The Third Person (English)

Part 12

Author’s POV

“ANSWER ME! IS THAT WHAT YOU MEAN BY BEING FAIR, DI?!” Anyelir glares at Adi who is staring back at her. The man is utterly shocked. He did not think that Anyelir would find out the truth about that day, when he took Melati out for dinner.

“What did I do wrong, Di? What’s my fault that you could do all of this to me?” This time Anyelir’s voice softens and trembles. Her eyes are visibly teary.

“If you don’t want me as a wife, why didn’t you just refuse our match from the beginning? Why?” Droplets of clear tears finally slide out of the woman’s eyes.

Adi remains unmoved. He wants to explain about that night, but his lips stiffen. A trace of guilt appears in his heart upon seeing how fragile and hurt the woman in front of him is. But as his ego overrides, he doesn’t want to show that he indeed cares about his first wife. Afraid that he might get carried away.

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to them, just behind the door, someone is peeking sadly at the two.

Melati had just come home and rushed into the house when she heard Anyelir’s yell from outside the house. Now she can only stand frozen in place, with her heart no less desolate seeing her co-wife burstbursts into anger, with a wound she never intentionally scratches on her.

“Get out of here!” says Anyelir after trying to calm down her tears and anger.

“Anye....”

“I said. Get. Out. Of. Here.” She says again with emphasis.

“I’m sorry.” That is all Adi can say before leaving the room.

*****

The atmosphere at breakfast is awkward. The three of them eat in silence, and no one has the gut to start the conversation. Adi throws occasional glances at his two wives who are sitting on either side of him. Occasionally, his gaze meets Melati’s. His second wife hints with her eyes, telling him to say something to Anyelir. But Adi doesn’t budge. His ego won’t let him initiate the conversation with Anyelir even though he is aware that his actions had hurt the woman who is now just staring at her dish with no appetite.

“Anye, can you accompany me for monthly shopping later?” Melati tries to break the quiet atmosphere and at the same time, to approach her co-wife. She truly feels guilty for being involved in lying to the woman whose age is only several months away from her.

Anyelir looks up, staring at Melati with a flat face. Usually, she would smile lightly at the second wife, but not this time. There is no smile, even if a forced one.

“I can’t,” says Anyelir. “I’m leaving,” she excuses herself as she stands up, leaving the two people who take a deep breath simultaneously.

“Di, we can’t go on like this. You must coax her. I feel guilty for hurting her,” Melati sighs regretfully.

“I can’t. Just let it be. After all, it was always you who forced me to be nice to her.”

“Di...”

“I can’t keep pretending to be nice to her. I only love you, Mel, only you,” says Adi while holding Melati’s hand. His gentle gaze at her makes her feel so loved, but it also hurts to remember that another woman is hurt.

*****

Anyelir’s POV

I’ve been brushing Adi and Melati off for a week. I am utterly mad at the two who deliberately lied to me, especially Adi, who has broken his promise. The man once promised to be fair to us both. But look, he hurts me again with his actions. Still, he favors Melati over me.

After having breakfast together, I decided to leave for work first, leaving the two behind who only threw glances at each other. Melati tried to start the conversation by asking me to go shopping together, but I turned her down. Still, I couldn’t help but withdraw myself from her.

“What’s with that sullen face? Do I really need to see it every single day?” Marta, who has just entered the warehouse, asks me.

I force a smile on her. “Here, smile.”

“Still mad at them?” Marta says while scrutinizing me. She already knew my problem.

I nod mutely. “Do you think I’m childish?”

Marta shakes her head. “No. You have the right to be angry, because as you said, Adi broke his promise to be fair to you and Melati,” Marta deliberately pauses her sentence. “But at least, Adi chose to marry Melati instead of seeing her behind your back.”

Marta’s words render me speechless. For a moment, I reflect upon what she said and my little heart finally confirms. Adi’s good side is that he chose to marry Melati so that they didn’t take the crooked path of an affair.

“So...”

“So it’s all up to you now. If you want to survive your marriage, try again to win over Adi’s heart.”

“I did, Ta. I have tried since day one of our marriage. But I failed,” I whine, remembering the early days of our marriage. I had tried to be a good wife, taking care of Adi’s needs, from cleaning to cooking. However, Adi’s attitude remained ice cold.

Marta smiles warmly, “Try again. When you feel you can’t take it anymore, you have the right to end it.”

I hug Marta tightly. I’m so lucky to have her as my best friend. We continue our work, which was delayed by my venting session.

*****

It’s time for dinner, but I’m still reluctant to leave my room, even though Melati has twice knocked on my door. I’m still staring at the sky on the balcony, thinking about what Marta said this afternoon.

“At least Adi chose to marry Melati rather than keep seeing her behind your back.”

Somehow, I find truth in Marta’s words. At least Adi is not cheating on me. He chose to marry Melati. Should I be grateful for that?

I shake my head in frustration. My heart and brain are fighting. My brain tolerates Adi’s decision to marry Melati instead of having a secret relationship behind me. But my heart is struggling because the pain that Adi puts me through almost makes me give up this marriage.

I hear the sound of the door being knocked again.

“Anyelir, can I come in?” Melati’s voice comes from behind the door.

I approach the door, opening the lock then pulling the handle. After the door opens, I see Melati standing in front of me with a tray in her hand. A tray filled with rice with side dishes and a glass of water.

“You should eat.” She hands me the tray.

I take it while saying thanks.

There is a moment of silence until then Melati speaks, “Eat first, then let’s talk later.”

“Now, please,” I plead. Then I turn, Melati follows me into the room.

We sit side by side on the sofa, under the window overlooking the pool. I catch her nervous face, but then it changes to a serious face. I am genuinely curious about what my co-wife will discuss.

“About the ring...” Melati seems to hesitate to continue.

“I know, it is your birthday present,” I say, trying to speak as calmly as possible, even though my heart is pounding, torn between anger and fear. I don’t know what kind of fear I can’t picturepicture it.

“I’m so sorry, Nye,” she squeaks with her face down.

“It is okay. It’s just, why did you have to lie?”

“We didn’t mean to. That time, I reminded Adi to buy two rings, for you too. But he said, his savings were running low. So, he only bought one ring for me,” she explains with a serious expression.

Is that so?

“Nye, I’m sorry that in the end, my presence only hurt you. I was hurt too when I found out that Adi married you. We love each other and are not ready to lose each other. So, when Adi asked me to be his second wife, I agreed,” she says with teary eyes and a pained look.

I’m still saying nothing, listening to her every word.

“I understand, Adi is such a devoted son to his parents, so when he was matched with you, I could only cry. I had no power to stop him.”

There is silence until I hear soft sobs and see her shoulders shake.

I take a long breath to subdue the clench in my chest. Different pain now hits me, finding out that she is also hurt, no less than me.

“But Adi loves you.”

Melati wipes her tears softly. Then, she looks at me pensively.

“We’ll make Adi love you too,” she says with a smile now plastered on her beautiful face.

“Is it possible?”

Continued.