BLESSINGS OF LOVE
Before 1

"Mother, a few days ago I said that I would have a job in Palembang. I'm already on my way there now well" Asrul told his wife Aletha via her mobile phone.

"Well, what all of a sudden? My mother!!! it's not funny at all well, I'll be home soon. How outrageous is this the same as me!!!???" Aletha was of course upset and angry that her husband said he had gone to Palembang.

"Yes, bun, forgive me for being so urgent and suddenly the person who gave the job asked me tomorrow morning was already in Palembang," asrul said again with a cut-off tone and felt panicked.

"Mas Asrul!!! Dad!!!..what the fuck is this !!!..Why the hell is Mas, what is it exactly?!!!" Aletha sounded very angry to her husband.

"Etha, bun, I know you must be angry, but sorry once again forgive your husband. I really need to get to Palembang today as well," Asrul tried to ease Aletha's anger.

"Ouch...Ouch...Mas.sick... Ms...sick...!!!!".

There was a female voice complaining from behind Asrul.

"Whose voice is that?" ask Aletha.

"What sound?" Asrul.

"There's a female voice complaining of pain, whose voice is it?" ask Aletha again.

"Nobody, maybe radio voice alone. Don't be angry anymore, I'm sorry again. A thousand apologies to Mother Aletha, my beloved wife," Asrul said again apologizing to his wife.

"As for you, I'm definitely very disappointed. I was really disappointed, because the mas so suddenly went without saying goodbye to me, to our son Edwin and also to our parents. Later papih and mamih phone, also to abi and umi. I didn't think until I had to go all the way, going all of a sudden out of the island anyway," Aletha could say nothing more, other than a great annoyance to her husband.

Aletha opened the trunk of her car, initially going to lower groceries in the form of groceries and fruits.

But soon he paused his intention, because it felt useless Asrul was not in the house right now.

Soon Aletha closed the trunk of her car, then walked to the door.

"Mother!!! Mother Aletha!!! wait!!!" the neighbor across the house called out to him.

Aletha turned her head and saw a small middle-aged woman running up to her.

"Mother Aletha," she called with a slight sigh.

"Yes, what's wrong, ma'am?" aletha asked him.

"Look ma'am, we often see pregnant women in this house. Is there really a mother brother who is pregnant and lives here?" ask Aletha.

"Woman pregnant?!!".

"Yes ma'am, it's true that I have seen several times there are pregnant women in this house" the mother explained again.

"Hehehe. I was busy all day, and I had a lot of problems. Now I have to listen to the nonsense about pregnant women in my house," Aletha laughed sarcastically at the mother's words.

"Yes, I'm sorry, who knows if we saw it wrong, or indeed in this house there was a sighting or something like that," the neighbor was still trying to find out what was really going on in Aletha's house.

"Mom, I'm sorry well, I have a lot of problems today. I apologize for not adding any more problems to me. Let it be that there will be any apparitions in this house. I am not dizzy with the appearance, so I beg the neighbors also do not bother with the condition of this house".

Aletha resentfully tried to get the neighbor to leave immediately by saying so, and fortunately the neighbor understood that Aletha was not wanting to be disturbed and the mother immediately returned to her house.

In the house the condition is very messy, it seems Asrul is very hasty when he will leave the house.

The wardrobe is messy, the bedroom is also especially like a broken ship.

In the kitchen there are also many dirty dishes and glasses that have not been washed.

Then Aletha contacted Bik Sumi, asking her to immediately go to her house to help her tidy up the house.

After half an hour, Bik Sumi finally came and immediately helped Aletha clean and tidy up her entire house.

Aletha climbed to the top floor trying to open the door of Asrul's study, but unfortunately the door was locked. Then he tried to find the spare key, but it was not there.

Then Aletha went up again to want to dismantle the door, but still locked tightly even though it had tried to be kicked but still the door was locked tightly.

"Bik Sumi, please just clean what can be cleaned. If it's upstairs at Mr. Asrul's workplace, let it go. The door is locked tightly can not be opened," said Aletha feeling desperate.

"Bu Etha, don't stay Bik Sumi alone, fear ah. People said there were sightings of pregnant women in this house," Bik Sumi told Aletha not to leave her.

"Bik..had not spoken strangely, in this house there is no appearance whatsoever," said Aletha with ketus.

Seeing Aletha seemed to be not like being spoken to, then Bik Sumi became speechless and did her work while not talking much.

After all the neat back, then Aletha left home and immediately went to the clinic where she practiced as a dentist.

Aletha did not want to dissolve in frustration, because the task as a dentist was waiting. Dentists should not work while angry, because they are worried about getting the wrong tooth or the like.

"Mas, it hurts. I can't take it anymore. Find a midwife or baby shaman or be around here who can help me give birth," Jena was in so much pain that she even talked.

"Well, I asked the people around," Asrul also became panicked at Jena's condition.

Then he went down to ask the midwife clinic to the people around there, lucky not far from there there is a midwife clinic and soon Asrul took Jena to that place.

After struggling for about two hours, a baby girl was born from Jena's womb.

A very beautiful and fair-skinned baby girl like Jena.

Asrul whispered the phrase Adhan into the ears of his baby, and also the prayer sentence Al-Fatihah.

"So this Mas Asrul while there is no place to stay, well already, look, behind our clinic this boarding house. I have, please just occupy one of them, the rent is cheap, really," said her husband, the midwife who helped Jena give birth.

"Thank you, sir. Well I rent one room here until Jena recovers" Asrul said.

"You're not married yet?"ask the father to investigate.

"No sir, I also have a son and a wife in Semarang" Asrul explained.

"Hmmm, this is the problem we always get".

Then he sighed, and then continued speaking.

"Later after his lover recovers, please marry religion first. I'll help you later, we'll be in a mosque near here".

"Okay sir, thanks for the advice".

Her husband mother midwife again sighed while shaking her head, because similar cases often they get.

"Etha, I've been in Palembang, sorry well for all my mistakes".

It was a chat from Asrul that Aletha received this morning, but Aletha did not answer the chat earlier, just reading but lazy to comment.

"I just sold a car, quite good as well as the old car," Asrul told Jena.

"It's a pity that the car that was sold, should have been your in-laws' car. Must have gotten a lot of money if we sell it," said Jena while giggling.

"Hmmm, we can find our police if we sell my in-laws' cars. My old car alone, no one will look for us" Asrul said with a smile.

"Old car for sale, old wife left behind, cruel to you Mr. Asrul, hihihihi..," ledek Jena.

Asrul looked at Jena, but wanted to say what he could not, just a thin smile while his mind felt empty.

"Mas, look at our son, beautiful well".

Jena showed their baby who was sleeping quietly in a special baby box in the hospital room at the midwife clinic.

"I feel so happy to be able to hug my own baby without anyone saying this or that" Asrul said as he stared affectionately at his little baby.

"Why was it when Edwin was a baby?" ask Jena.

"You know for yourself, my son is spoiled. He really is the son of Opa and Oma. From her baby where ever I could be content hugging and carrying.

The king and queen must be furious, no one can touch the baby even his own father," Asrul told him about his little son.

"King and queen? mean mas? Oom and Aunt Edmun?" ask Jena again.

"Who else, my two in-laws are. You also understand, what I look like in the house of in-laws. Never had any self-esteem all this time" complained Asrul remembering what he had felt all along.

"But they are still their daughter-in-law. There was no divorce between the mas and Aletha, except one of them sued for divorce".

Jena smiled putting up Asrul, then Jena's hand stuck out and Asrul grabbed him, they held each other.

"The cost of childbirth and hospitalization for three days amounted to seven hundred and fifty thousand. But sorry, we can't get you a birth certificate, because you don't have a valid marriage certificate either" the midwife said straightforwardly and firmly.

"We understand, ma'am, let us take care of it in Palembang. While for one month we rented a boarding room behind the clinic," said Asrul while paying the fee mentioned earlier.

"The problem is renting a room later with my husband only. The matter of giving birth and baby care, it was me who handled, "the midwife again greeted Asrul with a flat tone.

"Oh, yes, if for example it takes additional care until the baby is off the umbilical cord, please add another two hundred and fifty thousand for one week," the midwife gave an offer of care.

"Yes, please go ahead, this is all the money," Asrul handed over the money requested by the midwife.

"Mas, buy me a starter card, I'd like to contact your parents in Palembang. The phone card yesterday was forfeited because it was not used for a long time" Jena told Asrul.

"Just use my phone, it's a post-pay card. Later next month bills also come to Aletha, just spend the limit. After all, I will arrive at Palembang for the card" Asrul said while giving his phone.

"Hehehe, mas like the one who was so upset with Aletha, why the hell?" asked Jena while feeling funny to see Asrul put up a look of annoyance.

"Well, no, no, just how, well, when I married her, I was never myself. Our lives are governed by in-laws and my wife has no attitude, no principle of wanting to be independent. He just obeyed all the words of his parents, and never defended me in front of them".

"Lantas mas will stay in Palembang with me, are my parents fun? Hahaha..just the same, just the difference we are poor families. Another with the Edmun family," Jena timps while feeling amused at Asrul's thoughts.

"Let's go, I can't think right now, I'm so tired. I want to sleep first, if I can not wake up again is also okay," Asrul said while covering his face with a pillow.

"Just not wake up again, how did you and I. Send us first to Palembang, then the business does not wake up again. If I can also come with mas, so never hear people talk about us," said Jena nagging to Asrul who spoke only from the beginning.

Asrul did not care, he kept his face covered with a pillow and continued to sleep soundly.

"Mother, father, that's Jena now. There is already our baby, and the plan is to return to Palembang," Jena said when after explaining the situation to his parents.

Jena's mother cried, while her father was silent to hear that her son had just given birth without marriage.

"So you're stealing people's husbands? that's it, right?" he asked her slowly to calm himself.

"Not so, but we love each other. Mas Asrul does not love his wife, instead love me," Jena tried to explain.

"If you love each other, why not get married. Asrul divorced his wife first, then married you. This is even you being a mistress like that," said his father as if he did not accept the relationship with Jena and Asrul.

"Because not a mistress, sir. Jena is getting married to Asrul's mas".

"What kind of storage is it? you live together without getting married until you have children. And now you're about to flee Java, escape to us" his father's emotions began to rise.

"Already Jena, sir, now Jena you come back here first, son. Marriage is taken care of here. Sir, let our children and our grandchildren come here first. Poor them, "a mother will definitely defend her child even though it is clear that the child is wrong.

"Runyam Jena, you're always running. You used to go to Java because of problems here with your uncle. Now from the land of Java you also bring other problems. Just die you Jena, just die there as the rotten Asrul!!!" his father was very angry with Jena.

"Astagfirefullah!!! father!!! be careful talking, sir. Son, hang up, I'll talk to your dad. Now that you're emotional, don't take it in your heart, well," I'm still trying to be patient and trying to get everything all right.

Jena can't talk anymore, just crying while holding Asrul's phone.

"Yun, I'm sorry I asked for a minute. I have a big problem" Aletha asked her best friend Yunita when the clinic began to close.

"What's up Etha? are you all right?" Yunita looks panicked to see Aletha looks upset.

The two entered one of the empty rooms of the clinic.

Aletha told me everything that was going on and also about the pregnant woman she had heard from several others.

"Who do you think that woman is? Did Jena? We haven't heard from him in years, have we?" Aletha was in tears telling Yunita everything.

"Last I heard from Mas Hussein, the woman returned to Palembang. And all this time I have never heard of mas Hussein and mas Asrul seen discussing about him," said Yunita who began again out his hatred to Jena.

"Well that's it, I called Genta this afternoon. According to my sister, Jena hasn't been in contact with her for almost a year. And said Genta also Jena returned to Palembang a long time ago," Aletha recounted her conversation with her sister over the phone this afternoon.

"But all this time you've never been upstairs in your house?" Yunita felt strange.

"Truly I never went upstairs, because I thought it was Asrul's workplace. Uh, yeah, my son was brought in by his father, too, and my son said upstairs like a barn. So it's possible to keep women there, right" argued Aletha.

"Hmmm, maybe. If she wants to, why don't you check that upstairs now. It just so happens that your husband is out of town" Yunita tried to give input.

"I've tried Yun, but the key isn't there and when I try to break it down it's very difficult".

"So I'll try to open that door sometime. I was also very rarely there, especially now that Asrul was not there," Aletha delayed wanting to check on her husband's workplace.

"Prophey well, it will certainly reveal itself, if suppose your husband makes a lie. But I'm sure Mas Asrul isn't such a man," Yunita tried to comfort her best friend.

Aletha smiled as she nodded her head.

"The son-in-law doesn't know himself, too arrogant is your husband. Exasperated by the heart of papih, when there was no talk at all to go outside the island as now," Mr. Edmun seemed to vent anger when he knew Asrul left without saying goodbye.

"Mamih has been feeling strange about your husband lately, feeling very different these few months. Coming back here only occasionally, we look there looks difficult to talk to. We bring food instead busy bringing food to his study," Mother Edmun also felt the behavior of her daughter-in-law a bit strange lately.

"Mas Asrul said anyway, on top of that while doing something while eating again. But I also do not understand, mamih," said Aletha when her parents invited her to talk.

"It's weird, but he's hiding women up there. It makes no sense, I'm really upset about our daughter-in-law" Mr. Edmun grumbled again.

"Papih Patar, believe the same Etha, because Etha also does not stay silent. Later Etha will find out what really happened with Asrul mas," Aletha tried to calm her parents.

"Mamih and Papih were disappointed, but we believe Etha will be able to solve everything. But if you need help, immediately contact Papihmu," said Edmun's mother while embracing her firstborn.

The next day Aletha also met her in-laws, and told her everything she knew and heard from some people.

"Etha, as far as Abi is aware that Asrul if he wants to show himself capable of something, then he is secretly doing it. Abi thinks he may have a big job at the moment, and then when he's done just tell you," Asrul's father told his son-in-law.

"Yes, Etha, he usually does. But the Umi are confused now, this Sunday Anwar is getting married. How now there is no brother, Umi confused," apparently Asrul's parents are concentrating on the wedding preparations Anwar so do not think too much about Asrul.

"Later Etha will help, umi don't worry. On Saturday, Etha has permission not to practice, the plan Etha will help all the preparations for Anwar's wedding," said Aletha pacify her in-laws.

"Thank you, umi and abi thank you".

"What does Anwar now need most urgently?" ask Aletha again.

"Mbak car, I think it will be less car. So Anwar's plan was to borrow a car from Etha's mother" arrived - Anwar who had just come directly to talk.

"Aw the bride, ready boss. Later mbak prepare one car and the driver, for two Saturdays and H days," said Aletha while giving her thumb.

"Thank you, ma'am. O, yes, about bang Asrul take it easy. We know how he will, and he will come home. Like that he used to, secretly had a car, secretly said he wanted to marry Etha. Then secretly have another business with bang Husein. It was strange that he was, "Anwar told me about his brother.

"Yes well, I might be too worried about Mas Asrul, too" Aletha said with a smile to her sister-in-law.

"Well, that's dong. That's the new brother Etha I know, always smiling and confident" Anwar teased Aletha.

"As for you, he wants to praise me".

"Hahaha.mbak Etha, it could be. I'm happy if you smile again, come on, you'll be the prettiest big brother to replace the Asrul bang at my wedding" Anwar said.

Aletha nodded and all became happy again seeing Aletha being able to smile again. In her deepest heart, there was sadness and suspicion towards her husband. But it turned out to be hard to reveal to his family-in-law.

"Next week we go to Jakarta first after our baby off the umbilical cord. Only later we look for a plane ticket to Palembang," Asrul told Jena who was breastfeeding her child.

"My village is still far away from Palembang airport. If we are lucky we can take another plane there, otherwise, forced to ride a trip but long enough journey," Jena explained the location of his hometown.

"What the hell is it?" ask Asrul.

"So far, my village on the outskirts of Pagar Alam, has entered the Lahat area. So we are not the people of Palembang city, but from the district," Jena told Asrul.

"Law, I don't understand. Later you give me a hint, I make at all about the island of Sumatra," Asrul looks confused.

"I'm sure to give you a hint, when you want to meet my family but I leave it on the streets" said Jena.

Asrul just smiled, honestly his mind raged. Though the lips of speech wanted to leave Aletha, but the little heart said something else. He felt heavy because he remembered all the goodness of Aletha and also remembered his son.

Asrul was sitting at the door of his boarding room, he had left his job, left his family, even this week his sister was getting married and he could not be present to watch it.

If time could play again, Asrul would not want all this to happen.

But what to say, all has already happened and cannot be withdrawn any more events that are currently faced.