My father's charm
Chapter 35 - Conversations Between 2 Men

Shireen gave Alka towels and clothes, "Mas, this is Kak Radit's shirt and pants. Just wear it to the body."

"Thank you," Alka grabbed it.

"Take it in the guest room!" Shireen pointed to a room that was in the living room.

Alka then headed towards the designated space.

Five minutes later, Alka came out and sat back down, still holding her wet clothes.

"Let's just here, Mom!" Shireen is handing out a plastic bag.

Alka grabbed him and put his clothes in.

Shireen then went to the kitchen soon after, he came back to Alka and served a cup of warm tea. "Please drink!" put it on the table.

Alka nodded slowly.

Shireen sat in front of Alka. "What do you need to do here?"

"Why did you stay away from me?"

"I'm not moving away, Mom. It's just busy" Shireen replied.

"I don't believe in your reasons."

"As for Mas Alka to believe it or not" Shireen said.

Alka also stood up. "Shireen!"

"Mas, I want to take a break. If the rain has subsided, Mas Alka can go home, excuse me!" Shireen kept on passing.

Now Alka was alone in the living room, she spread her gaze. Look at some of the photos on the wall. Shireen and her siblings were babies into adulthood.

Shireen family photos with large size clearly displayed.

Alka continued to stare at the photo of the sweet smiling beautiful girl standing beside a middle-aged man. Without realizing it, he pulled the corner of his lips.

Nearly 30 minutes into Shireen's house, Alka said goodbye to the housekeeper. "Auntie, I want to go home. Give my thanks to Mba Shireen."

"I'll tell you, Mum!"

"I'm sorry!" Alka called one of her employees to pick her up, and she led her motorcycle slowly away from Shireen's house.

Alka did not want her employees to know that she was at Shireen's house, so she asked one of them to pick her up just down the street.

Shireen stared from Alka's window guiding her motorcycle, there was a feeling of guilt for leaving her alone in the living room.

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

A week later.....

This morning Alka had an unknown guest. The man claimed to be named Gani, the future husband of Shireen. He asked Alka to speak 4 eyes in a cafe.

Alka agreed, the two walked together to the cafe opposite the workshop.

"Sorry to interrupt your work!" gani.

"No problem" said Alka smiling.

"Alright, I don't have to mince words to you anymore" said Gani.

Alka was silent.

"I'd like to propose to Shireen, would you agree?"

Alka paused and replied, "Do you love each other?"

"I love Shireen so much, but I don't know yet if she loves me."

"I'm not Shireen, so you're wrong to ask me if I agree or not if you're proposing to Shireen."

"For Shireen you hope" said Gani.

Alka frowned.

"Didn't you realize that Shireen loves you?"

Alka.

Gani laughed a little.

Alka was still.

"You've never been so sensitive" he chanted.

"I don't love him!" said Alka.

"really?"

"Yes." Yeah."

Gani pulls the tip of her lips, "Shireen turns out to be very stupid to like a man who obviously doesn't love her at all."

Alka budging.

"In that case, surely he won't refuse me to apply. Are you really sure you don't love her?"

Alka couldn't answer.

"In a week, my family and I will come to propose. I hope you can prevent it before it happens" Gani said.

"Congratulations!"

Gani laughed faintly, "I should congratulate you for winning Shireen's heart."

Alka was silent again.

"Then I say goodbye!" the man stood up and left the cafe.

Alka sipped her coffee with a straight forward look.

-

-

Alka returned home asking Mama Lilis to stay overnight at her house. He wants to pour out his heart.

When the children were asleep, Alka and her mother talked together at the dinner table.

"What do you want to talk about?"

"About Shireen, Ma."

"Why with him?"

"He's getting proposed soon, Ma."

"Yes, thank goodness."

"Mommy's happy that Shireen's getting married?"

"Mom don't think about the children's feelings?"

"Kids or you?" back asking.

Alka.

"Shireen told us that she will soon be applying and will likely not stay in the city after marriage."

"Then how do children respond?"

"At first they disagree, finally Mama and Shireen love their explanation also understand."

Alka could not speak anymore.

"Do you love her?"

Alka hasn't answered.

"Mama knows you love her as well as Shireen."

Alka looked at his face.

"You just tell Shireen the truth before it's too late."

"But, Ma..."

"Do you love him or not?"

"Yes, Ma. I love him," answered Alka honestly.

Lilis smiled happily.

"I'm confused to say it, Ma."

"Do you need your mom to help you?" Lilis raised both eyebrows.

"No, Ma." Alka moved her hand.

Lilis smiled too.

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

The next day...

"Good morning, Mom!"

"Good morning, Mum!"

"There are flowers for Mba Shireen" said the courier.

"Thank you, Mum." The middle-aged woman who worked as a domestic assistant accepted it.

"Then, excuse me!" the courier was too happy.

The woman went into the house, then approached Shireen who was having breakfast. "There are flowers for Mba Shireen." Handed him.

"From who?"

"No idea, Mba."

Shireen read a piece of paper on a flower stalk with the words 'morning' accompanied by a smile emoticon.

Shireen also smiled and called someone, "Hello!"

"Hello, Shireen. Tumben called me this early in the morning" said a man from a distance.

Shireen laughed, "I just want to say thank you, so early you've sent flowers for me!"

"flower?"

"Yes, a very beautiful rose."

"I didn't send flowers to you!"

"Don't lie, Gani!"

"I'm telling you the truth, Shireen. I didn't send flowers to you. Maybe it's from your secret fan."

"I'm a celebrity to no secret fan."

"Who knows."

"Yes, I hung up the phone then. Sorry, interrupting your time."

"No problem."

Shireen hung up. Then he looked back at the red rose consisting of several stalks. "Who sent it?"

Shireen went to his place of business on a motorbike so that the same rose was sent to his shop.

"From who?" ask his employees.

"No idea, Mom."

Shireen sneered at her temple, "Why does she know the address of my shophouse and my house?"

Shireen is increasingly curious to disturb his concentration at work.

"Mom, what about Mr. Alka's order? Who's gonna drive him?"

"Let me go" he replied.

"Good, Mom."

At exactly 11 p.m., Shireen delivered Alka's order. Once the house seemed deserted no occupants, he then asked the neighbors and according to the woman's narration if the children of Alka were in the house Lilis.

Shireen finally brought Alka's order to Lilis' house. When he arrived, Alka was there too. The man smiled at her.

"This is the order, Mas!" shireen said in a cold tone.

Alka grabbed him and smiled, "Thank you."

"Together, Mas. Excuse me!" pampered.

"Where are you going?"

"You go back to the shophouse, Mas."

"Why rush?"

"There's still a lot of work" Shireen replied.

"Today Raline's birthday you didn't congratulate her" Alka said.

"Why didn't Mas tell me if Raline had a birthday? I didn't bring gifts for her."

"Don't think of a gift, let's go in they're waiting for you!"