When The Sky Fall
Chapter 1

"What?"

That's all Tari can say. Even those words could barely be heard. Like being hit by lightning in a clear sky, the news made him shocked. His return that should have told him the good news was bad news for him.

Her stepmother confronted her with a statement about a marriage she knew nothing about with a person she did not know. This was the third news that surprised him. From his father's wish to remarry after three years his mother died until he fell ill with a stroke and heart, then this.

"It's for your good and your family." said Salina, her stepmother. Dance was still silent, while her father lay weakly in the room. "He's a rich kid, a good kid."

"But who's mom? Dance doesn't even know."

"And later you can meet. It's a bothered. After all, you have been twenty-five years. I am old enough to get married. I'm sure girls your age are already married. It's already! Anyway you're getting married. It's your father's decision." said Salina. Dance stood up from her seat.

"No! I will not marry anyone. Especially with people I don't know!" Dance was no less resolute than her stepmother. The dance went away but Salina said again.

"So who will pay off all your father's debts?" ask Salina. Slowly, but quite audible in the ears of Dance. Dance turned her body and stared in disbelief at Salina.

"debt? What debt mom? Why doesn't Tari know all that?"

"Because your father wouldn't tell you that." Salina sighed. "And I asked your father to tell you that. But he refused, saying he wouldn't charge you. But look! The debt is not paid and your siblings also need money for their school!"

"Dance will make money! No matter if you have to have two jobs or no holidays, most importantly Dance will make money. Dari also became a civil servant. Dance will also find another job."

That was the news he wanted to tell his father. That she had realized the wishes of her late mother, wanting one of her children to become a civil servant. But it has not been told he was actually bombarded with his wedding plans.

"Then you think that's enough for everyone? Not to mention the cost of your father getting sick. You think your father doesn't need money? Your father retired so insurance is not on your father's company anymore. Don't fight! Marry me! For what work a lot anyway finally married and take care of the kitchen."

Salina went straight to the room leaving Tari just like that in the living room. Dance just fell silent. He did not want to marry the same person he did not know, he never even met.

***

The next day, early in the morning, Tari prepared to return to the city where she worked. Before leaving, he went to his father's room to say goodbye. Dance knocked on the door. After her father answered, Tari entered and found her father lying on his bed. His father was forced to retire early because of his illness and can now only lie on a bed or sit on the porch with his wheelchair.

"Dad.. The pamit dance first. Dance should go back and work." Dance smiled and kissed the back of her father's hand. As Tari was about to move on, her father held her hand. Dance sat back and looked at her father.

"Are you ready?" asked Hendrawan, his father, in a quiet voice but quite audible in his father's ear. But he knew exactly what his father was talking about.

"Dari have to do all that?"

"We have no other choice, son. One day you will get married, right? I bless whoever you marry. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have forced. Father as the head of the family but completely useless." From the look on her father's face, Tari saw a deep sadness. The same grief when his mother died. "Dad just wants to see you get married before dad dies."

"Don't say that, Dad. I'm not going anywhere." asserted Tari.

"Can you think about it first?" ask Hendrawan. Dance can only take a long breath. "At least meet him first. Then you decide."

"No! Nay! Must agree. How can we give false hope. Their dowry is big. Enough to pay for the forest and everything else!" salina from outside the room. Salina lifted her head into her bedroom. "You should be grateful that you can help your parents. Get reward. When will you live as you please?!"

Salina just left.

"Your mother is like that. He was hard, but his heart was very good. He takes care of all the affairs of your home and your brothers." explained Hendrawan and clearly defended his stepmother. "Go, be careful on the road."

The dance that said nothing just smiled and then left. Before exiting the room, Dari saw some fancy bags neatly arranged in a special closet. A bag and some shoes. Then Dari looked at her father for a moment. His father smiled at him. Dance returned her smile and left. Dance out of the room and say goodbye to her stepmother.

"Be a filial son. Your father is sickly. You should be the head of the family now. Can't be anymore!" sahut Salina ketus. Dance did not reply, only immediately left from there.

***

Dance put her shirt in the suitcase. He said goodbye to his boarding house and immediately went to the bus terminal. He decided to take the bus. Usually he would use his motorcycle to commute from the city where he worked and his home. The distance from the city where he worked to his home was about two to three hours drive. Because the luggage is quite a lot, Tari decided to use the bus only.

The day of the meeting arrives. Saturday afternoon, lunch hour. From early in the morning her stepmother was busy. Despite not cooking alone and ordering catering, her stepmother remains super busy. Decorate the living room and others. Dance wanted to help but her stepmother refused. She told Tari to use scrubs and face masks, even asking her to get a little exercise. Dance is also not allowed for dinner and breakfast. He said not to look fat. Dance gawking in disbelief. One hundred and sixty-five centimeters tall and weighing fifty-eight kilos, still look fat?? But Dance was happy, she didn't need to listen to the babble of her stepmother. He just had to stay in the room until lunch.

"Dance, hurry down." call Salina. Despite wearing earphones, she could still hear clearly the voice of her stepmother calling out. Lazily Dance got out of bed and went to her stepmother. "Well, aren't you ready yet?! The splinter is ready! They'll be here soon. Dress neatly and don't forget to wear make up!"

Dance sighed then immediately returned to her room. She sat quietly at the dressing table for a few minutes until she finally started polishing something.

Before long, there were people talking from the direction of the living room. Dance stopped her activities.

"It looks like they came. The huft! I really don't want to do this." Dance sighed and then got ready.

There was a knock from the door of his room.

"Dance, get out. Your future father-in-law and future husband have come." said his stepmother in her gentle voice. Dance sighed then left the room.

"Soft if you want to." grumbled Tari.

Dance saw in the living room there was one lady looking graceful with clothes along her knees. The middle-aged woman tied her hair back neatly. He looks like a high-class noble. But he did not see a single male figure there.

"Dari, why stay there? Come here." said his stepmother gently. His father was also there, sitting on his wheelchair. The woman smiled at him.

"Geez, Dance... It's big yes. You were the last aunt to see you, you were still this way." the woman raised her hands to the knee of an adult. Dance just smiled then kissed the back of the woman's hand.

"This is aunt Dhea, she's your mother's best friend from Junior High" her father said. Dance just nodded. She did not remember seeing Aunt Dhea before but her face looked familiar. Dance is sitting right next to Aunt Dhea.

"Are twenty-five years old, huh?" ask aunt Dhea.

"Yes aunty."

"Work or still in college?"

"Aunty work."

"Wahhh has his own income dong. That nice. Because there is no need to ask the parents anymore" said aunt Dhea friendly. Aunt Dhea was very friendly, she told me about her and her mother at school. How his mother was at school. Then he said they promised to see their children. Maybe a soul mate, said aunt Dhea.

"Ahh yes, Renald is on his way here. Aunty is not with Renald. You see, he ran out of Bali, scrapped his resort and hotel in bali. After the covid rada deserted he said. There are some things to fix. Now it has started rame visitors, so it needs to be fixed in some places." explained aunt Dhea.

"It must be busy. So it's not nice to have to ask here" said stepmother Dance kindly, no, very friendly.

"It's okay. Let it. He just kept working. She eventually married her job. Thirty years old but still not interested in getting married." aunty Dhea shook her head. Stepmom Dance smiled.

"It seems that children today do not want to get married quickly. They're alone and working."

"I agree." they all laughed.

The sound of a car stopping on the front of the house Dance.

"Gee! It must be Renald." said Tanye Dhea. Hearing that, Tari started to get nervous, for some reason. At first she was already happy about the possibility of not meeting the man she was betrothed to. But hearing the man come, lost was already his hope. The man was standing at the door. Stepmother Dance immediately let the man in. The man entered the house after opening his shoes. The man was wearing navy cloth trousers and a plain white shirt that had been folded up to the elbow. Dance looked at the man from top to bottom. In surprise, no, very surprised. He saw the characteristics of an amazingly perfect man from head to toe. Men who are liked by many women. Handsome, rich and has a nice body. Especially now that the man was smiling sweetly at her! God, is my defensive wall going to collapse?

***

tadariaz