CONFESSION STONED
84. The Speech of Father

Throughout their lunch, Bara was constantly smiling. He shed all his yearning that afternoon. Staring at Dijah unceasingly. And don't let go of the hands of the colonized other than when it's mealtime.

“So will you stop by my house before you go home? Sukma again at home, I want to recognize you to him. Tonight, you're on your own. Tomorrow we take Dul out. How?” ask Bara.

“Iya, can. It's up to you how,” sahut Sejah smiled without staring at Bara.

That afternoon, Bara drove his car back home. His family must be waiting for dinner. I don't know what his father said to the number one woman in the house, which obviously Bara was determined to bring Dijah directly to the house.

Seated sitting with hands that continue to clasped on Bara's thigh. A little bit sore but it's okay. He hadn't seen that smiling man in a long time. Every stop of the red light, Bara turned to him and returned smiling. Colored followed the wrong behavior with Bara's attitude.

“Bu ... I came home,” Bara said from the front door. “Come in,” invite him still holding hands Sejah. But Bara's behavior caused a feeling of a little unease in the colonized self. He lingered in front of the door as he opened his shoes.

The one who was initially colonized thought Bara would precede him to enter the house, in fact the man even crouched down to help him take off his shoes and put it to the side of the door.

“No need,” murmur Colored come crouching.

“Udah—, come ...” Bara held both sides of the shoulder of the Sejah and carried the woman inside.

“Eh nyampe. Colored, sit here.” Sukma pulled out a dining chair next to him. Sukma had already gotten a short message from his Mas telling him that he was going to bring the Sejah home. Actually, the message was quite long because it was accompanied by wishes about how to treat Dijah.

Hearing his sister's words, Bara approached Sukma and pinched her cheek slowly while whispering, “Mbak-Mbak ... Call it Mbak.”

“But Colored younger than me,” murmured Sukma glared at his Mas with his mouth barely open.

“But later so your Ma'am, made up from now,” murmured Bara helped mendelik.

“Ehem!” Mr. Wirya who approached the dinner table cleared his throat to see the behavior of his two children. Bara released Sukma's cheek and grimaced towards Pak Wirya.

“Sit here first yes,” said Bara wriggling the arm of Sejah to sit next to his sister. It wasn't dinner yet, but his family used to talk at the dinner table. And since entering, Bara has not seen where his mother is.

“I go back first yes ..” Bara gently massaged the shoulders of the Sejah who then nodded.

Bara wants to know what his mother is doing. He had brought Sejah home, and his mother's absence in the dining room at the time brought a restlessness of its own in his heart

“What's first?” greet Bara who found her mother was chopping up a box of brownies in her box.

“It ... There are guests again. Make a dessert,” said Bu Yanti has not turned her head.

“There can I help?” ask Bara a little awkwardly.

“Not exist, no need. You go ahead. I'm done,” said Bu Yanti has not turned her head. Bara felt his mother's attitude was not as usual.

“Bu ..” call Bara wrap his hands around his mother's body.

“I can't be the same Colored?” bara asked as she hugged the woman who gave birth to her from behind.

“Dad already talked to Mom,” said Bu Yanti stopped her work. His hand could not move because Bara was holding him tightly.

“But I want to hear from mom directly,” said Bara. “Mas can 'make same marriage Colored?” ask Gently.

It seems that Bu Yanti is crying again. The woman was hard-earned to push her tears out. Bara still hugged her mother from behind and kissed the woman's head.

And after taking a deep breath and a slightly choked speech, Bu Yanti replied, “Bby Mas, may ... What matters is being happy. I am happy,” replied Bu Yanti. He felt back to decades ago. When Bara seduced him to buy something or ask permission to stay at the top with his friends. Although sometimes heavy, but he always gave permission to his son.

“Still Mother,” said Bara further tightened his embrace until their bodies swayed to the right-left. “Honey Mas to mom is always number one.” Bara returned to his mother's head.

“Bring this forward,” pinta Bu Yanti thrust a plate containing brownies that have been cut into pieces.

“Okay, let me take it. I wear lipstick, let's be more beautiful. Let Colored know where my joy is from where it comes.” Bara blinked his eyes at Bu Yanti. The mother answered the words by throwing a punch at her son's arm.

“Brought to eat to which restaurant Ma'am? Good for the food?” ask Sukma. “Mas regular restaurant reference is never good, rarely good. Like a dimly lit place is unclear.” Sukma.

“Sukma ... There are a lot of brownies. Eat now, don't say nothing.” Bara thrust the newly brought brownie plate in front of Sukma. The woman just sneered to see her Mas back glancing at her.

“Udah can be prepared for dinner Bu,” said Mr. Wirya from the dining table.

“I help you to the back yes,” tukas Dijah rise from his chair.

“Neither do, don't. You are a guest today. Sit aja.” Bara holding arm Colored.

“That helps mom there are two people behind. You sit down.” Bara rubbed Dijah's shoulder in order to calm the expression of the arrogance implied on her lover's face.

“Iya, here aja. Chat with Mr. Darma about the man standing in the doorway.” Mr. Wirya smiled amusedly looking at Dijah. Little laugh. Bara who did not understand his father's conversation and Sejah cast a suspicious look.

“Is there anything I don't know?” ask her father.

“Many ...” Mr. Wirya and Sejah laughed at the same time. Bara sneered in annoyance at his father.

*****

“Pak, I'm tau njaluk opo-opo marang sampeyan. Suwene iki I dadi mother sing elek kanggo. I wis umyek really ngerteni wateke sampeyan ngasi me ora nggatekake my son sing need mom. I'm selfish. I mung njaluk stuff sing concluded. Colored saiki bene in openi Bu Widya meneh. I know when dhekne iso mbalek meneh koyo mbiyen. I want a cooking bar. Tulung wenehke Colored. (Sir, I never asked you for anything. All this time I've been a bad mother to be colonized. I was too busy understanding your nature to ignore my son who needed a mother figure. I'm selfish. I want to ask you for the last thing. Seized now treated Bu Widya again. I don't know when he'll be back. I've got something to cook. Please anterin to Colored)”

Mother Sejah stands in the doorway of the room while holding a bushel containing food for the Colonized. Since the incident that night, Bara has come to the house explaining all the events. Mother Seen can only cry. And his father just kept smoking and leaning against the wall of the house.

It didn't reach Dul's ears. With two plastics full of snacks, Bara tells Dul that her mother got a job out of town. At that time Bara promised to visit Dul once in a while until he was re-colonized.

And as usual, Bara always kept his promise. During the time that he had not returned to visit his son, Bara often came to take Dul out. Several times two men of different ages seemed to go hand in hand to the fried chicken restaurant next to SPBU.

With a little reluctance, Mr. Sejah who just came home early from the shop to play chess, got up from his sleep and went to the bathroom.

The old man wore his best clothes and walked down the alley with a loud plank. At 11 pm Mr. Dijah arrived at Rumah Aman and managed to meet Dijah in the living room. The kids don't talk much. After chatting and asking about the Sejah who was at home or not there, Mr. Sejah stood up from the living room sofa.

“Jah, Mr. njaluk ngapuro, Mr. meh mulih sek yo... Ojo lali in the hand. Dul nang is healthy. Metu seko kene yo, Dul kangen jare. (Jah, I'm sorry. You want to go home first... Don't forget to eat. Dul's in good health at home. Quickly get out of here, Dul kangen)” The old man still standing under the door wicket turned to his youngest daughter.

Hearing his father's words, Dijah smiled faintly and nodded slowly. He stood looking at the back of his father who was slowly moving away and lost at the corner of the road.

My clothes are neat today, thought Dijah. It had been a long time since he had seen the old man dressed. Too often being in a stall spends his time with something useless, making the man sometimes more like a cranky.

The age of man remains a secret. Sejah's mother, who had diabetes and had been sick for years, apparently had the longevity of her husband.

Sejah never thought, that afternoon was the last time he met Mbah Lanang Dul. Mr. Dijah died in his nap after delivering a bushel of food to his daughter.

Colored loss. Of course the Colonized lost. Although the Colonized were often unaware of his father's presence, the man was still a father to the Colonized.

That afternoon Bara invited Dijah to go see his father for the last time. He's not crying. Just sit still the whole trip.

Elsewhere, Mak Robin, Boy and Asti have arrived at the Colonized house. The three of them sat in rows of plastic chairs under a short tent that was stretched out in the alley.

“Si Tini where the hell? He's the one who told me, he's the one who belom nyampe. Where's he going?” ask Boy to Asti.

“Interview work said. Fortunately, Tini could answer the phone mas Bayu. If not, we won't know.”

“Yes, be patient, Boy. Si Sejah also belom nyampe. I miss him too.”

“Iya, I also miss being colonized... Hope it recovers. Kasian mbak Colored..” muttered Asti.

“It's Colored! Assassinnya kos-kosan chicken coop!” exclaiming Boy pointed at Dijah who walked hand in hand with Bara next to him.

“Hus Mas Boy! Can't say that. Assassin means killer. Serem,” reprimand Asti hits Boy's shoulder.

Upon arrival under the tent, Dijah stood looking at his friends one by one. He misses his neighbors. Before entering the house to see the body of his father, Dijah asked, “Tini where?”

The three people in front of him shook their heads. “Not nyampe,” sahut Boy.

“Come enter first Jah,” invite Bara reminded.

“Here—here ...” Tini's voice emerged from behind Bara's still standing body. “This Tini present ...” Tini who had just arrived looked bored and immediately threw her body in a plastic chair.

“Old cards? Though you first know the news,” said Boy.

“I'm wrong house ..” Tini spoke while adjusting her breathing. “Down from angkot in the next alley. There was a yellow flag as well, I went straight in. I was acting so bad that Deket died. Because it was broken, no one even knew it. Where the dead man is young. I was asked if the young wife of the man who died was thought to be. Waduh Jah ... If it was a storm, I have to ask for your help again.” Tini took a long breath. The sweat on his forehead was pouring out.

“Yeah...” murmur Bara. “I think I've started to get used to strange horrors now,” added Bara.

The To Be Continued.....