CUTS
Elder brother...

“How are the Ashes and Umi?” my voice was choked when I was facing the parents of Kak Limah.

“Alhamdulillah we are good. They treat us well here. Thank you for still seeing us. Though we also know for sure your life is harder than us.”

“No, Ash, Umi. Thank God Cut is fine even though we can not go back to the village first. Umi and Abu send greetings to you.”

“Walaikumsalam. Give our greetings back to them. So you now where do you live?” ask Umi Kak Limah.

“There are temporary houses reserved for Cut family. To be honest, Cut is still afraid to go back to the village again, Umi. Cut is afraid that the incident will happen again.”

Umi Kak limah grasped both my hands. “Be careful, Cut. Umi always prays for you just as Umi prays for Halimah who is not where she is now. Are alive or dead. No one knows what happened to them. Are you okay after living in that cave for a long time? Umi apologizes for not being able to take good care of you and the baby.”

“Not Umi, Umi is a big contributor in Cut's life. If Umi doesn't hide Cut there, I don't know what will happen to Cut at this time. Maybe Cut would rather die than be with that guy. He's very rude and scary, Umi.”

It was seen Abu Kak Limah breathing out. “We also regret having chosen the wrong daughter-in-law. Not the happiness earned by Limah but instead the opposite.”

From his words clearly sounded like there was regret from Abu Kak Limah. “We never know how to live in the future. But we had a choice and Cut chose not to accept Khalid's proposal because Cut didn't know him and didn't like him. Abu don't feel guilty. At least Kak Limah likes and loves her husband so that for her it is enough and Kak Limah accepts her husband wholeheartedly.”

“Cut, do you like other men? Or is there a guy who likes you?” umi Kak Limah's question made me flutter. What should I answer? If it doesn't mean I lied to them and if it does, they'll ask who.

“I am her future husband, Sir, Buk.”

“Hah??”

Rendra suddenly came to us. “The time is up.” whispered it in my ear.

Degs...

Why is he so daring to act like this in front of Kak Limah's parents. Really don't know manners. I grumbled in my heart to see all his behavior today. I felt very embarrassed and confused to face the two old men in front of me.

“So this is your future husband? Umi supports. May you be happy always.” Umi Kak Limah hugged me.

“He is very handsome, now Umi knows why you rejected Khalid.” Whisper Umi to me.

My face flushed with shame. We said goodbye and then came out of the room of Kak Limah's parents.

What's he doing now? Once again he bravely held my hand as we walked towards the car.

“Please release. It's sin.”

“Then let's make this sin a reward!” I stopped for a moment and made him stop.

“The name of sin today remains sin and what we do later after halal is only a reward. Sins now will not disappear even if later we get married.”

I looked at him sharply and full of anger but what I see now. This guy is smiling at me. A smile rose on her lips and I was glued to the spot staring at her.

For the first time I saw him smiling so hard at me. I nodded as her footsteps approached me. Reflex, I rewind my steps backwards.

“You received my application?” i gawk.

“So you said sin is now still a sin even though later we get married and that means you accept my proposal.”

“Hah??” i'm ambush. Did I mispronounce or did he exaggerate?

Ah...I am confused as to what this strange human being looks like. He's very coercive. But her smile was really sweet.

Do I like it now?

Again, I was confused by my own feelings.

“Eh...” I was surprised because he was already closer to me.

A few whistling noises and deheman from the passing soldiers made me even more embarrassed by what Rendra was doing.

“Come, we're home!” Rendra pulled my hand and then we walked back leaving some soldiers who kept whistling with occasional words that I didn't understand because it wasn't Indonesian.

Rendra looked at me for a moment before driving forward. I threw away my face not looking at him.

“I will reapply you to Abu and Umi.” once I turn back to him. He smiled back. “Why do you want to marry me? I can't leave both my parents and Teuku.”

“First, do not call me ‘Bapak’ because I am not your Father. Second, I do not ask you to leave them because they will also come with you. How?”

“Why does he protest I call you Father? That would be my inner form of respect.”.

“Don't put me in the heart. Tell me in front if you want to call me." I jerked. Again he read my mind.

I no longer answer. My mind and mind are tired of this strange man. The car returned to leave the headquarters.

Throughout the journey my mind wandered. “Abang really wants to marry me?”

I was shocked when the car suddenly rolled to the left of the road and stopped.

“Can you repeat again?”

I looked at the man beside me in confusion. “Abang really wants to marry me?” he smiled and it scared me. Was my question funny until this strange man smiled sweetly?

He was really strange and undeniable.

“Abang, I like that call.”

“Do I look playful when I invite you to get married?” our views meet.

For the first time I looked into those eyes clearly not in a photo or at a glance.

“We don't know each other. Our families don't know each other either. Where I come from and where I don't know. How are we getting married? Shouldn't to marry both families get to know each other?”

Rendra was silent but our eyes still met each other. I smiled and broke off our eye contact. Nothing else we talked about until the front of the house. He came down for a while and then left.

“How are they doing, Cut?” asked Umi who was already standing at the door of my room.

This trip drained my physical and mental energy. Breaking down feels so much fun right now. Umi sat beside me.

“Alhamdulillah they are healthy Umi. They also send greetings back to Abu and Umi.”

“Walaikumsalam.”

“Is there anything you think?”

A mother's premonition is sharp. Without needing to tell Umi I can guess. What should I tell Umi? I was confused where to start telling stories.

“Umi, Bang Rendra wants to apply for Cut again.”

***

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