Because I Don't Want to Lose
44 - Towards the Weekend

Sandra kept trying to convince Anaya with her opinion. Anaya reconsiders her desire to stop working.

"Why are you right sometimes, too, San?" Anaya smiled.

"Hm... When was my opinion ever wrong? Even when I suggested that you force Izzar to marry you for Naira, it turns out I was right?" Sandra bragged herself.

"Related, ah! You were wrong too!" sangkal Anay.

"When?"

"When you tell me to open my heart to Tristan!" anaya.

"Nga! I'm still right that she loves you!... Just because you are already comfortable with Izzar alone, so he acts so you consider excessive," elak Sandra did not want to lose.

Anaya did not argue. Because that is how his history feels.

Until the night, Anaya spent her time chatting with Sandra. He did not mind Izzar who came home late because he himself was very tired.

Early in the morning, Izzar was already preparing to leave again. Breakfast he could not. Anaya so remembered when Izzar was not too busy as it is now. I have plenty of time for Naira and her. The memory slowly ignites the annoyance. Because he hoped Izzar would help clean up his house.

"You're arrogant now. Keep busy!" Anaya pouted as Izzar said goodbye. His behavior was immediately followed by Naira who had just finished bathing.

"Go on! Keep working!... Who's sending me to school?" Naira's mouth tapered exactly the same as Anaya's.

Izzar sighed. The two women in front of him are sometimes adorable if they are sulking, but so annoying when he is in a hurry like this.

"I have a meeting and a job that needs to be done quickly. If we can get home soon tonight we'll eat out, okay?" tawar Izzar

Anaya quiet. Naira waited for her mother's reaction, preparing to chim in on whatever was to be said.

"Go make a promise! It's too late." Anaya does not want to be given hope.

"Yes! His promise will not be fulfilled. It's called sin!" Naira opposed Izzar.

Izzar pinched his cheeks one by one, because it had slowed him down.

"Okay, gini!" Izzar pulled the phone out of his pocket, looking for a name before pointing it at Anaya and Naira.

"You called Mr. Arsyad, said I couldn't make it to his meeting this morning."

Anaya. She had the guts to say that to her ex-in-law. Maybe a long talk will be given to him.

"Whose sister Arsyad?" ask Naira.

"Gpa... Your grandfather," replied Izzar.

"Oh! Here I am on the phone!"

Naira stretched out her hand, but quickly captured Anaya.

"Can't!" ban Anaya.

"Why can't you?" naira asked annoyed.

Anaya looked at Izzar, softening. "It's gone there."

Izzar smile. He hugged and kissed Anaya and Naira's eyebrows in turn, before stepping out of the house.

"Why can't I call Opa? Is he my grandfather?" ask Naira after Izzar.

"Opa's busy. Dad said he wanted to meet." Anaya goes to the kitchen to prepare the school supplies Naira.

"But just for a minute, Ma!" Naira follows Anaya.

Anaya.

"I haven't seen Opa in a long time. I miss, Ma." Naira's eyes glazed over.

Seeing him, Naira's heart ached. It's been a few weeks since Ridwan ignored Naira. Not having a weekend with him means also not meeting Naira with her grandfather.

If Ridwan does not want his son anymore, certainly not with his grandfather. Anaya realized how much the old man loved his granddaughter.

"okay! But you can't say you can't come to a meeting or you can't work!"

Naira excitedly nodded.

Anaya took her phone. "Don't wait! We have to get to school!"

Naira jumped up happily. Suppressed video call call to the number Mr. Arsyad who has prepared his mother.

It was hard to stop the conversation between the two. In order not to be late, Anaya eventually leads Naira to the car, and lets her chat along the way to school. Sometimes Anaya chimed in on the conversation.

At the end of the call, Mr. Arsyad asked Anaya to allow Naira to stay at his house this weekend. Given that there has been no news from Ridwan, Anaya undertakes to deliver Naira later in the afternoon.

Anaya waits for Naira to learn while chatting with the parents of the other students, at the coffee shop opposite the school. They talked about the choice of Primary School where their children continue their education. Anaya, who had enrolled Naira in a private elementary school a few months ago, listened more.

He noticed the appearance of the other young mothers. Except for her who is on leave, all of them are housewives. Even so, their style really amazed Anaya. The clothes, bags and shoes that are worn are all branded. The skin of the women's faces is nothing dull, everything is chewy shine accustomed to touch expensive treatments.

Anaya smiled to herself staring at the thin sandals, as well as her long pants and comfortable cotton blouse. Since living together with Izzar, he is exposed to the simplicity of his environment.

But, Anaya was confident. He was not affected by the peeping gaze of some eyes. His mind was even filled with questions, what work did the husbands of these women so that his wife could look glamorous and very classy so. He who used to work hard to get something, rather disturbed his soul.

Arriving home, Anaya asks Mba Kemi to pack her clothes and Naira. He felt safe if Mba Kemi accompanied Naira. In addition, he is also looking for opportunities to be alone with Izzar this weekend.

The house located at the eastern end of Jakarta is very large and surrounded by a large green yard. He and Ridwan used to live in his pavilion, which was the size of two Izzar houses now. I don't know who the building is now.

Seeing Anaya, the gatekeeper opened the door and let her in.

Anaya really wished Mr. Arsyad's wife wasn't home. He refused to meet his former mother-in-law. When told by the housekeeper who greeted her that her great mistress was leaving, Anaya breathed a sigh of relief.

Mr. Arsyad welcomed Anaya and Naira with a big smile.

"I haven't been home long either." Arsyad hugged Naira.

Anaya sat on the chair opposite Mr. Arsyad.

"Doctors forbid me from working long hours in the office. So, after the meeting, I went straight home." Arsyad looked at Anaya.

"With Izzar?" ask Anaya.

"Yes. There's important business we need to finish."

Anaya smiled faintly. He did not want to know the details of important affairs that he thought must be about the work project.

Mr. Arsyad had Naira and Mba Kemi put their belongings in the room that had been provided, with the aim of being able to talk alone with Anaya.

"Why didn't Ridwan bring Naira here again? You guys quarreling?"

Anaya was a little surprised by the question.

"She was busy. I was also confused as to why he suddenly seemed to no longer care about his son. In fact, before any bus Naira must be picked up every weekend."

"How did Naira behave? Not miss his dad?" ask Mr. Arsyad after a moment of silence.

"The boy is ordinary. I hardly ever talk about his dad. Even this morning he said miss Opa, and asked for a phone," explained Anaya as it is.

"A child as small as him is still plain. The cleanliness of his heart can distinguish the sincerity of one's heart... I don't blame Naira if she's not close to her papa. Even I'm just..." Mr. Arsyad stinged. He was silent to regulate his breathing.

Anaya, who was a little panicked, approached him and offered him a drink. Assistant Mr. Arsyad who had observed not far from them helped improve his sitting position by slipping a pillow on his back.

"That's nothing..." Mr. Arsyad calmed Anaya down.

"I'm getting old, Anaya. I can't deny this condition anymore."

"Rest. Do not think about the work continues," said Anaya.

"Yes. I've decided that. Today was actually my last day working in the office. You're right, it's time I rest."

Mr. Arsyad's hand held Anaya's.

"You also do not attach importance to the work continues. Enjoy time with your family. Naira was a good boy. I'm glad he's with you."

For some reason, Mr. Arsyad's hand and his words moved Anaya's heart. He remembered his late father.

"I know my family didn't like you after you parted ways with Ridwan. But I know you're a good woman. To me, whenever you're my son."

Anaya bit her seedlings. His eyes suddenly hurt. This notoriously hard old man could turn very soft on him.

"Be happy with your husband. Take care of Naira, okay!" Mr. Arsyad rubbed Anaya's head.

"Yes." Yeah." Anaya replied with a smile accompanied by a slight puddle of tears.

He is grateful to have gotten sincerity from his former in-laws. Although there is a sense of anxiety to hear the message sentence.

...***...