The Three Chosen
124. Meet Niken
Izar opened his eyes as the smooth claps on his cheeks woke him up. Apparently it was the father who woke him up and invited him to congregate in the mosque near the inn. Izar tried to get up but his body was too weak to move let alone walk far. This made Faiq and Erik anxious and decided to pray in the inn.
“ If you are rich enough, we will withdraw our return to Jakarta, yes Pa..,” said Faiq on the way to Jakarta
masjids.
“ But Papa has to go home Son, Mama too. Our work has been impatient waiting...,” said Erik while smiling wryly.
“ Gapapa, Papa equally Mama can go home first. Ntar Children let me and Shera be the same.” said Faiq.
“ That's Better, son. Do not force Izar to go home if he is not healthy.” said Erik while patting Faiq on the shoulder.
When they returned to the inn, they were greeted by Farah who had first decided to withdraw his return because of his pity on the fate of his grandson. Erik finally relented and joined back home because he did not want to be alone at home.
\=====
Faiq's family decided to have breakfast at the inn's restaurant just considering Izar's still weak condition. Usually they will have breakfast while tasting culinary sold on the roadside near the inn. While telling her dream Izar ate with a voraciously as if he had not eaten for a few days.
“ Slowly eat it Son. We didn't ask...” Shera's tease when we saw Izar's slightly different way of eating.
“ Hmm. Yes Bun. Abisnya I am very hungry...,” Izar said shyly.
Faiq only looked at Izar with a hard-to-read look without reprimanding Izar who looked different than usual. Indeed, Faiq, Hanako and Iyaz saw something following Izar. And that's a bad thing. They were anxious but could only wait for ‘something’ to show themselves.
“ Continues after Suharsa's death what happened Zar...?” tanya Iyaz curious.
“ Ga....,” Izar said while chewing his food.
“ Ga exist, how can..?” ask Hanako doesn't understand.
“ Yes. Because Inar went somewhere. The villagers heard that Inar also made his own dance group and is rich now. But in which city exactly, I also do not know..” Izar said.
Everyone was silent and did not talk about Izar's dream anymore. Without them knowing a hijab-wearing and black-clad granny sat not far from them and heard all their conversations. Suddenly he interjected with a speech that shocked Faiq and his family.
“ She is in this city..” said the grandmother as she walked over to Faiq and his family to make them turn their heads.
“ Sorry, what does Grandma mean..?” ask Shera well-mannered.
“ I mean, the Inar you talked about was in this city.” said the grandmother dressed all in black with a smile.
“ Grandma knows Inar that..?” tanya Iyaz can't believe it.
“ Yes, because I am Niken..” said the grandmother with teary eyes.
Hearing the grandmother's confession made Faiq surprised and happy. Then Faiq stood up and pulled out an empty chair so that the grandmother could sit with them.
“ I don't mind helping you guys, just buy me a glass of black coffee and toast. I haven't had breakfast this morning..,” said to Niken's grandmother with a smile.
Hearing Niken's simple request makes Faiq and his family laugh. Hanako called the waiter to convey Niken's request. Nek Niken who knew that Hanako also had the advantage was smiling while looking at Hanako's beautiful face.
While waiting for Niken's orders, they continued the breakfast that had stopped earlier while discussing the past of Niken's mother.
“ Sorry, is Grandma sure if We discuss the same person.?” ask Farah carefully.
“ Of course. This is a picture of Suharsa my ex-husband divorcing Me on the first night of Our wedding. You can see for yourself..,” said Nek Niken while thrusting the old photo towards Izar.
Izar observed the worn-out black-and-white photo in his hand just moments ago nodding his head.
“ It's them Well. The same rich man who was in my dream last night.” said Izar enthusiastically.
Hearing Izar's confession made Nek Niken smile while sipping his coffee.
“ The photo was taken after we performed that time. It's me, the one on my right is Kang Suharsa. Well, behind Kang Suharsa this is Inar. This one's a Goddess and this is Wardi. The rest were gamelan music players who accompanied the dance We at that time.” said Nek Niken introduced anyone who was in the black and white photo.
“ So where did Grandma go after disappearing without that trace.?” asked Faiq without wasting any time.
“ I go far out of town, don't know what the city is called. Anyway I went without direction. To meet my daily needs I help people in the market. Starting from sorting vegetables until washing dishes at the food stall. From that odd job I got money I could use to buy food. At night I sleep in the storefront waiting for the vegetables to come in for sorting again. And there I met a vegetable truck driver named Mahfud. He was a nice guy and offered me a place to live not far from the market. But since I'm still traumatized by men, I'm rejecting her harshly. For me at that time all men were breng*ek and irresponsible people. But Mahfud was so patient with me, that over time I was devastated and willing to accept his offer. But I'm making a condition that if she has to marry me first, then I'm going to go with her. It turned out that he agreed and We got married.” said Nek Niken with a smile while remembering his meeting with the husband.
“ Wow Grandma is great. If gini mah his name is Grandma who proposed and not applied.” joked Hanako to make everyone laugh.
“ Granny ga stupid Cu. Grandma doesn't want to live with a foreign man without ties. It turns out that Mahfud actually wanted to marry Grandma but did not know how to express his wishes. So the time Grandma challenged to get married she immediately agreed..,” said to Niken while putting pieces of toast into her mouth.
“ Oh, actually the house offer submitted by Grandma's Husband is the form of a house literally yes Nek. He invited Grandma to stay in the household but Grandma misrespected..” Shera said in between her laughter.
“ Yes. I who was already emotional at that time immediately inflamed when there was a man nawarin home for me to occupy with him. Sableng base, understand the market people. So do not know how to seduce women..,” said to Niken while laughing.
“ Then what Grandma never returned to the village after marrying Grandma's Husband.?” ask Izar curiously.
“ Grandma came home to the village when she was getting married, you have to ask for the blessing of parents at that time. It was half a year after the departure of Kang Harsa.
“ Does no one know where the ex-Husband Grandma went.?” ask Faiq.
“ Ga No. I just heard the real story when your son told me that. I don't know, when I saw you I felt like some supernatural force was forcing me to follow you. I'm here with my son and his wife. They deliberately took me on vacation but I was too tired to follow them, so I chose to stay at the inn. Eh gaunya even met you guys..,” said to Niken.
Faiq nodded his head in understanding even though he knew there were no coincidences in this world. Faiq considered their encounter with Niken's grandmother to be a hint from God so that Izar could recover.
\=====