
tock, tock, tock, tock,,
"Mama! Mama! Is Mom still inside? Papa wanted to ask where we would sleep later!", Bervan knocked on the door rather loudly while shouting from outside in his innocent voice. Without knowing that the question can also have meaning for adults.
If Rose was just groaning, bewildered by the intention of the little boy's question. Then Bella let go of the snack in her hand unconsciously, because she seemed to understand the purpose of the question from her son. But he doesn't know how to answer it.
After successfully gathering all of her consciousness, Bella immediately left the bed and also the package of snacks that had just run out half of her hands. The woman accelerated her steps towards the door of the room.
"Darling, what's wrong? Why are you screaming like that?" Bella immediately lowered her body while asking with a face pretending to be confused.
"Mom, Papa wants to ask where we're going to sleep? Come on, Mama come down with me now! Papa was waiting downstairs!", impatiently Bervan pulled his mother's hand up the stairs.
"Why are you silent! Go, Mama! Quick, we go down!", her son quickly tugged at Bella's hand as she remained in her place. While the little boy was so enthusiastic to hear the answer from his mother that they would sleep together, three with his father later. Berger was looking forward to that. But unfortunately, his parents' minds were not like that.
"Yes, yeah, yeah! Slowly, Bervan! We can fall down! No running on the stairs!", exclaimed Bella as the boy continued to pull her even as they were descending the stairs.
"What's the matter exactly? I was curious!" Rose put the package of snacks that are also not finished on the dressing table just like that. His eyes remained straight ahead towards the mother and the child leaving. He was ravenous some of his fingers are still combined with the savory flavor of the seasoning he enjoyed earlier. After tasting his thumb into his mouth, he immediately followed down. It doesn't matter if his hair is still rolled up with a towel right now.
***
When Rose came down, Bervan was already crying beside Bella. The little boy rubbed his face several times with his arm. And one more hand gripped her mother's skirt. Half of her body was hiding behind Bella's body.
"What's wrong? Why is Bergan crying?", asked Rose as she went down the last steps. The look in his eyes immediately fell on the figure of his puffy-faced nephew.
His eyeballs moved to examine the faces of the people who were there one by one. Because until he's near Bella, no one wants to start making noise. Everyone prefers to hide behind the silence.
For Uncle Alex he could feel natural, perhaps the middle-aged man was a little awkward from feeling still an outsider among the little family. But what's with her sister and Bella?! Why were the two people just silent while turning their faces away?! Why are the two unwilling to open their mouths at all?!
Rose crouched down, unraveling her smile while extending a hand. She doesn't like to see her niece cry anymore. Then with hesitation Bervan accepted the helping hand. The little boy was immediately taken into his warm embrace. Spreading a temperature higher than the cold tears that had already soaked the entire face and heart of his nephew.
"Already! Don't cry anymore, yeah! Later Bibi's nephew is not handsome anymore, how?!", the woman patted Bervan's back gently.
But instead of stopping crying, the little boy started crying again. Hugging his aunt, he rubbed hard on her face which was back in tears. Occasionally he pulls the liquid of his nose that hangs over his lips hard.
Rose did not stop her, she waited for the little boy's cry to subside patiently. But a look of impatience he launched at Bella and her sister. The gaze was demanding and full of question marks, he narrowed his eyes with a hint of annoyance. Rose knew that the two people had their own problems, but it shouldn't also make this handsome little boy grieve.
"I want ti, sleep with Pa, pa and Ma, ma! But Ma, ma direct bi, say no bo, leh and mema, mara, hiku! And Pa, Papa is just in, just shut up, no mem, be, la, me!", explained Bervan blushingly as he wept. The little boy was remembering because he was feeling sad at this moment.
Rose opened her eyes wide. The stare of the voice went straight to both of them. It was like a double-edged sword that instantly struck both directions. Even more upset he heard the reason why the little boy had to cry now. Although he had just met, he loved his nephew very much. He was not willing if this little boy who looked like his brother was crying again. It was enough that Bervan was crying because of him.
"Already! It's already! Don't cry anymore, baby! You take it easy, just now Papa and Mama have discussed, from now on you will stay in one room. So you can sleep with Papa and Mama too!", Rose softly voiced as she made her hand move to rub the niece's back. It's okay with the shirt on his shoulder wet from Bergan's tears.
Unfortunately, there was no tenderness at all to the facial features Rose displayed for the two adults. Both Bella and Victor were immediately shocked, as if they were hit by an electric shock they were reflexively turned towards him. The two held their breaths as Rose instantly decided on that.
Although Victor smiled inwardly, he still displayed his confused face. He doesn't want to look too real in front of Bella. Also, he felt proud of his sister. He thanked her for saving this awkward situation, and it was also beneficial for him. So, he preferred to turn his face to the side and remain silent. Let her brother work to help her.
"Rose,,!", the woman's words were stuck in her throat when Victor's younger brother even glared at her. Rose did not accept the rejection this time. Then Bella just kept quiet, waiting for the right time to compromise on this.
"Is that really what Aunt said?!", Bervan immediately loosened his embrace to look at the aunt's face. The little boy pulled the liquid on his nose with a funny expression.
"Of course, right! You ask Papa and your Mama!", she put on her smile, like a tree in the heat of the sun. He also moved his head towards Bella and Victor alternately with a confident face.
"Is that really Pa? Ma?", the little boy instantly turned his body so excitedly. Then he asked his father and mother in turn.
The hopeful sparkles, the innocence on his face, the spirit that instantly dried up his tears, who would still have the heart to make the little boy moody again?! Who would make that child cry again?!
Even Bella, her own mother, had never seen such a hopeful pleading face as long as she cared for her son. He never saw his son crave something as much as he wanted the thing in question right now. And he had never seen how disappointed the little boy was like today when his wishes were not obeyed. Right now, it was sudden that his son had become stubborn like a rock. Because usually Bervan always obeyed what his mother said. The woman's heart felt guilty for not paying attention to this at all. Bella lowered her head in a sad feeling.
"Mama? Papa?", the little boy asked again when the silence was still at home in both parents. He was moody again because Bella and Victor did not even make a sound.
"Yes, ", Bella's weak voice finally came out as she raised her head. But he had not yet continued his words, a voice had interrupted him.
"Yes, right! From now on we will sleep together, dear!", Victor's voice echoed in Bella's ear until she was speechless. Even his body felt stiff hearing that. Only his eyeballs were moving following the motion of the wheelchair that was walking closer to the direction Bervan was.
Without Uncle Alex's help, Victor runs his own wheelchair toward his son standing. He put on a smile that warmed his son's heart while continuing to turn the wheel. For a moment, the man rolled one eye faintly towards his sister who was watching him as well. After this he should thank properly for his sister's hard work.
"You're happy now?", asked Rose as she lowered her head, looking at Bervan who had just hugged Victr to thank him.
"of course! Thank you, because Mama has been willing to grant the wishes of Bervan!", then the little boy's head turned to look at his mother who was hiding tears. He spread his most beautiful smile to Bella.
"Yes, whatever it is for you, baby!", Bella also pinned a smile on her trembling lips. His stifled cry was the cause of it.
"Didn't you want to hug Mama?", she stretched out her arms. He could not stand it, he wanted to shed these tears even if only a little. But he did not want his son to know that his mother was crying for him.
Bervan half ran up to him. Then the little boy grabbed her with a hug. Bella's body even to the point of shaking because of so spirit Bervan. The little boy was very happy because he could really feel a whole family like everyone else. What does it mean they now live together, if they only sleep separately!
A clear liquid thread spilled, dripping slowly to the corners of the cheeks. Wet, moist and damp Bella's face at this time. The cry he had endured since earlier, he could finally overflow it as well. Not because he was still angry or disappointed because in the end they stayed in one room. But, this was because of the disappointment he felt towards himself. Why was he so selfish and not thinking about his son's feelings at all!
Among them, though, he was the one who knew best how Bervan wanted to have and feel a complete family, complete and perfect like a family that the little boy knows from his friends or television. That was why this cry was unstoppable again.
I'm sorry, Mom! Forgive your mother! The woman begged in her heart as she closed her eyes so hard that tears that had not yet come down were forced out.
Rose and Victor looked at this in silence. Likewise with Uncle Alex who only moves to justify the position of his glasses only. They are immersed in their own thoughts.
The sadness that Bella felt made her involuntarily continue to cry until one sobbing escaped her mouth. And Bervan heard it.
"Mama crying?", asked the little boy while trying to turn his head. He was curious to see how his mother's face was right now. Was his mother really crying according to what he had heard? And of course he would feel very guilty if the cause was him.
"It's okay, honey! Mama didn't cry. Maybe you heard it wrong!", Bella held her son's body from moving to look at her. He did not want to be caught by his son.
"But I heard Mama pulling snot into her nose!", everyone laughed at the innocent speech of the little boy. Including Bella who became a little laugh in the middle of her crying that was about to end.
"So there was dust that made Mama's nose runny. So that's what happened!", Bella laughed at the end of her speech because she did not want to mention the embarrassing thing directly. And of course he has to lie now. He still did not want to honestly say that he was crying at this moment. The woman did not want to make her son worry.
Bervan nodded innocently trying to understand his mother's words. Though he was actually a little distrustful of all his mother's words. Sometimes Bella seems to forget that her son cannot be lied to. Especially after he let go of his embrace and saw his mother's moist face. Sure if it was a tear. Can her mother stop thinking that she can be fooled?! Bervan quietly snorted while standing straight back up.
"Alright, Bervan! Now you play first with Uncle Alex, yeah! Aunty will follow after combing Auntie's hair!", Rose walked up to the little boy. He asked while showing a towel that was still coiled around his head like a snake.
"Alright!", replied the little boy a little reluctantly. He wants to play with his father. But he knew that his aunt was actually casting him out subtly. There must be something to talk about between the three adults.
"Come, Bervan!", take Uncle Alex with you as he extends his hand to the little boy.
After grasping Uncle Alex's hand, the two walked together towards the backyard. Sometimes Bervan looks in the direction of the others. Then a smile fell on his lips. He only hoped that his aunt would scold his parents who had made him cry. Bervan could feel that his aunt loved him very much. Even he felt that his aunt was more like his own parents.
After waiting for the little boy's back to be completely invisible, Rose finally decided to open her voice.
"You haven't answered my question yet?", Rose leaned one shoulder against a nearby wall. He folded his hands in front of his chest. His tone was relaxed, but not with his face which already contained a time bomb there. It can explode at any time.
"Question?", both Victor and Bella muttered simultaneously while thinking out loud.
"So I asked why did Bervan cry?", after sighing, Rose walked over to the sofa and dropped down on it.
Victor furrowed his brows deeply. His sister's attitude like this looks even his sister who is Bervan's parents. Victor feels that his sister is very affectionate and protects Bervan more than his own parents. Until he was confused who the old man Bervan is here?!
"Rose!", call Bella slowly while lowering her head. He felt it was his fault, so he would explain this.
"Yes, what is it?", said Rose indifferently. It was very different from the attitude he had when they were in the room together. Now Rose looks similar to that fierce and sinister Ben. They do fit. Behind all her sadness, tucked one small smile as Bella thought about this.
"I just felt like I wasn't right if we were in the same room. Because, because we're not a real couple. There is no bond between us at the moment. So I don't think it's appropriate for me and your brother to be in the same room. It's my fault for not thinking about Bervan when deciding this. I don't think about the feelings of my son wanting the feeling of having a full family. It's my fault for being too selfish. Stupid me as her mother, not knowing what her son wants all this time!", then sounded a sobbing from Bella's mouth. The grievous, roaring cry was stuck in his throat, and it even made the cry even more miserable.
Huh! Rose was helpless when her ears were disturbed by the cries of her fellow people. As a fellow woman, of course her heart was immediately touched when she heard others shed tears. She couldn't help but hug Bella. Although she is not yet a mother, she can already feel that Bella is a mother who loves her son very much. Not even willing if his son was hurt, even if it was his own cause. Rose knew how angry and disappointed Bella was to herself at this moment. Then he shares the positive energy he has with Bella who needs more so as not to continue to blame herself. The ritual that is always done when calming someone who is crying is, patting slowly on his back. She was grateful that Rose knew what Bella had done wrong.
"Rose, schedule a match of my spinal cord cells with Bervan as soon as possible!", exclaimed Victor from his wheelchair. The man's face was very serious, there was no joking effect at all.
"Sister!", Rose responded to her brother's call with a dislike tone. What were they discussing, but why did her brother even discuss the other matter?! Even Bella let go of her embrace and turned her head in confusion.
"Just do Brother's command!", said the man as he passed away. Victor runs his wheelchair toward his own room.