183 Days of Being a Lover
42. Surprise

Bi Wiwiek turned off the stove. Claudia's mother saw the place where the batter bala-bala was already in the dishwasher.

“The balls have been fried all, Bi?” ask Claudia's mother.

“Already, Mom,” reply bi Wiwiek.

Claudia's mother put a plate containing reinforcements and a bowl of cayenne pepper on the tray. Then he took the tray to the family room. Claudia's mother placed a bala-bala plate and a bowl of cayenne pepper on the sofa table. Mr. Sultan turned to the reinforcements that Claudia's mother had just kept. While Mr. Bobby looked at the face of Claudia's mother.

“Well, these reinforcements have come. Please try. It's Claudia.” Mr. Sultan took one bala-bala using tissue.

“Aduh, hot!” Mr. Sultan kept the reinforcements and moved his hot fingers.

“Patience, Dad. It just ripened so it's still hot,” said Claudia's mother.

“Please eat, Sir!” claudia's mother told Bobby.

“Thank you,” replied Mr. Bobby. Claudia's mother is back in the kitchen. He's about to prepare dinner.

Mr. Bobby was at the Sultan's house for a long time. Mr. Sultan invited Mr. Bobby to play chess without any boredom. Usually Pak Sultan invites Rahma to play chess after Rahma returns home from work. However, during Rahma was in Yogyakarta Pak Sultan felt lonely. No one can play chess.

Mr. Bobby was happily invited to play chess by Mr. Sultan. The important thing is that he can be close to Claudia's mother. Mr. Bobby enjoys playing chess while eating reinforcements made by Claudia's mother. Until it does not feel adzan magrib reverberate.

“Magrib. We pray first.” Sultan stopped his game.

“Pak Bobby pray, no?” ask Mr. Sultan.

“I rarely pray,” replied Mr. Bobby bluntly.

“The good step if we are old, we are closer to Allah SWT. So that when we are called later, we already have provisions to be taken to the afterlife,” said Mr. Sultan.

“Good, Sir. I will try to pray more diligently again,” said Mr. Bobby.

Sultan moved from his seat.

“Come we pray together. Now Mr Bobby wudhu first!” Mr. Sultan drove Mr. Bobby to the bathroom for ablution.

After Mr. Bobby entered the bathroom, Mr. Sultan approached Claudia's mother's room. He knocked on Claudia's mother's room.

“Claudia.” The Sultan called Claudia's mother.

“Ya, Father.” There was a voice of response from inside Claudia's mother's room.

Claudia's mother opened the door.  Claudia's mother was already wearing a face, she was getting ready for the magrib prayer.

“What's up, Yah?” ask Claudia's mother.

“We pray together with Mr. Bobby,” said Mr. Sultan.

“Father only who prayed together with Mr. Bobby. Claudia prays by herself in the room. Claudia is lazy to pray together with Mr. Bobby,” replied Claudia's mother.

“Ish can't be! We must set a good example to Mr. Bobby, so that he wants to pray,” said Mr. Sultan.

“Leave it if he does not want to pray. It's none of our business,” said Claudia's mother.

“It is the duty of fellow Muslims to remind each other!” said Mr. Sultan.

What Sultan said was true. Claudia's mother sighed.

“Good, Dad,” replied Ms. Claudia.

“Well, so dong. Now you put the alphabet on! Dad wants wudhu first.” Mr. Sultan went from the front of Claudia's room to his room. Claudia's mother came out of her room to the mushola. He held prayer rugs one by one.

Bobby's sir is out of the bathroom. He saw the family room looked empty. He is confused where to pray. He looked to the right and to the left, but he did not see anyone passing. Then he walked to the empty room next to the bathroom. He saw a woman wearing a face was holding a prayer mat. That place is mushola. Bobby went into the mushola. The woman turned towards Mr. Bobby, it turned out that the woman was Claudia's mother.

“Dad is ablution,” replied Claudia's mother.

Not long after that, Pak Sultan entered the mosque.

“Pak Bobby commats!” the Sultan's Order.

Bobby sir is also comat. Luckily, he remembered the word komat. Mr. Sultan stood in the front row, he would be the imam. Bobby's in the middle row. Claudia's mother was in the back row. They also started praying magrib.

After finishing the magrib prayer, Pak Sultan invited Pak Bobby to dinner together. Claudia's mother was forced to come to dinner with them because if she avoided Pak Sultan would be angry with her.

After dinner, Mr. Bobby went home.

“After night, I took my leave,” said Mr. Bobby.

“Frequently play here, accompany me to play chess!” said Mr. Sultan.

“Insyaallah, Sir. If I am not busy,” replied Mr. Bobby.

Then Mr. Bobby approached Claudia's mother who was cleaning the dining table.

“Mother Claudia, I'm going home. Thank you for dinner. It feels so delicious,” said Mr. Bobby.

“Sama-sama, Mr. Bobby,” replied Ms. Claudia.

“Assalamualaikum,” said Mr. Bobby.

“Waalaikumsalam,” replied Mr. Sultan and Ms. Claudia.

Mr. Bobby out of the house escorted Mr. Sultan. Claudia's mother continued her work.

***

It did not feel like five days Rahma was in Yogyakarta. It was time to go back to Bandung. Rahma and Pak Barli returned to Bandung by Argo Wilis train. Argo Wilis train departs from Yogyakarta at twelve noon . Arrive in Bandung at six in the afternoon past fifteen minutes.

Rahma and Mr. Barli got off the train. They walked to the exit. When he got outside the station Rahma was looking for someone who would pick him up. He didn't know who would pick him up. Either picked up Mr. Sobir or Mr. Lilih. Claudia's mother didn't say who would pick up Rahma.

Rahma saw a handsome, tall man standing among the pickers. The man smiled at him. Rahma was shocked to see the man and approached the man. Mr. Barli followed Rahma.

“Loh, how come it's already here? When to go home?” rahma asked confused.

“Thursday,” replied Rendi.

“Kok, didn't tell me you came home on Thursday?” ask Rahma.

“Involuntarily be a surprise,” replied Rendi.

“If you say you're home, later it won't be a surprise again,” continued Rendi.

Rendi turned to Mr. Barli who was standing behind Rahma. He cheered Mr. Barli.

“Pak Barli, how are you?” sapa Rendi's.

“Alhamdullilah, well,” replied Mr. Barli.

“Pak Rendi, Mr. Barli come to the office. Pak Barli's vehicle is stored in the office,” Rahma said.

“Of course you can. We will pass the office,” replied Rendi.

Rendi took a travel bag and a plastic bag from Rahma's hand. He brought Rahma's things. They also walked to the parking lot. Arriving at the parking lot Rendi unlocked the car using a remote. Rahma and Mr. Barli got into the car while Rendi put the travel bag and other luggage Rahma into the trunk of the car. After that, he got into the car. Rendi runs her car out of the station parking lot.