17 Crazy Plan

"How about your books? Do you want to take them to your aunt's house or should I take them?" lNindy asked as the two of them were getting ready to go to campus.

"No need." Laras replied, still busy with her hairdo. As much as possible, she should look normal even though her body is not healthy. Moreover, her thick eye bags had to be covered so that it would not be obvious that she had been crying all night long.

"So what about you? Today there is a quiz, you have to bring a book."

"I want to ask uncle to deliver."

"Are you crazy?" Sneered Nindy. "I'm sure, Aunt Yuni must have told her husband about yesterday. And now you want to ask for help?"

"You don't know, Nin." Laras still didn't look at Nindy. She is now busy thickening the powder that is smeared on the skin of his face.

"So tell me, let me know! I don't want to see you almost as depressed as yesterday."

Nindy vowed to stay beside Laras forever. She didn't want Laras to go through the hard times alone like before. Because when Laras almost gave up her life just for Nindy's cousin, at that moment Nindy believed that Laras was a friend as well as a good friend.

"You'll find out later."

***

"I thought you two were smart, but you're stupid, aren't you?" Laras snorted while grabbing roughly two paper bags containing books and journals. She deliberately asked Iwan to bring it, because if Laras himself had gone home, Yuni might have been scolded by him.

"Uncle, do you think I'll just accept that?"

"What can you do?"

"In modern times, there are many options for an abortion without feeling sick."

Ivan frowned. "What do you mean? You want to abort the child?" Laras nodded firmly.

"You are already stupid, doing stupid things again. Don't! Things like that will have a big effect on your body."

"Since when did Uncle care about me? It's okay! Uncle better go home, I don't want to be labeled as uncle's mistress because of talking to Uncle."

The man in an expensive suit looked at Laras giddily, before turning around to get into his car, then leaving Laras alone.

Laras didn't go straight to Nindy who was waiting for her in the corridor, she chose to stare at Iwan's car. An offer was the reason why the man was willing to waste her precious time just to get the book here. More precisely not an offer, but a negotiation or a slight threat. Laras will continue to cover up the affair between Iwan and Mirna, as long as Iwan is willing to help him avoid Yuni. Including to bring books like now.

"From the start, I wasn't sure about you. Why did I have to cover it up?" Nindy asked Laras annoyed.

"Why should I tell you?"

"Well at least, if Aunt Yuni finds out from you, she will get a little privilege. Because, if Aunt Yuni finds out from someone else or sees it with her own eyes, and she also knows that if you cover up her husband's infidelity, you will be finished."

"I'm not afraid." Laras said too casually.

Nindy failed to feed the meatballs into his mouth. She glanced at Laras. I don't know what made this woman so relaxed, whereas yesterday she was crying loudly like the most miserable person in the world. But now? Look, she is eating meatballs casually while occasionally playing with his cellphone.

"Ras? Actually, what's your plan?"

"What plan? I don't have a plan."

"I mean, what about the future? Your child?" Nindy lowered her voice when she said the word child.

"I'll tell you later." Laras answered with a jumawa smile. It was as if she had found a way out of this complicated problem. However, there was a glimmer of suspicion in Nindy's heart, because there was no way Laras could solve a problem as complex as this easily.

***

Nindy walked hesitantly, her feet treading carefully on the muddy path in front of her. Very long weeds almost covered the side of this path. lNindy just found out that Jakarta has a remote place that is rarely reached by people.

In a small alley, in the corner of the capital, Laras invites Nindy to look for someone's house. A house occupied by a widowed woman, whose name has crossed the line among the names that appear when typing the keyword 'Dukun beranak in Jakarta'.

Her name is Ratna, I don't know who Ratna is, Laras doesn't care. The purpose of meeting her is to help get out of the complicated problem that befell him.

"This is her house?" Laras looked up when Nindy asked.

In front of her there is already a big house, ah no, not so big, but looks luxurious. Not luxury in the sense of a classic style residence that is currently hype, but luxury that seems unkempt. There is a lot of weeds in the yard. The black gate that was supposed to protect the house from burglars had also begun to collapse.

"Whose house is this, Ras?" Nindy asked again. She still refused to move from where she stood. "I'm afraid, ah. You just come in." Nindy shuddered in horror. The image of an invisible being appeared, causing her to take a few steps back until she unknowingly bumped into someone.

"Ouch!" Nindy moaned, even though she was the one who hit.

"What are you doing here?" A woman with a slightly distended stomach asked suspiciously.

Laras saw how Nindy looked down in silence, not daring to look at the woman. She then put her arm around Nindy's shoulders, making her best friend look up again.

"What are you doing here yourself?" Laras asked curtly. Her eyes stared at the woman's bulging belly, one hundred percent sure that this woman was pregnant. And also she has the same goal as Laras.

"Just like you, I am also a victim of irresponsible men."

See!

Laras smiled brightly. She let go of Nindy's shoulder and turned to reach out to the woman in the black dress. "I'm Laras, surely your purpose here is the same as mine, right?" The woman stretched out her hand, replying Laras' handshake. "I'm Dina, I'm right here for that too."

"Then let's go together. I happen to have registered via WhatsApp."

"Oh, you've signed up? I haven't, but can I?"

Laras nodded. "Yes, you can register inside too."

While the two new acquaintances were talking, Nindy was still frowning. Do what? What registration? What do you really want?

Nindy was still following Laras' steps, until the woman opened the main door of this big house. It turned out to be very neat, looks very well maintained.

Before entering, Nindy asked. "Whose house is this, Ras? Then why did this person also come in?"

Laras didn't answer, but the woman beside Laras did. "You don't know? This is a traditional birth attendant's house."