

"What off?" ask Alifa fiercely. "Don't think dirty! I'm sleep-deprived because last night I finished praying tahajud, you know?"

Hearing Alifa's words, Haida was surprised to be happy. He looked at Alifa and smiled proudly.

However, it seems different from Hamzah. The man actually glanced sharply at Alifa through the corner of his eyes.

"Ah, kak Alifa can pray tahajud. I don't believe it. Just say, Brother Alifa was done making offspring. No need to use any excuse tahajud, sister."

"Hi, your mouth wants a sump with a rag, huh?" snapped Alifa who quickly grabbed the washcloth that was draped on the servant's shoulder.

Alifa got up and was about to grab Joseph's front shirt. Fortunately, as fast as lightning, Hamzah held alifa's hand and forced the woman to sit back.

"Fa, it's not good to make a fuss at the dinner table," Hamzah advised Alifa in a soft voice. "Have not gone fishing with your own sister."

Then Hamzah turned to Joseph who was still chuckling mocking Alifa. "Yusuf, don't bother your brother either."

Yusuf was silent. "Okay, Mas Hamzah."

Seeing Alfah and Joseph making peace without intervening from him, Haida felt greatly helped by Hamzah's presence. He was increasingly convinced that he did not choose the wrong granddaughter-in-law.

"Alifa, you will be transferred to college with Hamzah. Wanna?" ask Haida suddenly.

"No. There's a driver, Oma."

"Today, Oma needs a driver to drive Oma. Today you leave for college with Hamzah," said Haida firmly.

Alifa clucked in annoyance. He sighed to remain patient and thought of the best way not to be delivered to college by Hamzah.

"I take public transportation only," said Alifa briefly while continuing to eat his food.

"No," said Haida more firmly. "Oma doesn't agree you're taking public transport. If there is danger or someone who intends evil, how?"

"Already, Fa. Follow Oma's will. Let me take you to college. I'll try, God willing, the secret of our marriage will be safe."

Alifa clucked and sighed resignedly. She was afraid that her friends would know she was married.