Chapter 8 - Undercurrent
1731 Words
"So?"
Lya looked at Iskandar.
"What happened between you and Myra?"
Across the table, Hanna glanced briefly at Iskandar before quietly taking another sip of her iced tea.
Myra.
She was stunning.
Elegant, confident, and effortlessly beautiful. She had been Aidan's coursemate back in university before eventually crossing paths with Iskandar.
To everyone else, it looked as though Iskandar had fallen for her.
The truth was...
Myra had been the one pursuing him.
She had a way of making people believe every smile was meant just for them. Charming. Intelligent. Ambitious.
For a while, Iskandar had genuinely thought they were walking towards the same future.
Until they realised...
They weren't even walking the same road.
Iskandar smiled faintly.
"We wanted different things."
"That's it?" Lya frowned.
"Sometimes... that's enough."
"I liked her."
"I know."
"I thought she'd become part of the family."
"So did Mama."
A brief silence settled over the table.
Aidan cleared his throat dramatically.
"Alright."
"Enough about broken relationships."
He looked at Lya with a grin.
"Tell Hanna about your boyfriend."
Lya's face immediately brightened.
"Oh!"
She turned towards Hanna.
"His name is Irfan."
"He's from the northern state."
"We've been talking for almost two years now."
Hanna smiled politely.
"That sounds serious."
Lya nodded happily.
"It is."
"So... when did you two meet?"
Lya blinked.
"We haven't."
Hanna paused.
"You mean..."
"We video call almost every day."
"But we've never actually met in person."
For the first time since the barbecue began, Hanna's smile faded ever so slightly.
"Oh."
Lya didn't notice.
She happily continued talking about Irfan. About how thoughtful he was, how he never forgot to wish her good morning and good night, and how they were finally planning to meet soon.
Moments later, Lya excused herself to refill her drink.
The moment she disappeared towards the refreshment counter...
Hanna quietly placed her fork down.
"I don't like this."
Aidan looked at her.
"What?"
"She has never met him."
"It's been two years."
"And she still hasn't met him."
Aidan sighed.
"I know."
Hanna turned towards Iskandar.
"You knew?"
"I told Aidan before."
Iskandar's voice remained calm.
"Something doesn't sit right with me."
"But I hope I'm wrong."
Hanna leaned back slightly.
"Risk assessment is part of what I do."
"When you've spent years evaluating people and situations, you learn not to ignore instincts."
"If someone told me they'd trusted a man for two years without ever meeting him..."
She stopped herself.
"...I'd tell them to be careful."
No one spoke.
Only the chorus of cicadas and distant nocturnal insects filled the silence surrounding the garden.
Then Lya returned carrying four glasses of iced lemonade.
"What did I miss?"
Hanna smiled almost instantly, as though nothing serious had been discussed.
"Nothing."
She accepted the glass from Lya.
"Just Aidan trying to convince us he's still funny."
"I'm hilarious," Aidan protested.
"You laugh at your own jokes," Hanna replied.
"Someone has to."
The conversation shifted once again.
The laughter returned.
The evening carried on as though nothing had happened.
But Iskandar's gaze lingered on Lya for a second longer.
For weeks, he had been convincing himself that he was simply overthinking.
Now...
He wasn't the only one who had noticed the undercurrent beneath Lya's seemingly perfect relationship.
"It's getting late."
Papa stood and stretched before looking around the backyard.
"Let's tidy everything up before we head inside."
Aidan rose to his feet and began stacking the used disposable plates into neat piles.
"I'll grab the trash bags."
Lya hurried towards the storage room before returning with several large garbage bags.
Everyone instinctively fell into their usual rhythm.
Lya wrapped the remaining grilled lamb in aluminium foil and packed the untouched food into airtight containers. Hanna wiped down the garden table as Aidan gathered the empty bottles and disposable cutlery.
Nearby, Iskandar carefully extinguished the charcoal, making sure every glowing ember had completely died before pouring water over the grill.
Within minutes, the backyard looked as though no barbecue had ever taken place.
"I'd call it a night," Hanna said after spending another few minutes chatting with everyone in the living room.
"Let's go, Hanna."
Aidan grabbed his car keys before turning towards his sister.
"You coming with us, or are you going home later with Mommy and Daddy?"
"I'll go back with them."
Lya lifted one of the food containers with a grin.
"I want to take a shower first."
She wrinkled her nose dramatically.
"I smell like grilled lamb."
The room erupted into laughter.
"You've been standing next to the grill all evening," Papa teased.
"What did you expect?"
"A Chanel perfume."
Another wave of laughter filled the house.
After Hanna and Aidan left, Lya carried the containers into the kitchen and arranged them neatly inside the refrigerator.
Growing up between these two homes meant she never felt like a guest.
She knew every cupboard.
Every light switch.
Every hidden drawer.
Every little corner that had quietly become part of her childhood.
Once she finished in the kitchen, she headed upstairs.
The guest room had long stopped feeling like a guest room.
It was the room she and Aidan always used whenever they stayed over.
After a quick shower, she changed into her favourite sleepwear.
A black satin pyjama set with long sleeves and matching trousers.
She had no idea why she loved satin so much.
Maybe it was the cool sensation against her skin.
Maybe it was simply comfortable.
Either way...
Nothing else ever felt quite the same.
When she walked downstairs again, the adults were still chatting comfortably over warm tea.
Iskandar sat nearby, quietly listening while occasionally joining the conversation.
Then...
Lya's eyes drifted towards the corner of the main hall.
The Bösendorfer grand piano.
Its polished ebony surface reflected the warm chandelier lights above, standing there with quiet elegance as though it had been waiting patiently all evening.
Almost without thinking, Lya walked over to Iskandar.
She leaned down slightly and whispered near his shoulder.
"I want to play one song before going home."
"I want to play one song before going home."
Iskandar looked up at her before nodding.
"You don't need permission."
Lya smiled before making her way towards the grand piano.
She gently lifted the fallboard and settled onto the piano bench.
The polished black lid reflected the warm glow of the chandelier, while the golden Bösendorfer lettering shimmered beneath the soft lights. Every note carried effortlessly through the house, rich and warm, filling every corner as though the piano itself had been waiting for someone to wake it.
Her fingers rested quietly above the ivory keys.
For a brief moment...
Silence.
Then the melody began.
Soft.
Gentle.
Familiar.
The entire living room gradually grew quieter.
No one interrupted.
No one continued their conversation.
They simply listened.
Papa slowly leaned back against the sofa.
Mommy smiled warmly.
Mama closed her eyes, gently humming along to the familiar tune.
Iskandar remained exactly where he was.
Watching.
Not the piano.
Not the keys.
Her.
Lya played effortlessly, completely immersed in the music.
Every note echoed through the spacious house, wrapping the room in a strange kind of peace.
When the final chord faded into silence...
She looked up sheepishly.
"I think I'm rusty."
Papa chuckled.
"You've been saying that for years."
"And you've been wrong every single time," Mama added.
Lya laughed.
"I need to practise more."
"You've always been too hard on yourself," Mommy smiled.
Lya closed the piano lid gently before joining everyone back in the living room.
The conversation resumed naturally.
Papa and Daddy discussed an upcoming business trip.
Mama excitedly shared her plans to renovate the herb garden.
Mommy laughed while showing old family photos she had recently found.
Time slipped by unnoticed.
The warm tea slowly turned cold.
Yawns became more frequent.
Finally, Mommy glanced at the grandfather clock.
"It's almost midnight."
She stood up with a smile.
"I think it's time to call it a night."
Everyone slowly got to their feet.
Papa stretched.
Daddy switched off a few unnecessary lights.
Mama collected the empty teacups.
Then...
"Where's Lya?"
The room suddenly fell quiet.
Mommy looked around.
The piano bench was empty.
The kitchen was dark.
No answer.
Iskandar turned towards the long couch near the fireplace.
"There."
Everyone followed his gaze.
Lya had somehow curled herself up at the far end of the sofa.
Fast asleep.
One hand tucked beneath her cheek.
The throw blanket had slipped halfway onto the floor.
Her breathing was slow and peaceful.
Mama couldn't help smiling.
"She still does that."
"What?"
"Falling asleep anywhere once she's comfortable."
Mommy laughed softly.
"She hasn't changed since she was little."
"Let her sleep here tonight, Sophea," Mama said softly.
Mommy smiled.
"I don't think she'll even remember going home."
Mama turned towards her son.
"Is."
"Carry her upstairs."
No one questioned it.
Not Daddy.
Not Mommy.
Not even Papa.
It had always been that way.
Without a word, Iskandar walked over to the sofa and carefully slipped one arm beneath Lya's knees while the other supported her back.
She barely stirred.
Only a soft murmur escaped her lips as she instinctively leaned closer, resting her cheek against his shoulder.
A small smile appeared on Mama's face.
"Just like when she was little."
Iskandar carried her upstairs with slow, careful steps, making sure not to wake her.
The guest room door was already open.
He lowered her gently onto the bed, taking extra care not to disturb her sleep.
Lya shifted slightly, mumbling something completely unintelligible before settling back into the pillow.
A loose strand of hair had fallen across her face.
Without thinking, Iskandar brushed it behind her ear.
The moonstone bracelet around her wrist caught the bedside lamp, sending a soft blue sheen across the room as she lazily turned onto her side.
He pulled the duvet over her shoulders.
Adjusted the ceiling fan to a slower speed.
Then stood there for a brief moment.
Watching to make sure she was comfortable.
Only then did he quietly switch off the bedside lamp, leaving the room illuminated only by the silver glow of the moon filtering through the curtains.
As he reached for the doorknob...
Lya whispered in her sleep.
"Good night..."
A faint smile tugged at the corner of Iskandar's lips.
"Good night, darling."
His voice was barely louder than a whisper.
Then he quietly closed the door behind him.
- Writer
