The Macau Love Story
Chapter 9 (Meeting Miss Risa)

My chest rippled even more, when the taxi we were riding in had entered the entrance of the apartment building. The taxi continued to go at a very low speed, until it stopped right beside the Flat occupied by his mother mas Pandu, I was busy calming my heartbeat.

When we got off the taxi, we were greeted by two people trusted by Mas Pandu. Two men from the Philippines, and Indonesia, seemed to say good morning using English, quickly men from the Philippines took over the suitcase in the hands of mas Pandu, while men from Indonesia, while men from Indonesia, answer every question in Pandu.

Inhaling deeply, and then letting out slowly, I tried to neutralize the taste of the marine carousel that lay in my chest.

"How's Mom?"

"The condition is in good condition and healthy sir" he replied firmly while continuing to step into the main door of the flat.

"Is there any progress on his health?"

"A little bit can move his hand sir?" he answered while looking down kindly to the building security guard.

The man she had just introduced to me named April, seemed to be pressing the button up on the side of the elevator as we stood in front of the elevator door.

Mas Pandu's hand is still holding my hand which I think is getting cold due to the nervousness that attacks me.

Many times I swallowed my own saliva, hoping to reduce the pounding of the still-cluttered heart.

When we got to the front door with F5/B07 I knew it meant building number Five and unit B on the seventh floor, we parted ways with April and Adan, they first entered the unit located in front of the unit owned by Mother.

Mas Pandu seemed to press the bell, but I knew that he also held a spare key.

As the door opened, it featured a smiling young woman as our gaze met.

"Good morning sir, good morning Miss"

"Good morning" replied Mas Pandu, while I only responded with a smile.

"Please bring the suitcase to my room Nur" orders mas Pandu to him, and the girl obediently carries out his orders. "She Nuri, ART from Indonesia, who helped me take care of my mother here" he said.

Upon entering the living room that blends with the tv room, netraku captured the figure of the woman I had seen in the picture frame while visiting one of the restaurants owned by mas Pandu.

The woman was currently sitting on top of her wheelchair with blank eyes falling onto the television screen.

Instantly my steps slowed down, and my gaze shifted to Pandu mas who at that time also immediately returned my gaze.

"Mother" he said, meaning to tell me.

"How are you doing, mom?" Mas Pandu immediately knelt down when he arrived in front of Mother's wheelchair, then kissed the back of his hands reverently. While I was standing there staring with a look of compassion at the woman who gave birth to my husband.

And somehow my eyes suddenly launched a clear circle. For a second, my memory stopped a few years ago.

Mamah who also had time to sit in a wheelchair because of blood cancer, making him increasingly weakened and eventually unable to stand on his own legs.

When papah will take him to seek treatment outside the Negri, suddenly the aircraft in its overlap has lost contact, and the fateful event can not be avoided. An accident that claimed the lives of mamah and papah, that very second I lost the person who most sincerely loved me.

Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath, trying to expel the thoughts that reminded me of my parents.

"Nay"

The call of mas Pandu roused me from daydreams. When I scanned his face, Pandu mas who had been kneeling, was now standing beside me.

"Why you?"

"It's okay" I lied while rubbing my wet cheek.

Without orders, I did what Pandu did earlier. I knelt in front of the wheelchair, and grabbed the back of his hand. "How are you, ma'am?"

Mother seemed to blink, maybe it was a response to my greeting. For almost a minute I stared at my mother in silence, mas Pandu interrupts me with a sentence that introduces me to my mother-in-law.

"This is Nayla ma'am, Pandu's wife" I smiled seeing Pandu's mas whispering the sentence in mom's ear. "Now the mother will stay with the mother's daughter-in-law, and Pandu promises will often come later" he whispered again making my smile more and more.

I looked up at her a little, a few seconds later standing up "Mother why?" my question, but mas Pandu just shook his head. I can't guess what the hell his head is about. My eyes continued to look at Pandu mas who was also locking my eyeballs.

"Sir, the room is ready, maybe you want to rest first" said Nuri breaking the silence between me and mas Pandu.

"Good sir"

Mas Pandu took me to the room, when he arrived in the room, we both sat side by side on the edge of the bed.

"Mother had a stroke" said mas Pandu who made my attention back to the hand on my lap, now turning to mas Pandu.

"Since when?"

"Two years ago?"

"So it's been two years that I haven't done any activities?"

Mas Pandu nodded, for a while, we were silent to each other, and out of nowhere, I could not help but remain silent.

"I'll help you take care of your mother" I said slowly, "And mas has to frequent our nengokin here" I continued to remind.

"Thank you" he replied.

It was my turn to nod my head this time. After that, we both stared at each other. I gave up, because I could no longer return the sharp gaze of Pandu.

I lowered my head, observing my fingers creeping together, occasionally staring at the ring that was coiled around my finger. A wedding ring.

I feel anxious, but I don't know where this anxiety comes from.

Suddenly, one hand of the guide was outstretched and a few seconds later I felt his hand at the top of my head.

"I'll visit you twice a week" he said as if calming me down "If possible, I'll come home every day"

I turned my face to the left, this time I ventured to look at him longer, diving into the depths of his retina that was as dark as night, figuring out the solemnity of the sentence that had just come out of his mouth. There I found no more cold and frightening glare emanating from his eyes.

"What?" tanyanya gently.

"It's okay?" sahutku seraya. Hand mas Pandu who had touched the top of my head, know-know already coiled around my waist and then pulled until my body shifted closer to him.

And my heart, in a few seconds, jumped up and down. My reflexes pulled away from him, but his hands seemed to hold me back.

"don't move" she said, which made me even more clumsy, besides maybe my face flushed with the embarrassment.

And I, start to love him even though only a few percent.

"We went out with mom" I said, and we both got up from her seat "I'm going to go to the toilet first"

***

Nur, when do you check the doctor?" tanya mas Pandu, her voice faintly heard from the toilet in the mas Pandu room.

Because the apartment, not too big, only has two rooms with each bathroom in it. There is a small kitchen that blends with the dining room, and a tv room that blends with the living room, as well as one public bathroom next to the tv room.

When I joined mas Pandu, mother and also Nuri, I listened to what Nuri said, he was explaining to mas Pandu about his mother's condition, and mas Pandu just nodded in understanding.

"What are you doing for mom's lunch, Nur?"

"You make fish porridge sir" replied Nuri, I just listened to their conversation from now on.

"Have you cooked?"

"Not yet, just pulled the fish out of the frizer"

"In the cook tonight, yes, this afternoon we have lunch outside, all I want to check my restaurant"

"Yes sir" he said briefly.

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