The Passion of the Segara
Eps. #67 Not Knowing Where to Go

The online taxi was speeding through a crowded street in the city center and Pearl kept her eyes out of the car window. The moment of sight in the city left him stunned. The tall buildings, the streets so crowded by vehicles was an unusual sight for him. If previously all that could only be in his heart through a television screen, but at that time he could see it directly in front of his eyes.

Baruna was also very excited during her taxi, the little boy stood up and jumped around in the car seat and kept looking out. Funny words were always thrown from his little mouth and asked many things about what he saw in the city to Pearl. Understandably, they usually only live in remote villages, for the first time they visit such a big city.

After about an hour on the way, the online taxi now enters a housing estate and stops in an alley.

"Sir, we have arrived" said the taxi driver, stopping his car in front of a large house.

"It's an address, isn't it, sir?" ask Pearl while looking back at the address Genta sent in her short message.

"Yes, Mother. Block 1, house number 5 is in accordance with the application," said the driver while pressing the unlock button of his car door.

"Hoyeee..., we've got campai, Una wants to cayi Daddy!" exclaimed Baruna excited, the boy was already impatient to meet with Genta.

"Yes, just a minute, Una." Pearl came down while holding her son and gave some money to the taxi driver.

"Thank you, sir," he said as the driver dropped his bags from the trunk of the car.

In front of the house Pearl was silent, she remembered that ever since she reached the port she had not had time to contact Genta again.

Mutiara then took her phone and tried to contact Genta's phone, but the number was still inactive even all the messages she sent were still only one. Many times Mutiara tried to contact her again, but still the same, Genta's number was off. Pearl let out a long sigh, a feeling of uneasiness now filled her heart.

"Why until now Bang Genta still can not be contacted? has he gone sailing again?" thought.

Pearl looked at the house before her, the courtyard was quite spacious and there was the logo of the expedition company where Genta worked at the gate of the house, Pearl can make sure that the address she is referring to is in accordance with what Genta sent before.

"The address is correct, this is the inventory house mentioned by Bang Genta, but why does this house look lonely?" muttered Pearl of confusion.

The gate of the house was locked and no one was seen there, but he kept pressing the bell on the right side of the gate. Several times the bell was pressed but there was no answer from there.

From the end of the alley of the house, a man seemed to walk tergopoh approaching towards Pearl.

"Sorry, Ma'am. Who are you looking for? I am the guardian of this house" the man said.

"Is this really Bang Tirta's house, sir?" ask Pearl.

"It's the inventory house of the expedition company, Ma'am. This house is exclusively for ship workers in that company."

"Yes, my husband is the captain of the ship in this company, sir. His name is Tirta, does he exist?"

"Is this brother ready, Captain Tirta?" asked the man with a puzzled look on his face looking towards Pearl.

"I'm his wife, sir. I just came from the village to follow him here."

"But Captain Tirta doesn't stay here, Ma'am!" sahut the man.

"I got information from the office, Captain Tirta did not come in his first day of work, so the owner of this expedition company will look for a new captain, and this house will not be given to Captain Tirta," he continued to explain all the information he knew to Pearl.

Hearing the man's explanation Pearl was very surprised, he was very sure Genta could not possibly lie to him, because upon arriving at the city, he was very much surprised, Genta still had time to contact him and even sent a photo of his selfie while on the expedition ship.

"Then where is Captain Tirta, sir?" ask Pearl. Suddenly anxiety appeared in his mind, there was a great worry filling his soul.

"I'm sorry, if that's what I don't know, ma'am." The man raised both shoulders and raised his palm while shaking his head.

"Sorry, Ma'am. Excuse me, I still have a lot of work!" concluded the man while unlocking the gate of the house in front of him. The man went straight into the house without any concern for Pearl and Baruna who were still standing there.

"Oh my God, where is Bang Genta? I had to look for him now, while his phone could not be reached," muttered Pearl with a face that had turned extremely scared and anxious. He was confused where to go to find Genta, while he himself did not know the city at all.

"Let's go Daddy, Mommy! Cayi's Dad!" whine Baruna while pulling the hands of Pearl.

"Yes, honey we're going to find Dad, but I'm confused where to look?" A single tear ran down Pearl's cheek, she could not help her anxiety, she was very confused and scared, she did not know where to go in the big city that was so foreign to her.

Pearl carried Baruna and took all her bags. Slowly he walked down the alley in the housing without knowing where to step his feet

Although Mutiara continued to walk, the fear and anxiety she felt exceeded the heat of the afternoon sun that stung her body. It was far enough that he walked until he finally stopped his steps on the side of the road near the city park. Carrying Baruna while carrying two large bags certainly makes him feel very tired. The pearl sat down to rest on a bench in the garden while adjusting its breath.

"Where should I go now?" The question was always in his head. Pearls rubbed his face and wiped the sweat that splashed on his forehead, his mind was so chaotic he was disoriented because he did not know what to do after he had not managed to find Genta in that city.

"Mother, Una yapal!" whispered Baruna who was sitting on the lap of Pearl.

The pearls let out a deep sigh again, and at once he remembered that from noon they had not eaten anything, and Baruna must have been very hungry.

"Want to eat, honey?" ask him to Baruna. Despite being very confused, Pearl still smiled to hide her anxiety to her son.

"Yes, Una mamam, yepal," said the boy plainly again.

"We're going to the stall there, yuk!" Pearl took Baruna down from her lap while pointing at the food stall in the corner of the park.

"But, Una walk up there yeah, honey. I'll hold Una's hand, "pinta Mutiara. The two-and-a-half-year-old boy does have a body that is quite heavier than other children his age so that makes Pearls tired if they continue to carry it.

Baruna nodded obediently, and they walked towards the stall together.

Arriving at the stall Pearl took a seat a little to the middle not far from the food storefront there. The stall was quite crowded so he had to queue up to order food. Pearl reached into the wallet from her handbag, then again sighed deeply when she saw the contents in her wallet which only left a few pieces of fifty thousand money.

Genta had given him some money, but the money was only enough for his provisions during the trip. Previously Genta had estimated the amount of money given was more than enough for travel costs alone, because after arriving in the city Pearl will stay with him and all the needs will be fulfilled after they live together.

"What message do you want?" greet a waiter at the stall.

"One serving of white rice with eggs balado yes, Mbak and drink mineral water," said Mutiara ordered his food.

"Well, wait, Ma'am," said the waiter in a hurry because he worked alone in the shop while the buyer looked very crowded there.

"Just one serving for me and Baruna, I have a little leftover money and tomorrow we have to buy some more food," Inner Pearl grew increasingly worried about her condition in the city.

After the food was presented in front of him, Pearl immediately fed his son who ate greedily because he was very hungry.

"Where, honey? food good?" pearl asked with a smile looking at Baruna's innocent face. The little boy certainly did not know the turmoil that his mother was feeling at that time.

"Enak, Mother," the boy's innocent reply.

"Una eat a lot, yeah! let the road be strong later with Mother," said Pearl.

"Mom not mamam?" baruna asked because she saw that Pearl was only feeding her without bribing the food.

"After Una's new meal Mother will eat." Pearl was very happy because her son could eat voraciously and she did not care even though she was hungry at the time.

"I have to find a job here, otherwise how can I buy food for Baruna" he murmured.

A moment Pearl turned to look inside the shop, the shop owner looked very troubled working with one waiter while the shop was very crowded buyers.

"Hold you here for a second, yeah. I'm gonna order some more food." Pearl thrust her plate of food in front of Baruna and let her son bribe his own food and then moved from his seat to approach the owner of the stall.

"Excuse me, Mum. Do you need employees here?" ask Pearl. He dared to ask the owner of the stall because he felt he needed a job to survive in the city.

The owner of the stall who was still busy with his work immediately turned to look towards Pearl. His eyes moved up and down looking at the very simple looking Pearl with jeans and plain t-shirts he was wearing.

"New mother in this city, and are you sure you want to work daily here?" asked the owner of the stall while smiling kindly to Pearl.

"Yes, Mom. I'm sure I can work here." Pearl nodded her head quickly while replying to the friendly smile of the stall owner.

"It just so happens that the new Mom employee stopped yesterday, I was very troubled to take care of this shop," said the shop owner.

"Then when can you start working," urged the shop owner's mother was enthusiastic about hiring Pearls in her stall.

"Now I can, Mom!" pearl is also very enthusiastic. He felt happy if the shop owner wanted to accept him to start working daily there.

"But I brought my son, ma'am. If allowed, my son will be here for as long as I work. Is it possible, Mom?" ask again.

The owner of the stall then turned to look towards Baruna who was seen sitting in a herd enjoying her own food.

"My son is obedient, Mom. As long as I work I'm sure he won't bother me." Mutiara again convinced the shop owner to take him to work there even though he would take Baruna with him.

"Yes already, it's okay. You can work here, and your son just take him to sit inside let him play by himself while you work,"

"Thank you very much, Mom. I promise I will work well here," said Pearl with a happy smile, at least to just eat she will not be in trouble at that time.

"Oh yes, I am Rahma, whose name are you?" ask the owner of the shop.

"I'm Ara, Mom and my son Baruna." The pearl introduced itself.