CHAPTER 7

Accompanying someone we want, then loving us with sincerity is the dream of all women.

Adiratna Maryanti turned her body to the princess now. Stroking the top of her head slowly, she said, "Ran, what we think is good, is not necessarily good for Allah, in our hope there are two possibilities that we will accept. Get it or give it up. On the other hand, what we think is not good can be what we At best, that's God's way of teaching us to be sincere, not selfish."

Ratna stopped her sentence, then continued, "We never know what will happen in the future—but seeing Aris's current change. Mother believes that people with bleak pasts, even sinners, have a better future. We must believe if Allah is the one who determines our mate."

Sentence after the sentence was raining on Rania's heart which had been hot. She flashed a smile full of relief when Aris Ratna's name was mentioned as she buried himself in her mother's arms.

The most comfortable place and the most reassuring when she was restless.

"Sorry if Rania was selfish, Mom."

"No, honey... everything happens because of fate." Adiratna tightened her hug.

"Rania believes it has been written in the lauhul mahfudz of each of our life journeys, with whom Rania knows, is friends, even with whom Rania will have a match. Rania is never worried by Allah because Rania knows humans can only plan and all God decides."

To the man who calls himself a dream chaser. Let me join you because I need commitment with you, not your status. Don't be humble and afraid of losing your pride.

Rania Adista Bramasta.

***

The evening had just turned into night when the man came. He rushed in after opening the door and threw himself on the sofa. His face was wrinkled. The bag containing his cellphone, wallet, and motorbike keys that he had brought had been thrown out of nowhere.

"Are you home, Ris?" A soft voice greeted him, approaching from the kitchen to the living room.

Now and then a sigh escaped Aris's lips. He didn't answer, nor did he look up. His eyes wildly stared at the clock on the wall that kept racing above the door frame.

"Ris, Neysa didn't mean that."

Aris turned his head and glanced at Dwi Melina, who slowly took beside him. There was a smile on that shady face.

"What happened today, I hope you understand," she continued.

Again, Aris did not answer. He looked at his mother who was still smiling back at him. There's a shade there. Especially when Dwi Melina held his hand, it was as if something warm had slipped through him.

"Mom...." Finally, Aris spoke as well.

"Yes?"

"A son's responsibility is not only to replace the role of a father but also to provide for him. Aris and Mother have been working day and night for a long time to pay for our lives, Father's treatment, but yes, Neysa is still negligent in taking care of Father." Aris pauses his sentence to take a breath so that his emotions don't explode, "what was that afternoon, Mom? She could have left you alone, sick, just because she wanted to play!" The sentence continued with emphasis, he was so annoyed with his sister because she almost made his father hurt.

Dwi Melina's smile grew wider. "Tomorrow we will talk again, poor Neysa is scared." She hugged Aris tightly.

Aris sighed then he developed a forced smile. The man felt lucky to have a mother as patient as Dwi. A simple woman never sued her husband even though he had been lying weak for a long time because of his illness. Only Aris and Neysa are the only hope.

Dwi Melina also feels lucky to have such a good child. How not, Aris knows that the twilight man lying on the bed is not his birth father, but he still wants to serve and love him.

Twenty-three years ago, Dwi Melina married a man who was fifteen years older than her. The woman almost failed to marry when Aris was still in the womb. But someone came to the rescue and wanted to take responsibility for the mistakes of others.

The man fulfills his duties as a husband and father and accepts and loves Aris and Neysa sincerely, over time everything changes, Neysa and Aris grow up, the father is sickly, and Dwi has to find sustenance, as a mother she should not be silent. Broken home?

That sentence might be right for Aris, he really wanted to continue his studies but had to drop out of school because economic factors had not been supportive from the start, then small conflicts began to occur frequently in the house. Now Aris Sabarudin has grown up with a tough and persistent character.

"I'm sorry Neysa, Ris." Dwi whispered back. She looked at her son again after letting go of the hug.

"We'll see tomorrow, Mom, Aris doesn't know yet, tomorrow I can control his emotions or not," said Aris firmly.

The middle-aged woman sighed. Hearing the words of her son was not justified.

"Ris... since the day you decided not to continue your education. Since then you have been the leader in this house, it's fine but not too hard."

Ares shook his head.

"Mom, no matter what your current condition is, you are still a leader in this house for Aris. Aris only helps. At least when we are busy outside. Neysa took part in taking care of her father, is it wrong that Aris sued her for that after she is also her biological father right?" said Aris, and the man seemed not to give his mother a chance to speak again.

The mother was silent, absorbed in the words of her son. That's right, Dwi Melina feels sad, she can't bear to see her son working hard day and night, even though his sleep schedule is irregular.

Then she also rarely spends time together or even listens to Aris Sabarudin's complaints.

The woman just made sure that her children didn't starve.

"Mom...."

"Yes, Ris?"

"It's a late, mother just sleep there," he said softly.

Dwi smiled. "Okay then, mother to the room first, you don't forget to eat, sleep doesn't stay up too late."

Aris did not speak anymore, he smiled as he looked at his mother who was now moving and leaving.

Then Aris looked at the framed photo hanging on the living room wall. It was their family photo from a few years ago. Aris then smiled.

"If life was as happy as childhood, that carefree smile...." Aris looked down for a moment, a bitter smile now adorned his tired face, then he looked back at the photo frame, "a time where life is without thinking about what to eat tomorrow." The connection was soft as he continued to stare at the photo of his family posing freely as if without being carefree, the facial expression looked happy, leaving a deep pain for the man.

***

"Why did you just leave yesterday?" Aris took the initiative to ask at the dining table.

"I have a business," said Neysa curtly.

"Then why did you leave you alone? You know what, that was careless!"

"Why are you still discussing this? Ney already apologized," the girl answered defensively.

"You know what? If mom didn't come home early, maybe Dad was lying on the floor until late at night!" Aris lost his temper, his voice started to rise. But he still tried to suppress his emotions.

Neysa laughed mockingly, she got up from her seat because according to Neysa Ambarwati the incident was not entirely her fault. Then she said, "Why Ney? This Ney also has another life, Brother. You are busy out there while Neysa takes care of you every day, but doing this is still wrong!" Neysa paused her sentence for a moment. Her voice was no less high-pitched than her brother's. It makes Aris's emotions almost explode.

"I want to too, Brother. Play with Ney's friends, and enjoy Ney's youth. Not taking care of sick people every day!"

"Enough, Neysa!" Aris got up from his seat, then hit the table so hard that Neysa blinked at the girl in surprise.

The last sentence Neysa said made Aris's heartache. How could a child be so selfish?

Hearing the commotion in the room, Dwi Melina rushed over to him.

"What's going on here?" she asked as soon as she reached the dining table with astonishment. The middle-aged but still beautiful woman was disappointed in her two children.

Aris looked away, looking in any direction to cover his angry face while Neysa bowed unmoved.

"Father is sleeping, you guys are making a lot of noise here. This is a dining table where you can enjoy your sustenance, not an unclear fight like this!" she said annoyed.

Suppose she can vent her anger and tiredness. Maybe Dwi Melina did it from the beginning, shouted as loudly as possible, then told her children.

"This is it, Mother is also tired like you." But she didn't do all that, for her it was enough to see her children not starving was more than enough. Let the tiredness only she and her Robb know.

Silence, momentarily ambush.

Only the sound of Dwi Melina and Aris's breathing was heard.

"Ney, if you're tired and don't want to help us anymore, it's up to you, do you want to leave this house? Please," she continued, breaking the silence with a soft tone but full of emphasis.

Hearing her mother's words, the girl reflexively looked up.

"Mom, that's not what Neysa meant." The girl grabbed her mother's hand, she tried to plead and again tried to defend herself.

"Then what, Ney?!" Neysa was shocked, hearing Dwi Melina's screams. Now both of them looked at each other, and a look of disappointment full of anger was visible in Dwi Melina's eyes.

Neysa was scared, there was a puddle of water she was holding in right now.

Aris was silent, even though he was surprised, why was the woman he respected in front of him so angry? Whereas last night he wanted himself not to be provoked by emotions.

"Because usually Sis Rania accompanies Neysa at home, helping Neysa take care of you, but it's been two weeks since Sis Rania hasn't been around, Ney is bored, Mom."

Hearing Neysa's narrative, Aris suddenly turned to his sister.

"What do you mean? So Rania has been helping you take care of your father all this time?"

Neysa nodded her head, now tears were flowing freely down her smooth cheeks.

"What a shame, Rania?" he said quietly, only he heard, there was a feeling of shame, the disappointment he couldn't explain.

Dwi Melina sighed, then said. "Even mom just found out, Rania has been home all this time? Help you, right?" The woman confirmed her daughter's words once again, she looked seriously at Neysa.

"Where is Rania?" Aris asked.

"Jakarta, it's been almost two weeks," replied Neysa from scratch.

"Ok Fine ... I know why you disappeared now," said Aris then he left his mother and Neysa. Then he brought a pile of disappointment, who didn't know who it should be, for himself or for Rania to go without saying goodbye.

"I'm disappointed, Ran."