TELL LAURA I LOVE HER
SONGS BY RAY PETERSON
AS USUAL YANKTIE CONVEYED SWEET GREETINGS AND HAPPY READING
For eleven months Laura has been living in KEPAK KASIH MOTHER orphanage in the small town of Cimahi. She's been on her own here since the death of Tommy, her future husband.
Tommy died a month before their wedding. The invitation has been spread, the catering and the wedding dress are ready. But God willed another. Tommy died at a racecourse he was a regular at.
Three days away from Tommy, tomorrow Laura will return to Jakarta for a pilgrimage to her grave.
‘I really like this song Yank, exactly our story ‘kan?’ chirp Tommy when they just paid paid paid off catering for their wedding. At that time in the car, Tommy played an old song sangaaaaaat from Ray Peterson titled TELL LAURA I LOVE HER.
‘You're tacky, the name on the song is the same as the name of the two of us, so love this song. This song is not so good. This song sad tau,’ protest Laura. Because the song tells of Tommy dying in the arena he was following.
‘This actually describes our story Yank,’ Tommy remains convinced that the song they heard at that time represents their story.
‘Au ah,’ Laura lazily responded.
It turned out that the song was exactly the same as the one Laura had experienced. Apparently Tommy already had a premonition long before his departure. Laura wiped away the tears that had returned to flow on both of her cheeks. He slowed down his car. He didn't want to get hurt on the way to Jakarta.
Laura searches for the tell laura song I love her on her phone. Ray Peterson's voice accompanies his journey to Jakarta, his hometown.
Tell Laura I love her
Tell Laura I need her
Laura immediately remembered how sweet Tommy was when he said his love words. Tommy is very romantic and patient. He was not a bad guy so Laura was comfortable being in love with that handsome guy.
Tell Laura I may be late
I've something to do that cannot wait
What were you doing back then that you were determined to stay down on the circuit? After me and your mama always keep you from going down? Can't the love we both hold back your usual desires and want to hear my advice?
'This is my last fight Yank, after marriage I will stop down in the arena. Keep my promise!’ Laura recalled the pleading words that Tommy said when asking for permission to compete. I don't know why that time Tommy insisted on following the fight. Usually if Laura or her mother forbid, the man will obey.
It was Tommy's last game. He died before reaching the hospital from an accident in the race. And Laura only saw Tommy's clean and tidy body in the young man's house.
Tell Laura not to cry
My love for her will never die
Your body is dead, Tomm, but your love is eternal
***
Laura came by herself today. He deliberately did not want to go with his mother or father. His parents and younger brother were going to Tommy's grave with him. But Laura said she wanted to go alone. He wants free ‘chat’ with Tommy. He wanted to be able to go back to telling stories with only the two of his fiancee.
One year ago, when Tommy was just buried, for one week every day Laura came to the tomb of his lover. After that he could not come because of illness. And he came again one day before he decided to go to Cimahi to the house of uwak Ganis (uwak is the brother of the father or mother).
Uwak Ganis has a special orphanage for toddlers. In the past Laura and Tommy often came to the orphanage, in addition to making donations, Tommy really liked children. Tommy feels at home hugging and kissing the residents of the orphanage whose fate is not lucky, discarded by his parents.
“You've been a long time darling?” a woman stood behind Laura who was resting near Tommy's navel.
“Mami,” Laura hugs her prospective female in-laws. They cried together at the tomb of the man they both loved. While behind the two Gerhard Wijaya can only see his wife and prospective daughter-in-law hugging.
iAndai you know why Tommy really likes to be in the orphanage and hug the little boy,’ Inner Gerhard is sad.
Tommy is not the son of himself and Mieske the wife. They adopted Tommy when the boy was 10 months old. Maybe in the recesses of the heart Tommy felt dejavu with the neighborhood of the parlour. Gerhard doesn't have any seeds in his sperm cells, which is why Tommy doesn't have a brother or sister.
“When do you get to Jakarta? Nginep Mami's house huh?” talk Mieske to the little girl he's always liked. Ever since Tommy took Laura when she was in the eleventh grade and Tommy was starting to compose the thesis, Mieske immediately had a crush on Laura.
“Yesterday Mam, tomorrow morning I return to Cimahi,” Laura replied. They were having lunch together at a restaurant near the cemetery, after finishing from Tommy's grave.
“Kan can leave for Cimahi from Mami's house,” Mieske still persuades Laura. He misses the road together, eats, shops and cooks together. It's not good to refuse Mieske's mother's request, so Laura agrees, it will come later tonight. Because he's sure his mom wants him to stay in their house too.
***
Laura actually hasn't dared to go back into Tommy's house. A house so full of sweet memories with that electrical engineer. In Tommy's room, the room where he always supported when Tommy was tired of drafting his script. The room he slept in while staying in this house. And Tommy's gonna sleep with a papi in the guest room.
The dining room, where Laura always persuades Tommy to eat vegetables that he does not like. Kitchen, where Tommy always bothers him even though Laura was cooking together mommy. Tommy shamelessly hugging himself from behind makes mami annoyed with jealousy. And finally Tommy will hug and kiss his mama. Then they'll laugh together.
It felt like Laura had not been able to see the trajectory of those memories dancing back in her mind. But he must be able to accept Tommy's departure. He's coming to accept the fact that Tommy is different from him.
Laura hesitates to enter Tommy's room. Seen all the goods are still neatly arranged no one moved places. Their engagement and prewedding photos are plastered in large frames. The pigura that Tommy ordered was special to match the color of their clothes in the photo.
Laura was crying. He ran out unable to see all those memories. He ran into Mieske's arms.
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YANKTIE (daughter's eyes) thanks you for stopping by this simple story.
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Sweet greetings from Sedayu~Yogyakarta