My father's charm
Chapter 5 - Staying Patient

Alka came home at exactly 7 pm, she arrived with a few packages of food.

Raline and Sean who saw the presence of her father smiling cheerfully approached Alka.

"Why did you come home so long?" ask Raline.

"The workshop was crowded, so go home long ago. But, I brought you fried chicken flour," replied Alka.

"Hore, I brought fried chicken. Thank you," Raline smiled happily.

"Bring it there!" pointing to the dining table. "Dad wants to take a shower" he continued.

"Good, Dad." Raline walked with the package to her mother and sister.

Alka walked behind her daughter on the crawl after Sean.

Alka put the citrus fruit that Varrel likes and 2 plastic contains Padang satay.

Rani grabs Sean's body and holds him.

"Dad wants to take a shower, we'll eat together. Father has also bought bread for you" Alka spoke to her son.

Sean moved his head giving a nod.

Not until 30 minutes, Alka was in the middle of her small family and Rani had copied the food her husband bought.

Varrel and Raline were so good at eating her favorite satay.

While Rani eats by occasionally playing her gadget.

"Is there anything important that you can't put your phone down?" ask Alka.

Rani did not answer and placed it next to her plate. He resumed his eating.

Sean was on Alka's lap, the man so painstakingly fed citrus fruits to his youngest son's mouth.

-

On the eve of sleep, Alka's three children closed their eyes and she went to her room. His wife was still staring at the screen while laughing.

Alka ignored him and chose to sleep.

At 12pm, Alka woke up wanting to pee and his wife was not next to her. He walked into the kitchen and heard someone laughing faintly.

Alka approached the origin of the voice as it turned out that her wife was on the phone with someone in the living room.

"Kim!" call slowly.

The surprised Rani held onto her chest, "Mas, just surprise me!" he then hung up his phone call.

"Who are you calling at this hour?"

"Friends, Mas."

"Male or female companions?"

"My schoolmates, Mas. He's a man" answered Rani.

"Don't she know you're married?"

"Here you go, my mom."

"Is it appropriate for another man to call a woman who's been married these nights?"

"Mas, we're just friends" replied Rani.

"Yes, I know you are friends but remember your current position" Alka said, passing by.

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

Breakfast Alka chose silence, he enjoyed his wife's cooking food.

"Monday I'll take part in a coloring competition. Mom and Dad are coming to school, yeah!" Varrel told.

"Mom can't, Varrel. On Monday, I started working in the office" Rani said.

"Dad will take the time to accompany you to the race," said Alka.

"Thank you, Dad." Varrel smiled happily.

"Let's go now, it's almost seven" Alka said.

"Well, Dad," Varrel stood up and went to the room to pick up his school bag and shake hands with his mother.

Alka also said goodbye to her wife.

-

At 3 pm, Mama Lilis contacted Alka and said that her three children had not been picked up by Rani.

"Where is Rani going, Ma?"

"Say he wants to meet his friend" he replied.

"After Varrel got home from school" Lilis replied.

"I'll be home soon to pick up the kids" Alka said, then hung up.

Alka hurried to her mother's house.

Arriving there, Alka then brought her children home and Mama Lilis also said that Rani would pick up her grandson at 2 pm.

"Why did Dad pick us up?" ask Raline.

"Because Mom is having business," replied Alka riding her motorcycle, her house and Mama Lilis' house are only 1 kilometer away.

Arriving at home, Alka bathed her children and put Sean who had been whining.

At 5pm, Rani arrived home. She saw her husband was busy folding clothes that were piled up in the lounge.

Alka knew his wife came home just silent and did not want to ask.

"Why didn't you tell me that Mas picked up the kids?" ask Rani.

"What's telling you? You just go not permit me?" back asking.

"Mas, I was in a hurry. My phone is dead too" replied Rani.

"Can't you call me to borrow your friend's phone?"

"Mas, I'm sorry" he replied.

Alka sighed.

"Next time I'll ask you for permission, ma'am."

"Yes" said Alka briefly. "Go take a shower, the kids have taken a bath, too" he continued, not wanting to prolong the problem.

Rani rushed to the room to clean herself up.

-

Dinner Alka preferred to be quiet and not talk much.

"Mom why did it take so long? Sean from earlier cried, thankfully Dad came to pick me up," said Raline.

"Mother was away with friends, sorry to keep you waiting too long" Raline said.

"Why didn't you ever bring us to meet your friends?" ask Varrel. "My mother and friends always took her children when she was away" he continued.

"Yes, because they didn't bring their children either" Rani replied lying.

Alka was silent.

After eating, Alka cleaned the dirty dishes and put them in the dishwasher. Rani goes to the kitchen to wash it off.

Varrel repeats his lesson, Raline plays with her dolls while Sean is busy with his ball toys.

Alka sat down beside Varrel accompanying him to study.

Sean came to his father and sat on his lap.

At exactly 9 p.m., the children entered the room. Not until 15 minutes all three slept well.

Alka went to her room and laid her body next to his wife. "Why are you lying to children?"

"Look what, Mas?"

"You're saying that none of your friends brought their kids."

"Oh, that."

"I see a lot of mothers who take their children when they travel. What's the reason you never introduced them to your friends?"

"I don't want to bother, Mom. If you take them, surely when chatting is very disturbed. Moreover, Sean is still a child to carry," explained Rani.

"You think our kids are bullies?"

"Yes, it's not like that. I want to have time for fun, Mas."

"I let you go but remember with your children, you can take one of them. So as not to trouble mama," he said.

"Mas, if I take one of the others to envy," said Rani.

"You can give them understanding" said Alka.

"Other times, if Mas wants to go or hang out with your friends take the kids too!"

"I always go to take you and the kids, after coming home from the workshop I never go anywhere," explained Alka.

Rani fell silent and could not deny it anymore, what her husband said was indeed true.

Alka then tilted her body and closed her eyes, inexplicably the more days his wife's attitude made her upset and disappointed.