The Passion of the Segara
Eps. #64 Following Into the City

Pearl sat on the porch of his house while guarding his stall, when there was no buyer seen there.

That morning Pearl seemed restless staring at the screen of her phone. For ten days Genta had left himself and Baruna for the city to work on a new ship, but for the past week Genta had not contacted him again, even though the last time talking on the phone Genta promised to be every day news even if only through a short message.

Many times Mutiara tried to call Genta, but his phone remained unreachable and the short message he sent also only ticked one.

"Why is Bang Genta not news anymore, how busy he is there, has he returned to sailing?" A pearl deepened, suddenly there was an unpleasant feeling running through his mind.

Pearl continued to stare at the screen of her phone and play her finger there, while re-reading the last short message that Genta had sent her. Genta's short message contained only selfie photos of him while he was in port. In addition, in the last short message that Genta sent, he also told Mutiara the name of a street in the city, which indicated the address of the house that Genta would occupy after living there.

"Dad!"

"Call Tilta's father, Mother!"

Baruna who had been busy playing alone on the terrace immediately ran towards Pearl when she saw Pearl playing her phone. From the phone, he will usually be able to hear the voice of Genta who always missed him.

"Dad can't be reached, Una. Mother has tried it many times but still can't, dear," said Pearl as she lifted her son's body and carried him into her lap.

"Call Dad!"

"Call Dad!" said the boy again while trying to snatch the phone from the hands of Pearl.

"Can't, honey. Dad's busy in town, we can't bother him." Mutiara tries to find an excuse so that Baruna does not keep asking her to call Genta again.

"Dad!"

"Call Dad, Mom!"

Baruna continued to whine and cry, Pearl was very confused how to calm her son. For some reason, for some days, the little boy was always crying and calling Genta by name.

"Yes, be patient, Una. We'll follow Tirta's father to the city, "please Pearl but the little boy still cries. Baruna kept pointing at Pearl's phone hoping that her mother would call Genta and be able to hear her voice on the phone.

Hearing his son's whining, Pearl's feeling grew more unusual, like there was a worry he was feeling, he felt as if something had happened to Genta in the city. Usually even though Genta is sailing, Genta must always take the time to be patient even if only to send a short message. Unlike his departure at that time, Pearl became anxious because Genta had been a few days ago Genta did not contact him even his phone continues to be inactive.

"Would you like to go to town? pearl asked with a smile looking at her son's sad face.

"We follow Dad there," Pearl told Baruna again and kept trying to stop Baruna's crying. Sure enough, the boy's cries instantly stopped when Pearl said she would take him to the city.

After a few days of thinking about Genta's offer, Mutiara had indeed made up his mind to catch Genta to the city, but since Genta could not be contacted, he became confused as to when he should go there.

"You, Mother. Want to!" exclaimed Baruna while nodding her head happily. Baruna came down from the lap of the Pearl and pulled out her hand.

"Come, Mother. Cayi's Dad!" exclaimed Baruna while continuing to pull the hands of Pearl as if to invite her somewhere.

"Hey, where are you going, honey?" The pearl was confused as Baruna continued to pull her hand.

"Cayi Daddy, Mom. Cayi's Dad!" whine the boy again while pointing at the street in front of his house.

"Where are you looking, honey? I'm in town again!" The pearl tried to hold Baruna's hand so as not to pull her again.

"Pants, Mother. Stashed." Baruna continued to pull Pearl's hand hoping she would follow her wish.

The pearl finally moved from her seat to follow where her little son would take her.

"Slow down, don't run, Una! you will fall!" exclaim Pearl followed Baruna who ran fast down the road in front of his house and towards the path that led to the beach.

Arriving at the beach, Baruna went straight to the dock and pointed towards some of the ships that were there.

"Get it, Mother. Cayi's Dad!" baruna shouted as she approached a fishing boat that had just been leaning on the dock. The ship had the same logo as the ship where Genta had worked before.

"Don't go there, Una. It's dangerous!" peeking Pearl while following Baruna and catch the tiny body of his son and hold it.

"There, Mother. Cayi's Dad!" Only those words continued to be spoken by Baruna as he continued to point at the fish boat.

"Yes, Honey. We're gonna get on a boat and catch up with Dad to town, but instead of getting on that fishing boat, Dad's not working there anymore. We're going to port and get on a passenger ship!" clearly Pearl, but a boy as small as Baruna did not yet understand what his mother described, which she knew that all ships could take him away to the city.

"Hi, Ara. What are you doing here?"

Busy giving understanding to his son, Pearl did not realize a man was approaching him at the dock.

"Eh, Bang Mardi." The smiling Pearl turned her head towards the man who was already standing next to her, the man was a cruise friend of Genta during his work on the fishing boat.

"When does Mardi come, Bang?" ask Pearl.

"Just arrived, Ra! but I only stopped for a day and tomorrow I have to go to town again!" the man named Mardi.

"How's your husband doing? I was so amazed at Tirta, he was so lucky to get a much better job on a cargo ship," tanya Mardi smiled proudly at the success of his close friend for the last two years and Mardi was also a resident in the relocation village.

"Bang Tirta has arrived in the city, Bang. She had already started working on her new ship," said Mutiara also smiling proudly, "this is look, Bang! he had time to send photos over there," continued Mutiara while showing photos of Genta on his phone to Mardi.

"Well, Tirta is great. The expedition company where he worked was very famous, everyone was competing to work there," said Mardi.

"Does Bang Mardi know which port this is, Bang?" ask Pearl

"It's the city's biggest port, Ra. I'll be there tomorrow."

"From here how long does it take to get there, Bang?" ask Pearl in curiosity.

"About twenty-four hours, Ra. Why, you're following Tirta to town huh, Ra?" ask Mardi. From how to ask Pearl to him, Mardi can guess that Pearl already wants to go to the city.

"That's the plan, Bang. But I was still confused, Bang Tirta could not be contacted, his phone was not active" muttered Pearl honestly.

"Yes, his name is also work on the ship, Ra. Sometimes it is difficult to contact," said Mardi did not heed Pearl's complaint.

"Hoyee.., we're going to town, cayi Tilta's father!" exclaiming Baruna interrupted the conversation Pearl and Mardi. Toddler was very happy when he heard he would be invited to go to the city.

"If you want to go to town, come with me tomorrow morning, Ra. Coincidentally my ship's crew wasn't too much either, there was still empty space in the cabin for you and your son during the trip!" take Mardi, "Tirta used to tell me, if you want to go to the city, let you come on my ship. Ra!" mardi again confirmed his invitation.

Before Genta moved to work on a cargo ship, Genta had indeed advised Mardi to take Pearl and Baruna to the city together on his ship. Instead of boarding a passenger ship through the harbor, Genta prefers to entrust Pearl to his best friend, to prevent something from happening to Pearl because he has never gone to the city at all.

"Really, Bang? can Baruna and I go to town with your ship?" tanya Pearl was very enthusiastic.

"Why not!" mardi replied lightly.

Pearl smiled at Mardi's reply. He became more and more convinced that he wanted to catch up with Genta to the city.

**Make all loyal readers who celebrate Ramadan, author congratulate you on fasting.

Marhaban ya Ramadan 🙏🌹**