Dul
125. Family Dating

“We took a taxi, yes. I called,” said Dul, showing the phone in his hand.

“Abdullah to come here just pick me up? I should have come by myself.”

“Should be picked up. Because I brought it. Moreover, I asked you to the house up what. Not yet mother who answers if I will pick you up. So, it should be like this. Come on, that's the cab.”

A taxi approached the side of the road and Dul could only flick his hand letting Annisa precede the step. He opened the passenger door and waited for Annisa to enter first. The taxi drove to the destination with those who had not started a single chat.

They were busy looking to the right-left of the road. Both of them were pretending to be busy. Chat material crammed in the head, but could not find the right word as an opening. Their pair of hands lay awkwardly on each other's laps.

“Ehem.” Dul glanced at Annisa, then glanced at the taxi driver behind the wheel. “If gini weekend is usually to where?”

“I answered yesterday. I'm not going anywhere because I'm tired of work. Usually only in the bedroom sleep-sleep.” Annisa clenched her mouth holding a smile as she saw Dul's face instantly blushing.

“Oh, yes. Yesterday I was. Ehem.” Dul is back in a little thump.

“If Abdullah .... every semester holiday must come home, huh? Once every six months?” ask Annisa.

“Iya. Is correct. Every semester holiday definitely go home.”

“Still seeing Robin and Putra?”

Hearing the name Robin and Putra called, Dul like getting new energy in the topic of conversation. Why does he not remember to tell about his friends as a matter of conversation? Dul slightly shifted his seat to be able to see Annisa's face.

“Robin is now a branded gas agent and gallon of drinking water. If the Son, now open the business sambal packaging together with Joseph. Tau Yoseph, aren't you?” ask Dul.

Annisa knitted her brows. “Which one, huh?”

“The most persistent chips trader in SMA we used to be,” cetus Dul.

“Ah, yes. Just remembered. If you go anywhere, take plastic and go to classes. The promotion is funniest. There is a slogan that he says most often. That's ...” Annisa tried to remember.

“The stomach is not full, but the heart is certainly happy. Yoseph Mama Chips a thousand rupiah only?” Dul who had memorized outside his head immediately said that.

“Nah, yes!” annisa exclaimed, patting Dul's hand softly. “It turns out you remember aja,” he continued again, patting the back of Dul's hand.

Dul laughed, but his eyes changed to look at Annisa's hand. Seeing that Dul realized his touch, Annisa fell silent and pulled her hand. However, in the military for two years, Dul experienced a rapid increase in his reflexes. As fast as lightning he caught Annisa's hand and grasped it. “Nothing, right?” dul asked, holding Annisa's hand over her knee.

Annisa again clenched her mouth and nodded. He clenched a second Dul's hand that was holding it. That taxi was pretty cold. But just a few minutes later, his palms started to sweat. Dul's hands may be too warm for his cold hands.

The rest of the journey they spent in silence and clasped hands. The urge of taste in the chest is only able to be present in a simple touch. Although it looks everything is still able to be muted, but the sense is getting clearer even though it was delayed.

“We have arrived. That's my home,” said Dul, pointing to the three houses in front of the taxi that started to slow down. “We stop in front, yes, sir. Black fence.” Dul gave a hint. He looked at her hand and Annisa who was still at sea. Unfortunately, the taxi payment is cash. If paid using a credit card or electronic money, he might not let go of Annisa's hand.

“It's really nothing, right? Girlfriends come to the house.or is it common? I mean.. Abdullah's family is used to it...”.

“Not yet. Not used to. This is the first time I've brought a girlfriend home. Really first time. That's why I'm so nervous. My sister, Mima means. Mima is a little cherry. You don't be surprised,” said Dul in front of the fence.

“Definitely funny. I never had a sister and never had a niece. What grade mima?”

Just as the bell rang once, someone had already opened the iron fence hook. Then Mima's face appeared at the door. His sight moved quickly between Dul and Annisa. Then ….

“Mother …! Dul came with his girlfriend!” shouting Mima.

Dul glared and smothered Mima's mouth. He quickly dragged his sister into the house. Annisa laughed as she re-attached the gate.

“Why should you scream? Saying boyfriend. Little boy has been so good talking girlfriend.” Dul squeezed Mima's nose.

“So what do I want to call? Wouldn't you like it if Mbak Nisa became Mas Dul's girlfriend? If I don't want to, I can fix that sentence.

“Udah. Don't yell anymore. Which mother?” whispers of Dul to Mima.

“Mother in dining room. This was released first,” said Mima, releasing Dul's hand that was still in his nose.

“Ya already, Mas directly into aja.”

“Mas ... Suddenly I'm sad.” Mima looked up at Dul with her mouth pursed.

“Sad why?”

Mima hugged Dul tightly. “A minute I can't hug, Mas. I have a boyfriend. If you have a boyfriend, you will get married. Getting married and leaving home will forget me. Ibra and I will be eliminated. We're going—”

Dul released Mima's embrace and placed the back of his hand on the little girl's forehead. “Mima no longer hurts, right?”

“Ck, no.” Mima releases Dul's hand from his forehead. “Eh, there's Sister Nisa. Come on, let's go inside. Nisa will sit next to me. Not next to Dul. If sitting next to each other can not look at each other.” Mima chuckles as she drags Annisa into the dining room.

Dul took a deep breath and followed him into the dining room. As always they do for any family member. No one thinks Annisa's arrival is too strange to need to be asked questions. Seamed casually prepare the dishes around the table. Bara sits casually watching Ibrahim talk about the picture of the cluster of planets he showed. Mbok Jum looks to be on his back to the dining table and struggling with watermelon.

“Mother .. This is Ma'am Nisa already nyampe,” said Mima.

“Udah long time no see. Nisa getting beautiful, yes ..” Sejah approached Annisa who was heading towards him. “Seeing up close is getting more beautiful. Mas, this is Nisa.”

Bara smiled along with his glance at Dul. Just this morning, Dijah said he had spoken wrongly to Dul. And just now the colonized again said that Annisa is indeed more beautiful when viewed up close. Bara shook his head faintly. She has become a whole mother. He had already managed to turn that cold and expressionless figure of the Colored One, into a warm wife and mother figure.

“Udah collects all, right? We eat first, yeah. Dad was laper,” said Bara after the event shook hands with Annisa. “Come, Mas Dul please review which Mother's cooking should be tried first with Nisa.”

Mbok Jum approached the table with a bowl containing pieces of watermelon. “Soto Betawi is the one who cooked his mother Mas Dul. If this balado chicken, that cook Mbok Jum. Mas Dul likes Soto Betawi. If you want to learn the cooking, the same mother Mas Dul directly. Neng Nisa often messes around here even though Mas Dul is not at home. Soon Mas Dul's mother will often be alone at home. Mbok must return to Kalimantan. Dul's mother has no friends. Ibra must also be lonely.” Mbok Jum stood up to prepare Ibrahim's lunch with his eyes back in tears.

Sejah rubbed Mbok Jum's back gently. “Later I'm not alone. Nisa must be here a lot. Yeah, right, Nisa? Want to play here for Mom even though Mas Dul again in dormitory?” Seized looked at Annisa who was staring at Mbok Jum with reddened eyes. Apparently the girl was also moved by the words of Mbok Jum.

“Iya, Mom. Nisa comes here often. Nisa will learn to cook from her mother Mas Dul. I will play the same Ibra. Let Mbok not think,” said Nisa.

“Main is also me, Ma'am. Teach me to make rich hair gini.” Mima touched the tip of Annisa's hair.

Annisa gave a small laugh while stroking Mima's hair. “Mima's hair is original. More beautiful,” Annisa said.

To Be Continued