Part 9
1307 Words
This is the last night we sleep together, which means that for the next week, Adi will sleep with Melati. Although I’m not sure about my feelings for him, one thing for sure is that I feel lost and jealous, of course. Adi is my husband who later married Melati. And the problem here is that Adi doesn’t love me – or at least not yet?
I smile to myself at the thought. Adi will love me one day, really?
I am standing on the balcony of the room, staring at the dark sky filled with stars. After dinner last night, I rushed into the room, giving Adi and Melati time to spend together. Even though my heart is unwilling, I still do it. At least I reflect on Melati, who always tries to bring Adi closer to me.
“Adi, Anye is your wife, too. Feed her.”
“Adi, don’t forget to pick up Anye.”
Yes, Melati is a woman who is willing to share her husband. I have no idea what her heart is made of. To be sure, I admire and envy her.
“Still awake?” Adi is suddenly beside me, also looking up at the sky above.
“You haven’t slept either.”
“Let’s go to sleep.” Adi invites me then holds out his hand. I look at his hand doubtfully but take it too at the end. We walk with our fingers clasped together, towards our room.
“I have a morning meeting tomorrow, so, sorry I can’t drive you to the office. I’m leaving with Melati because our workplaces are in the same direction,” he says after we sit side by side on the bed with our body leaning on the headboard. Adi is still holding my hand. So tight.
“It’s okay.”
And our night talk ends with Adi’s chaste kiss on my lips.
*****
True to his words, Adi and Melati left first in the morning. Fifteen minutes later, I head to my workplace.
“Morning, Marta.”
“Morning, Anyelir,” she replies. “So what’s the news this morning? You seem full of happiness.” Marta is truly the best at reading my expression.
“Just normal, nothing special.” Yes, there is nothing special. Only Adi’s sweet treatment of me these days makes my life more colorful. It’s like I’m finding a new spirit.
“Are you sure? Your face keeps shining, you know, since you slept with Mr. Hubby,” As I predicted. Always. She just loves to tease me.
I cover my face with both palms, embarrassed.
“Alright, then. I’m happy for you.”
And the piling works finally force us to stop this morning’s chit chat.
During recess, we decide to have lunch together at the Padangnese restaurant in front of the factory.
“Eat a lot, so you’ll get strong enough to accept the reality,” I mutteredmutter to myself as soon as the waiter placed our order.
“What reality?” says Marta with a sly grin.
I lean toward Marta. “The reality that I’m sharing a husband. Satisfied?” I later say, half whispering with the anticipation of someone else will hear.
Marta almost burst out laughing, but I stop her with my sharp glare. She gives a crooked smile as she raises her fingers, forming a peace sign.
*****
“Can we talk?” I was about to turn the key on my automatic-motorbike when a voice interrupted. Ferdinand, the man is standing right beside my motorbike, looking at me sadly.
We haven’t seen each other in days, only occasional glimpses at the prayer room or in the canteen. We didn’t even greet each other back then. I prefer it like this because I don’t want to cause rumors for getting too close to Ferdinand.
And here we are now, in a retro cafe not far from our workplace. We were silent for a while until the drinks we ordered were served in front of us.
“What do you want to talk about?” I finally speak first.
“You moved back into that house?”
I nod, “yes.”
Ferdinand sighs. “I saw your husband with another woman several times,” Ferdinand pauses, looking at me, trying to read my expression. However, I only put on a faint smile. Not surprised because I can guess who the woman is.
“I think you saw Melati. His second wife,” I explain.
Ferdi is flabbergasted. His eyelids widen, showing how shocked he is hearing my explanation.
“Second wife?”
“Yes, a month after our marriage, he married Melati. I thought that night when you visited me at the sharehouse, you already knew about that.”
“I thought you just had fought with him, so you left the house and rented a shared housesharehouse. Turns out....”
I smile, “Nothing to worry about. I’m fine now. He’s trying to be fair to us.”
“You... love him?”
I am stunned by the question. God, why did Ferdinand have to ask that?
I choose to turn my gaze in another direction. I don’t want to look back at Ferdinand, who kept staring at me closely since the moment he arrived at the cafe.
“Anyelir.”
“Is it wrong if I fall in love with my husband in the end?”
Ferdinand smiles thinly. “Alright. That means I have to start getting rid of this feeling, for real. I wish you a happy marriage.”
I’m silent at that, hesitant to answer.
“Shall we go back now?” he finally asks.
*****
The house is still quiet and the lights are still dark when I come home. In the garage, Adi’s car is not seen either. Did Adi and Melati go out together? Where did they go until this late?
I turn on the lights in every corner of the house. After that, I choose to take a shower first. I feel so tired today.
After bathing, I step into the kitchen to make warm milk. Then I head to the living room to turn on the TV. Not to watch soap operas, but only to kill the silence of this two-story house.
Meanwhile, my fingers move swiftly, scrolling the phone screen, opening my social media account, or looking for something to read on the apps with the “W” logo. Until then, just as the clock turns to ten, the sound of a car roars into the garage. Soon, I hear greetings from two people who also live in this house.
“Wa’alaikumsalam,” I reply.
Adi and Melati enter the living room where I am sitting.
“Nye,” Melati greets me.
I nod. Right now, my gaze is fixed on the appearance of the two of them. Adi is wearing a blue shirt and slim-fit pants and loafers. His hair is neatly combed back. I don’t miss the branded watch on his wrist. Meanwhile, Melati is wearing a brocade dress with the matching color to Adi’s shirt. What a perfect couple!
“You both....”
“We went to Melati’s cousin’s party,” Adi explains.
I nod mutely.
“Well, we’re going to our room,” says Melati.
I sit back down. A trace of jealousy then emerges. Yes, I’m jealous of seeing how Adi and Melati suit each other.
Continued.
- Writer
