She Died
Salsa's assumption means that Arsya's arrival to meet her husband is just an excuse, Salsa knows that.
Salsa hopes that Irwan will not ask strange questions, let alone bring up their past.
Pak Doni stood behind his wife and smiled at Arsya and Irwan.
"Yes, this is my student and is he also in your class, Arsya? Sorry I sometimes forget my student's name, but he seems very foreign." Mr. Doni looked at Irwan with a strange look.
"Oh yes. Come on, please come in!" invite Salsa inside, she immediately went into the house first to serve water for her husband's guests.
Although Salsa is still wondering what Irwan's arrival meant.
Irwan and Arsya immediately went after Mr. Doni's hand to be greeted.
"Assalamu'alaikum, Sir," they both said in unison.
"Sorry Sir, I'm not your student, but I just escorted Arsya. He was ashamed to come alone, he said." Irwan lied while laughing widely, turning to his best friend Arsya.
Arsya was forced to smile back at Irwan and her face looked very tense, it was up to Irwan, he thought.
Mr. Doni then entered first.
"Yeah, come on in! Why are students still shy," he quipped as he walked to the sofa.
Arsya really wanted to hit Irwan, because his friend Arsya's gentleness was questioned by her own lecturer.
Irwan tries to avoid Arsya's fake punch that tries to be thrown at him.
But ... from a distance, Salsa watched them until Arsya and Irwan who were aware returned to being formal.
There should be no fuss, because their intentions might be exposed.
After everyone sat down, Salsa came and served coffee for the two of them.
"Oh, Mom, you don't have to worry about anything," said Arsya, showing a very sorry face.
Salsa turned to the two of them, her gaze seemed to pierce Irwan's chest.
Looks cold, both thought because Salsa was married to a respected lecturer now.
"It's okay, the host should treat his guests. Let's drink!" Salsa was gone after the two friends nodded.
"Sir, I drink yes." Arsya took first to relieve him tension, Irwan followed.
"Yes, please drink!" The teacher also invited them. "Thank you Umi," said the lecturer then to Salsa.
Before Salsa could answer her husband's thanks, Irwan suddenly choked on hearing it.
Everyone looked at Irwan strangely, while Salsa … she already knew why Irwan was choking.
But Salsa was still surprised and tried to look caring for her husband's guests.
"Careful, it's still hot." Salsa's smile widened, even though her awkwardness was getting bigger.
"Sorry Sir, mother ... my friend likes to drink cold coffee that's why he forgets that sometimes the situation turns coffee hot," Arsya chirped in vain, Mr. Doni was confused about what Arsya meant.
But, then again… Salsa knows what she means.
Salsa then grabbed her husband's shoulder. "Abi, I'm going upstairs to accompany the children."
The husband nodded while holding his wife's hand, Irwan who saw it for some reason felt a tightness in his chest that was so strong.
Does Irwan still love his ex? Ah, but that's impossible. Irwan tried to dodge it.
He also had already arrived and he was already at risk of seeing the intimacy of the two married couples.
"Arsya," the lecturer called.
"Yes Sir?" Arsya also put his glass on the table, after he drank a quarter of the coffee that Salsa had brewed earlier.
"Your goal is good, I support you to continue your doctorate abroad and if you are really enthusiastic and want to graduate faster, you can also – I will accompany you. You are happy when students are enthusiastic."
In their hearts, Arsya and Irwan laughed because the lecturer believed Arsya's words, claiming that he wanted to study doctorate abroad.
However, their laughter must be suppressed so as not to thwart their plans to come here.
"Yes Sir, I am very grateful," replied Arsya with a smile like a person who is really serious and has a passion for studying abroad, while Irwan is still watching Salsa's steps up the stairs.
At first glance, Salsa also looks at her ex, but she doesn't want to get lost in nostalgia with Irwan.
Seeing his face, was the same as turning back their past memories.
They chatted giddily.
The conversations of the men who are indeed connected, are not just talking about college but about planning for the future, career and partner until the lecturer says that he is grateful to be married to his wife.
Until Irwan and Arsya looked at each other.
Arsya coughed.
Irwan immediately asked the question he really wanted to say.
"Sorry Sir, yes, before. May I know at what age were you and your wife married?" Irwan smiled awkwardly, afraid that he would be yelled at for asking a question that the lecturer might consider disrespectful from his friend.
Arsya also felt nervous waiting for the answer of the lecturer whose face began to turn cold again.
But, a few seconds later… the lecturer laughed.
"Because my wife is your age, right? And of course because Arsya knows that my two children are grown, right? Even my children are actually three. Only when Arsya saw I only brought my two children." The lecturer also reached for his coffee cup, then took a sip.
Arsya and Irwan just laughed a little.
"Married to a younger woman ... I think it's really hard," continued Mr. Doni.
Arsya and Irwan looked at each other again, full of surprise at the lecturer's words.
"Why, Sir?" both asked in unison.
The lecturer began to put on his serious face again.
"Because ... the age is far apart and of course people's assumptions must be different, right?"
Arsya and Irwan nodded.
The professor continued, and this time he smiled. "But, the pleasure is also double."
'Crazy, this lecturer has dirty thoughts too,' Arsya muttered to himself.
Irwan also muttered in his heart. 'Yes, Salsa people are still fresh and beautiful. There's nothing wrong with me either.'
"Yes … it's not only a beautiful physique, her service ability is also good, we just have to be able to balance it. The younger one, it's different." The teacher smiled. "But thank God my second wife is also as good as my previous wife."
Arsya was astonished, Irwan had already guessed it. But, he still wondered.
It's impossible, right if Doni divorced his sister Salsa and married Salsa? It's ridiculous if that's the reason, thought Irwan.
"Then where is your first wife, Sir?" asked Irwan, Arsya just smiled seeing his friend's very enthusiastic reaction.
The teacher's face then turned sad.
"My first wife, she …." Arsya and Irwan listened carefully.
"She died of illness and his mother-in-law offered to take care of his younger sister for their grandchildren, my children. Maybe, thought they just didn't want their grandchildren to be taken care of by the stepmother. Maybe, I don't know."
Immediately Irwan understood, Arsya was also very surprised and he glanced at his best friend who was sitting on him left side.