The Traces of Destiny
Morning Garin And Raka

...💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠...

...Now many of us realize...

...that's the only key...

...to face how difficult life is...

...is receiving abundant love...

...from the parents....

...Without the love my father gave me, I might not be this happy....

...💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠...

Inside the vault, there is a brown kraft envelope containing an archive of Maudy's death. He made it for himself a few months after the funeral. Garin deliberately kept it in order not to forget what happened, as a reminder of the work he still had to finish. But there was also guilt that he kept in the envelope, as a reminder of his failure.

A few minutes later, after turning off the cigarette in the ashtray on Garin's porch table, he poured in a cup of coffee he desperately needed and headed to the living room. Raka was still asleep when she opened the door and peered into the room. Good, he still has a few minutes. Garin rushed to the bathroom.

After turning the tap, the shower groaned and hissed for a moment before the water finally flowed profusely. He took a shower, shaved, and brushed his teeth. Then he combed his hair, noticing again that his hair looked a little longer than before, maybe it was time to visit the bang Sakti-run 'Barbershop Ah Segar', a subscription barber across from his office.

She hurriedly put on her camat uniform, then took the watch from the box on the dressing table and put it on. From the hallway, he heard a rustling sound from Raka's room.

Garin was in a hurry. Raka looked up with puffy eyes as soon as Garin walked in to check on her. He was still sitting on the bed, his hair was disheveled and a saliva line dried on the side of his cheek. Raka just woke up from her sleep a few minutes ago.

Garin smiles. "Good morning, champ."

Raka looked up from her bed, as if in slow motion. "Hi, Dad."

"Is he ready for breakfast?"

He stretched his hand to the side, groaning slightly. "Dad, can I have some pancakes?"

"What if waffles? We're a little late."

Raka leaned over and grabbed her pants. Garin had prepared the clothes the night before. "Dad always talks rich that way every morning."

Garin shrugged his shoulders. "You're late every morning."

"Wake me up faster, Dad."

"Dad has a better idea - What if you go straight to sleep when dad tells you to sleep?"

"Dad always told me to sleep speed, I'm not tired. I'm just tired in the morning."

"What a tired little boy." murmured Garin.

"Huh?"

"That's okay" replied Garin. He pointed to the bathroom. "Don't forget to comb your hair after getting dressed."

"I don't want to" said Raka.

Most mornings go through the same routine. Garin put some waffles into the toaster and poured another cup of coffee for himself.

When Raka was already dressed and arrived at the kitchen, the waffles were already waiting on her plate, accompanied by a glass of milk beside her. Garin had already coated the waffles with butter, but Raka liked to add her own syrup.

Garin started their conversation, and for a few minutes, none of them said anything. Raka still seems to be in her own world, and though Garin needs to talk to her, but she wants to at least look more coherent.

After a few minutes of silence, Garin finally cleared his throat. "So, how's your school?" tanyakanya.

Raka shrugged her shoulders. "It's good enough."

This question is also part of the routine. Garin always asks about his school, Raka always answers it's okay. But this morning, while preparing Raka's backpack, Garin finds a note from Raka's teacher, requesting a meeting. Something in the letter's words made him feel it was a little more serious than an ordinary parent-teacher conference.

"Are you okay in class?"

"Do you like your teacher?"

Raka nodded while chewing. "Uh-huh," he answered again.

Garin waited to see if Raka would add anything more, but he did not. Garin leaned his body a little closer.

"Then why didn't Raka tell dad about the note that the teacher sent home?"

"What record?" he asked innocently.

"Notes in Raka's backpack - which Raka's teacher wants me to read."

Raka shrugged her shoulders again, her shoulders up and down like waffles on a toaster. "I forgot it."

"Where can you forget something as important as that?"

"I don't know, Dad."

"Did Raka know why the teacher wanted to see you?"

"Ng–ngga..." Raka hesitates, and Garin instantly finds out that she is not telling the truth.

"Son, are you having problems at school?"

Hearing this, Raka blinked and looked up. His father doesn't call him "son" unless he makes a mistake. "Nga, Dad. I never acted. I promise you."

"Then what's the problem?"

"I don't know."

"Try thinking about it again."

Raka squirmed in her chair, knowing she had already reached the limit of her father's patience. "Well, I might have a little trouble with some errands."

"You said the school was fine."

"School is fine. Ms. Saras is also very kind, and I like it there." He paused for a moment. "But sometimes I don't understand everything that's discussed in class."

"You're going to school. So you can learn."

"I know," he replied, "but he wasn't like Ann's teacher Raka last year. The tasks Saras gave me were more difficult. I just can't handle it."

Raka looked frightened and embarrassed at the same time. Garin reached out his hand and placed his palm gently on his son's shoulder.

"Why don't you tell me you're having trouble?"

It took a long time for Raka to answer.

"Because," he said at last, "I don't want you to upset me."

After breakfast, after making sure Raka was ready to leave, Garin helped her carry her backpack and drove her to the front door. Raka hasn't said much since breakfast. Crouching down, Garin kisses her cheek. "Don't worry about this afternoon. Everything's gonna be okay, okay?"

"OK," muttered Raka.

"Keep not forgetting that I'll pick you up in the afternoon, so don't take the bus.."

"Okay," he said again.

"Dad loves you, champ."

"I love you too, Dad."

Garin watched as his son headed for the special bus stop at the end of the block. Maudy, she knew, wouldn't be surprised by what happened this morning, unlike Garin. Maudy must have known that Raka was having trouble at school. Maudy has taken care of things like this. Maudy always overcame everything.

Garin returned to the house, snatching his coffee cup that was almost gone. While collecting all the equipment for him to take to the office. Put the cup down, take the car keys, then lock the door of the house before heading to his car parked in the carport. Thankful that his house has been equipped with an automatic gate, a type of fence that can be opened and closed automatically without the need for direct human intervention. It was one of the conveniences Maudy thought of for them.