SECOND DESTINY

01: REUNION

A woman was staring at the thrones of the bride and groom. Her mind wandered back to a happy moment she had twelve years ago.

It's been two years since her husband left her. Instantly. Just like that. There was no final message, let alone a farewell kiss. Only a low sigh was heard from him before unconsciousness overtook him and did not return him a moment later.

Who hasn't been crushed by a severe tragedy like that? Even a few hours before the incident, they still had time to joke with each other.

"Mama!"

Andien was hugging her youngest child when she noticed a middle-aged woman approaching her with a panicked expression.

"Oh my God, I'm about to pass out from fear looking for you, sweetie!" she exclaimed.

Andien smiled and stroked Sanah's arm—the woman who had assisted her in caring for her children for the past eight years.

"Sorry ma'am, Cantika bolted when I went to make her milk," Sanah explained.

Andien replied, "It's fine, let Cantika be with me; you can eat first."

"Okay, ma'am. Sorry once more, ma'am," Sanah said as she stroked Cantika's head on her way to the main menu of the night's event.

They are currently mingling at Andien's nephew's wedding. Her cousin, Adrian, is marrying off his eldest daughter.

"Geez, you frightened your mother by running alone, huh? Do you want me to carry you?" Adrian, the event's owner, appeared to have looked down beside Andien and Cantika, who were still hugging each other.

Cantika shook her head, only to be met with a frown from Adrian, who was rubbing her small cheeks.

"Why are you here, instead of accompanying the bride and groom at the aisle?"

Adrian grabbed both of Andien's arms, helping her, who was having difficulty standing due to carrying her little daughter.

"I'm just tired! Let Andra replace my position for a while. Allow him to accompany his mother there. I want to say hello to my friends first."

Adrian is an orthopedic specialist, so don't be surprised if tonight's event might be dominated by those who have more or less had the same profession as him. Moreover, the bride, his daughter, also has a profession as an intern doctor at a hospital.

"I see."

"Cantika wants ice cream, huh? So go there. I asked her earlier, but she refused."

Adrian made a sad face while teasing the little girl, which made Cantika and Andien laugh.

Andien turned around, about to walk to the ice cream stand behind her. At the same time, her gaze met the gaze of a man who was taken aback to see her. She looked absolutely stunning tonight.

Andien is beautiful, but not on the level of tall magazine models. She is petite, which gives her a beautiful and tiny appearance. Tonight, she wore a Sabrina knee-length dress with lace accents from the waist down. She wore a party clutch that she crossed over her chest, as well as white sneakers that covered her legs because she would be uncomfortable wearing heels with the risk of chasing her daughter throughout the event.

"Doctor Alex," Andien greeted.

Andien never expected to meet the gynecologist who helped with the birth of her youngest daughter two years ago.

"Ya?" Alex asked, hesitantly.

'Isn't that her?' Alex pondered.

"Okay. Surely you don't remember me," Andien said with a smile.

Alex remained silent, attempting to confirm the pages of memory in his mind.

"Who says? I remember you. You came to see me recently, didn't you?"

"Yes, Doc, I checked the contraceptive I use."

"Ya! Mrs. Keinara!" Alex, of course, remembered her.

Andien is one of his favorite patients. That's because Andien's outgoing and witty personality fits his character, who enjoys joking with his patients. But that's not all; Alex secretly admires Andien's face, which he doesn't find boring to look at, and also her critical and persistent personality.

'She's just my type!'

"You seem to remember me. I'd be embarrassed if I greeted someone and they didn't recognize me. By the way, Doc, just call me Kei. There is no need to call my name after Mrs. That makes me feel so old!" Andien responded, while Alex laughed.

Before Alex had time to respond to Andien's joke, they were stunned by what Cantika — who was still in Andien's arms — said to him.

"Daddy?"

Alex was wide-eyed, surprised by the gaping mouth, and heard the same question that Andien was.

"Oh sweetie, he's not Daddy. He is the doctor who helped me in giving birth to you. Daddy has already gone to heaven, sweetie," Andien stated quietly.

Andien truly understands if her little princess does not comprehend her explanation. Because of the panic, only auto-response was used. And that panicked response instantly made Alex's eyes widen even more, even as he felt someone squeezing his heart. Sad.

"I'm sorry, Doc," Andien apologized to Alex.

Alex could detect a gloomy tone in Andien's voice. He tried to hide his expression. Attempting to smile. Despite the fact that the smile remains bitter.

"Wow, you are so beautiful now," Alex exclaimed, lowering his head to meet the little girl's sparkling eyes.

"May I shake your hand?" Alex inquired, holding out his hand to the tiny girl whose beautiful face could hypnotize anyone who saw her.

Cantika's small hands greeted Alex's extended hand. He gently pulled Cantika's tiny hand and kissed it briefly while smiling. Andien, who was watching the touching scene from a close distance, smiled spontaneously.

"Andien," said a strange man who had been standing beside Alex for some time.

"Ya?"

The man was unmoved, stunned to see Andien with a difficult-to-interpret expression. When Andien saw the man she didn't recognize, she felt a strange feeling in her heart, as if there was a matter of sadness and comfort. Her heart is beating faster as well.

"Daddy?"

Andien was once again taken aback when she heard her little daughter's voice. The tiny hand extended its hand towards the stranger.

Surprisingly, the man smiled, seemingly unbothered by Cantika's greeting.

"Hey, beautiful," he replied.

"Please forgive my daughter..."

"It's OK!" exclaimed the man as he accepted Cantika's small hand. He then cast a glance at Andien. "How are you?" he inquired. Friendly.

"As you can see, I'm just fine!"

The gentleman nodded.

"Sorry, but who exactly are you? Have we ever met before?"

The man remained silent as he sought the appropriate response.

'How can I get her to remember me? Is it possible that she really never knew me?'

While Andien waited for an answer, a woman approached from behind her back and took the man's elbow.

"Hey Doc, why are you here?" Said the woman while holding out her hand to Adrian "Congratulations on having a son-in-law."

"Thanks, Nis. Where's Ari?" Adrian inquired.

"He couldn't come because he had cito's earlier. We're sorry," the woman responded.

"It's OK."

Cantika was messing up the ice cream—which Adrian had finally picked up—in the grip of one of Andien's hands when the woman turned her gaze to her.

"So, why are you here? Not on the aisle," she said as she gently stroked Cantika's head, Andien smiled kindly at the woman.

"Tired!"

Andien's smile was returned by the woman. She was curious about Andien because the man beside her was so stunned looking at Andien. She then looked at Adrian as if sending a code to learn who Andien was.

"My cousin, Andien. A single mother with three beautiful children. And this is Cantika, her youngest child," Adrian said while kissing Cantika on the head.

"Oh ya? You know how many single men there are here?" Nisa joked.

"What are you talking about?" exclaimed the man who was coupled by Nisa.

Nisa pursed her lips and looked at the man, completely baffled. Andien, Adrian, and Alex all gave him strange looks.

Cantika did her action once more. The little girl extended her hand, which was holding a wooden spoon, towards the man in front of her, who had not moved.

"Daddy... aaa!"

Unexpectedly, the man grasped her tiny wrist and aimed a bite to his mouth.

"Hmm, delicious! Thank you so much, sweetie!" He said cheerfully, stroking the top of Cantika's head. The baby was also pleased.

Everyone around them was staring at the two in silence, especially Andien, who didn't realize tears were streaming down her face. Sanah approached Andien again after finishing her dinner at the same time.

"Let's go, sweetie. Let's change and head to bed. Okay?" Sannah persuaded Cantika.

"OK!" exclaimed the little angel.

Cantika accepted Sanah's outstretched hand and let her be carried by the woman. Sanah had already witnessed what happened when she approached them, and she could only imagine how touched her beautiful master was by her baby's behavior. Her baby, who only felt the warmth of her father for a few moments. Her baby, who longs for his father. Longing that the child does not understand and cannot express.

Sanah took Cantika and walked past Andien, rubbing Andien's arm and looking at her to warm her master's heart. Andien responded with a weak nod.

"I'm sorry, but my daughter is in a phase calling grown men Daddy. Oh my goodness, I'm so embarrassed!" Andien looked sluggish to the man. The man just smiled stiffly, realizing that whatever had happened had reopened her wounds.

Andien chose to leave that crowd rather than be stared at by a man who made her uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry, I'm hungry," Andien explained, to smiles from those around her.

Adrian took Andien's arm and held it for a moment.

"Are you all right?"

"I'm OK! Don't be worried," With a smile, Andien responded.

"Just eat in the VIP room. Okay?"

"No need, I'd like to look at the menu at this event as well."

Andien started walking away from the crowd.

"Kei?" Before Andien went any further, Alex called out to him.

"Ya, Doc?"

"Just Alex, please. Can I join you for dinner?"

"I apologize. I need some alone time," Andien said, looking at the man whose name she had yet to learn. Embarrassment, sadness, and bitterness all attacked the deep recesses of her emotions.

Andien isn't the type of woman who enjoys small talk. Plus, her heart is still racing too fast from Cantika's chatter and the unstoppable memory of her late husband, so she desperately needs some alone time.

"It's ok. Could I have your phone number? Or is it possible for me to look it up in your Medical Record?" Alex inquired, mischievously smiling.

Andien smiled and took a business card from her small bag, saying, "Here, sir!" as she handed the card to Alex.

"Sir?"

"Hmm... We're still in Indonesia, unfortunately. Which, with the appendages of a nickname and even a title, is a little sensitive. In addition to remembering your elders from me," Andien explained with a head tilt.

"How did you figure out my age? Is it obvious that I'm getting older?"

Andien laughed and shook her head slowly.

"If you forget, I'm your patient. And I have a case that is particularly frightening for women. As a result, it seems natural that when I decided to consult with you, I learned a few things about you."

Andien's unconsciously sweeping her gaze here and there showed her discomfort. Alex, upon realizing this, attempted to comprehend her. The strange man's stare, which had been staring at her for a long time, also made the obstetrician uneasy.

"Well, it's really really really nice to talk with you. And there's a lot I still want to know, but it doesn't seem right now. Isn't it Kei?" Alex quipped at the stranger.

"I'm sorry," Andien said quietly.

"It's OK. I have your phone number; we can meet later."

"Next time. Sure!"

"Ok. Enjoy your dinner, Kei," said Alex while giving his best smile.

"Thanks, Sir! Alex."