20 I'm Okay, Rik

"Have you ever heard the expression, your smile distracts my world. This is very classic, right? But for me, it's not just your smile, everything inside you distracts my world and also my thoughts."

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City Hospital B

Today Evelyn came home late. Usually at this hour, she should have been on her way home to her rented house after returning from the hospital. But this time, she just arrived at the hospital.

As usual, she visited her mother who had been a vegetative patient for almost a year. Who knows how much longer she would have to wait for her mother to recover from the illness, but she would always wait for that day to come, no matter how long. She sat next to her mother's bed, who breathed like a normal human, but in fact she was not at all. The sound of an EKG filled her mother's room. Thanks to her job as a personal assistant, she was able to pay for the expensive hospital fees and nursing fees.

"Good evening mother!" Evelyn said cheerfully.

"Sorry I'm late, today I have to face the behavior of my boss, who somehow always teases me," She continued complaining.

She rubbed slowly the back of her mother's hand which used to be moist and smooth but now slowly became dry and rough. It was these hands that always stroked Evelyn's hair, with a warm smile when she came home.

"Mom ... Do you know, I really miss your hand stroking me ," Evelyn muttered quietly.

Evelyn took her mother's hand that was being held, slowly closer to her right cheek, then she moved it slowly to rub her cheek.

"Mom, I've met her. What should I do!" Evelyn whispered a little angrily.

"Should I just pretend nothing happen or take vengeance, Mom?" She continued asking.

There was silence as Evelyn paused. She thought of something that made her feel like a bad person.

"Mother definitely won't agree!" She answered herself.

Because she knew her mother's character. She was a gentle person who always thought of the happiness of those she loved first, before herself. Evelyn paused again and then sighed tiredly.

"Ok, I won't think about that again," She continued.

Silence

There was only a sound from the heart monitor in the room. No one responded to her words. She shook her head, when she suddenly felt like a fool thinking about something that had passed.

"I'd better forget and focus on mom!" Evelyn thought.

Then she remembered the purpose of her visit.

"Oh yes Mom, I came here to ask permission. The day after tomorrow my boss and I will go on a bussiness trip. That means that in the next few days I can't accompany you, mom." Evelyn said after a long silence.

"I'm sorry Mom, please don't be angry!" She continued seducing.

"I promise, after returning from the business trip, I will immediately visit and accompany you, ok mom?" Evelyn asked.

"Good, thank you mom. You really understand me the most, he-he-he!" Evelyn continued answering herself, then chuckled.

"It's late, Mom. I better go now. Lucky, I can be by your side today, even though I came late but I feel happy!" Evelyn muttered with a faint smile.

"Get well soon Mom, I miss you!" She whispered.

Cup!

She kissed the forehead of her dear mother, looked her longingly and left the room with shuffled steps. Evelyn didn't know that after she left, her mother responded to her words through finger movements.

Evelyn walked casually through the hospital corridors with her hand holding her cell phone to her ear.

"Yes, I am at the exit!" Evelyn said in response to a question from someone on the other end of the phone.

[Ok, I'm on the curb in front of the hospital.]

"Geez, I have told you that I can go home by myself. Why did you still come to pick me up!" Evelyn cried grumpily.

But contrary with her words, her tiny lips were smiling as the caller let out a worried tone for her.

[Lyn, be quite. It's not good for a woman to come home alone at night. You are so fussy, you know!]

"What !! You dare to call me fussy?" Evelyn joked back.

[Ha-ha-ha..But you are fussy!]

"Huh .... Ok, turn off the phone. I'm not far from your car!" Evelyn replied when she saw a familiar car.

[Ok!]

Not long after Evelyn heard an 'OK' reply, someone got out of a car and leaned back in a cool position. The person looked at her with a wide, excited smile.

"Hey you, I'm not fussy!" Evelyn exclaimed when she was in front of that person.

"Yes, you are, Lyn, especially fussy about something like this. Let me tell you, if you don't want it, then how could you let me pick you up every day when you go to work!" The person who owned the car, replied.

"Huh...You are always like that. Just because I often blurted out, so you took advantage of playing word with me," Evelyn replied irritably to the person who turned out to be Riki.

Riki laughed when he was able to refute Evelyn's words, who then showed a sullen face which looked cute in his eyes.

"Ha-ha-ha....Ok, it's enough. I won't tease you anymore. By the way, have you eaten?" Riki replied and changed the conversation.

"Not yet, I came from work and didn't have time to eat. Do you want to eat with me?" Evelyn said invitingly.

Riki happily agreed to Evelyn's invitation, of course he did not refuse, because he also planned to invite Evelyn to eat together.

"Of course, where would you like to eat?" Riki replied and asked excitedly.

"Suddenly I want to eat fried rice where we usually eat, how about eating fried rice? Do you agree?" Evelyn asked.

" I am up to you! " Riki replied quickly.

"Wherever as long as with you," he continued to himself.

"Ok," Evelyn replied curtly, and made Riki's lips turn into a big smile.

"Let's go!" Riki exclaimed as he opened the passenger door for Evelyn.

"Um!"

Blam!

After making sure Evelyn was seated comfortably, Riki immediately trotted towards the driver door. He opened and closed the car door and then started the engine, and drove the car at moderate speed leaving the hospital area.

The place they are going to, was not far from the hospital. This street food had been their favorite place to eat since their college days. They arrived at the place, and walked to the dining table. While Riki ordered food for them, Evelyn sat down and mingled with the other customers.

"Mr. Usep....Two portion please, make it as usual, without shrimps, ok!" Riki said.

"Ok!" The seller replied.

The seller already knew Riki and Evelyn because they often ate at his place, so the seller memorized very well their favorite fried rice.

"Great, Mr. Usep is the best!" Riki exclaimed teasingly.

"Haha...you're kidding me. By the way, are you still with your girlfriend ?" Usep asked.

This kind of assumption that always made Riki happy. They usually ate and walked together, so many people thought that they were couple.

"Yes, I am. I love her so much, how could I look for another!" Riki replied casually.

"Wow, hopefully it will last until you get married!" Usep replied sincerely.

He didn't know if what he heard, was only Riki's one-sided claim.

"Ha-ha ... Amen, thank you for your prayer!" Riki exclaimed excitedly.

" Ok, I will wait at the table. Please don't take too long. My girlfriend is starving," he continued exaggerating.

"Consider it as done !"

Riki walked over to Evelyn with a smile that he couldn't resist it. Evelyn who saw him, raised her eyebrows with a confused expression.

"What's wrong with you, Rik?" Evelyn asked after Riki sat across from her.

"It's nothing, why do you ask?" Riki replied asking back.

"You look so happy," Evelyn said with suspicious.

"Yes, I am!"

"Why?" Evelyn asked curiosly.

"It's a secret!" Riki replied pressing every word.

Evelyn was annoyed and showed a sullen face that made Riki who saw her, immediately pinched Evelyn's cheek strongly.

Gyut!

"A-a-awww .... It hurts, Rik!" Evelyn shrieked in pain.

"Your face is so cute. It will be a shame if I don't pinch it," Riki replied casually.

Then he took off his pinch, after his hand was gently hit by Evelyn.

"It's realy hurt" Evelyn muttered irritably, with her hand lightly rubbing her cheek.

"So- "

"Excuse me, sorry to interrupt. Your order is ready!" Riki's words stopped, when Usep's assistant brought their food and served a plate of fried rice in front of them. Just smelling the delicious aroma made Evelyn feel happy. She squealed happily. She couldn't wait to move the fried rice into her stomach, which had already sounded asking for attention.

"Thank you!" Evelyn said excitedly.

With a big smile, she unconsciously made the surrounding customers look at her with their faces blushed into red.

"Enjoy your meal!" She exclaimed then started to eat after praying.

Riki who saw Evelyn's exitement in eating, was of course happy, rarely a woman as beautiful as Evelyn, would like to eat street food and ate it without embarrassment, while she was seen eating by the opposite sex. Most women would maintain their image, so that it looked perfect in the eyes of others. He shook his head softly as he thought about Evelyn, who would one day be his. He didn't realize for how long he had been daydreaming but the rice on Evelyn's plate were already half a portion.

"Very fast!" Riki thought amazed.

Their simple dinner went smoothly, filled with various chats about their respective jobs. Until they didn't feel the food on their plate had gone and moved to their stomachs.

After eating, Riki drove Evelyn back to her rented house. In the car, they still enjoyed their moment together, not even realizing that they were already in front of Evelyn's rented house.

"Ah, we already arrived!" Riki exclaimed in his usual tone.

If Evelyn paid attention, there was a look on his face that showed unwillingness when he said the sentence. He didn't like the fact that soon he would have to separate from Evelyn.

"Yes ... Thank you, Riki!" Evelyn smiled back.

"No problem...Oh, by the way Lyn.." Riki replied hanging his words, making Evelyn curious about what her friend whom she already considered to be a brother, wanted to say.

"What is wrong?" asked Evelyn curiously.

"Would you be all right, if you have to go on business trip with Samuel the day after tomorrow?" Riki asked worriedly when he remembered their conversation during the dinner earlier.

Actually Evelyn didn't tell Riki about the problem she had between Samuel and her, so Riki didn't know the truth.

"I'm fine, Riki. You just relax!" Evelyn said in excited tone.

"Are you sure?" Riki asked in disbelief.

How could he believe it if his heart was worried that something could be happen between them while they were together on a bussiness trip, given the character of a player in his cousin's character.

"Yes! You just relax, I can take care of myself very well," Evelyn replied reassuringly.

"Ok, I trust you, please remember my message, Lyn. Never be closer than just superiors and subordinates with Samuel, can you promise me?" Riki asked hopefully.

Evelyn's heart hesitated to answer it, so she just smiled without affirming what her best friend wanted. Lately she had doubts when Riki gave his advice. It's not that she did not believe in Riki, but she only felt that if she promised, it would hurt Riki if she broke it herself.

"Lyn!" Riki called when his request was not answered, instead only a smile that somehow made his heart even more restless.

"Well, Riki, I'm tired and want to rest. You must be tired too, bye, Riki, be careful while driving!" Evelyn said evasively.

Riki could only nod. He tried to understand and believed that Evelyn would not disappoint him in the future.

"All right, have a good rest, Lyn!" Riki replied resignedly.

"Have a good rest too, Rik!"

Evelyn got out of the car and waved her hand as Riki's car left.

"I'm sorry, Rik, I myself don't know what the future will be. I don't want to lose you. You are my only support," Evelyn muttered sadly.

She turned towards the gate, opened it and went inside. Evelyn didn't know that there was a white BMW I8 parked not far from the gate of her rented house.

"No wonder."

To be continued