TWENTY THREE

Riri's aching hand knocked on the door. She glanced briefly at Zahra's boarding house. There was no Zahra outside the boarding house. Maybe by now Zahra had returned from work. And went into her room. Riri felt like thanking her best friend a lot. Because thanks to Zahra's information. She could work at the restaurant.

  The door was opened by Kartika. Then she left with shaky steps. Kartika was sleeping when she was awakened by a knock on the door.

  "Ma'am! Are you home yet?" asked Riri who walked quickly to Kartika.

  "I don't know! Don't bother me, I'm going to sleep!" she replied, frustratedly ruffling her wavy hair.

  Riri snorted in annoyance at her father's wife's answer.

  Riri looked at the slipper rack outside the house. There were no slippers there. Then she walked to the dining room and kitchen. Her father's figure was not seen at home.

  Riri felt worried because she had just heard thunder and it might rain tonight.

  "Dad, why aren't you home yet? It's already this late. I hope you're okay." Riri said to herself. Now she had changed her clothes into sleeping pants and a long-sleeved shirt. She left her shoulder-length hair loose. Because she had been sweating all day.

  Her hand opened the serving hood on the dining table. There was only rice on the plate. Quite a lot, it can be eaten by two people.

  Riri lifted the plate. She put her nose close to the rice. She smelled and there was no foul odor. She concluded that the rice was still fit to eat. Then she walked to the kitchen. There were only garlic and shallots. He looked for eggs and there were none.

  "I'll just make fried rice, I'm really hungry." she said and immediately gathered the ingredients.

  His hands slowly sliced the shallots and garlic. Then he heated the cooking oil. This was the first time she cooked by herself. Since long ago, he never cooked alone at home. Never even helped her mother. Now she regretted not helping her mother cook more.

  He took a pinch of sliced shallots, then garlic and put both ingredients into the cooking oil.

  The fragrance of garlic was so pronounced. Her hands carefully wiggled the sutil on the wok. After that he put in the rice and added soy sauce and salt. He stirred it quickly. He felt that cooking was fun.

  Now he looked at his goeng rice on the dining table. He smiled at his handiwork. Although there was too much oil. But when he tried it. The savory and delicious taste is very suitable on his tongue.

  She heard a knock on the door. Riri was very enthusiastic and immediately drank water and walked towards the door.

  She opened the door. The father's face that looked sluggish, now painted a smile in front of Riri. He greeted her warmly.

  "Walikumsalam," said Riri answering her father's greeting.

  "What time do you get home, Ri?" asked her father while sitting on the living room chair.

  "Eight o'clock, sir. Did you have dinner? Riri made fried rice, you know!" explained Riri excitedly. She couldn't wait for her father to taste her first dish.

  "You haven't had dinner yet. Can you cook?" asked her father with a furrowed brow.

  "Yes, even though this is Riri's first dish. But it tastes pretty good! Sir," replied Riri with a smile.

  "Alright, where's the fried rice? I want to try it," the father's tone sounded like a challenge.

  Riri immediately went and took another plate and divided the fried rice. Then approached the father holding two plates.

  "Here, sir, please try it!" Riri said, placing both fried rice on the living room table.

  "Bismillahirrahmanirrahim," said the father and spooned the rice.

"Em .... " the father chewed slowly and savored every flavor that appeared in his mouth.

  "How is it, sir?" asked Riri curiously.

  "It's really good!" exclaimed the father then quickly ate the fried rice again with gusto.

  "This fried rice tastes like your mother made it," said the father, staring at the fried rice in front of him. He really missed his ex-wife. He felt guilty for abandoning his good wife in the past.

  "Yes sir, Riri also feels that this fried rice reminds of fried rice made by mom," said Riri with a sad heart.

  "You always pray after every five daily prayers. Because your mother is a very good person and sincerely loves you," he explained and then took another spoonful.

  Riri could only nod at the father's words. Her heart missed her mother so much.

  They continued eating with their loved ones in mind.

  "Have you prayed yet Ri?" asked her father after drinking some water.

  "Not yet, sir!"

  "Yasudah, I'll make my wudhu first, we'll shoot in congregation." he said and headed to the toilet.

  "Alhamdulillah ya Allah, I'm really happy that you invited me to pray in congregation with him. This is the first time you invited me to pray with him. My heart feels really cool. Indeed, the most beautiful blessing is the blessing of faith. Our faith in Allah. Alhamdulillah, I am very grateful to be born by my mother with Islam." Riri said to herself, then she washed the two dirty dishes.

  A clear voice was heard crying in her room. Riri immediately finished washing the dishes and went to Kartika's room.

  When she opened the curtains, she saw Kartika asleep. She didn't hear her daughter crying. Riri swiftly and carefully carried Bening.

  "Hus cup cup cup!" while swinging her body. Riri left the room. She couldn't bear to wake up the father's wife. Maybe Bening's mother was very tired of looking after the baby.

  "Are you crying, Ri?" asked the father with a fresh face after wudhu.

  "Yes, sir. I'll pray first! Riri wants to wake up mbak Kartika, I'm sorry. Maybe she was tired until she didn't hear her child crying," explained Riri as she swung Bening. But Bening was still fussy.

  "I think she wants to drink milk, Ri. You better wake up Kartika." said Bapak with concern seeing Bening who continued to cry.

  "That's right, sir? Then Riri will wake up mbak Kartika first." Riri went into the room while the father immediately performed Isha prayers.

  "Sister! Wake up! Bening is crying," Riri patted Kartika's hip.

  The woman who was sleeping soundly woke up by rubbing her eyes and squirming. She sat up.

  "I'm still sleepy too, come let me milk her," Kartika said and grabbed Bening from Riri's arms.

  With sleepy eyes, Kartika breastfed her child. Riri watched Bening suckle quietly with her eyes closed.

  "Mashaa Allah, it feels so cool to see Bening suckling so well. Her sleep is also very adorable." Riri said to herself, she imagined that she used to be like that when she was a baby. Her mother must have been very tired taking care of a baby.

Ditery.