KAYLA, The Substitute
Khanzaniah

Kayla stopped at the front door of a hospital.

He caught his breath when he came in. He feels various feelings that arise after a long time not meeting the friend.

Dev stopped, looked at Kayla and asked.

"Did you change your mind?"

Kayla shook her head, "I'm just afraid of Bang Dev, afraid things will get worse if we meet. What if Nika's afraid that if I come here just adds to the pain?"

"There's no such thing, instead he's been waiting for you for a long time. He said there are many things you need to talk about, lest it not be so, pity he is waiting and glad to hear you are coming" said Dev with a pleading face.

Hearing that made Kayla again nod, she took a deep breath and then started to step again towards the door.

"Well, I'm here for my best friend Nikayla!" kayla smiled.

Dev nodded, then opened the door of the VIP ward where his wife was lying weakly there.

"Hey, do you know who's coming?" said Dev to Nika who was talking to her Mama.

Lady Anita turned her head, as did Nikayla at the source of the voice. They saw Dev approaching, but slowly came the figure that Nikayla had been looking for all this time.

"Kayla's coming for you!" cetus Dev in the midst of his wife's shock.

"Kaila?" lirih Nika is weak.

Kayla nodded, her tears had been welling up ever since. How not, the meeting was not at all pleasant for him.

His eyes caught the figure of a friend who used to be very good to him, a friend who ran away from marriage until he had to replace it in the guarantee.

The figure that gave her living space and her heart was filled with a handsome, well-established and smart man who now gave her the offspring of a handsome and smart child as well.

But this meeting really made Kayla cut her heart. The once beautiful body now looked very thin and sick.

There are infusion hoses on both hands, a pale and thin face with a head covering as a protector of his hair that is increasingly depleted due to loss.

Kayla slowly approached the woman who could now only lie weakly helpless in her terminal pain.

His smiling face waved at Kayla, but it was Kayla who seemed to be not okay at the moment. Her nose was reddened, her beautiful clear eyes had now fallen as well.

Kayla hugged Nika and cried.

"Why are you like this friend?" lirih Kayla was stupefied by her crying voice.

Seeing that Lady Anita understood, she invited Dev to leave the two old friends to freely meet, Dev nodded and followed her in-laws to leave the room.

"Why are you crying, you're not happy to see me?" tanya Nika wiped away Kayla's tears with her weak hand.

Kayla stared and stroked those pale cheeks while shaking her head.

"I'm here for you, Nika, come on. Don't be like this. You'll be healed, cheer up!"

"I'll never heal Kayla, this pain makes me tired."

"Why do you become pessimistic, everyone will get the test of life maybe your pain is a test for you, and you have to pass this pain test, excited is Nika I love you, I love you, I don't want you to be like this."

Kayla could not stop crying.

"You gave me spirit but you just cried, I know you only feel sorry for me" Nika replied.

Kayla shook her head, she hugged her best friend again.

"I'm crying because it's so happy we could meet today, sorry to disappear for so long."

"Yes, you moved out and I don't know where. You forgot that there was a heart you left in this city, and it's still yours today. I'm pretty I can't take that heart anymore, let alone be sick like this."

Kayla looked at Nika again.

"Don't say that Nika, you're making me feel guilty. I've betrayed our friendship by loving Bang Dev, I'm so sorry."

"I'm the one who left Bang Dev and gave it to you, you're not Kayla's fault. You're wrong for playing the move without telling the truth until Bang Dev and I are stuck in a loveless marriage."

"If you hadn't moved on, maybe you'd be together and happy now."

Kayla clasped Nika's hand tightly.

"But at least Bang Dev did not leave me and accompanied this sick woman who was about to die. I forced him to have my descendants, so that I would have memories I would have to leave if I didn't."

"And you know Kayla, God gave me a chance at that. I have a daughter who I wish was similar to you, her name Khanzaniah I take from your name. You can call him Khanza, pity him. I hope you want to be Kayla's mother, Bang Dev said it all yesterday, and I'm relieved and happy that Khanza has an older brother from your ideal mother."

"They're brothers, please let my daughter know her sister Kayla. They can grow up together as I wish, I'll calm down if I leave after knowing you're still alone let alone having a child from Bang Dev."

"I'm not forcing you back, but at least I know you have a reason for that."

"Ah, Nika what are you talking about! You'll be healed, baby, don't talk carelessly" Kayla said.

"No Kayla, I know I'm not going to get well. This pain makes me really tired, I'm tired of medicine, I'm tired of lying here. But today was the first time I was happy because of our meeting."

So many things they talked about, Kayla's cries never went away even until her eyes were swollen.

But no Nika, the woman spoke calmly and lightly expressed all her heart and mind to the surrogate who succeeded in replacing her position permanently in Devano's heart.

Until the meeting had to end because the patient's clock ran out, Kayla let her best friend rest after feeding Kayla a porridge that can only be swallowed a few spoons.

Kayla exits the nursery and greets Anita outside with Dev.

The mother of Nika really understood what really happened between the three of them, the middle-aged woman thanked Kayla who wanted to come to visit.

He also asked Kayla to often come to provide support in the rest of her child's struggle which the doctor said would be difficult to achieve healing especially now the latest news that the cancer in Nika had spread to vital people othersmore.

"Bang Dev" Kayla said as they were in the car.

Dev turned his head, they were quite long silent with each other since from the hospital.

"Yes." Yeah."

Dev.

"Can I go home before I go, I can't see Khanza."

Dev stopped the car.

"You're serious?"

Kayla nodded.

"Alright, that means you have to come with me home."

"Whose house? What's your parents' house?" ask Kayla worriedly.

Dev nodded.

"Why really? Are you afraid to meet Mama? Don't think Mama's not looking for you, everyone here is looking for you Kayla, so don't play just like that" replied Dev lightly as he turned the direction.

"Bang Dev don't joke, I just want to see your daughter."

"Yes, we've been staying at Mama's house since Nika went to the hospital. Because Mama Anita has to take care of Nika in the hospital alternating with me. So Khanza took care of Mama at home."

Kayla fell silent, there was a fear of meeting her former in-laws. Lastly they get into trouble which is the reason for his separation with Dev.

"You can't back down anymore, we're close" Dev chuckled at Kayla's gloomy look.

Kayla was silent.

"Don't be afraid, I'm with you. After all Mama is not as bad as you think, not always arrogant nature will survive. Mama's changed a lot since you left, believe me she's getting better now."

Hearing that Kayla became relieved, she did not want the meeting to be unkind due to the memories of the past.

Dev stops in the courtyard of his parents' main house. Kayla felt dejavu at the sight of the courtyard.

His heart trembled, his memories spinning to recall the memories of the first moments he set foot there nearly seven years ago.

Like the first time they got married, Kayla glanced at Dev who was smiling at her. His heart became weaker now, Dev's face was still the same.

"Do you remember anything?" goda Dev's.

Kayla looked at him without answering.

"If you remember something, I hope it's not the last bad thing between us. Believe me, I am truly sorry for that day. You can hate me because that day I was angry without weighing everything. I paid for it with great regret for letting go of a wife as good as you."

"Pay all of them in prison for a bland marriage, accompanying another woman while my heart is still on you. I'm sorry Kayla."

Dev clasped Kayla's hand that had been silent since.

"Sorry not been a good husband to you in the past. I'm really sorry."

"Sometimes regret doesn't mean anything Bang Dev, I'm fine!" sahut Kayla smiled.

"And you know your answer is as if it breaks my heart."

Kayla pulls her hand from Dev.

"You didn't bring me in? I'm here for Khanza!"