New Friends

The afternoon will soon turn into night, the sun has started to set. Twilight has begun to be covered by clouds slowly. Nadia invited Sherina to enter the house before the Maghrib Azan was sounded.

"Sherina, come on in!" take Nadia.

"Yes, ma'am." Sherina is indeed a very pious child, she just obeys what Nadia says.

"Mom, why do you have to come in?" Sherina asked later when the two of them had stepped into the house.

"Yes, my grandmother used to say. When it's evening, it's easier for the devil to enter the houses," Nadia explained everything that Nadia's mother had said.

"It's scary, Mom," Sherina said with a frightened expression.

Nadia looked at her face as she said,

"Don't be afraid, Satan will disappear if we read the holy Quran."

"Then, I'm even more active in learning the Koran," said Sherina enthusiastically and understood what Nadia was saying.

"I'll want to ask Ustadz Zacky to teach me to be smart," added Sherina.

"Ustadz Zacky?" asked Nadia.

"Yes, ma'am. Ustadz Zacky is my religion teacher, not only a religion teacher. Ustadz Zacky also taught me all knowledge, more specifically my tutor," Sherina told a long story.

"What days of lessons?" asked Nadia.

"Usually every day, Mom. But now it's a day off because now he's sick. But Alhamdulillah, he said he can come back tomorrow. Ustadz Zacky is good, Mom, he's still a close friend of Dad." This time Sherina was so excited to tell her tutor.

"It's been a long time, the lesson?" asked Nadia.

"Not bad, ma'am. Ustadz Zacky is also patient," added Sherina.

It didn't feel like they had arrived in front of Sherina's room, after that Sherina and Nadia entered. They both continued their story, about Zacky.

"Then what else, about Ustadz Zacky?" Nadia deliberately wondered. Because Nadia saw something different from Sherina when she talked about Zacky. As if there was happiness that Sherina felt.

"Yes, ma'am. Ustadz Zacky is still young, as young as Mother. He is also still in college, he said, tomorrow I will introduce you. Do you want it, Mom?" Sherina asked hopefully.

"Yes... Of course, you can, your friend is also my mother's friend."

Hearing Nadia's answer, Sherina was happy again.

Sherina, who is still in the fifth grade of elementary school, is so enthusiastic about learning her lessons. Sherina is so intelligent and has a high curiosity, no wonder she sometimes talks like an adult. Maybe because he was used to being abandoned by his mother from a young age, he had to understand everything that he didn't have to understand.

Nadia never leaves Sherina's room, Nadia only comes out when it's time to eat. This time, Nadia had to cook, for Marvel and Sherina's dinner.

"Hopefully, Sherina and Marvel like it," muttered Nadia, while tasting the lodeh vegetables she was cooking.

After Nadia cooked vegetable lodeh, she was so confused about what she would cook next. Remembering Sherina's story in the room, Nadia remembered that Marvel likes chicken. Nadia cooks so skillfully, fortunately, in the big Marvel house, there are many things provided. Starting from vegetables to the meat that can be cooked.

The smell of Nadia's cooking was so delicious and pungent, it smelled so good. Marvel, who was originally in the room, went out to find the source of the aroma of the food, the stomach that was originally hungry was getting hungrier.

"What are you cooking, Nadia?" asked Marvel, after he found Nadia again in the kitchen.

"Smells delicious, ma'am." Sherina followed her father. He also approached Nadia in the kitchen.

"I'm cooking chicken, stir fry, grilled chicken, lodeh vegetables," Nadia answered confidently.

'Only this time, someone praised my cooking. Even though from the beginning, only my mother praised her,' Nadia mumbled while remembering her late mother.

Nadia immediately put her cooking into plates and containers, Nadia couldn't wait to present it to Sherina and Marvel. Considering that Marvel and Sherina were already waiting at the dining table.

"The food is ready," said Nadia, while placing all the dishes on the dining table.

"Thank you, Mom," said Sherina with a beaming expression on her face.

"Yes, you're welcome," said Nadia and said goodbye to return to the kitchen.

"Mom, where are you going? Let's eat together," asked Sherina. Nadia's steps stopped and turned to Marvel, immediately Marvel nodded her head. Marvel agreed to Sherina's request, because after all, for Marvel Sherina's happiness is more than anything in this world.

Nadia sat down and ate her food so voraciously, she was so happy. He feels the real family life, although the reality is very different.

"Sherina! Hurry and finish your food. It's late, it's time for you to rest," Marvel ordered when she finished eating first and was about to go back to her room.

"Okay, Dad," Sherina answered by devouring her meal a little faster.

After mouthful after mouthful of rice had been devoured, Nadia and Sherina rushed to her room. But before that, Nadia cleared the dining table first.

The night was getting late, Nadia sang a lullaby for Sherina until Sherina fell asleep in her sleep. After that, Nadia also followed him.

Nadia is fast asleep tonight, even though it's her first time sleeping at Marvel's house. Nadia, who is usually not used to sleeping in a new place, adapts so quickly. Maybe because his heart and mind were tired, so he had to recover his strength.

Like the previous nights, Nadia woke up and did her usual duty. Nadia prayed the same prayer, hoping that happiness would come soon. Nadia hopes that her heart will be strengthened.

***

The sun was shining again, Nadia had done all her work. Nadia has also cooked, swept and everything is in order. While Marvel is getting ready to go to work, Marvel is one of the owners of a well-known company. He is always punctual in the office and monitors his employees.

"I'll go first," said Marvel, still biting the bread that had been smeared with chocolate jam.

Sherina and Nadia followed Marvel to the front porch of the house.

"Yes, Be careful," Sherina and Nadia said together and waved their hands.