The Midnight Radio
Episode 52

"Teh Inoxu!"

Lothawat! The invisible ones started calling out to me, but I just arrived at the Radio Rebel parking lot.

"Teh Inoxu!"

I took a deep breath and continued walking regardless of them.

Pluck up!

"Audzubillahiminashyaitonrojim!" I shouted loudly as I turned around and closed my eyes when I realized that there was a hand holding my shoulder.

"Ish the Teteh mah! It's Adul!"

I opened my eyes half and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Such a parnoan, Tea?" ask Adul with a pouting face.

"Youngawong! What's going on calling?" I turned and walked back to the entrance of Radio Rebel.

"It's tea" he said doubtfully.

"Would you tell me or want me to stay?" my threat. I stopped my steps and waited for him to speak.

"Yes atuh iyah. Gini Teh—"

"If the strange mending do not work, Dul. I don't want Oxu why else," Bang Win's new remark came from behind cutting Adul's words.

"Not that, Bang Win. Adul kasian squirms," continued Adul lirih.

"What's wrong? Go in yuk first? Abis that story in the dalem."

I nodded towards Adul to follow Bang Win's invitation. With gontai, he walked in following us.

"At Adul's house, there's a missing child. Her mother was hysterical going here and there, but nil. Some say kidnapped, some say taken with his father. The boy's parents are divorced. Adul actually did not know very well, but just before leaving he asked for help to Adul."

"Solicit what please?" my many.

"Seek for some info on the loss of family, tea. Because of Kasian, Adul ayein. Even Adul was going to be the mother's source of the broadcast tonight, all let him announce that his son is missing. Maybe her husband's family is horrified, keep tidings. Because the mother does not know where else to find her ex-husband. The stay moved from one sodara to another," explained Adul.

"Oh, I guess what that was. Yes, I can if that's the case. Ask for the mother's phone number, so that you will be on broadcast, can be called," said Bang Win who made Adul had a smile of relief but back murky.

"There's another one, really," he continued. "Lately, Adul often saw small children wandering around the house of Adul. It can be determined that it is not human. Adul was afraid that this little boy was the mother's son. Sempet also Adul nanya photo of her son the missing mother. But it's a pity Tea, Bang. Missing child's mother only has a picture of her child as a child."

"Yes, now broadcast it first. Call that mom, Dul. Let him get ready," tell Bang Win.

Adul nodded and walked outside after pulling out his phone.

"Headphonenya influential?" ask Bang Win while confirming the location of the headphones in my ear.

"Bangetpus. Headphones On World Off. Comfortable it doesn't feel strange anymore" I replied smiling.

Bang Win returned my smile and ruffled my hair gently before raising the volume of headphones located on the left and right of the headphones still attached to my ears. Without him knowing, there was no song I was listening to.

"I will do anything for you, as long as you feel comfortable, Oxu," he said softly and I could hear very clearly.

"What did Win say?" manyu. I even took the headphones off my ear.

"There's not. I'm just saying, the headphones are good. I'll buy it for myself tomorrow."

I was all my might holding a smile, which was almost imprinted on my face.

***

"How old is the mother's child?" askaku.

We were talking to the source who was referred to Adul before the broadcast, a mother who lost her child. Initially, we will contact Ms. Retno via telephone right during the broadcast. However, when he found out that the location of Radio Rebel was not too far from where he lived, he decided to come directly and talk to us in the studio.

"Seven Years of Tea. The last time I saw Diwa was when my son went to school. When I got home that night, I didn't find him and thought he was a snack. After waiting for a while, I just started to panic and went out of the house to nanya to the neighbors. Unfortunately, they didn't see Diwa that day either."

"There's no possibility, mother's son went to another mother's family home?" ask Adul.

"It's impossible, Kang. My family is far from home. Here too, I can be said to be a new citizen. So, it's unlikely that my son goes anywhere himself."

"What do you think of your own mother?" my many.

"Some people helped me to nyari Diwa. Some say there's a chance my son was kidnapped. Therefore, I immediately reported to the police. Diwa my most precious treasure, Tea. I wouldn't be able to live without my child" he replied slowly. Tears on both of her cheeks.

I rolled my gaze slowly towards Adul, Gia, Remi, Teh Hani, Bang Win and the concerned-faced Kang Utep.

"But I am sure, very sure that Diwa was brought by his own father," continued Ms. Retno.

"Why do you think that, Mom?" ask Adul.

"We had a chance to fight for child custody until finally the court decided if custody fell into my hands. However, he did not remain silent after the court ruling came out. He always followed wherever we moved and tried to take Diwa with him. I tried to contact Papa Diwa's extended family but they refused to provide any information regarding Papa Diwa."

"If it turns out that Diwa is indeed with his father, and his papa Diwa again heard this broadcast, is there anything you want to say?" my many.

Ms. Retno nodded before speaking, "Please return Diwa to me. I can be poor, I can live in suffering, but separating Diwa from me is like killing me many times. Until any time, you remain Diwa's father. That won't change, never. I've only had Diwa in my entire life. Please don't take it. I don't know how to live if Diwa doesn't exist" she said in between tears.

The eyes of Tea Hani, Gia, Remi even Adul look teary.

"Well, Miss Retno, hopefully Diwa will be found soon?" I closed the conversation. "That is Retno's mother, Diwa's mother, who has been missing for five days. For listeners who see a child with the characteristics mentioned by Miss Retno just now, can directly contact Radio Rebel. Finally, Inoxu, Adu with Retno and the entire Midnight Story team please resign. Thank you for being together, see you. Wassalamualaikum warahmatullahi.

I turned off the mic, stared at the monitor that was not recording anything, took off the headphones and walked slowly towards the studio door. After locking it, I sat back in my chair and faced towards Miss Retno. All eyes looked at me in wonder except for Bang Win, Adul and Kang Utep.

"I can't get far from Diwa, Inoxu Tea. My heart ached" said Ms. Retno again crying.

I looked at him sharply and smiled cynically. Not only that, I also folded my hands on my chest and put my feet on it.

"Mother don't have to worry. Diwa is near mom. Even at this moment, he was hugging my mother's back," I replied casually.

"What is Inoxu Tea?" tanyanya confusion.

"I should be. What mother mean? Why do you act so panicked when Diwa goes missing? Though I know clearly what happened to the mother's son."

Ms. Retno was stunned for a while.

"Mother even turned a deaf ear as Diwa groaned for mercy. As his small body tried hard to endure the pain of pu*kulan, cu*bitan, tam*paran, even ten*dangan that mother gave him. And mom still means what do I mean?!" I was half dead holding back the emotions that made my body feel hot.

"And you know what? After all the mother's treatment of Diwa, Diwa still said that she loved her mother very much. Now I ask, what was wrong Diwa? The poverty that mom went through wrong her? The trouble you got because of her? The destiny that mom lived also her cause? Why must I just*have him done when my own mother can't make him happy?!" my yelling.

Ms. Retno got out of her chair and rested on the floor, right in front of me.

"Even after all the torture she had inflicted on Diwa, until she lost her life, she still embraced her mother affectionately. I'm disappointed! I am very disappointed to have met such a noble woman as a mother, who behaves like you. Sorry if I had to say this. Bela*cur who keeps his son out there, is still a thousand times more honorable in my eyes, compared to mother!" I gasped for emotion that was already at the highest level.

"Call the police, let Miss Retno admit everything herself. If there was still a little bit of love left for Diwa, he would confess his deeds. If not, let the court in the afterlife judge him accordingly!" I stood up and wiped my tears violently. Bang Win quickly approached and clasped both of my hands to channel the power.

***

I was still sitting pensively on the sofa when Bang Win brought me a glass of warm tea from the pantry. My memory goes back to a while ago, when Miss Retno had just arrived at Radio Rebel. Adul told me about the little boy who was on Miss Retno's back. Curiosity made me try to dialogue with the little boy whom I finally knew was named Diwa. Kang Utep and Bang Win joined, after Adul and I told them. The four of us, we made a broadcast scenario so that Ms. Retno would acknowledge her actions as the person who had lost the life of her own son, Diwa.