My father's charm
Chapter 28 - So Worrying

This week Shireen did not deliver catering to Alka's house, it made Raline always ask her father.

"Tante Iren, don't you love me, Dad?"

"Why talk like that?" Alka held her sick daughter while stroking her hair.

"It wasn't Aunt Iren driving her."

Ever since Shireen was sick, Alka always called the woman's place of business because she didn't want to bother him.

"Father phone Aunt Iren!" his insistence.

"Would you like what we called him?"

"I miss him, Dad." Spoiled whine.

"The word of the employee who delivered, Shireen went to Jogja," said Lilis.

"When did it go, Ma?"

"Two days ago."

"Is he on vacation?" ask Alka to Lilis.

"Mama doesn't know, her employees don't explain it" she replied. "Try calling!" his suggestion.

"No, Ma," Alka refused.

"Why?"

"It's okay."

"Father phone Aunt Iren!" please Raline.

"Tante Iren is busy again, if he has finished his business will definitely meet you" said Alka.

"I still want to, chat with Aunt Iren!" Raline was crying.

"All right, we'll call Aunt Iren, yeah!" Alka searches for Shireen's contact and contacts him but is inactive.

"How's Dad?" Raline was impatient.

"Aunte Iren's cell phone is dead."

"Dad must be lying!" Raline said in a high tone.

"Dad doesn't lie, Raline." Alka said softly.

Lilis hugged her grandson, "Darling, we'll call tomorrow. Maybe Aunt Iren is sleeping."

"I can't believe it, Grandma!" Raline tightened her cries.

"Raline, you can be quiet no!" snapped Alka.

Raline fell silent, she wiped her tears with her shoulders shaking.

"I'm sorry, son!" Alka hugged her daughter.

"Bad fuck!" Raline ran to the room crying.

"Raline was sick along with Shireen's departure to Joga" Lilis said.

"It's just a coincidence, Ma."

"Maybe but Raline loves Shireen very much" Lilis said.

"Ma, Raline is close to Shireen because they meet every day. Over time Raline will also forget him," said Alka.

"That's what you think, what if you don't?"

"Raline's not used to it yet, Ma."

Lillis chose silence.

...----------------...

The next morning, Alka to Shireen's place of business and deliver her dirty clothes, this week only laundry or catering employees who come to take to the house.

"Again, Mba!"

"August, Sir. Bu Shireen has not returned from Jogja," said one of the employees without asking.

"Sorry, if I may know. Miss Shireen to Jogja what's the purpose, huh?"

"His parents asked Bu Shireen to be treated there, that was also what brought him Mr. Radit here" he explained.

"Oh, yeah."

"Yes, sir."

"Thank you for the info, my order today is bakwan maize, chicken nuggets and vegetable soup."

"Good, Sir. We'll get you!"

Alka handed over the money after which she left.

At the workshop Alka thought of the words of the Shireen employee who said that the woman was being cared for. "What is he really sick?"

Because he thought about the pain of Shireen, he did not concentrate on working.

Alka took her phone in her pants pocket and called back Shireen. Phone numbers are active but not answered, not just once. Alka up to 3 times call him still no answer.

"Where is he?"

...----------------...

Two days later....

Shireen has not returned home yet, Raline always asks the employees who deliver the catering.

"Grandma, Aunt Iren where are you going, anyway?"

"Tante Iren misses his parents again, so you have to be patient" Lilis replied.

"But, why can't Aunt Iren contact me?"

"Maybe it's busy again" Lilis replied.

Raline hugged Lilis and cried in her arms. "No friends I'm playing with, Grandma!" occasionally wiping the water coming out of his nose.

"There's Varrel, Sean, Grandma."

"But, I want Aunt Iren, Grandma!" he said with a sob.

"Grandmother will have your father call Aunt Iren," Lilis called her son if Raline always asked Shireen.

And Shireen, the woman who had made Raline so affectionate and longed for her, was hard to contact. His cell phone number is always on but there is never an answer.

Alka tries to call Shireen again, this time her phone number is off.

Alka sends a message to Lilis that Shireen can't be reached.

"Mas, there's a guest!" call Derry to make Alka look over immediately.

"Who?"

"The woman who came yesterday with Varrel."

"Oh, I'll see him" said Alka.

Derry's back at work.

Alka put her phone in her pants pocket and met her guests.

Siska threw her smile.

"Can I help you, Mom?"

"I want the motor service, sir."

"It was a long way to get here, the motor service," said Alka.

"I came here on purpose, let me meet you, sir."

"I happened to play at a friend's house at the end of the road so just stop here," said Siska lying.

"Oh, so."

"Yes, sir." Siska smiled.

Alka fixing Siska motor.

"How are the kids, sir?"

"All healthy except Raline."

"What is Raline sick of?"

"It's been a fever for a few days, ma'am."

"Have you been taken to the doctor?"

"Already, usually never for days maybe he misses someone."

"Who does he miss, sir?"

"Shireen."

Siska doesn't like to hear that name, "He again?"

"If misses have to be treated, right, ma'am?"

"Yes, Sir. The cure does meet, doesn't Miss Shireen come home often?"

"He's been out of town this week."

"Oh, so."

-

-

The next night after eating and the children slept, Alka contacted Shireen again. Waiting for a few seconds there was finally a sound of response.

"Hello, Shireen. Where are you? Why not tell us if you're leaving? Why did you answer my call?" his pedicab.

"Mas Alka, worried about me?"

"Me?"

"Sorry, Mas. It means so worried Mas Alka to me," Shireen explained.

"You're okay, right?"

"Yes, Mum."

"Thank God."

"What's looking for me, Mas?"

"You don't know, I called you many times. Sometimes active sometimes not, you want to stay away from us, huh?"

"Sorry, it has made Mas Alka worried. I'm not moving away but there's one thing I can't tell you."

"Well, I won't force you to tell a story. Just so you know, Raline's sick. He wants to meet you!"

"Raline's sick?"

"Yes, he always asks you."

"The next day I'll be back, don't tell me this. Let it be a surprise for him" Shireen said.

"Alright, I won't tell him. But, you have to promise me to stay back here!"

"Did Mas Alka miss me too?"

Alka.

A laughing voice at the end of the phone, made Alka pull the corner of her lips. "I'm kidding, Mom. Sorry!"

"Yes, it's okay."

"Yes, Mum."

"Tell me if you're going home" Alka said.

"We're like husband and wife 'yes, Mas. I went home to tell Mas Alka," said Shireen.

"Geez, what am I talking about?"

"Mas, I'll let you know if you leave here. The important thing is Mas Alka must take care of health in order to keep the super chatty Raline."

"Yes, that's for sure."

"See you there, Mas!" Shireen hung up.

Alka nodded her head with a smile.