THIRTY ONE

Finished reading the work contract and filling in her data. Riri signed the contract and put the paper on the table, near her boss's chair.

  "Alhamdulillah ya Allah. I got a lucky break today. Although my love story is not in my favor, but never mind, I'm too lazy to think about romance." Riri said to herself. Then she went to the dishwashing room. She found Akbar who had washed the dishes first.

  Riri who felt bad. She immediately rolled up her sleeves and immediately took a sponge.

  "Did you get angry with sir, Ri's boss?" asked Akbar who was aware of Riri's presence beside him. His hands deftly washed the dirty dishes.

  "Eh, yes, because yesterday I was caught working, so I got a scolding from the boss, but it's okay!" replied Riri then swallowed her saliva heavily. She really felt sick if she had to be alone like this with the person she liked. But Akbar was Zahra's favorite guy.

  "Yes, thank God if you're not hurt, because there was a female employee when she was scolded by the boss, she immediately cried. Poor thing, she couldn't take it and resigned," Akbar explained, imagining a female employee crying.

  "Thank God, the boss wasn't too angry. Maybe because my reasoning made sense. I helped my mom cut tempeh yesterday, to make tempeh chips. The boss even ordered two packs. Thank God," Riri explained with a happy smile.

  "Oh good then. But you also have to be careful not to underestimate something small. You must not repeat the act of being late for work. If you've done it many times. The boss will definitely get fed up and you can be kicked out of this reatoran," Akbar explained, making Riri amazed by Akbar. She saw Akbar's sincere concern for her.

  "Yes, God willing, I won't be late again." Riri replied.

  They both washed so many dishes. Because today there were a lot of customers who stopped by the kampung laut restaurant.

  "Oh yes bar, tomorrow you are sent to the boss's room. He said you have to sign an employment contract. Then your position is now a waitress. I'm also a waitress now. But it starts tomorrow," Riri explained excitedly. She couldn't wait to become a waitress in this restaurant.

  "Seriously, Ri? Well, thank God for that."

  "Yes seriously, I'm really happy too." said Riri with a smile. But she thought about telling him about the news from Zahra. Riri was very curious how Akbar would respond when he heard the news from Zahra.

  "Oh yes, Bar. Zahra now works at the hospital in front!" said Riri, looking at Akbar's face from the side for a second, then her eyes returned to the plate.

  "Oh, I can't believe it, that means it's close to here. So where does he live?" Akbar said enthusiastically.

  For some reason, Riri's chest felt tight.

  "Why does Akbar have to ask where Zahra lives?" asked Riri in her heart.

  "She now lives in a boarding house, right at my father's house."

  "Wow, it must be nice to live next door," Akbar said smiling.

"Hehehe, yes."

  "She works at the hospital, in what department?" Akbar asked curiously.

  "He's a cleaning service," Riri replied casually. She wouldn't know that Zahra might be angry with her words.

  "Oh yes, I thought she was made as a registrar at the hospital. She has good writing," Akbar explained and laughed. He remembered Zahra who was secretary in his band and in his class.

  "Why is Akbar also reminded of Zahra as secretary in the past? heh annoyed. I'm sure Akbar doesn't like Zahra either." Riri said to herself. I don't know why her feelings became baper at this time. What Akbar said about Zahra made Riri's heart feel upset.

  "Yeah, I don't know either. Maybe it's his fortune to be a cleaning service. Oh yeah, Bar!" said Riri remembering Zahra's words that she would meet Akbar later that night at this restaurant.

  "Why Ri?"

  "Zahra wants to eat at this restaurant later tonight. She said she wanted to meet you and asked for your WA number," Riri explained, trying to be casual.

  "Oh, okay, ready!" Akbar exclaimed with a smile.

  Riri saw the smile painting on Akbar's face. It made Riri very upset. According to Riri, Akbar was very happy to hear that Zahra was going to see him.

  The two of them continued washing the dishes. After there were no dirty dishes. Akbar sat down to rest for a moment while leaning against the wall. He sat very relaxed.

  "Uh, how is Iyan?" asked Riri curiously. The last time she heard about Iyan, he was working at Akbar's father's workplace.

  "I don't know yet, Ri. I think he still works at my papa's place. But I don't know because my papa doesn't say anything about Iyan," Akbar explained while playing with his cell phone. He was playing with his cell phone.

  "Yeah, hopefully he's okay."

  "Eh, there's Cahaya, he's having fun storytelling at the children's center," Akbar said, showing a WA story from his cousin, Cahaya.

  "How exciting!" exclaimed Riri with a happy heart.

  "Eh, he already has a phone," said Riri, remembering Cahaya who did not have a phone after the disaster. Because her cell phone was lost.

  "Eh, let's take a picture! I'll send our picture to Cahaya. Surely he wants to meet you, Ri!" Akbar said quickly. So Riri didn't say anything when Akbar put the camera to her face, they took a selfie together. Riri felt stiff when she was so close to Akbar. She remembered when Akbar carried her at the school evacuation center when she slipped.

  "Ouch! I'm going to the toilet first, I'm really hungry!" Riri exclaimed in a hurry out of the dishwashing room. Akbar only replied "Yes." without looking at Riri.

  Riri ran to the toilet. She now arrived. She faced her face in the mirror. She looked at her red cheeks.

  "Well, why does it have to be like this! I'm really nervous again. What are you doing Akbar using all the selfies. Ya Allah. Istigfar istighfar!" Riri said, stroking her chest. She had to control her heartbeat now. Because Akbar had made her feel like she was sitting on a roller coaster.

  ***

  It was half past six in the evening. Riri had finished the maghrib prayer. She continued washing some glasses and plates. Meanwhile, Akbar was performing maghrib prayers in the restaurant's musolla.

  "Ri, someone is looking for Akbar!" said an employee who appeared at the door.

"Oh yeah, her name is Zahra right?" asked Riri.

  "Yes, I think if I don't forget. Hurry up and call Akbar. I want to continue preparing dishes for other customers," said the short-haired employee then left Riri.

  Riri washed her hands that were full of foam. She immediately walked to the usual place for employees to pray.

  "There's Zahra over there!" said Riri with a flat expression.

  "I'm going to continue washing!"

  Riri immediately walked to her place to continue washing dishes. She didn't want to see the scene of Zahra and Akbar chatting nicely.

  "Duh! What the heck Zahra, she can meet me another time. I'm working. I'll just meet him first. Maybe he misses me." Akbar said proudly. He smoothed his hair, which was wet from the ablution water.

  Zahra ventured to smile at Akbar. Akbar also approached Zahra's seat. He smiled casually.

  "Riri told me that you wanted to come here. Oh yes! This is my WA number," Akbar said sitting down while handing over a cell phone that displayed his WA number.

  "What's wrong with Riri, why did she have to tell me that I wanted to come here? I don't know if I wanted to know Akbar's expression when he saw me suddenly. So annoyed with Riri!" Zahra grumbled to herself. Her hand had now finished recording Akbar's WA number on her cell phone.

  "Are you well, Bar?" asked Zahra smiling.

  "Yes, thank God I'm healthy. Uh I want to continue working, my boss is really fierce because,"

  "Oh yes, yes," Zahra replied with a smile, even though she was disappointed tonight.

  "Alright, you can just order food here, the menu is delicious, I'll go first!" Akbar said and left.

  "Hem! Akbar is still ignorant of me from the past."

  ***

  The sound of crying was heard loudly from Riri's house. She quickly ran into her house.

  Her eyeballs found the father who was pushing the stroller. Bening cried with watery eyes.

  "Good thing you came home quickly, Ri. I was crying all the time. Kartika is out again. She said she wanted to buy pempers for Bening. But how come she didn't come back from waiting," complained my father with a tired face. He still felt weak.

  "Oh my God, what about mbak kartika! Let's just rest, let Riri carry Bening," Riri immediately carried Bening. After washing her hands and not having time to change her clothes from work. Because Bening had been crying for too long.

  "You just rest! You're still sick, right?" asked Riri worriedly looking at her father's pale face.

  Uhuk uhuk uhuk!

  "Yes, I'll go to my room first," I replied slowly. He walked carefully to the room.

  "Cup cup baby, be patient, your mom will be home soon," said Riri who held Bening while rocking her body.

  Bening stopped crying, but Riri didn't have the heart. She felt that Bening was hungry. She asked her father for money to buy formula milk. Her father gave her the money and advised her not to take too long to buy the formula.

  Riri went to a shop near her house with Bening. She felt lucky that the shop sold formula milk. So she didn't have to buy at the supermarket on the main road.

  She walked quickly to her house but was careful because she was carrying Bening.

  She looked for a bottle for Bening, but there was none in the kitchen. There was nothing in Kartika's room either. Finally, she made her formula milk in a glass. Then she put Bening in the stroller. She fed Bening carefully with a small spoon. And Bening seemed to like it.