Tarnished Before Accident
Chapter 35. A Secret

A cafe on the side of the road became where I talked this time. Maybe too early in the morning we ordered a chair so that the atmosphere was still quiet for visitors who are usually always crowded.

A cup of cappucino and a latte sat on the table accompanying the two of us.

"So, what does Mama Leli want to say?" ask after sipping the tip of the cup that contains the latte.

"Actually, Non, Mbak does not know for sure because Mbak worked at home when Non was five years old, but ...."

Leli seemed hesitant to say it. However, the curiosity of my origins made me not be able to wait much for his doubts.

"But what, Ma'am?"

"The retired Mr. Narti has served since Mr. Arya Hinata was a child. Mbak knows, Mbok Narti has returned to his hometown since Mbak was given the confidence to replace his duties. Maybe Mbok Narti can give you information about Non's birth mother."

Leli's words have a point. However, does Mbok Narti still remember the past thinking about his advanced age?

"Do you have a Narti Mbok address?"

"She, Non. I never recorded it in a book. Mbak actually pity the same Mbok Narti. At his advanced age should stay here only, but Madam told him to go home. I don't know who's gonna take care of it."

As I recall, Mbok Narti retired when I entered the high school age where Papa had been called the Almighty. I don't understand what happened back then. Mbok Narti was escorted home by Mama's personal driver even though his age was old. Mama said that if Mbok Narti is tired of living in the city so he wants to enjoy his old days by returning home with his family.

"Don't Narti have a family, Ma'am?"

Leli sighed, then shook her head slowly.

"The only family that Mbok Narti has is his grandson. But, ...." The phrase Mbak Leli again hangs, making my curiosity even more so. "Just one year her only granddaughter, invited to work for the Hinata family home, suddenly disappeared without a trace. Mbok Narti stayed there while looking for information about the whereabouts of his granddaughter who had gone without preaching. He had reported several times to the local police, but until now the news of his grandson's whereabouts is not known."

"Disappear without news?" I cringed confused.

"Yes, that's what Mbok Narti told Mbak at the time."

Pity then lingered in my heart. In fact, Mama could let Mbok Narti who has served for decades since Papa was a child to live alone in his hometown. In fact, Mbok Narti's youth was clearly spent working in that house.

***

Scroll the circular clock in hand while swinging this leg towards the front road. I've prepared a few pieces of clothing in my backpack to visit Mbok Narti's house.

A blue taxi stopped right in front of me, and I opened the door without waiting to be opened. Only armed with the home address sent by Mbak Leli, I was desperate to find Mbok Narti's house to find my biological parents. Whatever happens, I will be happy if I can meet the mother who gave birth to me. At least in this world I still have a family, not an unexpected figure of kara.

"To the station, sir." I said after putting my body in the cab and closing the door. The taxi drove by with me leaning my back on the passenger seat.

I looked again at the thin digital screen that had been on since, watching my message still ticked one. I asked Kak Rey's permission before leaving via the Whatsapp application, but until now the message has not been sent.

What happened to Rey? How is he doing now?

I don't know why every day I go through without meeting him makes this feeling of longing grow. It felt like I was meeting him, chatting together like we always did before that night.

Consciously, I understood that what I wanted was stupidity. How can I still expect a man who is my brother's own husband? I was reluctant to meet her before, but when she disappeared, I missed her.

I rubbed my slightly distended stomach, stroking it gently. I hope that when this child is born, I will be able to double as a father and mother at the same time. I don't want to have much hope for Rey. Maybe now Kak Rena is also running a pregnancy program in their small family. I can't possibly disturb and ruin his language.

My gaze circled outwards, where the sun began to descend with surrogacy, sinking at the boundary of the horizon. The street lights started to light up from a little dim until the luminance was blinding to the eyes. The highway in the city center looks crowded, making anyone who is driving unable to catch up with time by speeding his car.

I lay my head on the back of the car seat, twitching the base of my nose suddenly dizzy. The courage to look for my birth mother receded a little when I realized that I was alone. Yeah, I fought alone to find out everything. There is no one who accompanies to just accompany, let alone protect. However, I immediately attached this heart so as not to give up until it managed to find the truth.

It took me about thirty minutes to finally reach the train station. After seeing the nominal on the argo, I took out some fifty thousand pieces of shards to the taxi driver to pay for his services.

Scroll the clock on hand once again, making sure the train schedule to my destination had not arrived. Yeah, five minutes left. I immediately headed to the ticketing counter which by then happened to not be too crowded in line. Until when the sound of the train was almost approaching, I heard my phone ringing aloud.

With a swift kurogoh my small sling bag, took a smartphone that lit up because there was a call while walking closer to the train entrance. My steps swung while looking for a seat that matches the number listed on the ticket I bought. However, right then and there I was stunned on the spot after noticing who was contacting me.

Brother Rey. The man, after a week of no news, now suddenly contacted me after receiving a message about an hour ago I sent. I just stared at my smartphone screen without any intention of answering the call. I don't know why, I'm afraid to answer. My heart suddenly felt pain for no reason. The shadow of the night flashed again, dancing in my head, making my chest tight. I closed my eyes, unraveling the pain that suddenly enveloped my heart.

Brother Rey, sorry. For now, let me forget you.