Asti Girl Carrying the Curse
Chapters 224. The Mbah Imah Story
Lek No also has a desire to get facts about the existence and news of Asti's mother. Over the years, the woman disappeared and did not return to Java. When she left Sendang Mulyo Village, her baby was just 2 months old.
Of course if it's not very important. There is no way a mother would dare leave her red baby at her in-laws' house. Because the journey to the hometown is very far, across the sea and rivers. Taking her never sent any news to her in-laws about the baby, who was now an adult, and already married.
At that time Lek No was also newly married to Ratih. The girl who was arranged by her family. Mr. Harjo Winangun, as his mother's brother who financed the wedding. A party that is quite lively for the community in a remote village that is located a bit far behind the District Market. The largest market in the area.
After marriage, Lek No accepted an offer to help his mother's brother manage his family's rice fields and gardens. He was also given a monthly salary and occupied a fairly comfortable house behind Joglo's house, with his wife.
***
The atmosphere of Pakde Kerto house looks very quiet. The mansion owned by his brother Pak Kushari was more like an unkempt warehouse, than a house to live in. Missing is the appearance of a magnificent house that used to be the pride of a Kerto Juwono . Landlords who control the rice fields and gardens of several residents in various regions of different villages. He also bought the produce from the people around him. Then sold to several areas with dozens of vehicles his truck. Starting from rice, coconut bananas to the results of penen palawija.
While the house of Pak Kushari which was once the most luxurious house in this neighborhood has been sold and changed ownership. The mansion is located on the provincial roadside. In fact, now its form is changed with the establishment of a three-story building, belonging to an educational foundation, which organizes schools with Islamic religious backgrounds from the TK level, SD to Junior High School.
" Asalamualaikum!" lek No said when he knocked on the front door of the house. But many times tapped there was no answer from the occupants of the house in it.
Lek No wandered around for a while to the back of the house. It's not dark yet at 16:00. Somewhat desperately he was looking for the direction of the kitchen. Because the kitchen for villagers usually shows the activity of the people in the house if there is smoke coming out of it.
The kitchen looks lonely. There was only an empty wall and a tightly shut back door. While showing the view of the backyard of the house that never seemed to be cleaned regularly. In addition to a lot of rubbish and wood. The wild grass was allowed to grow high fused with other thorny shrubs.
The look of Lek No's eyes faced Pakde Muin's eyes. Soon the man pointed at a nice house that was in front.
" Kang we stopped by the front house there ... Mr. Darmaji Hendardi's house, he is still related to his Grandfather Asti.... He's the village chief here!"
The two men walked across the road that had been given good asphalt. Even enough to pass two mobi in two directions. . . Indeed, the state of this village looks more advanced when compared to neighboring villages.
Moreover, this village became the main entrance for other villages. Some residents go through the road to move to school, work or to the market. Including Sendang Mulyo Village which is 4 km away.
Until Mr. Harjo Winangun who at that time served as the village head, took the initiative to open the isolation of the village because it did not have access to its own village road....So the logging is done as bamboo forests, to open the isolation of the village from the access of the outside world. It's even closer to everywhere.
Therefore, the road is also used by other villagers because it reduces travel time to go to the market, to the sub-district or to other small towns located in the west of the region.
Sendang Waru Village is located closest to the provincial highway, which connects the province of Central Java and East Java province. So the traffic on the connecting highway is a lot of western vehicles, such as trucks, box cars or container trucks.
Even some of the houses located on the edge of a very crowded highway that many are switching functions... Some open stalls, shops, restaurants, to gas stations. There was also the first private school in the area. With a big mosque on that side of the road.
The school was founded by a religious leader with the aim that the village children did not have to go very far in order to continue their education to school. Because the closest distance of elementary school and Junior High School almost reached 6 km from the place. Even more if their village is located more to the corners again.
" Asalamualaikum!" lek No's voice was quite recognizable when the man said his greetings on the doorstep of the house... The door of the house was opened, showing that the house was quite good with some modern and expensive items that became furniture and decorations in the house.
" Aren't you Sarno?" reprimand a tall man with a little gray on his head who indicated his age was no longer young, who appeared in the front room. " Let's go in!"
Pakde Muin came in and sat on an elaborate and magnificent carved teak bench. In the living room there are also many other chairs that surround this room.
" This is Mbah Sri's late niece, Asti's grandmother!"
" Yes, I sent two of my confidants at that time, and Satrio helped!" said Si Pakde.
After getting acquainted and a little pleasantries. From inside the back room, an old mother came out carrying a tray filled with coffee cups and snacks on a plate.
" Kowe how are you, No? " ask the old woman who is usually called Mbah Imah.
" Good, Mbah ... Is it healthy?" lek No asked after shaking the old woman's hand in reverence.
" good, No. It's just that it keeps recurring my gout... I can't go anywhere anymore.."
The old woman immediately stepped inside the other room while carrying the empty tray. They talked for a long time. Until Lek No asked him the whereabouts of Pakde Karto, the front neighbor of the house.
" Well, when no one's home? Mr. Karto has been seriously ill for a year... His children did not have the initiative to bring his father to treatment for the reason of not having money!" Said Mr. Darmaji.
" It's about Asti's mother, Emilia.. . In the past said Mr. Harjo Winangun, ushered Pak Kushari and his brother.. . Did Mr Karto also take us?"
" In the past, many people saw the departure of Emilia with her brother from the house of Mr. Karto... They used the antelope of Mr. Karto... But the only one who returned to the house was Mr. Karto and his other brother. Mother said, Mr. Kushari came to Banjarmasin. It was only two weeks later that he returned home!" said Mr. Darmaji.
The man named Darmaji Hendardi immediately stood up from his seat. He knew this was a bit serious...He used to live here with his parents... Before working in a factory in another city. But as the firstborn and the only boy in their family. So Mr. Darmaji can't just leave his parents behind. Moreover, his sisters are in college and school in another city.
Mbah Imah walked slowly coupled by Mr. Darmaji... Lek No helps push a chair that stands higher than the guest chair...
" You want to know Mr. Kushari who went to take his mother Asti back to his hometown, anyway?" the old woman looked at Lek No's face.
" Well, do you know what happened?"
" I only heard from Mr. Karto's confession a year ago... At that time he had the first stroke, resulting in his legs paralyzed and speech pelo. His wife Darmaji who tried to find help in order to be taken to the sub-district health center."
" A year ago?" tanya Lek No was less sure.
" Yes, Mr. Kushari kept the truth from his mother Asti's story for a long time... Almost 25 years, even able to pressure Pak Harjo Winangun to give permission to marry Ayu who has long been widowed."
" It is evil that the intention and the interests that Mr. Kushari used!" makde Muin said while clucking in disbelief.
" In fact, why didn't Asti's mother return to Java, Mbah?" ask Lek No. Curious.
" It all started with her mother Emilia, her grandmother Asti. ... The young girl named Sarifah Mutia was from another district who migrated to the city of Banjarmasin. The young girl worked as a saleswoman in a shop. He is known to be in touch with a young man who is still related to his father Emilia... When the girl was pregnant and wanted to hold her boyfriend accountable. Sarifah even got information that the man was even preparing to ride a guarantee with the girl who was betrothed by his extended family."
" Felt dizolimi, Sarifah came to the wedding and told the bride's family how irresponsible the man who would be their daughter-in-law was... But Sarifah was even thought to just mess up and spread slander... The woman was mistreated by the bride's brother until severe injuries and miscarriage..."
" Samsul Muhadi Jaffar helped Sarifah and took her to the hospital... After recovering, Mr. Samsul who is a one-child widower was even closer to Sarifah. Until they finally married. Unfortunately, his ex-girlfriend always threw slander to the couple. But Sarifah has stayed away from her family. Even until Mr. Syamsul's wife was pregnant and gave birth to a daughter...Start blowing unpleasant news about the baby girl who was named Emilia Jaffar as a curse baby... It was done by the wife of her former lover .. until the remark was believed by the other citizens."