He's Not The Best
38. The Buluk Child

The Buluk Child

Runa and Winsi turned to the reflected basketball and saw Erlan warming up. The two women looked at each other then, Runa stroked her son's head gently.

“If you feel insignificant at the moment, that doesn't mean you mean nothing to others,” he said with a long sigh. “Could be you are disappointed because you do not appreciate you but, you should know that there are still others who appreciate you more than Mr.”

Hearing her mother's words, Winsi turned to her mother back and said in her heart, ‘She called me Buluk, is that what mom said appreciates me more? Watch out for you, Lan!’

“Ayo ... Erlan's same sport, he's daily tidings to Mom, like he wants you out of the room, kasian he has no friends. Thank God this family is willing to accept us well, Erlan's grandfather too. She's good with mom. You've never met him, have you? Think of him as your own grandfather ...” said Runa while staring at Winsi who was also still looking at him with a complicated gaze.

The girl got up leaving her mother without a word, she became even more reserved than before, more indifferent than usual and, her eyes always shone on such a wounded heart, he doesn't even know how to start school. He was too embarrassed to look at everyone's face.

Arkan had informed the school of what had happened to Winsi and asked permission until the girl was ready to return to school. He deliberately kept Runa and Winsi in his house until all the problems were over and, the girl could be calmer.

Repeatedly Runa asked for permission to move and rent the house herself, but she was not willing to let the mother and child go, because their presence indirectly made the quiet atmosphere in their residence change. He realized Runa was so self-preserving and did not show any more feelings for him, but he wished they would stay there anyway.

Runa's care and affection for Erlan warmed her heart, she was like a fairy God sent to give a mother a touch. Indeed, there is Hasnu's wife as a woman who took care of her child since childhood, who also paid a lot of attention to her but, it still feels different.

While Winsi was already near Erlan, staring cynically at him, making the man shudder. Never saw such a cold gaze from Winsi that he had known all this time was so gentle and reserved. He is like becoming someone else now, is it forever? Erlan shook her head, she was already very happy that the girl was willing to come out of her room.

“You can play Basket?” asked Erlan calmly.

“Ngak!”

“If badminton?”

“Ngak!”

“Karate?” Erlan asked back with the furrowing of the eyebrows deepening.

“Ngak!”

“Long!”

“Ngak!”

“Can I say other than, nak?” erlan said while facing right in front of Winsi and ruffled waist.

“No! Now I ask you Lan. Indeed, you really want to exercise with this Buluk Child?" Winsi said while pointing to herself, after which Winsi stepped towards the house and returned curled up in her room. It seemed like he didn't care about being in anyone's house, he would still behave the same way.

Seeing the attitude of Winsi, Erlan concluded that the girl was not ready for school. She was like a little elf that God had sent deliberately to trouble her! However, whatever the power, he was the only friend he considered to be in the neighborhood of his house.

Erlan used to see little Winsi when she was allowed to cycle on the road. The girl looks very cute with colorful ribbons adorning her hair, she looks exhausted following the steps and holding her mother's hand who is selling around the complex.

Little Erlan is always under the supervision of Neni-wife Hasnu, the nanny who is considered to be her mother. The woman always bought Runa's merchandise until they met often. The two children were no longer close what was familiar, but because they often met, making Erlan consider Winsi a friend.

Such events continue to repeat, until the last three two years, Runa chose to sell at the crossroads so that Erlan could no longer meet often, he said, with Winsi because the girl does not have to go around with her mother.

Erlan became uninspired to do her activities after seeing Winsi not interested. He stepped through the guest room whose door was open. She wondered why she never closed the door while she was sleeping, even at night.

Quite carefully Erlan tried to close the door, almost without a sound as she saw the central Province curled up like a ball.

Click!

Erlan was flabbergasted to see Provinsi crying while crouching on the side of the door that had just opened. The girl's face was so miserable like she had just seen a creepy ghost that would strangle her. Is that how severe the trauma is?

Erlan knew very little about what Winsi had experienced from his father, but he did not expect that this would be the result.

‘Astaghfirullah!’ peekkik Erlan in heart.

“I'm sorry, I!” Erlan said in panic. She knelt down while staring at the gentle Winsi, wanting to hug and wipe away her tears but, could not.

Suddenly Winsi saw Erlan with her face still covered in hateful tears then, pushing her strong until the teenager lurched back.

Runa, Hasnu and Neni, who happened to be in the kitchen, had gathered to see what was happening. They immediately asked Erlan to stay away and two other adult women hugged and calmed Winsi until she stopped crying.

*****

It has been more than three weeks Runa and Winsi were in the big house and, during that time also did not hesitate Runa behaved like a servant. All that he did to redeem his bud for Arkan for allowing him to live with his son without reward.

Ever since Erlan shut the door, no more men dared to approach the province because Arkan forbade, especially his son. Strangely only to him, Winsi was not afraid to cross paths.

But unlike today, the boy walked alone, approaching Anas who was cleaning the grass in the backyard of the mansion. The man looked surprised and nervous to see Winsi standing behind him.

“Om, whose name is Anas, right?” asked Winsi in a trembling voice while looking at the plainly dressed man equipped with a large hat on his head.

Anas stood quietly, having mastered himself from nervousness. He knows about the mother and daughter. The story of the girl who was helped by her employer was spread among servants, drivers and other workers until the ban on approaching the province was heard as well.

“Iya, Neng?” Anas answered while putting the cleaning tool in his hand.

“What Om has known my mother for a long time?” Winsi stared intently as she spoke.

Meanwhile, several pairs of eyes watched the two. What Winsi did was a good development. Traumatic therapy from an expert that Arkan paid for has shown progress.

“Oh, it .. already, Neng. It's been a long time.”

“Since when, what since my Mom got pregnant?”

Winsi's question was beyond estimation, Anas had absolutely no idea where this girl's question was headed. He first got to know Runa when he had just come out of the area around the market, a few years ago. The bus terminal area is close to the traditional market.

At that time he had just come there to fulfill his Hasnu— call who became Erlan and Badru's personal driver. He asked her to be a gardener there.

She thought Runa was a known woman. Therefore, Anas called him by the name of the wrong person and then, Runa denied it. That's when they got acquainted. Not in thought they lived in a nearby place until every time they met, they seemed familiar like a friend. The woman's face at first glance looked similar to her friend who went out of nowhere, she liked it but, after finding out if Runa was married, she did not dare to approach her.

“Oh, not .. I knew Mbak Runa only about four years ago, you were a child. You do not remember that time, in the market near the terminal?”

Winsi tried to remember the events mentioned by this man but, as hard as he thought he still could not remember them. However, he concluded, that Anas, what his father meant was not Om Anas who was in front of him at this time.

Winsi smiled wryly, he was like mocking himself, apparently the name of Anas called father will still be a puzzle.

“Om know the Father? Is my Father fierce every time I meet the same Om? Father said, I am the son of a man named Anas!”

“Wiwin!”

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