The Wedding

The clink of the piano softened the tone of Here Comes the Bride, slowly filling the church's blessing room that morning. The wedding ceremony guests stood as a sign of respect for the bride who was about to enter the church. From the direction of the door, a flower-carrying girl began sowing flowers from the basket in her left hand. Next to her, a young boy carrying the wedding rings of both brides and smiling adorable ly at the guests.

Frans stood there, in front of the altar, in a tuxedo suit and neat hair, waiting for his bride. A graceful woman of his choice who will be his life partner until death separates. A challenging and independent woman he already knew when both sat in master's college in Germany. However, only two years ago, Frans held the status of her lover. It wasn't easy to get his woman—Yura—it took extra effort to get her heart and the added spice of courage to invite her up to the marriage life.

Melting Yura's heart isn't the only problem Frans faces in achieving his happiness. Frans just got his mother's blessing was only given six months before the wedding day. It's not that Mom doesn't like Yura. She likes Yura—just as Frans' friend. The reason, Mama has her dream wife for Frans. Is that the only struggle Frans is? Wrong! His last big and most annoying obstacle was a woman—no, she was still a girl—who every day with a big smile stood in front of Frans and cast a spell...

"I like Uncle Frans"; "I love Uncle Frans"; "I want to be your wife, Uncle Frans";

Fortunately, the girl was gone, don't know where.

Both brides could not avoid not only that. On the eve of the wedding day, a minor dispute happened. However, when all those obstacles are successfully passed, all that is left is here comes the bride!

At least, that's what Frans had in mind.

Ten minutes already, the church pianist pressed the key of the wedding hymn that often echoed, accompanying the bride's step towards the altar. Even a pair of children had finished sowing flowers and were now standing next to Frans and waiting for the bride to enter the church—supposedly from ten minutes ago.

The guests started murmuring, wondering what was going on. Why hasn't the bride entered the church yet? Is there something wrong with her wedding dress? Or are the shoes missing next door—like Cinderella? Everyone is waiting anxiously.

Kendra—Satria's wife, Frans's best friend—who was impatient, went straight to the waiting room provided by the church. Her wide steps stopped when she found the dressing room empty. There's no Yura there. Ken looks at all corners of the room, nil.

"Ck! Where else is Yura!?" annoyed Ken, then her gaze was involuntarily fixed on a blue envelope partially pierced with a bouquet of bridal flowers. He grabbed the envelope, and the net widened to know what was inside.

Ken immediately ran back, then handed the blue envelope to Frans without a word.

"Where are you from, anyway?" whispered Satria, who immediately pulled Ken back from Frans.

"Ck! Do I look like I'm swimming? Of course, I'm looking for Yura! You are the best man, but just keep quiet and not looking at this strange situation!"

*********************

"Bro, let's eat!" called Tama—Frans's brother—from outside his room.

"Hush! Your brother is broken-hearted again and you are screaming."

"Ma, I usually call Frans like this," annoyed Tama, who immediately spooned the rice.

Mama Karina sighed softly at the behaviour of her youngest child, who didn't care about his brother's condition. It's been more than a week that Frans has been living like a robot, more precisely since Yura let him stand in front of the altar alone. Wifeless.

Early in the morning, Frans had already left for the office. He spent the whole day in his room working and returned home when the clock showed at eight o'clock at night. It went straight into the room.

"It can't be allowed! Your brother could be sick for a long time!"

"To the doctor."

"Ck! You like to underestimate heartbroken people. Mama's sad to see your brother like that."

"Really? Sad? Mama must be happier than sad when she finds out Yura ran away and canceled the wedding. That means, Mama bus—"

"Shut up you! Chatty like a parrot! This is not the time for you to be happy," said Mama, then sat on the dining chair next to Tama. "But what you're saying is also true. In this way, my dream will come true," continued Mama Karina with a big smile.

While Tama rolled her eyes lazily, seeing his mother had hallucinated with her dream. The dream she had been dreaming of since Mama Karina first held a tiny baby girl in her hand—21 years ago.

"In your dream! Until now no one knows where the child is!" sneered Tama.

"Eh! It's modern era! It's called the Internet, Google. What the hell can't be found there. We can search everything."

"Mama with the internet? Don't forget that Mama's phone only contains a WA reunion group." mocked Tama.

Mama Karina grinned widely, don't forget her sharply squinting eyes staring at Tama.

"Want to bet? If I can find her, help your brother in the office."

"If you lose?"

"What are you asking for?"

"I want to live in an apartment. Alone. Deal?"

"Deal!"

******************

The day of Frans's immune defeat finally came. After two weeks of being a workaholic to distract himself, Frans fell. It was making him have to take a complete break at home, under the supervision of a super strict mom.

"Eat the porridge, honey."

Frans shook his head, refusing the offer of a mouthful of porridge from his mother.

"Don't be like a child, Frans. You need to eat. You want to be sick all the time?"

"What did I do wrong, Mom?" asked Frans without heeding my mother's advice.

"You're not wrong, Yura is wrong. Shame on her! You also stop going to her house! I don't like it."

Frank turned quickly to look at his mother. Confused, how did Mama know Frans had been going to Yura's parents' house every day to inquire about Yura's whereabouts. After Mama was furious on the—which was supposed to be — wedding day because of Yura's run away, Frans had agreed to Mama's request that he would no longer have anything to do with Yura or her family.

"You're confused how Mama could know?"

Frans didn't answer.

"It wasn't Tama who told me. So don't blame him."

Frans was still silent.

Mama sighed before saying, "Yura's mother called home. She apologizes for everything. She also told me you came there every day to ask where Yura was. Even though her parents don't know where Yura is right now."

Mama put the tray of food for Frans on the nightstand. Then inched closer to her eldest son, hugging him.

"You're an adult. You still have a long life waiting ahead. You can grieve because your heart is broken, but don't let it stop your life at one point."

"But, Mom-"

"Mama knows you really love Yura. But maybe you two aren't a match."

"This is all my fault, Ma. Frans should have understood Yura's feelings better. If only Frans wanted to change for Yura, everything would be fine."

Mama unravelled her arms, gently caressed Frans's cheeks, which had a beard. The man no longer paid attention to his appearance since that fateful day.

"You're so ugly! Shave it!" Mama said as she gently patted Frans's cheek. "If Farah was here, she would have—"

"Bought a shave, foam, and are sitting at Mama's place now. Keep forcing me to shave," said Frans. "Farah is gone, Mom. You don't have to remember anymore. The girl doesn't want to be found. That's why she gave no news."

"That's it! You can say that about Farah. You told Mama not to remember Farah anymore. By yourself you even fell sick thinking about Yura."

Frans smiled at Mama's words. It's also true what the woman with the hair roller on her head said. Frans always tells Mama to forget her 'daughter' who suddenly left without news. However, he even fell sick thinking about his future wife, who clearly in her letter said that she no longer loved Frans.

The handwritten letter Yura left on that happy day reminded Frans of the days before the wedding. Frans should have seen the signs that Yura would leave him. That Yura was fed up with him. That Yura could no longer be by his side.

*****************

One week before the wedding ...

"Frans, is there anything else that needs to be added to the catering?" Yura asked while rereading the menu list from the catering staff.

"Anything, you can add everything you want," Frans replied, then went back to his cellphone.

Yura sighed softly, then handed back the menu list in her hand.

"I think it's enough."

The caterer nodded. "As for the wedding cake, stay as planned?"

"Yes."

"Okay, I have noted all the changes. Anything else to add?"

Yura shook her head, then got up from her seat and greeted the caterer. After that, ignoring Frans, who was still looking down at his cell phone, Yura stepped out of the wedding cake and catering shop.

"Yura," called Frans when he caught up with Yura's steps. "What's wrong with you? Just look at me like that?"

"Frans! Who is actually getting married?" asked Yura rhetorically. "Us? Or just me with the manequin?"

Frans frowned in confusion at Yura's question, then put his cell phone in his jacket pocket. He grabbed Yura's arms, trying to calm her down.

"You calm down, please. Everything has been taken care of by the WO, we just have to accept it's done."

"Frans! You know, from the beginning, I wanted to take care of my own wedding."

"Yeah, now you take care too, right? We do use WO, but you will take care of the catering and venue. I don't want you to be too tired to think about it all. We agreed on this from the start."

"But that's not it—"

Frans reached into his coat pocket when his phone rang.

"Just a minute, honey."

Frans got up from where he was standing and walked away from Yura, annoyed at Frans' behaviour.

"Unfortunately, I don't think I can accompany you to the venue. There is work to be done now."

Yura pouted in annoyance.

"You never change! Always busy with work. Never had time with me. You ask me out on a date, then get married, just make me a display at home? I will be your wife, Frans!"

"I also work for us, dear," said Frans with restrained emotions. "Do you really want to live in poverty when we're married?"

"Work is work, but you also have to know the time and priorities!"

"You are my top priority," Frans assured Yura.

"Bullshit! Your main priority is your job, your mother, and… who is that? The high school girl who ran away somehow—"

"Farah. Her name is Farah."

"Yeah, whatever! You never cared about me. I'm your girlfriend and future wife, but I'm always the last one!"

"It's not like that, Ra."

"Isn't that so?! You were never there when I needed you! Especially now that we're getting married, you don't want to know about the preparations either."

"I have paid WO to take care of our needs. I don't want you to think too much about the preparations. So you are tired by yourself, stressed by yourself, angry because of unclear reasons like this."

"Isn't it clear you say? You are the one who is not clear!" Yura snapped, then walked away, leaving Frans, who was still cursing himself.

****