BLESSINGS OF LOVE
Sesame Aliong

"I don't want to come, I don't like them" replied Yu Chen's wife Aliong when invited her husband to Soraya's house.

"Why are you so, pity Soraya. She just lost her husband Mario, why are you being like this, anyway?" Aliong felt strange seeing his wife's attitude.

Yu Chen was silent, he had for seven years been harboring disappointment and heartache to Mario's family.

Her husband and Mario work together, both dealing with Mr. A and get money from the person together as well.

But why when finally arrested, only Mr. A and her husband are the only ones in prison.

While Mario is free, his family is happy even his wife can go abroad freely.

"Listen, when you went into the prison cell, it was a time of destruction for me and for our two children".

"The car was seized by the state, the house was also confiscated by the bank shortly because I could not afford to pay the installments. So me and our two children finally chose to stay here".

Yu Chen Aliong's wife and two sons do live in the back room of the Aliong family's car showroom which is now managed by his sister Asiaw.

The room was a former warehouse room that was transformed by Asiaw into the residence of his brother-in-law and two nephews.

Aliong was silent to hear his wife venting her anger.

"Indeed all my fault, because I was too greedy, all of you who bear the suffering," said Aliong full of regret.

"Seven years I struggled to make a living so that our two children could continue to school. Unknown rainstorms, unacquainted lightning lightning flash, unacquainted with the stinging heat, I went around every day to various places to practice gymnastics," Yu Chen said as he began to tear.

"You think I'm happy to be a gymnastics teacher, in front of dozens or hundreds of people I'm full of smiles and laughter. But my heart screamed, I was sad and tired. Morning until noon in the village field and afternoon until night at the gym".

"Maybe people think I'm healthy, happy, but they don't know what's behind it. The gymnastics pay of people once came was twenty thousand at most and it was split in half with my friend. To increase income, I teach gymnastics to the villages, the fee per person five thousand also I take".

"A gymnastics trainer should eat and drink nutritionally. But I don't, I eat the rest of our son, chicken soup that only lives gravy and a few twigs of leaves. Fried chicken, all I ate was his head. The meat is for our children, for them to grow up healthy".

"I was lucky to teach gymnastics in the village, because her mothers were much better and kinder to me. Sometimes they bring food for me as a sign of gratitude for teaching them gymnastics fitness. Which city people are there, already giving money, yes already. Want me to starve or thirst, no matter what matters I've been paid".

Yu Chen completely vaporized all the feelings that were delayed for the seven years her husband spent in prison.

"I rode a motorcycle here and there, teased by a striped-nose man when the bike broke down. Even many harassed me by trying to offer me a lot of money as long as I wanted to sleep with him".

"You think I'm happy, you think I'm okay?!!! No Aliong, I'm not okay. I have to fight alone, I can't possibly ask for help or wait for Asiaw. He also has a family and a responsibility. It's still a good thing his wife can accept me and help his poor sister-in-law".

Yu Chen sobbed while covering his face with a pillow.

"I don't understand, I'm suffering like this but you're still defending Mario and his wife. I hate Soraya, I really don't like her. I envy that woman!!!" yu Chen shouted.

"You why? talk well don't shout, say good with me" aliong pinta embraced his wife.

"God!!!" Yu Chen let go of her husband's hand violently.

"You know, when it was raining heavily, I just came home to practice gymnastics from a village. The traffic light was red, I stopped next to a car. Seen in it Soraya seemed to be humming enjoying the lyrics of the song played in her car. While I was hit by the rain, shivering cold".

"A very sad view, if anyone knows that between me and him, had a husband who both had eaten illicit money from Mr. A. He's just lucky, while I'm unlucky".

It turned out that the reason Yu Chen was so hateful to Soraya, he felt that all this time life was unfair to him. Yu Chen had to make a living by riding a motorcycle that was hot and rainy, while Soraya was good to ride a car everywhere without having to feel what Yu Chen felt.

Yu Chen packed up, put in some sports equipment, such as gymnastics clothes, towels, socks and sports shoes.

Do not forget to bring a flashdisc containing songs for gymnastics into the bag.

"Today you train gymnastics too?" ask Aliong to his wife.

"Sure dong, must train gymnastics. Tomorrow morning Ahan must ask for pocket money and also the cost to go back to school. Mending is now only Ahan, before Aming worked, every morning must be available pocket money and fees for two children," Yu Chen again nagged while answering her husband's questions.

"I'm glad you've been raising our children for seven years by yourself. Until he could deliver Aming graduated SMK and now can work in the official workshop of a famous automotive," said Aliong praised his wife.

"I don't want kids to stop dreaming when you have to crouch in a cell. Then I must rise up to continue supporting them to get the best education" Yu Chen said as he returned teary-eyed.

"When you first went to prison, it was a start I was devastated amazingly. I used to train gymnastics in a famous gymnastics studio, its members were mostly wealthy Chinese cici-cici. You remember what I was like, don't you?".

"When everyone knows you're arrested and imprisoned, tomorrow I'll be released as gymnastics coach at the hangar. But I didn't lose my spirit, so I looked for another gymnastics studio. But it's the same that everyone rejected me on the grounds that my husband was sickly".

"I was confused somehow, while the children also had to keep eating and being financed. In a daze I was hungry and bought hodgepodge in a slum. And from there I talked at length, it turns out that many housewives who want to exercise but can not afford to pay dearly".

"Lantas volunteered to be a gymnastics coach in the village. From there I am now famous as a gymnastics trainer in several villages. Who does not know Cici Yu, almost all villages know. The villagers are better and appreciate me more".

"Once comes five thousand per person, gymnastics in the yard of the house of the head of RT or in the village field. Electricity is striking from the nearest house, audio equipment is usually borrowed have cadet coral".

"If there are more than twenty people, I can get a hundred thousand. If it is less, it is what it is".

Yu Chen recounted what she lived during her husband's time in custody.

Aliong was moved to hear the words of his wife, he really felt guilty and regretted all the actions he had done before.

"I'll take you, will you?" ask Aliong.

"Hahahah, you can dong. Just hold back on hearing the noisy mothers" Yu Chen said.

"I'll take it, but your husband is still unemployed. So let there be activities, I'll take you to practice gymnastics".

Yu Chen of course so happy because at least the day will be a little less tired, because her husband who will drive a motorcycle.

Today's schedule, eight o'clock in the morning training gymnastics in the village of Melati.

Towards the area is quite winding, when finally arrived at a field.

All the mothers were already gymnastics participants were waiting, and were so happy when they saw the arrival of Cici Yu.

"Cici Yu, who is this?" asked the mothers because they saw Yu Chen being bullied by a man.

"This is my husband, dong. Just got back to being TKI. My husband has been a truck driver in Malaysia all this time" Yu Chen said, covering up the truth about her husband.

Aliong was of course surprised to hear Yu Chen's reply to the mothers, he couldn't answer just replying to the mothers' comments with a smile.

Gymnastics training immediately began, the mothers present immediately formed a line without having to be commanded again by Yu Chen.

"We pray first, Dad!!!" invite Yu Chen and be followed by all participants praying in their hearts before starting the gymnastics activity.

After praying, then Yu Chen invited all the participants to start gymnastics activities.

"We start with heart-healthy gymnastics, then aerobics, body language and lastly we salsa dangdut. Ready well, spirit mothers!!! Where's the sound?!!!"yu Chen shouted.

"EEEEEEEE....AAAA!!!!"shouted the mothers of gymnastics participants excitedly.

The rhythm of the music began to reverberate, Yu Chen invited everyone to walk on the spot as the beginning of gymnastics.

Before long Yu Chen nimbly leaped left and right, while moving his entire hands, feet and other limbs followed by gymnastics participants behind him.

His face was full of smiles, never let go of his laughter when something went wrong. He repeated again while laughing cheerfully excitedly.

Aliong saw his wife like that, his heart crying bitterly. Seven years it turns out his wife had to go through several villages to reap the fortune by training gymnastics.

Five thousand rupiah what that means, in the past such money was often wasted by both Aliong and his wife. Now his wife is sweating, jumping and prancing for five thousand rupiah.

"Koko has a great wife. Cici Yu was feisty, tireless and never seemed to be sad," one of the gymnastics attendee's mothers told Aliong as they rested for a moment.

"Thank you, my wife is amazing" said Aliong, followed by the cheers of mothers.

In Kampung Melati gymnastics finished at nine in the morning, then they moved again to the village of Dahlia.

There gymnastics began at ten to eleven noon, just like earlier in Kampung Melati, Yu Chen also did the same vigorously.

Finished teaching in two villages, then a couple seemed to be resting while eating at a rice stall.

"Lumayan, it can be two hundred thousand. Stay later at two noon in Kampung Mawar, then four o'clock later to the fitness center at Bintang Fitness. There I started training from four to eight in the evening. It was quite three sessions, but my pay was split in two with a yoga trainer friend," Yu Chen told me while eating his food voraciously.

"How much did you get paid at the gym?" ask Aliong.

"Participants once coming to that place must pay fifty thousand once coming. Then me and a friend got thirty thousand divided by two, so about fifteen thousand per person," Yu Chen replied.

"More participants than in the village, dong?" ask Aliong again.

"Same, sometimes a little. What is certain is that the coach should not be absent" replied Yu Chen again.

"Take your schedule where?" ask Aliong.

"Thursday, I'm empty in the morning. On Wednesday morning, I do laundry. Two o'clock afternoon to Flamboyan Village, afternoon to the gym again until evening".

"Tomorrow the morning come with me for a moment, Dad. Replace dong, no need to think about washing clothes. Tomorrow afternoon I'll do it. Just come with me in the morning" Pinta Aliong.

"No, just come with me. There's a breakfast invitation at my friend's house. After escorting Ahan, we will go together" said Aliong.

Yu Chen nodded in agreement, then he ordered a pack of rice with his side dish.

" For whom?" ask Aliong.

"For our son, dong. We go to Ahan's school, he must be waiting at the school door. I take a pack of rice every day for lunch" Yu Chen replied.

Aliong became sad again, it turned out his wife was amazing. Train gymnastics, but still took the time to feed his son and then continue the journey to train gymnastics to other places.

Upon arrival at Ahan's school, the boy seemed to be waiting. Then Yu Chen gave the rice packet to him, Aliong hugged Ahan tightly.

"Yu Chen, you went to practice gymnastics alone. I want to go home with Ahan, maybe I'll take a little walk with him" Aliong asked his wife for permission.

"You got no fare?" yu Chen and Aliong asked, of course, shaking their heads because there was indeed not a single dollar in his pocket.

Yu Chen sighed, then she secretly gave her husband a piece of blue-colored paper money so as not to look at her child.

"Who knows Ahan asked for snacks, at least you hold a little money," whispered Yu Chen who made Aliong even more moved.

Then Yu Chen immediately drove towards his destination training gymnastics.

"Where are we going, papah?"asked Ahan to his father.

"We'll go to papah's friend's office for a while, then we'll go home. Papah wants to make sure about the work to papah's friends," replied Aliong.

Ahan nodded, then the father and son walked alone while Aliong listened to the story of his son about the seven years left by his father.

Aliong headed to Jimmy's office, he took his son to the office. Ahan invited Marsela to lunch in the kitchen office, and he bought a fresh drink ordered from his stall Agus.

Aliong is seen talking seriously in Jimmy's room, both of them talking about something serious.

When the two seem to have agreed on something, Aliong exits Jimmy's room and searches for his son who has finished eating.

Ahan then tells Marsela, and also says goodbye to Jimmy.

"What class are you in?" ask Jimmy to Ahan.

"Class nine, Oom," replied Ahan.

Jimmy took out a note and handed it to Ahan, saying, "This is for you".

Of course, the Junior High student was very happy, and immediately thanked him while putting the money into his bag.

"Tomorrow at nine in the morning, I wait for Ko Aliong there," Jimmy said, followed by a nod of Aliong's head.

After that Aliong and Ahan his son immediately headed home to his house by taking the city transport.

That night, Ahan, who was happy to be given money by Jimmy, asked his father to take him to buy satay.

"Come, Papah, I haven't eaten satay in a long time. We also buy it for Mamah, so that later gymnastics can eat well" Pinta Ahan.

Aliong was very moved, that night the three of them ate satay as Ahan wished. And the boy ate very voraciously, making Aliong feel even more guilty because for at least seven years he had made his family miserable because of his actions.

The next morning, according to her promise yesterday, Yu Chen was preparing to leave with her husband.

"Who the hell brought us a good breakfast this morning?" ask Yu Chen.

"Some, come on, if we're ready to walk now," Aliong asked who was ready to leave.

Then the two immediately got on their motorcycles, they moved to the house of Opa Hansen and Oma Regina.

While that morning at the house of Opa Hansen and Oma Regina, Bik Tati was preparing a breakfast that is quite a lot.

"What's this, Tati? you cook a lot. There is chicken soup, egg balado, and potato parchment. Who wants to eat this much?" Oma Regina felt astonished because Bik Tati cooked a lot.

"Den Jimmy said there would be guests, then Den Robert and Neng Soraya would also come" said Bik Tati while arranging food on the dining table.

Seeing the food a lot, Oma Regina so remember Mario. Moreover, seeing there is a balado egg, it's one of Mario's favorite dishes.

"Try Mario, he must be happy to have his favorite cuisine," said Oma Regina while her face was so sad.

"Have not been sad anymore, Mario was happy with Oma Elisabeth," suddenly from behind Opa Hansen interrupted his wife.

Oma Regina nodded while looking still sad.

Before long a car entered their yard, and it turned out that Robert and Rosalinda were coming.

A second later another car came into the yard as well, apparently Samuel's car.

Robert took Samuel inside, while Rosalinda had gone ahead and was hugging his father-in-law.

A moment later, a motorcycle came into the courtyard of the house, Jimmy immediately exited his room and welcomed the arrival of Aliong and Yu Chen.

Aliong immediately shakes hands with Opa Hansen and Oma Regina, the parents remember that Aliong is his old friend Mario but do not understand that Aliong has just been released from prison.

Yu Chen was a bit awkward and clumsy when it turned out that he was currently surrounded by the family of the late Mario, but at least still mending because there was no figure of Soraya in the room.

Soon there was the sound of another car coming, and it turned out that Soraya had just arrived.

Soraya began to get out of the car and enter the main door of the house while carrying a box of cookies.

After greeting and kissing her in-laws, Soraya also shook hands with Aliong and Yu Chen.

Soraya was moved to get sympathy from Aliong who said he was sorry for not being able to attend Mario's funeral.

Yu Chen of course felt annoyed and she started to frown at her husband who was thought to have lied to her.

Then Oma Regina took all the breakfast together, then all walked to the dining room and enjoyed breakfast together that morning.

After breakfast, everyone gathered in the living room, and it was time for Robert to open the conversation that morning.

"So I gathered all at the house of Papih and Mamih, because there is something to say. Please Papih, Mamih and especially Soraya can accept it with sincerity," Robert said.

Then Robert tells that it turns out that Mario has been suffering from lung cancer and cancer cells have spread almost throughout his body, especially to the spine.

Soraya was certainly surprised to hear Robert's words, then Samuel also helped explain the cause of Mario can suffer from the disease.

"It is true what Brother Soraya said, if Bang Mario has not smoked since the birth of his second child. But there was a time when Bang Mario was often in a closed AC room where everyone in it smoked. According to his confession, he was often in the karaoke room, then in the office room where all his guests smoked in it" Samuel added, explaining to everyone in the room.

"I'm one of the people who caused him so, because I used to bring Mario to a place full of cigarette smoke," suddenly Aliong interjected, and Yu Chen was very surprised by her husband's confession.

Then Aliong continued the conversation that he felt very indebted to Mario.

"If Mario hadn't helped me, I would have spent twenty years with Mr. A".

"So Mario didn't want to take money from me and Mr. A, he did the work according to the actual calculations. Mr. A which markup development price. And foolishly I would have taken a bribe from Mr. A, while Mario kept reminding me to stop doing the deed".

Aliong sighed, then continued his story.

"When in court, Mario proved that I made a payment to him with the value of the bill from him. The excess money was returned to Mr. A, while I foolishly want to be given money is not lawful by Mr. A that".

Then Aliong looked at his wife, and said, "You know not Yu Chen, for seven years I've been in prison. Every month there must be a shipment of rice, eggs, instant noodles and other basic necessities. It was all Mario did, he asked Soraya to buy him and deliver the groceries to our house".

Yu Chen gawked at the words of her husband, for seven years indeed every month there must be a shipment of groceries from a store. And when asked who ordered, surely the sender did not want to mention the name of the person who had given and asked for all his groceries to be sent to Yu Chen's address.

"Mario's gone, she's happy with God up there. We can only pray and ask God for his sins during life to be forgiven" Opa Hansen cut all the talk.

"We are all sad to lose him, but to bring back who and what caused him pain is no longer necessary. Pray for Papih and Mamih's children, pray for Mario to be with God in eternity," the tears of Opa Hansen broke and he hugged Oma Regina who of course both very lost will die Mario.

Soraya said nothing, she just kept quiet as her tears continued to pour down.

Just as everyone was about to leave, Yu Chen approached Soraya. Then Yu Chen said with tears, "I'm sorry Soraya, I once hated you for being so unfair. My husband goes to jail while Mario doesn't".

"It turns out that now you're going to have a lot harder going through life, because your husband will never come back like my current husband".

"I'm sorry, thank you for your concern all along. I never knew that you did anything sincere by sharing a little happiness with me and my children".

Soraya hugged Yu Chen, both of them crying but unable to say anything more.

What was certain was that at this moment a shackle of hatred between Yu Chen and Soraya was already loose.

Hopefully Soraya will also soon be able to release the shackles of mystery between her husband and Asmila.