EIGHT

"Mah, did you eat?" Akbar said in a pleading tone. His mother hadn't wanted to eat since morning.

"Mah, if mom continues to be like this. Akbar is sad. What will happen to Bintang. Bintang also needs mamah's strength. Bintang is still breastfeeding." Akbar said, looking at the dinner of rice with capcai vegetables and crackers that were still wrapped.

His mother was silent. But inside she was crying. She could no longer shed her tears. Maybe it was because she had shed too many tears since she heard that her husband was cheating on her.

"Akbar bribe me, Mah?" the spoon pressed against her dry lips. The woman whom Akbar loved so much opened her mouth reluctantly and slowly. She began to chew slowly.

"Nah! That's it. It turns out that mom wanted to be bribed by Akbar, right?" Akbar quipped, trying to pull the corners of his lips, so that mom could be entertained.

After three times Akbar fed his mother. He stopped because she asked him to. Mom tried to eat by herself. When she finished, she wiped her lips with a tissue. Then she looked to the side. She saw her son's face smiling at her.

"Thank you, Bar, for being such a good boy. You also never complain when mamah nags you and when you take care of Bintang." mamah said softly. It touched her heart to see how understanding Akbar was.

"Yes, Mah, you're welcome. Akbar did all that because Akbar really loves mamah. You gave birth to Akbar and took care of him since he was a child. Your service is very great. And Akbar will never be able to repay it." Akbar explained, squeezing the back of his mother's hand gently.

Mamah listened gratefully. She glanced at Bintang who was next to her. Bintang was fast asleep. She hoped that one day Bintang would be like his great brother. Who loved his mother with all his heart.

"Mah, Akbar was talking to the woman who was having an affair with papah." Akbar exclaimed, startling his mother.

"Did you meet that woman?" she asked with disbelieving eyes.

"She was one of the volunteers here. She's at the health post. She's a midwife. But she doesn't want to be separated from papah. In fact, they're going to get married soon. Papah has proposed to her, Mah." Akbar explained passionately but his heart was so upset and sad. He didn't know what else to do.

"Astaghfirullah hal adzim." mamah stroked her chest in resignation.

"Maybe what your father said is true. Mamah likes to nag and waste money. That's what makes papah annoyed and bored with me." mamah said, looking down and holding her fingers. She regretted her bad behavior.

"It's good that you regret what you did. Akbar really hopes that you can change." Akbar said, stroking his mother's shoulder.

"I will try to have a good talk with my father. I will repent for what I did. But if you still want to marry that woman. I'm sincere, Bar." her mother's teary eyes filled with tears again. She seemed to be staring at the sadness in front of her eyes later if she would become a second wife.

"Mah..." Akbar called as if to warn his mother not to say that.

"You can get through this. I'll try to talk to my father nicely. And you have to believe in what you're doing. You have to be strong." Akbar said grabbing both of his mother's shoulders and they hugged each other. As if transferring energy to each other.

In another atmosphere. Riri was still in the musolla. She was waiting for the call to prayer. She still felt at home in the all-white room. With a lonely green carpet. There was only one prayer mat and its owner. Riri was on the prayer mat. She sat cross-legged. Earlier she had finished reading the Qur'an. Now she was silent thinking about her father.

"Could it be that you have repented? To be honest, I really want to see you again. I want to spend my days with you again." Riri said in her little heart. She imagined back then when everything was still fine. When he didn't know about drinking and sexy women. She used to joke with her father. Although he had a flat face and a faithful mustache. Father was a humorous man.

"Father...mother...Riri really misses you both." Riri broke her cry. She sobbed as she imagined herself alone without her parents. She really missed their touch. She wanted to always see their shady faces. The face that made her heart calm.

"O God, may my mother be found soon. And for father. May I continue to see his face. May you always be healthy with your new family." his palm gently brushed her face. Now he already felt calm. Because confiding in the owner of nature is the most amazing thing for his soul.

Now the call to prayer for Isha was blaring. A voice that Riri recognized sounded in her ears.

"Iyan. How are you doing now. I'm curious about his first day at work." Riri said to herself. She just realized that she hadn't talked much with her friend with short hair and bangs all day.

After the isha prayer was finished, she prayed for a while and immediately left the musolla. Because her stomach had started to rumble.

Now he arrived at his place. He saw Akbar's mother who had finished feeding her son.

"Eh, just woke up and ate right away, Bintang?" asked Riri, looking at the star's face that had just woken up and the mouth looked smudged from eating tofu curry.

"Yes. Just woke up immediately auntie bribe." said Akbar's mother who faithfully cleaned her son's mouth.

"Ri, please take care of Bintang for a while, aunty wants to pray first." Akbar's mother said and then hurriedly left.

"It's really rare for you to pray. Alhamdulillah, I hope I can continue to be istiqomah." Riri said to herself and smiled.

"Ouch, where is Akbar! I want to eat. Who's guarding Bintang?" grumbled Riri while looking at Bintang who stood up. Looks like he wants to take a walk.

"Cahaya!" called Riri seeing Cahaya who was chatting with her college friend.

Light also approached Riri.

"Don't tell me that you told me to take care of Bintang!" said Cahaya with a glare.

Riri only showed her hands pleading.

"I haven't eaten yet." Riri said in a pleading tone.

Light snorted in annoyance and resigned.

"Yes, yes, yes."

Hearing that, Riri immediately ran to the public kitchen. This time she asked for her food ration. Because no one shared. So she asked the officer.

Now her hand was holding a packet of rice with a plastic spoon bound by green rubber.

"Where is it good to sit?" Riri asked herself. She looked for a quiet place to eat her food. She chose to eat outside the building.

Now she sat down and began to look forward to eating her food.