Dul
135. Congratulations From Dad

Time slowed down and the embrace was long. Dul hugged his mother who felt much smaller than him. Though ... for the size of a woman, her mother's body is quite high. His mother is always agile and never long-winded. His speech is sometimes sharp, funny, also plain. His mother still sobbed with her hands unceasingly patting his back. Her tears also melted. It was impossible not to cry in such a new atmosphere. The hug was only colored by sobs and short words his mother who said, “It turns out we can, Dul.”

Yep. Mother's right. It turns out they can go through everything. On quiet nights in makeshift clothes, and with enough money to buy rice with a few eggs for tomorrow's side dishes, they often dream. Not imagining to live rich and wealthy, but just a wish that they can live together and go far away from the difficulties that beset them.

When the hug came off, Dul was still holding his mother's hand cupping her face. Then he looked at his waist. Ibrahim's hand was already round. I don't know when that ten-year-old boy hugged her.

“Mas ...,” great-grandson Ibra, call attention.

Dul hugged his youngest brother. He lifted Ibrahim up for a while after the boy hugged his neck. “Mas Dul cool,” says Ibrahim. Dul chuckled at the cheek of the boy before lowering it. Then, his attention shifted to the two young girls who had been silently watching. Mima slid into his embrace first. While Annisa stepped foot, but stopped near the sister who was hugging.

“I'm happy and moved, but I can't cry, Mas. I'm lightheaded. Hot, Mas. Maybe if the meeting event in the air-conditioned room I can join the cry,” cerocos Mima.

Everyone laughed at the girl's words. Dul rubs Mima's head slowly, because he understands her sister is increasingly judes later if it is related to her face and hair. Dul does not want to take the risk by pinching Mima's cheek or scrambling his sister's hair.

The next minute, the views of Dul and Annisa collide. With a pair of Dul's hands still on Mima and Ibra's shoulders, he nodded at the hesitant Annisa. The girl then came forward, coming into the arms between Mima and Ibra.

“Congratulations Mas Dul ..” Annisa can't even say it clearly. His voice was muffled within the circle of Dul's hands that were hugging the three of them. Embarrassed Annisa grazed the front of Dul's uniform when touching her lover's body. He did not forget the pair of old men who were standing watching them. And at that time, the reason Annisa increasingly idolized Bara as a father figure was because of simple things, but so meaningful to him. Bara gave him time by distracting him for a moment. He becomes bold to be a little more expressive approaching Dul. “Holiday later must be a walk anyway,” said Annisa.

“Let me know Robin again, Son and Yoseph,” replied Dul.

“Go public, yes?” Annisa held back the laughter by closing her mouth.

***

Bara wore a faint smile looking at Dul who was busy with his two younger siblings, as well as a young girl who had been timid and acting afraid of being wrong in front of him and being colonized. He had to put his hands on the shoulders of the Sejah and appoint a group of other families to carry his wife's body slightly around. Giving space to Annisa to dare to get a little closer to Dul.

When the hugs of his three children unraveled, Bara immediately approached. As usual, whatever the ongoing fun in their family, Bara's turn to feel it is the last. That time, he did want to hug and congratulate Dul longer. Finished Dul straightened his hat and tidied his clothes, the eldest son looked up. They both took a step forward, approaching each other.

The hug was started by Dul. A young man whom he had first seen as a five-year-old boy was sitting next to a sweet-faced woman with a handsome streak of fried chicken. Dul with intelligent eyes that looked at him full of probing and many questions.

“Congratulations,” says Bara Brief. More than that, he may not be able to say anything. Since childhood, in the family he was known as a whiny child. Easy to cry and touched her heart. Even he was more crybaby than his sister Sukma.

Dul hugged her in a very strong and steady embrace. The small hand that stretched out to him every time it would go up to the big motorbike now has turned into a sturdy hand filled. So strong and steady.

“Still, Dad,” says Dul.

Bara recalled the sweet-faced boy with his perforated shirt collar and stared at the pieces of fried chicken with sparkling eyes. The boy who beamed proud when he was taken to the TK art show and a grateful look when given a bag of snacks. Never for a second did he regret taking the boy on his bike. Abdullah is a special child.

Dul remembers a man with a big bike who came like a hero to take him around in circles when he missed his mother. The man who bravely approached his mother who was so cold and only thought about the rupiah sheet for the sake of daily meals and the cost he entered Kindergarten. Bara has managed to keep his promise to deliver him to become a pilot. The man who raised her helped her to make her dream come true.

“Still, Dad ...” Dul again said a line of sentences after successfully taking a deep breath and holding back his tears.

The two stood face to face and smiled broadly. The two also held the shame of not glancing at their right-left. Understand that there are the most ignorant young girls in the house who will tease them if they cry together.

“Well, is it done? It's done, right? Yeah?” Mima hugged Bara's arm. “I laper,” says Mima.

“This one is indeed impatient. The want to quickly go on,” scowl Colored, patting bokoong Mima.

“Kan, the adept Mother. All must be fast sat-set-sat-set. Come on, Mima, hurry. Quick-cep—”

“We're leaving now. Lunch at the restaurant I've been ordering since yesterday. Come.” Dul's one hand still smothers Mima's mouth. Her other hand was clutching the hand of Annisa who was standing on her left side.

“Ih, don't touch women's facial skin.” Mima let go of Dul's hand, then patted his older brother's arm.

“Iya. Can't be that. Makeup can be damaged.” Annisa chimed in. “Need effort to look beautiful like this.” Annisa holds Mima's arm to shift away. He then helped tidy up Mima's slightly crossed lipstick.

“Rasain .. rasain.” Mima sneered towards Dul.

I laughed a little. “Mima now has an ally. You have to be careful.” After saying that, Bara lowered his head because he felt his hand was back in his arms.

“I laper ..” great-grandson Ibrahim.

“Wah, yes. Let's go eat. I forgot there are still small children who are still in their infancy.” Bara took Ibrahim in his arms, followed by another hand embracing the shoulder of the Sejah. “Come, Mom. We take our kids to eat.”

Seen looked up at Bara's face. “Still, Mas. I've been nganter Dul up to here.”

Bara rubbed his shoulder with a nod. “Iya, Yeah. You welcome. Thanks for believing in Mas.”

To Be Continued