Always Gonna Be You
32. The Best Daddys Award

On Friday afternoon, Mazaya's doctor allowed her to go home. But not with Arung, who still has to get intensive treatment in the NICU room. Until the condition of his lungs is stable, can suck and swallow well, and BB more than 2 kg. Because until this morning, Arung was still choking when swallowing and the BB actually dropped at 1,820 grams.

He also had to go home without bringing Arung.

"Every day we will also nengokin Arung all send ASI," Rendra tried to calm his heart.

Initially, Rendra asked him to stay in the hospital while Arung was still being treated in the NICU. But being in the hospital for too long actually makes it stressful and depressed. Especially when he had no activities all day, just sitting waiting, the faint shadow of the face of the Jungle when close to the cheek after birth continues to haunt him.

Not yet seliweran baby boxes are pushed by the nurses to the rooms on the floor where they are treated. Make the heart more slashed to realize he is different from the others.

He who can't bring Arung into the room. He who has not been able to breastfeed Arung because of the swallowing reflex that is not good. Even the fleeting appearance of Arung which is not as plump as other babies, always managed to make the corner of his heart ache. To blame themselves then.

He was less careful until he slipped in the bathroom. He who lacks knowledge and experience to not understand if the severe abdominal pain that hit is contraction. He who is too trivial to not immediately go to the hospital to get help when a strange stomachache never disappears. He who....

A gentle rub in the hair disperse her sad daydream.

"Where are you going to stop by first?" Rendra smiled at him. "Maybe want to eat where...or the way to the Mall.....or watch?"

He gulped bitterly, "I want to go to the Jungle."

Rendra did not answer. But five minutes later pulled the wheel in front of a florist shop. As usual as always, without turning off the engine Rendra out, "Wait a minute."

Not until ten minutes Rendra had returned while carrying two ties of white roses are very beautiful. Then handed her over while putting on a smile that Rendra was really despite her face clearly showing sadness and fatigue.

"Make my beautiful wife." Rendra grabbed her to get closer, then kissed her forehead deeply. "Thank you for giving birth to my children."

He just bit his lips to hold the cry that was about to come out, to realize Rendra remained sweet as usual after everything that happened.

Without waiting for an answer from him, Rendra again directed the wheel to the highway, and did not say anything until they arrived in front of a small tomb whose surface was covered by dried red rose petals.

Rendra swiftly kept a folding chair that was deliberately brought to sit on him, because he could not sit down while kneeling. After making sure he was sitting comfortably in a chair, Rendra squatted down next to him.

"Dear jungle.ini Papi come again bring Mami nak..," said Rendra while cleaning some fallen leaves above the navel.

Rendra's simple words make all the feelings of loss, sadness, anger at yourself and a row of other negative feelings that surround it since Sunday suddenly broke unstoppable. Making Rendra hurriedly grab him into the embrace.

***

After going through long stifling nights without Arung by his side. Everyday visit to the hospital is always thrilling because BB Arung is actually getting down until it has only reached 1,790 grams. Bilirubin levels that increase sharply to be done phototherapy. Also the process of learning Arung in sucking ASI directly from the source, then swallow well without choking, which takes a short time.

Finally, exactly 17 days after birth, Arung managed to reach the required BB which is 2,050 grams. Arung is also getting smarter in sucking ASI then swallowing without choking. Make dr. Barata decides what they wait for the most, allowing Arung to go home and be cared for at home.

With a smile spread he brought Arung who was sleeping in a cradle into the house. Their return was greeted with great joy by Papah, Mamah, Adit, Rakai, Mba Suko, and Yu Jum who had been waiting.

"Here let Papah be fat," Papah reached out to replace him holding Arung.

"Well, Papah's coke," Adit frowned. "Opa dong....Opa sama Oma," always Adit while embracing Mamah.

"Oiyo..forget..," Papah chuckled.

"Opa Oma kayak bule aja," asloh Mamah.

"Keren Mah, contemporary," Adit gave a thumbs up.

"Here...here....Yangkung wants to hold on.." Papah again raises his hand to reach Arung.

"Waduh, Yangkung Aging Pah," Adit protested with a laugh. "Well, you're still young."

"Opo age," Mamah patted Adit on the shoulder. "Udah Bener Yangkung same Yangti...."

Make them all laugh. No exception Arung who although his eyes closed but his tiny lips also singled a slanted smile, exactly like Rendra's habit when she was pounding charm.

"Well," Rakai shook her head in amazement. "Can you look like Ren?! It's fucked!"

"Eh yes, really," Adit shook his head in surprise. "This is my brother Pisan," and then chuckled triumphantly. "Mba Anggi just for numpang born doang."

Again they all laughed happily.

At night, the first time he could sleep with Arung, became the most thrilling thing he felt. He couldn't even close his eyes for a second.

"Not slept?" asked Rendra astonished who just entered the room after chatting with Papah and Adit in the living room.

"Why? Charcoal fuss?" Rendra approached to kiss the top of his head at a glance.

He shook his head, "It is precisely because Arung did not wake up from earlier, that I became afraid."

"Try my brother sawin...the chest is still moving?" the most unreasonable questions result from his over-concern.

Rendra chuckled, "Arung is another good bobo. I've been.you've been sleeping. Later if you wake up let me use ASIP. I live on a little bit of angetin, right?"

"Ah, you tell me not to look," he grumbled as he brought his face closer to Arung's chest. True said Rendra, although imperceptible because it was covered in clothes and blankets, Arung's chest down and up regularly.

Rendra did not make up for his grunts, instead sitting behind him and grabbed him gently until he sat on Rendra's lap.

"Abang?! What's to do?" he turned his head with an accusatory face towards Rendra. But Rendra blew his nose.

"You are, the suspicions are not in vain" Rendra chuckled. "I just miss my wife" Rendra held her deep. "Can't you?"

He could only sneer at the blush, especially when Rendra put his chin on his shoulder. Making a warm breath scented with mint smooth whirring along his neck and ears.

"From the first time you came home from the hospital, until last night, you weren't like you."

It cringes.

He sighed.

"You never want to be out. Until I cancel all the dinner plans outside, worry you're getting the wrong idea."

He turned his head to the side just as Rendra was also looking at him. And after a long time, he still blushed every time his eyes were tied to Rendra's chocolate bead.

"I kept thinking the same Arung in the hospital," she replied, turning her eyes away because the chocolate bead always fascinated her.

"You also need refreshing. Now Arung is home, so tomorrow I want to take the road. More people, so we can keep Arung as long as we're gone."

But he shook his head. "Don't ah. Not good with Papah Mamah. Time wants nitipin baby red to him."

"Lho, this is Papah's idea."

"Ah, time?" he clearly doesn't believe.

"Seriously. Want yes. You will choose the place. Just a second, two hours at most."

He returned to shake. "Not calm left Arung at home, while we even walk."

"If you really want to spend dinner, waiting for Arung can be invited out at night. Let's get three dinners."

Rendra nodded over his shoulder.

"Or dinner at home, obviously three," he turned back to look at Rendra. "Not his big brother makes a surprise," he accused half of sneering.

Making Rendra chuckle with his right hand to remove the clench to reach into the pocket of his pants.

"My brain is no longer able to think surprise," Rendra chuckled. "But if this one is not," said Rendra while opening her fingers wide to show a very beautiful ring glittering. And without waiting for a response from him, Rendra had pinned the ring on one of his fingers that were still empty. Then kiss the back of her hand gently.

"Thank you for the most beautiful gift" whispered Rendra as she continued to kiss her fingers with emotion.

Rendra's sentence made him choked, "Abang said what the hell. Why always give excessive gifts?"

"If you can, I'll buy the whole world for you" Rendra smiled. "Sadly, it could be this way."

He looked at the new sparkling ring embedded in one of his fingers. Rendra is almost always giving more than he wants or needs. Including how many sheen jewelry was given to him. Later, he might be able to make memorabilia about any gift Rendra ever gave him.

"The main purpose of my life was success and material."

"I never even imagined would be able to marry someone.until I have children..," this time Rendra switched to kissing her hair. "Never."

"But, as soon as I met you." Rendra used her fingers to count. "I want to have my own family with you" Rendra chuckled softly.

"Until we get this far, I never really think. How dare not, so the trauma is constantly rejected by you," Rendra again chuckled.

"But now we're a small family. Feel blessed," then switch to kissing her shoulders softly.

She, who for some reason has become more sensitive and melancholy since giving birth, suddenly glazed, "I am the one who thanks you, Brother....," then ventured to look to the side to look back at Rendra's ever-charming chocolate bead.

"You know I don't know when cranky is clear. I was not angry when I fell. Not in fact when I...time..," he was unable to continue the sentence.

Rendra again kissed her hair deep, "Sshhh. Don't be too hard on yourself. You have to love yourself. Don't ever think of anything like that again."

He almost sobbed, but could be arrested, "I'm afraid Arung is different from other children because he is premature. I'm afraid Arung isn't as strong as other kids because he's a BBLR. I'm afraid of Arung....."

"Arung is a true warrior," cut Rendra quickly. "Stronger and tougher than we thought. He's gonna grow up to be an amazing kid."

"You don't have to overthink. Check his name."

"We enjoy the time together, accompany Arung grow into the best version of us."

Rendra never messed with his words. From the first night Arung went home, Rendra always asked him to rest and sleep.

"Let the scar heal quickly" said Rendra.

While Arung is taken care of by Rendra. Starting from diaper changes - because Arung skin is allergic to pospak-, feed ASIP, read storybooks, storytelling, to put back to sleep.

But he certainly could not continue to sleep while Arung cried evasive. He was still trying to take care of Arung himself, although Rendra always woke up to help him.

Rendra, never let her own hassles take care of Arung. Starting from accompanying the handsome Arung, funny and adorable. Until facing Arung who cried for hours when stricken with colic. Or overcome Arung who craves not to drink milk through a bottle as well as a spoon when he has mastitis. Even Arung was fussy all night because of a fever after being vaccinated.

In between the busyness too, Rendra sometimes still had time to cook the clear vegetable leaves for him. It's unbelievable, isn't it? Just too good to be true.

Not to forget, every day Rendra asked Mba Suko to provide the types of food that can stimulate the amount of breast milk production.

Rendra is almost always there even when he is able to cope with everything himself. With all the amazing things that Rendra did for her and Arung, making the best daddys award almost certainly goes to the one and only, Syailendra Darmastawa.

Now, at the age of 4 months, Arung has grown into a healthy baby, funny, plump, and adorable. The laughing baby chuckled as Rendra invited him to play. The baby muttered happily as Rendra read out the storybook. The baby screamed happily every time he saw Rendra appear in front of him. The baby who fell asleep in Rendra's arms. The baby is the fruit of their love.

***

Information (from various scientific sources that can be accounted for) :

Yangkung.: stands for eYang kaKung, the language of his grandfather's jaw

Yangti.: stands for eYang puTri, the language of grandmothers

Colic: describes the condition when the baby continues to cry for no apparent reason and is difficult to control. It usually occurs in healthy babies under 5 months of age, where he can cry for more than three hours for approximately three days in a row. Suspected due to digestive disorders, including gas production in the gastrointestinal tract, intestines that are sensitive to certain types of protein, hungry, or too full

Mastitis.: inflammation of the pa yu dara tissue. With symptoms of pa yu dara pain, swelling, body temperature rise/warm, fever, and chills